Tonight me, and as much as I can guess about 100+ of my good friends, gathered at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church to celebrate (a surprise party) my 20 year anniversary of ordained ministry. It was a great time, filled with joy, blessings and laughter. It has been an honor to walk among such wonderful people.

It was also my biggest challenge since my stroke. I really do struggle speaking extemporaneously, but I seemed to do fine. I suppose that assessment may be the product of my mind, but the important part was that I didn’t feel I did all that bad, all things considered. My only regret was not having the time to talk with everyone. It was quite a crowd.

Anyway, I am currently trying to type in bed because I am exhausted and Ben is with me driving his car around my laptop. It is an unusual way to do it, but it is my life.

It has been a long but blessed day! God Bless you and thanks for checking in.

Tom+

Wednesday was a bust. Not that i didn’t enjoy it or get a lot done, I did. But I did so very much that I didn’t have time to sign online at all.

I began the day with a meeting south of Indianapolis….it was a 45 minutes drive. I had already taken Scott to school, and did the meeting and a shopping trip before heading back up to Noblesville High School to pick him up again. I then went to meet with the postmaster in Westfield about our mail, and got home for a short break about 2. I then got Scott to his work at 2:40!

Of course we needed to go pick up Amanda’s mom at the airport who was coming in for Ben’s birthday. Traffic was STOPPED on 465 so it was a LONG TRIP. We did manage to get her and and get her back to the house. It was just in time to leave to get Scott from work, and then drop him off so I could go to a premarital in Anderson (another 45 minute drive) at 8:30. It was fun, but it got me home again at 10:30. Whew, huh?

After doing all my stuff I needed to do at home, I did lay down for a few minutes, and I say a few minutes because Steph and I left for the airport again at 12:30 to pick up Amanda’s sister and daughter. We did manage to get home and to bed by 2:35, and it was a good thing too…..because I was up at 6 to get ready to take Scott back to school….which I did. (I picked him up at 12:30 and dropped him at work again today too).

So let’s just forget about Wednesday. It’s over and as you can see, I barely remember it anyhow. Everyone is here and we are having a blast. And I don’t have any more driving on my schedule until Sunday!

Thanks for checking in and God Bless!

Tommy+

Today is June 23rd, and I am posting early today because we are on our way to my dad’s house to have a June birthday celebration. My dad, Scott, Ben and I all have June birthdays and we thought it would be fun to celebrate them together.

Today also marks the 20th anniversary of my ordination. June 23rd, the Eve of St. John the Baptist, I was first ordained to the Diaconate. I was priested 9 months later.

I probably would forget about it more often than not if it weren’t for the fact that I was ordained on my grandpa’s birthday, and that is something that I never forget. It has always been such a special day to me throughout my life, and today I remember him, I miss him, and know through faith that I will one day see him again!

So off to the party I go, but I will raise a glass to my grandpa tonight as well. Times change, but it is our pasts that help to make us who we are today. I am thankful for being blessed with such a wonderful grandfather.

Thanks for checking in and God Bless!

Tom+

Tonight I visited with some dear friends who are going through the tragedy of a lifetime. Our friends Melanie and Kyle, whom I married (I believe last summer), lost their baby today. Cora Capri was delivered today just a few weeks short of her due date, but sadly she did not survive.

Obviously Mel and Kyle are devastated. They both were so excited to be parents for the first time, and they had done everything right. They have been exemplary parents. But sadly there were complications, and little Cora returned to the Lord before she ever had a chance.

I saw her in the room tonight with her parents…….she was such a beautiful little girl. She was truly blessed to have such loving and caring parents.

It is in times like these that we need our faith more than ever. These times are the hardest part of my job, but yet in my mind some of the most important. We may never know why things like this sometimes happen. They are painful, even for me, yet I cannot even begin to imagine what they are like for parents. But in faith, thanks be to God, they are not the end of the story! We will see Cora again, and I am so very thankful for that. For the Lord Himself holds her now in His arms and weeps with us……He has welcomed her home. And one day He will welcome us there with her.

I am heartbroken for Mel and Kyle, but I am so glad they are believers because that can be of comfort to them. But as people of faith I ask that you please hold them in your prayers. The Lord will bring them through this, and I rejoice in the fact that one day they will hold their dear Cora again.

Heavenly Father, we pray to You this day for Mel and Kyle and we ask you to hold them in your hands. We thank you for their love and care for their daughter Cora, and for their steadfast devotion to each other. Be with them as they walk this hard road. Guide them as seek direction, hold them up when they stumble, give them faith when they doubt, comfort them in their pain, and bring them closer to you. And may Cora’s soul, and the souls of all the departed, through Your mercy, rest in peace. Amen.

I appreciate your prayers for them.

Tom+

Today, although Father’s Day, was a work day as well. I was so tired when I came home, but was delighted to be greeted with a wonderful Chicken Marsala dinner the kids and Amanda prepared!! I was also given a card and some gifts. It was a nice time, that is for sure.

