November 8, 2010 was the last “normal” day in the Rowland household. Looking back there was not a lot special about that day. It was a Monday, and it started out like a typical week. The usual alarm clock buzzing woke us up to start the day, and we hurried along with our normal routine. Drinking my coffee while trying to have a few quiet moments. Getting the boys up and going.  Getting myself ready while getting their breakfast ready at the same time, then hurrying out the door and off to school.  Just nothing unusual at all.

The day progressed with few surprises. Dave had to take Holt for a doctor’s appointment in Valdosta. Holt had a late afternoon appointment, so they would not be back until after dark. Hunter and I headed home after school, and he asked me if I would carry him to the Annual 4-H Hog Show at Pierce County High School. Hunter usually showed a hog in the show, but a few weeks prior to the show somebody stole his hog. Yes, you read that right. Somebody stole his hog from the pen, so he had no hog to show that day. (Looking back at how the rest of our week turned out, I feel it is safe to say that having a hog stolen could very well be a sign that worse luck may be headed your way.)  Anyway, I agreed to carry Hunter to the show where he would meet some friends of ours, and they would run him home when it was over. Still, nothing felt too unusual about the day.

Later that evening with Hunter happily at the hog show and Dave and Holt on their way back home, I took care of my typical chores around the house. When Holt and Dave got home, they told me the news that the doctor said Holt would need surgery to remove a bone fragment that was causing him pain in his knee. It was news that was very disappointing because as I have told you before, Holt had already had to have arm surgery. We just hated to think that he would have to face another surgery before his junior year in baseball. Junior year is so important for an athlete. To say we were discouraged is an understatement. We had hoped the problem could be corrected without surgery, but there was no other treatment. The doctor left it up to us to decide when the best timing would be to have the surgery. Dave and Holt had discussed it, and Holt was adamant that Coach Keith Mobley had to help us decide. What started out as a typical day seemed to end in discouragement and question marks about what would be best for Holt.

I think we were all just down in the dumps at this moment. As Dave and I discussed the decision in private, I remember telling him that all I knew to do was to pray. I yelled for Holt to come to our bedroom, and I will never forget what he yelled back, “Just a minute Mama, I’m watching Matt Lauer interview George Bush.” Now Holt liked to watch television, and he would often watch news shows when no sporting event was on. It was funny to me that he wanted to watch this prime-time interview, but just as soon as they went to a commercial break he came to our room. Looking back I can see that this was a blessing from God because the three of us sat on the bed and held hands and prayed. I prayed out loud for God to help us decide about the surgery. I can remember praying to God and telling him…”Lord, I know you have a special plan for Holt. Help him to follow where you lead.”  I will admit that I was very discouraged as I prayed because we just wanted Holt to experience success in a sport that he loved so much. He had gotten so much stronger in the past year. He was hitting the ball farther than he had ever hit it before and with more power. We knew that junior year was going to be a great year for him….and then, to think of knee surgery with therapy and having to stay off the leg. It just felt like a major set back once again.

After our prayer Holt quickly ran out of the room to watch the rest of the interview, I am certain. Dave and I were both tired, and we decided to get ready for bed. Just as we were about to turn out the light, in bopped Hunter. He excitedly came in and ran to where we were to tell us all about the show. Two state representatives had kindly contributed some money to 4-H for Hunter. They had heard about him not being able to participate in the show since his hog had been stolen and couldn’t be shown. We had no idea that they were doing this for him, so Hunter was very happy. As we were about to say good night he said, “Oh by the way Mama, I have a vocabulary test tomorrow and need to study my words.”  Hearing those words made me cringe!  Now, at this moment I am lying in the bed with the covers pulled up and the lights already out. Luckily, I could hear Holt in the kitchen, so I figured the interview he was watching must be over. I yelled, “Holt, will you help your brother study his vocabulary words, please?”

That day may have begun with the typical annoying noise of my alarm clock in my ear, but when I closed my eyes to go to sleep that night, I heard the most beautiful sound of two brothers studying seventh grade vocabulary together. No arguing or fussing….just peace. I remember yelling, “Thank you, Holt, for helping your brother!”…..then I faded off to sleep.

Hunter remembers that night so well. He said that after they finished studying that Holt danced around the kitchen playing  the song “Dixieland Delight” on the computer. He got hooked on that song after a recent trip to Tuscaloosa to watch Alabama play football. His dancing shows you that he was not nearly as worried about the future as his dad and I were at this time. After they studied and danced, these two brothers got ready for bed and went to sleep.

A typical day that looking back was really not that typical after all. I mean think about it, how many times do you have a hog stolen? How many times do you gather your children together to pray? How many times do hear your children helping one another?  Sounds like a hodge-podge of events that only God could use to turn a typical day into one worth remembering.

A few weeks ago I wrote that Holt has always had a family of prayer warriors praying for him. In the list of people who have prayed for him, I mistakenly omitted Hunter. (Yes, Hunter did bring this to my attention.) I want to make it very clear that Hunter Rowland has prayed for his brother since he learned how to pray. When Hunter was about two years old, he would not call Holt by his name but he would call him “Buddy.”  When he wanted Holt’s attention he would say, “Hey, Buddy.” I always thought that it would be fine with me  if he called him that forever.  Hunter has known his whole life that Holt was somebody who would take care of him. Even though they both grew up and would sometimes fight, like brothers do, these two brothers love each other more than anybody really knows. They are indeed “buddies.”  And, I am so thankful that God allowed them to spend a few special moments together on that not-so-typical Monday night.  To God, I am forever grateful.