Angels Ride Bikes

Dear Nie and Madsen;

Aloha! I send you my greetings from the beautiful island of Oahu. As an avid reader of your astounding blog, I cannot begin to conceive the amount of emails you have obtained. I tried earnestly in every possible way to think of a creative way to express my desire to obtain the wondrous Madsen bike, but I have failed to do so. So let me just be forthright. First and foremost I am the blessed mother of four beautiful, rambunctious children; Sadie, Sophie, Sariah and Ammon. I am a military wife to my beloved Dallas. As of ten months our current post is Schofield base in Wahiawa, Hawaii.

Hawaii is a place of enchanted beauty. Although I am extremely elated for this blessed opportunity to live in a picturesque metropolis, I am saddened at the absence of my incredible Dallas. He is currently deployed for a year of service in Iraq. My Dallas is the keystone of our family. With our deprival of his presence my children, as well as I, long for when he returns home.

It is till he returns home I am maintaining order within our home. I am the mother and the father. I am the nurturer and the disciplinarian. I am the one who fixes the bikes and makes dinner. Nie and Madsen, words cannot describe how much I miss him. Dallas truly is my best friend. My Dallas knows how to brighten my day. He knows the stories I love to hear. He loves and adores my silliness. Above all he loves and adores our children.

Since his departure in June, I have strived to keep the children and myself occupied with activities. This permits us couple hours of relief from our hearts throbbing. The children are very active. They love to engage in old and new adventures. Being that each of my children are two years apart in age, the eldest being nine (Sadie), they love to be outdoors. And yes, you guessed right, they love to ride bikes! Sadie, Sophie and Sariah, in particular. If their mother permitted them they would ride their bikes till midnight. They recently discovered a specific place here on base that they refer to as “the roller coaster”. Riding their bikes on “the roller coaster” is a pretty big deal in our household.

Here is the clincher; I do not own a bike. Instead I walk the stroller (Ammon in tow) to “the roller coaster”. As witnessed on our last adventure, Ammon sat in the stroller with our picnic basket and his sister’s bike (I was too frightened to allow Sariah to ride her bike because of traffic). Obtaining the Madsen bike would not only elate me, but also my children. The Madsen bike would mean more adventures for our family. It would permit me as a mother less worries in regards to how I am going to load the food, the diapers and the toys. It would permit me to be the examplinary, patient mother I strive to be everyday that Dallas is gone.

I truly do appreciate your generosity. I hope it is with your compassionate understanding that you receive this notion as that of deep admiration and love for the sacrifice our service men and women partake in. Thank you Nie and Madsen.

Sincerely,

Bonnie Gilmore