But with all the happenings, I got a bit confused. I tried laying down to get my mind back, but I never did fee right all day. I had a pretty hefty headache, but didn’t tell anyone. I just wanted us all to have a good day.

For almost the entire evening I helped Scott finalize his paper for 11th grade English Composition which is due tomorrow. He has an exam too. But I was so tied up in it all that I forgot the most important part of the day……I wanted to call my dad. It is something that I will have to do tomorrow. But I do not think I have ever missed. Things like this crash me and upset me very much. It is hard keeping my head on straight when I get frustrated by my brain. It is not as if I didn’t know what day it was.

Anyway, I hope you had a great day. Mine was god, but for obvious reasons could have been a lot better! Just pray I recover!!

So goodnight and God Bless. And Happy Father’s Day to all fathers…..sorry dad, I will talk with you tomorrow!

Tom+

Today we had a retreat on prayer for all our churches that was held at our church in Nashville. Father Kelly Irish, a longtime friend and perhaps the best priest I know, led the retreat and it was wonderful. All the people who attended spoke of how valuable it was to them.

We are now back at the house, and Kelly is asleep, and I am heading there. Amanda is still up with two of the three kids (Ben gave it up about 30 minutes ago.) Kelly and I will be at two services tomorrow and he will preach at both of them. It has been good to get to see him. He is always an inspiration to me, and I know the people will appreciate him tomorrow too.

It will still be a busy day! AND, it is Father’s Day tomorrow as well. I hope you all have had a great day, but I am spent!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless. Thanks for checking in to this BRIEF report!

Tommy+

Well it was an eventful day. I worked much of the day and then went out with family and friends for my birthday. And though Garfield the Cat got a cake made to look like lasagna, I settled for the conventional kind, which I was more than happy to see.

Anyway, with that I will call it a wonderful day. 48 doesn’t seem all that bad, but tomorrow is another busy day. I am heading to bed!

Thanks for checking in, goodnight and God Bless.

Tom+

Today I had my semi-annual checkup with my neurologist. The appointment went well, particularly in that my next checkup with him is in a YEAR! That’s the good news! I am doing well, and though I am still often confused and stutter, I am clearly not getting any worse nor do I have any problems that they are very concerned about.

We did discuss a couple of things that concerned me. One, when I had my stroke they found a hole in my heart, which we were wondering if it needed to be patched….after all, it is a HOLE. So I will be going to a cardiologist here in a few weeks to see if I need to get all bondo-ed up. We will see.

The second thing was my weight, which bothers me to no end. It IS the medicine, which is good to know, but I will not be going off it anytime soon. So I need to regroup. I may have my mouth sewn shut and get Ben a cattle prod. Right now that is option one, but I am praying for more options SOON.

Tomorrow I will turn another year older…..48. It is no big deal to me, particularly since I do not feel 48, I actually feel 12 most of the time! Thank God for confusion! But I will officiate at a funeral tomorrow, welcome Father Kelly Irish to our home lead a retreat for us on Saturday, and then go out to dinner with him and my family to celebrate being just two years from my AARP card and the Senior Coffee discount at McDonald’s!

Anyway, it is off to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day, but I will be there for all of it.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless. Thanks for checking in…

Tom+

Tonight Stephanie and a few of her lacrosse buddies have taken over the basement and are having some sort of movie/sleepover type of thing. I have just stayed out of the way. 17 year old girls, their conversations and pizza are things that when combined together I just don’t understand. The pizza on its own I would have a shot at.

The big thing is that they are having a great time. But as for me, I need to head to bed. The days are long right now, and I have been filling them up indeed. An early bedtime will help to make me more rested…..AND, it will keep me from being sent out of more pizza if they ever do run out.
They are all great kids…..we are happy to have them here!

Goodnight and God Bless.

Tom+

Yep, today Scott turned 16! It was an exciting day for all of us too. He had school in the morning, and work in the afternoon, but tonight he, Ben, Amanda and I went out to dinner to celebrate. (Stephanie had to work)

We went to Red Robin, which was Scott’s choice, and watched Ben who was so pleasant in the car, throw just about everything he could get his hands on onto the floor. Scotty and I entertained him the best we could, but apparently only “Red” himself could get Ben’s attention tonight. After the bird and his friends sang that embarrassing birthday song, Scotty and his brother shared the birthday Sunday. Don’t worry, Scotty wasn’t too worried, after all Ben has a birthday to share with him in two weeks.

At home we sang and had cake and gave Scott his presents. Ben gave him a wiring harness, and good thing too. It was just what he needed to go with the new radio he needed for his car. That old Volvo has been waiting for him for about a year. He now just has to wait 30 more days. He however didn’t wait 5 minutes before heading out with me to install it. He was elated. I am guessing he will be sleeping in the car for the next few years!

Anyway, 16, 17, and almost 2…….thank God I am delusional, otherwise I would be pretty scared! They are all great kids, and today was a great day.

Happy Birthday Scotty. I am so very proud of you!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless. Thanks for checking in.

Tom+