Welcome to another installment of Parents “R” US. We are sorry that there has been a lapse in postings here, but sometimes life happens, and sometime life happens in a very BIG way. Joy as you know is the creator of Parents “R” us, and I am privileged to be able to write along side of her here.

However I am writing this post because Joy was touched personally by a tragic event that took place on Friday in the early hours of the morning. She lost a very close friend and law enforcement officer in Pittsburgh, PA by the name of Stephen Mayhle.

He was one of three officers killed in the line of duty in a stand off with the suspect known as Richard Poplawski. Officers Stephen Mayhle, Eric Kelly, and Paul Sciullo were killed responding to a domestic disturbance call. It seems that Poplawski was upset about losing his job, and the prospect of the Obama administration instituting a ban on guns.

This leads us to today’s topic of “A Parents Nightmare”. The nightmare I have about family is one about having to tell your children that one of their parents is dead. For the families of these three fallen heroes that nightmare has come true.

Now I don’t know about officers Kelly and Sciullo, but officer Mayhle is survived by his wife and two young daughters. His family was not even notified by the Pittsburgh Police until his wife called looking for him, because he was late returning home after his shift. She was informed by the department that she would have to come in to the station.

Joy and I cannot for one minute even begin to understand how the families of these fallen warriors feel, or how to tell their loved ones that these brave men will not be returning home especially their children. How do you tell children such a horrifying truth?

Now I will tell you that in my life I have lived through some dangerous life threatening situations and I never knew how it would have to be told to my children that I wasn’t coming home, luckily for me I don’t live that life anymore.

I do think that I have some idea of what I or my wife would say if it happened to one of us though. I think it would go something like this.

Example:
Kids come in here please and sit down I have some bad news and some good news for you to hear. First the bad news and that is that your mommy/daddy is not going to be coming home any more because he/she has passed away.

Now for the good news and that is that he/she has gone to a better place and is now with God. He/she wants you to know that they love you very much and wants you to live a full and happy life. He/she wants you kids to know that they can’t wait to see you when God says it is your time. Until then remember that he/she loves you with all of their heart for ever and ever.

That is how I think I would tell my kids that their mommy is gone and I think she would do the same for me. However I will say again that I we have no idea how the families of these men will tell the story to their kids, and all we can do is pray for them in their hour of need. I will further add that I would hope that God would extend to these families the mercy of brave hearts and souls.

I hope you all say a prayer for these men’s souls and their families also. Have a wonderful week and I will see you all again real soon, CIAO4NOW!!!!!

Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death; I will fear no evil: for thou
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life; and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever.

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever.
Amen.