Just a thought today

"If we study the lives of great men and women carefully and unemotionally we find that, invariably, greatness was developed, tested and revealed through the darker periods of their lives. One of the largest tributaries of the RIVER OF GREATNESS is always the STREAM OF ADVERSITY."
Cavett Robert

A melanoma patient's perspective

The melanoma community has been part of my social network for the last few years and I have followed other blogs to learn treatments options and just get support. Some of the bloggers became friends while others never knew I followed their fight. Unfortunately many of the patients have become melanoma angels just like John. I am posting a blog address that really touched me this week. Jeff Dodd was 37 with a family of 4 young children. He left a letter for his final blog entry after he died. His wife posted it this week. I found it helpful to read because it gave me a perspective that I hope John had for the final months of his life. It is worth the time to read. It is posted under September 25, after a short update by his wife.
http://jeffsdailyupdate.blogspot.com/

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. "

Galileo Galilei

I'll always listen

"Never tell your problems to anyone...20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them. "
Lou Holtz

Sometimes it is good to be in the 80%. When it seems like your problems are insurmountable along comes someone with problems of their own. I think occasionally it is good to hear the problems others have. Not so much to be glad they have those problems but to recognize how good our own lives are. We have to look for happiness in the life we have and not imagine that everyone else's life is better than ours. Knowing that many others would take my life and think they had made a vast improvement on their own fortunes has been helpful these last months.

My life is good!

That said, I am out to the golf course. Enjoy your life today and tell someone you love them.

Saturday Sports

I am sitting here this morning while Steve plays golf. The plan was to do some housework but instead I am watching the Ryder Cup. I have yesterday on the DVR and I am recording todays event so I can zip through the commercials later. We are going to the Toledo Football game tonight and will watch the Buckeyes and the Spartans today too. Ohio State will have a big game at noon against Troy. Hopefully they will have figured out last weeks loss. Michigan State is playing Notre Dame and this has always been a big rivalry. From television sports to live action as UT plays Fresno State tonight. It should be perfect football weather for an 8:15 PM game..

Fortunately we are not huge NFL fans so tomorrow we will be out on the golf course in a foursome with our neighbors. The fall weather here has been great for golfing. Cool crisp nights with warm sunny days. Layering has been a fashion necessity.

The next big chapter of interest in our lives will be written about Mike. He has decided he wants to get married to Kristen. They have been good friends for many years and we think they would make a good match. We will continue to promote independent living skills because the real test will be to see if they can manage to live together in an apartment. Both are high functioning Down syndrome individuals but the realities of independent life still remain a huge step. The "system" doesn't really recognize marriage as an option for handicapped individuals either. Both receive services from the county now and will continue to need those services in the future. For now Kristen has a lovely ring that Mike purchased for her and gave her on her birthday last week. Stay tuned for future details.

"The sweetest joy, the wildest woe is love. "
-Pearl Bailey

Politics

"If you believe everything you read, better not read." Proverb

I saw this quote today and it makes me wonder about the next 7 weeks of presidental campaigning. I like reading the papers but it seems so much of the information is so biased. Is it really the media that will elect the next president? How can we as individuals really get honest information about the candidates? And is it really the candidate themselves or the Party that will rule once elected. And will it really matter in four years which candidate wins. Change is good and I think that is all I can rely on now. Our forefathers were good to write into the constitution no more than 2 four year terms for a president.

I have likes and dislikes with both political party platforms and all four candidates. But I will vote in November and hopefully I will have garnered some truths over the next 7 weeks.

Where does the time go??

"Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend."
Theophrastus

"If, before going to bed every night, you will tear a page from the calendar, and remark, ''there goes another day of my life, never to return,'' you will become time conscious."
A. B. Zu Tavern

"In truth, people can generally make time for what they choose to do; it is not really the time but the will that is lacking." Sir John Lubbock

Three quotes on the use of time. My time this past week has been used uniquely. The ABC special Home Makeover was remodeling a house in Toledo this week and I had the opportunity to volunteer for a couple of days. What a heartwarming experience to see a community rise to the occasion of helping neighbors. See it on ABC sometime in November.

The second activity I had this week was two days of competitive golf. The fall weather was perfect and I enjoyed playing a different course. Shot a 92 at Sylvania Country Club. This coming week includes playing Inverness on Thursday. I am hoping to break 100 on this national level course. Yes, sometimes being a Belmont housewife has its advantages.

AJ is 2

Thomas the Train Cake

Last Thursday was AJ's second birthday. Jesi planned a party for Sunday so that was when we celebrated. I was excited to think about AJ turning 2 and yet I approached the birthday party with some trepidation. Memories of his first birthday party last year in Marysville with John are still so fresh. It is hard to think about what came so soon after the party. But again planning for the emotional aspects, made the event less stressful than I anticipated. It was especially good to see all of the loving people and support that Jesi and AJ have.

Dear "uncle" Annal surpassed last years present of a framed AJ Hawk picture. Annals inscription on the back of the picture said it could be hung in AJ's dorm room in 18 years as long as it wasn't at Michigan. This year he gave AJ an authentic Buckeye football helmet complete with a few buckeye stickers and the following inscribtion. "Dear A.J., Do you remember last year's present? Well here's (not-so) subliminal message # 2 for birthday #2. Please don't go to Michigan! Love you lots, "Uncle Annal" 8/28/08

Annal is the first to admit his photogenic qualities leave something to be desired but I had to share the picture anyway.

"The making of friends, who are real friends, is the best token we have of a man's success in life."
~ Edward Everett Hale

Thank you Annal for your friendship to John.