Photo of the day, Tuesday

Here is today's Birthday Shout Out. Today is Cindy's birthday and she turns...Never mind, it's not worth getting into trouble. Cindy was Holly's Matron of Honor back when we were wed. Vicky Dot, Cindy's youngest, was born a few short weeks before the wedding. Cindy and Holly you are the Photo of the Day! Happy Birthday Cindy! Thanks for sending the photo Cindy. This was taken just before they headed for home after hanging out at Sutton's Bay.

I am writing this blog from the 4th floor of Spectrum Health Hospital in beautiful downtown Grand Rapids. Nope, I am not the one staying. This time it's Holly.

Holly had an accident Monday morning and ended up with a pretty bad break on her left leg, the "Tib-Fib", as the medical types tell us. The compound fracture required surgery to get the bone set with a rod needing to be installed. Additionally, they discovered today that she broke her collar bone as well. She's in really good spirits considering. The doctors have told us that we can expect a full recovery, although it's going to take some time. She can't put any weight on the left leg and can bear no weight on the left arm. The boys and I are up visting today to see how she's doing. I wouldn't bring the boys yesterday since Holly comes out of anestegia so slowly, it really didn't make sense.

Everyone has been so helpful. Today the boys came home to grocery bags of food on the porch. I have already lined up some additional meals and so we're looking good.

Posting will be slow for awhile, at least until we settle into the new reality. I just don't need the extra pressure. I know that you all understand and I will keep you posted with quick updates as we move along the healing process.

Have a great day!

Pat

Photo of the day, Sunday

Sunday greetings! Holly made it back home this morning before church. Sounded like some memories were made. If she covers it at all, it's going to be in her blog. I'll keep you posted. I won't share the stories that she's likely to tell, but I will say that all the reports were positive about her leading the worship with singing and the guitar. She is good!

Those that guessed Laurence and Grace Ames, well done. It was their engagement photo. Holly pointed out that if you double clicked on the photo it would open a photo program and the name would be displayed.

Relaxing day here today. Calling for more snow and cold, hmm, must be Michigan in January.

I got a note today that Knight, Tom and Reen's 11 year old Siberian passed this weekend. He was a very cool dog. So sorry for your loss guys.

Have a great week!

Pat

Photo of the day, Saturday

Today was our full day of what Spencer has been calling our "Man Fest" weekend! It started like any other Saturday, Men's group following by breakfast and chores. Then we started to do some stuff.

Spencer had a Patrol event where they got together and played video games. A far cry from the events that we had when I was in Scouts, but they had fun. After we dropped off Spencer, Ian and I attacked Wabasis sledding hill. It was an awesome day for sledding, it was snowing lightly and the temperature was in the upper 20's. Ian and I raced and wrestled and generally had a great time. Climbing up the hill was a toughie, but it was great. Then we went to lunch at Ian's favorite, Subway, followed up with a long tour through Blockbuster until we settled on a movie. We watched "Be Kind, Rewind", with Jack Black. It was a lot better than either of us thought it would be. We picked up Spencer and then Spencer and I watched "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives". It's a favorite show of his and we managed to locate the episode with Rosie's Diner on it so that was cool. We even recognized a couple of people that were in there eating.

Also, we got a letter from the school today. It seems that Spencer has been selected as one of the 6th grade Citizens of the Month. I showed Ian the letter and he read it, then he grunted. It's teenage thing, but this grunt, well, I could tell that it was based in jealousy. He's starting to see Spencer get recognition for things that he could have, but didn't think it was relevant. Now, I think he's reconsidering. Anyway, hat's off to Spencer January 2009 North Rockford Middle School Citizen of the Month!

Here's a shot from a few years after we had moved into our house here in Rockford. It was actually taken Sunday, ‎April ‎22, ‎2001. It sure is different in the back yard now. Of course the boys are way different too! That's Ian on the left and Spencer on the right.

Have a great day!

Pat

Photo of the day, Friday

Happy Friday! Crazy run to the weekend, but we're here now.



My trip yesterday, in highlights:

• Right after I left home a semi jackknifed and clsosed my freeway.


• Met some cool folks in Chicago and we discussed the fact that some airplane needed to have oxygen loaded in. We wondered if the little masks had dropped down on the earlier flight, hilarious!


• Meetings went well with my customer.


• Trip back I saw a woman that was on the flight from Chicago, she went to Greensboro to get a cat. I thought that they could all be gotten at the shelter. I have been corrected, please don't bother now.


• The timing worked out that I could jump ahead a flight and I got home 2 hours early.


• Called my one brother, and through a tough/rotten connection I found out that Dave and Jack had dinner.

It's snowing again. Just a statement.

Holly left us.

Sure, I'm hard to live with, but she left us!

OK, it's a Womens' retreat and she's a leader and leading worship/singing, but she left us.

I"ll figure it out, but SPAM may be involved. Who knows.

Rockford made the Grand Rapids paper again, the stories are about Hush Puppy Shoes, the city and a commentary. Click the link to see what was said, otherwise trust me to assure you that it was all good, Rockford truly is a special place to raise a family.

Below is the photo of the day. If you know the people, shout out the names, the prize is a great as you would expect, bragging rights and you get mentioned in this wildly popular blog.

Someone has a birthday fast approaching. A current photo would be better than what I have, trust me. ;-)

Go in God's peace.
Pat

Photo of the day, Wednesday

Today was a prep day for travel tomorrow. I am headed to Salisbury NC for a customer visit. Holly and I had a good dinner date tonight, it's fun to spend time with a good friend.

Thanks for the good wishes for Spencer, you are an awesome support group and I thank you for that too.

Sorry, no photo, maybe while I travel back, who knows.

Have a great day!
Pat

Photo of the day, Tuesday

Tuesday is better, but now it's snowing again.

Holly scooped me on the news about Spencer in her blog, but I'm going to brag too.

Spencer has always been interested in geography. He studies maps for fun. He can list all 50 states, and their capitals. He can give you driving directions from our house to Aunt Maureen's and if pressed, can get pretty close to Uncle David's house. He knows Geography so it was not a surprise that he entered the Geography Bee. He was the top 6th grader, in fact. But only 1 student from the middle school would be allowed to try for the State Bee. The competition was between 6th, 7th and 8th graders.

To the unitiated a Geography Bee is broken into 2 phases, the finals, where the constestants are eliminated until only 2 remain. Then the Championship round, best score out of three questions wins. Spencer won. It was awesome. I got goosebumps sitting there watching Spencer, and the other kids, answer questions that I sure couldn't have answered. The best line of the night was unrelated to geography though, it came when Spencer was asked if the moderator was his teacher. Spencer's response, "Why yes, that fine looking man is my Geography Teacher." If extra credit were available, he would have gotten the points at that time.

Here's his Championship pose.

Have a great day!

Pat

Photo of the day, Monday

Monday, argh! Today we did the thing that so many companies are doing, we reorganized. A few we had to layoff, others had job changes. I was affected as well. But all is OK, I still have a job, we still have some work and with the changes, I will be able to hopefully focus more on the large projects that we have going right now. I am blessed and I know it. The worst thing is that I knew well in advance and had it simmering in my mind for quite awhile. It's behind us, and we are now moving forward.

The following shot was taken by Holly the other night. She was working on her Worship Music set for the women's retreat that is this upcoming weekend. And I, in a frenzy brought on by being at a concert, Holly singing, wanted to call out my appreciation. But I didn't have a lighter or my cell phone and so I flipped open my laptop and cried out for "Freebird", that classic song by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It got a laugh, but not the song. Maybe next time.

Have a great day!

Pat