Byron G. Parker
“Byron is coming over in the morning.”
“Who?”
“Byron G”
???
“Bron-Tron”
What?
“Bronson”
“Oh right. That Byron G.”
It usually took my brain a minute to translate Justin work speak.
There was no logical explanation for how Bronson got the nickname Byron G, but Byron G it was and for whatever reason, it stuck.
It’s been a minute since I’ve written and a lot of you have been asking how we’re doing as a family since the passing of Bronson.
Thank you for checking on us and I am happy to say we are doing well.
The first few weeks were brutal, but I feel like we navigated them well, especially the kids.
My two oldest wear lockets around their necks with teeny-tiny pictures of Bronson and both have pieces of his bike (per their requests).
Edley still prays for him at dinner and likes to remind God, “The world is a happier place with Bronson if you want to send him back.”
Justin is back at work and has had his moments, whether in the trailer or eating lunch alone on the front porch. The job site is for sure a much quieter place.
Grief or sadness catches you at the most unexpected time and for the strangest reason. Or at the exact time you’d expect it, but yet, you still find yourself seemingly unprepared. It’s weird like that.
Life isn’t the same, but as we all know, things must go on.
Does that mean we’ve forgotten him?
Not even close.
Enter the newest Byron G.
Isn’t he the cutest?!?!?!
We’ve been talking for a while about getting a second dog to give Indie a play mate, but also one to protect the chickens and goats (when we get them!).
This was starting to look more like a reality when a new friend in our lives came over Friday and shared with us all about her goat farm and how she could help us get started.
So we went to bed thinking about possibly one day getting a livestock guardian dog...maybe even a Great Pyreneese!
Sigh.
God knows that I have always had a soft spot for GPs, but He also knows I believe the right dog will find us. I don’t have to make it happen.
I kid you not, the next morning at Aubyn’s soccer tournament, a gentleman sits down next to us with a Great Pyreneese puppy with the cutest black and white face.
His daughter Sadie is on Aubyn’s team and goes to school with her, but we’ve never met him. Nor did we know they raise GP’s!
Since we are friends of Sadie, he offers us a bargain for his pup. And I mean a bargain!
Fortunately, my rational brain kicked in, and somehow we made it home without a puppy.
But the conversation continued…
After church on Sunday, we run a quick pros/cons list, discuss logistics, but feel conflicted.
We decide to pray about it and while praying, all I can see is this beautiful all white fur face with black eyes and nose.
He was so handsome, but he was all white, not like the one we held the day before.
We gave ourselves a time limit, and when the time was up, we both agreed and felt peace about our decision.
We’ll go look at the litter of pups.
We load up the car, kids all screaming, because they know they are getting a puppy.
FYI, there is no way you as a parent can take them into this situation without knowing you’re coming home with one. Don’t kid yourself if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.
We get to Sadie’s house and the kids scramble out of the car and race to the gaggle of pups wrestling in the yard.
Each grabs one and starts loving on them, but Edley.
Edley lays down and this sweet pup climbs on Edley’s stomach and starts licking her face.
All of the puppies have spots of grey or black, save one.
The one on Edley.
And it’s a boy, which is imperative since we’ve been told a female dog wouldn’t be a good fit for Indie.
The kids keep checking out pups and making their cases, without knowing it’s already been decided.
I know the face I saw while praying.
Sadie had named this little guy Parker and Parker was the one going home with us.
In the car, the discussion turns to Parker’s name.
Should we keep it?
Avett and Embry like it, but Aubyn is not convinced and Edley insists his name is Snowman.
I toss out several old man names because that just seems fitting to me. And funny.
Brandon? Harlan? Hank? Baldwin? Eugene? George???
“No. Ew. Gross. Never. Mommmm. Stop.”
Aubyn fights hard for Benson, aka Benson Boone.
Whispering with Justin up in the front of the car, we agree Benson could work.
Benson Boone’s music has been the soundtrack of our 2024 and the kids’ first real concert. They all love him, so it made sense.
Benson.
Old man name. Relates to where we are as a family. Reminds me of the ‘80s sitcom that I loved. And is easy to say.
Benson.
Done.
That was easier than I thought it would be! I was getting worried there for a second.
But no. Of course it can’t be that easy. Not with this crew.
Embry and Avett hate it. Edley’s sticking with Snowman. And Aubyn isn’t convinced anymore.
Fine. We’ll stick with Parker until a name comes to us.
And that’s when Aubyn casually mentions the name Bronson.
And Justin and I just know.
Bronson would be too on the nose and would sting a little when said, but what about Byron?
Byron G?
Byron G would bring a smile. A laugh at a nickname that never made sense, but yet was his.
And just like that, we have a name…Byron G Parker.
Except for Edley.
Never one to follow the crowd, she declares she will only call him Marshmallow.
And with that, it feels like this chapter on our season with Bronson is closing.
A page is being turned, but the new Byron G is the Collett Crew’s way of remembering the stranger who became family. The guy who worked hard with Justin, who loved our family, and who we loved in return. Someone we got to see grow up from a 19 year old kid into a young man and father. The guy who played with our kids and made us all laugh.
Thank you Bronson/Bron-Tron/Byron G for all of those things you did that enriched our lives.
And here’s to the next Byron G we get to play and laugh with, watch grow, and who will without doubt, enrich our lives as well.
