KAISER

Here is Kaiis!!!  My bitty baby nephew in a the onsie that we got him.

Isn't he sooooooo cute???

Whoa is Adam

While I am up here on the computer happily put-zing away... writing emails and wasting time on Pinterest, my husband is downstairs miserable as ever.  Yesterday involved a day at the eye doctor and a visit to convenient care.  For the last month Adam has been suffering from horrible allergies.  I have tried all the concoctions I know and nothing, absolutely NOTHING is working.  He sneezes uncontrollably, he's been thru at least 3 full boxes of Kleenex, he hacks, his eyes are swollen and cracked at the creases, and he has rashes in different parts of his body.  I just don't know what to do for him anymore.  The doctor vaguely diagnosed him with sinusitis which is what I told Adam was going to happen.  I feel like, when docs don't know what to do with these symptoms, sinusitis sounds good.  Between all our visits yesterday, Adam is currently taking everything in the above picture.  And the worst part is he is missing WWE Extreme Rules at the Allstate tonight.  He had a ticket with his friends and now he can't go.  Poor guy.

Happy Birthday Dear Andrea

Andrea's birthday was this past Wednesday, but Dave thru her a SURPRISE pizza party last weekend.  It was great, she was totally surprised.  It was at Pizzeria Serio very close to their home, and she had no idea!

Here is the 3 of us with the best salad ever.  So crisp.

"I just thought the balloons were for a little girl named Andrea!"

The Ducks

After many tries I think this was the best standing up picture of the 3 of us.  I know that Andrea will beg to differ and I will hear about it later.

: ) 

But HAPPY BIRTHDAY anyway!

Hope you have a great weekend as you continue to celebrate some more the next few days!!!

luke n' charlie

 With all this recent talk about friends and family having babies, I have forgotten to talk about my own babies. Aren't they just the sweetest?  I have the best little dog children ever.

I LOVE BUTTS AND GUTS

Last month was Colon Cancer Awareness month...  and this past Saturday we did 12 cases pro bono for 12 pre-screened patients.  Of those 12, 1 had rectal cancer, age 44.  And 2 had suspicious looking polyps.  The  lady who got this whole event organized is in end stage colon cancer herself.  While I didn't know her age, I do know she has 2 small children at home.  She was there with all the patients who came in, giving encouraging words to them, and reminding them how very important screenings are. 

So please, if you are of age or have a family history.... JUST DO IT.

It saves lives.     

12 Steps and Poetic Mess

We have just finished  "Poetic Mess," a 7 part series based loosely off the 12 steps, at church.  It was an interesting series and helped me to understand that you don't have to be an alcoholic to follow the 12 steps.  The 12 steps are based off biblical principles.  There are all sorts of things that some of us struggle thru on a daily basis.  Overeating, Narcissism, Anger, Blaming, Talking down to your Spouse/Children, Overspending, Stealing, Controlling, addictions to Sex, Gambling, Money, Pornography... the list can go on....

I learned that the 12 steps are a framework for change, and what I already know is that it is not easy and not meant to be.  I see people who are walking thru these steps each day at work, and walking thru them over many years.  My very own brother follows these steps and I am proud of him for that.  They are to help you re-frame how you look at your own self.  They help you to react, to be grateful, remember darkness, and to see how far you have come.  You can't skip one step, you start at Step 1 and move forward.  Moving forward is the key.  It made me think about things I need to change in my own life.

I had never read the 12 steps all the way thru until this series and it's nice to know what so many people are trying to follow.

Step 1: We admit that we are powerless over our problems- and that our lives have become unmanageable.
Step 2: We have come to believe that God can restore sanity to our lives.
Step 3: Make the decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God
Step 4: Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
Step 5: Admit to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Step 6: We are entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
Step 7: Humbly ask God to remove our shortcomings
Step 8: Make a list of all the people we have harmed, and become willing to make amends with them all
Step 9: Actually make direct amends with those people whenever possible, except when to do so would cause harm to them or to others
Step 10: Continue to take personal inventory of ourselves, and when we are wrong, promptly admit it
Step 11: Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our connection with God, praying for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out
Step 12: Carry this message of hope to other struggling people so that we can help them as we have been helped