Gregory Allen Parks

Wow, I am off my own designated timeline of updating my blog weekly. I hope I didn't keep too many of you in suspense. It has been a busy two weeks. I will update twice this week.....or so I hope. However, here is one of two updates.


Gregory Allen Parks

 My big brother, Gregory Allen Parks, recently celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday, 14.November. We all celebrated the party in spirit, because Greg is in heaven. Thirteen years ago he lost his battle with paranoid schizophrenia and depression.


Greg, me, my uncle Gary, and brother Rodney

 I have two big brothers, one Rodney and one Greg. I am the youngest and the only girl. I was raised just as one of the boys, much to my mother's disliking. I was also the first girl on my father's side. So all of my cousin's were boys...for a while. Why won't my daughter play with dolls, why won't she wear dresses. Duh, because the boys didn't so why should I? The boys played with GI Joe and I did too, the boys played football and I did too, the boys aren't wearing a dress so I don't have to wear one either. Pretty much anything the boys could do I could do better. Which leads us to modern day, 2010. I still get referred too as a "guys girl," I still want to beat the boys around me in anything, I believe Saturdays are meant for long distance running and college football. I still don't wanna play with dolls or play dress up for that fact. However, I can dress up when the occasion arrives. My first sleepover for with a boy named Brandon. We had just moved to Russellville, and I had few friends. A neighbor of ours was my BFF and I asked if he could sleepover. Sure, why not. There was no gender lines, Brandon was my friend, who happened to be a boy. Brandon was my first friend I made in Russellville, and Greg was my big brother who always pushed me.

Greg, was an athlete, cook, comedian, and under all the tough guy exterior, he was a nurturer. Greg played football and baseball growing up. Many of days, nights and weekends were gone, traveling with "the boys" to watch tournaments. I might add I had to sit in the middle each car ride because "the boys needs room." In the summers my parents were working and we are at home, Greg cooked our lunches or at least made sure I had something to eat, when I got old enough Greg taught me how to cook for myself. Greg was a comedian, he could make friends with a tree and make the tree shake with laughter. He brought smiles to faces, he gave the chuckle after a corny joke, so you didn't feel dumb. He was a funny human. The most important part of Greg that I miss the most is his nurturing side.

Greg took care of people, he wanted to make sure that everyone was ok. No, he wasn't gonna come into the room and give hugs, but if you looked as if you were down he would gently talk to you about nothing, but make sure you knew he was concerned about you.

Since this is my blog, I can ramble for as long as I want and there are just a few more things I want to share about Greg. And those that know me, know that just when you are trying to say bye, I find something to tell you or ask you to keep you around.

Even through his sickness he never lost his nurturing side. I had a Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer in college. It was my mother's and she gave it to me. The car had a tape deck, and I must have worn out the tape deck, because one day it ate my tape. I had no radio and this was before ipod's. I did have a boom box that sat in the passenger's seat with me. I was driving back from Russellville to Fayetteville. Greg was at my parents house. I will never forget, that Greg looked at me and said, you sure you are ok. I said yea I was good. Later on I found out that asked my mother the same thing..."you think Brandi is ok driving back." Always concerned about his little sister even though he was the one who was fighting a battle.

No, that was not my last time I saw my brother, it was at a baseball game of course. We were walking around talking to each other and he had good points and low points. That day was a little bit of a low point, and I remember telling him, that I was gonna save some money up and we would go shopping for him some new gear. That shopping day never came, Greg lost his fight.

That doesn't stop me from always knowing that Greg, is still the strongest person I know. He battled voices and depression. He is not having to fight any longer, he is safe and he has no medicine, no doctors. He is back to enjoying his life. I do believe that he looks down on us, and is happy to know that Eleanor shares his middle name.



rodney and greg in 1990



my parents with winner

Not only will Eleanor share his middle name, but at our hometown college (Arkansas Tech University in Ruseelville, AR) we established a scholarship in his name. Thus how I began running marathons, in 2004 I ran my first full marathon and asked people to donate money for me running to fund Greg's scholarship. I have been running ever since and the scholarship lives on. Just as Greg will live one through us. He was our guardian, as now he is our guardian angel.



my family

Our Little Pumpkin

This was Eleanor's first Halloween! We had many costumes to select from and it came right down to a DUCK. I think she was the cutest little duck in the world, but I might be one sided.

We did things we never thought we would do this Halloween, just to make sure our little duck enjoyed her first Halloween. The biggest thing we did was attend an event in El Dorado, called "Trick or Treat down the street." This event brings out the best of the best. Parents and kids a like dress up and then wait in line for one piece of candy. 

I don't go to State Fair's. I repeat, I don't go to State Fair's. I have been to Disney a couple of times, but that was under duress. I worked in sports, college and pros. Lots of crowds, but I never was a part of the crowd. I do not go to State Fair's, because......Pelican Brief. Have you seen it before? Remember the man in the red hat. I repeat, I do not go to state Fair's. The trick or treat down the street was the closet I have been to a state fair in a long time. It was OVERWHELMING!

A good event, just too much for me to take in. Pelican Brief.

The main point is that Eleanor had a great time and to see the look on her face watching all the big kids was worth it. I am sure that at some point I will change my tone, and end up going to a state fair. But as far as this blog is concerned.....I do not go to State Fair's.