Thanksgiving Day 2009

There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all we Americans who are not self-made go back to the old home to eat saleratus biscuits and marvel how much nearer to the porch the old pump looks than it used to. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American. ~O. Henry

What do I not have to be thankful for? I think sometimes that is the better question. I am thankful for my family and my life. Sounds general, but that is hardly the case. I could mention my mom and dad and brother and sister-in-law also my daughter and nieces and nephew also Patrick, who is a son to me and of course Suzy who I love very much. But I think you all know how thankful I am for all my family. I do want to make special mention this year to be thankful for the skilled doctors who have removed the cancer from Suzy's mom's body. It has been a tough road but she is on the road to recovery and I am also thankful for all the thoughts and prayers that were said on her behalf. It is also important to be thankful for our country, for America. A place where we can live as free citizens. To continue we must be thankful for our soldiers and pray to keep them safe while defending our freedom. I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Anna's Birthday 2009 and ROAD HAZARD WARNING

So if it wasn't that my 20 year high school reunion didn't make me feel old enough my kid turned 15 yesterday. We had fun this past weekend going to the corn maze and then to a haunted house.

What I really need to alert everyone to like I promised, is that as of today ANNA HAS A DRIVERS LEARNERS PERMIT!!!

Rascal Flatts

Here we are sitting in the rain at Lakewood waiting for Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts. Anna and her friend Rachel are here and just as wet as we are.
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

The 4th of July

Not sure why the post I thought was here was not....

Doesn't matter because I had more to say anyway. We had a great time at Mandy and Scott's

and it was great to see everyone and be with family. On the way home, while Suzy was sleeping, I heard a song written by John Mitchum and performed by John Wayne called 'America, Why I Love Her'. The lyrics ask you if you have seen different places all over the country. There are places I have seen and many more I would like to see. The world is definitely worth seeing but I don't think many realize just how beautiful our own country is. Not to mention how fortunate we are to live in a society where we are free to live and have unparalleled opportunities. I understand that with the politics of today it's hard to remember that sometimes. So turn off the news and put down the paper, or blogs, or rss news feeds and just enjoy

Below are the lyrics. I have pictures of most of the places I have seen and it looks like I need to do some traveling.....

You ask me why I love her? Well, give me time, and I'll explain...

Have you seen a Kansas sunset or an Arizona rain? Suzy and I went to Arizona in 2005 - we did see it rain, i just don't have a picture.

Have you drifted on a bayou down Louisiana way? You know the

re are a lot of pictures from this area - this one is from a duck hunting trip that I took with Patrick and Suzy's Dad

Have you watched the cold fog drifting over San Francisco Bay?

Have you heard a Bobwhite calling in the Carolina pines? I have been to the Carolina's many times and I'm sure I've heard a Bobwhite (Quail)

Or heard the bellow of a diesel in the Appalachia mines?

Does the call of Niagara thrill you when you hear her waters roar?

Do you look with awe and wonder at a Massachusetts shore...I've been to Massachusetts but not to the shore - I don't have any digital pictures.

Where men who braved a hard new world, first stepped on Plymouth Rock?

And do you think of them when you stroll along a New York City dock?

Have you seen a snowflake drifting in the Rockies...way up high? These are the Rockies in Utah, I couldn't believe how beautiful these mountains were without snow.

Have you seen the sun come blazing down from a bright Nevada sky? I was in Las Vegas for a sales meeting and Suzy came out for the weekend. The city is exciting but outside the city is

beautiful.

Do you hail to the Columbia as she rushes to the sea...

Or bow your head at Gettysburg...in our struggle to be free?

Have you seen the mighty Tetons? ...Have you watched an eagle soar?

Have you seen the Mississippi roll along Missouri's shore?I have seen it and do often, I just can't find a picture right now.

Have you felt a chill at Michigan, when on a winters day,

Her waters rage along the shore in a thunderous display?

Does the word "Aloha"... make you warm?

Do you stare in disbelief When you see the surf come roaring in at Waimea reef?

From Alaska's gold to the Everglades...from the Rio Grande to Maine... Never seen the Rio but I have Maine and it's spectacular.

My heart cries out... my pulse runs fast at the might of her domain.

You ask me why I love her?... I've a million reasons why.

My beautiful America... beneath Gods' wide, wide sky.

Recognize this mouth?

Probably not because we haven't seen these teeth without braces in four years. Anna's braces came off last week and she is very excited, actually we all are. And just in time for her to finish 8th grade and on her way to high school, wait, wait, did I just say that..... I won't worry about that until a few more months.

