Brock Meadows' First Bike Ride

I took this video a year ago yesterday. This was a bike that we purchased when Asa, our oldest son, was 2. Since then all the boys have learned to ride a bike on this bike. Last year in January it became time for Brock to learn. The bike had been sitting in the garage with flat tires. Brock had been getting on it and trying to peddle, but of course it would not go anywhere.

I mentioned to Drew that we needed to put some air in the tires of the "little bike." The tires have these thick plastic spokes that light up. Way cool but it will not accept our bike pump so we always have to take it to the bike store. The next day Drew put the bike in his car and stopped by the store to get some air. Drew is a wonderful Daddy, but he admits that sometimes things like that get down on his list and can take a few weeks to get to, but not this day, not this job. For some reason (a gift we now know from God)he got it done right away.

He took it out of his car on a Friday afternoon before leaving for the Deacon retreat at our church. Brock noticed it on Saturday, but I managed to hold him off until Sunday. Just like now in Atlanta, the weather had been really cold for a few days. On Sunday the sun warmed things up a bit so we decided to get outside. Brock put in to ride his bike. I tried to put him off, but there was no changing his mind. He got his helmet and was ready to go. I knew Drew would be upset with me for him missing it because he loves all those first things the kids do. But..., Drew was at the church at the deacon ordination and Brock was going to ride this bike.

I debated on letting Brock do it and not telling Drew. I thought I would swear all the boys to secrecy and we would just let him do it again on Monday and we would all act like it was the first time. I decided someone would get me in trouble, probably Brock himself, and I knew it would be best to be honest. So... I asked Asa to grab his new little flip video camera he got for Christmas so that Drew could see it on video.

That night Drew got home late, and I told him about Brock on the bike, but he didn't have time to see it. The next morning he called me from work and was having a not-so-good day. I told him he had to see this video of Brock for it would change his perspective on his bad day.

I had never uploaded anything to YouTube. We wouldn't even allow the kids to go on the site. They were appalled that I was putting something of their little brother Brock onto YouTube. The kept saying, "You are putting Brock on YouTube?!?" I tried to explain that this was the only way for their Daddy to see it at work.

Well, after a few hours of figuring it out, I finally emailed it to Drew around 1pm. It was for his private viewing that day. Little did we know that thousands of people would view it after Brock died.


He says some funny things, so be sure the sound is on your computer. A couple of things: Mason was on the trampoline before coming up to give Brock some advice on peddling. His helmet is spider man. Our dog is named Dakota but it comes out "Ko-uz" from Brock. Our four-wheeler is sitting just down the drive way. Brock comments about a rock on the ground that stops him.

As I am writing this I am overcome with emotion as I remember I loved being his interpreter. What a sweet privilege! Oh how I long to hear his voice. I miss him so much.

Hope you enjoy!