Anna's not the only one moving on. Friday was te 5th grade graduation for Caitlyn at Mashburn - next MIDDLE SCHOOL....


Suzy's mom had the other test this week. The insurance was a little slow getting approved, which is very frustrating, so everything was postponed by a week. She had a bone scan and a PET scan this week. Friday they put in the implatable port so that her treatments can start next week. The gene test results are not back yet to tell if the cancer gene is present. Suzy's doctor doesn't want to wait and is having her do several tests and scans so that she can build a base line. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Happy Mother's Day 2009

Mom - Momma - Mommy - Mum - Mimi - Mere - Mutter - Ammee - Madre are all different ways to say what ultimately means Mother. This is a great day to remember all the things that our mothers have provided for us over the years and to cherish the days to come. Also never forgetting the mothers that have passed and mothers that influence our lives every day. Sometimes getting lost in the day to day bustle I think many forget to tell these mothers of all types, how much we appreciate them, I know that I do. Today I ask for special prayers for a mother in my life who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, Suzy's mom Lynn. The first set of tests came back last week to confirm and from here she has more tests this week before beginning chemo. Please keep Lynn and her family in your thoughts and prayers as they proceed through the next many months. I want to wish all a Happy and Healthy Mother's Day.

Anna Formal Dance Mix

Short update

Just so everyone knows, I am alive and ok. I am aware that you all have been very worried. I could tell that by all the phone calls and emails that I have received due to the lack of activity here on my blog. I finally started paying attention to my facebook after only having one for over 2 years. It has been fun and can be a little time consuming. I thought I would throw a few things up here before my plane leaves. I am in Missouri and have really been traveling a lot since the birthday party. Thanks again for everyone who came, it was a lot of fun.

The picture I posted today is of Anna's basketball team. They took 2nd place in the middle school division for the county. I was really proud of her for how hard she has worked and got up every morning at 5:30 for a 6am practice. She is now playing LAX (Lacrosse) for two different team which is keeping us all over the place on the weekends, oh and still trying to hang in there for a rec basketball league. She is in Florida this week for spring break and having a great time.

Suzy as always is busy, the gym is a little slower with students but that doesn't change how much time she spends there. Her dad just got a job this past week. He has been out of work since October. He is working for the University of Alabama doing site locations for remote campuses. He will be moving temporarily to Birmingham for six months and hopefully he and Lynn will be able to stay here in Atlanta. Patrick is home taking a little break from Ole Miss. He will be staying here and working for a while and going to either Perimeter or Kennesaw. Cheaper and closer...

I hope all who read this is well and if you don't hear from me for the rest of the week have a Happy Easter.

Things I need to blog about

I am getting gas and thought I would post a few things that I need to blog about.

Dad's 60th
Patrick's B'day
My new found fascination with facebook
Kittens
D-link
Suzy's Granny

This is what you all have to look forward too.

Until then....

Cold

I think I might have gone to sleep in GA and got up somewhere in Northern Canada.

This is just not right......

The New Year / My Birthday / My Dad's Birthday / Granny's Day's Birthday

It's late in the evening, actually it's early morning on the 16th of January. Already 16 days into the new year.  My how time flies and I say that more and more each year.  My birthday has come and gone once again and today or actually yesterday was my Dad's 60th.  He and I had a conversation about being 60 today and he said it doesn't feel much different than 50, maybe a few more aches and pains but for the most part very similar.  I think about that and realize that in an instant I will be 40 then 50 and then 60.  Holy Cow!!!   I just aged myself 22 years in a matter of seconds.  My point is that our lives pass so slowly at first and then appear as if they are out of control adding year after year.  As that time passes we must stay front and center in our own lives just not to miss something.  While we are growing and living and working toward our aspirations we begin to feel that some things might have slipped away or become not achievable.  I choose to think that along our life's path we change and move with the flow to become better persons.  I have thought at one time or another giving myself life goals and I do have them but no longer place them in a time frame.   My goals are to be happy, prosperous, giving, forgiving, and loving no matter how hard or easy the road may be to travel.  Sounds like I want to be like my dad.  I can sincerely say that I hope that when I reach 60 that I have had up to that point a life to cherish and so far I do.  What I have not mentioned is that Granny Day was 99 years old last Saturday.  What an accomplishment to spend that many years on this Earth.  Can you imagine the changes that she has seen in her lifetime?  Whoever reads this please remember on your next birthday don't forget to wish yourself a Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday Me - Happy Birthday Dad - Happy Birthday Granny