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Fandangoliscious……..

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No, it is not a real word, but it truly encompasses the lack of clarity in my day today. The water is off and mostly gone. We have blowers drying out the dirt under the church. Our insurance does NOT cover the clean up nor the repair, and the costly part, the plumber, is coming tomorrow. I know over the course of my career colleagues have always got excited to have doctors as members, but I never have seen it that way. I don’t care what people do. But today I do see what a real and tangible blessing it would be to have a church with some plumbers, electricians, and mechanics….but unfortunately we have none of these! When you do, there is never a problem I am sure.

I have considered asking my dad, who is a PhD. psychologist and retired, to come tomorrow and crawl under the church and talk to the pipe (which is what we think it is) about why he is leaking. It would be cheaper I am sure, though I am not certain about its effectiveness. I am just trying to save money we do not currently have.
So keep us in your prayers and pray especially that this is a simple job. Tomorrow I want to be spectaculariscious, and nothing else in my mind will do. And fortunately for me and the way my mind works, all that just may be possible!
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

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“Don’t drive angry, don’t drive angry…..”

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If I had a nickel for everyday I have had like today I would have at least 5 cents. At times I feel as if my life is like my favorite Bill Murray movie “Groundhog Day,” while other times I just long for it because I would know what to expect. Moles aside tonight, because they are the least of my worries, I can see why people drink too much or run away! I am trying my best tonight to not do either.

But today has been a tough day….no, I have not caught a mole nor have I received any type of communication from them seeking either a settlement or a surrender. My day, all day, has in my estimation been on the edge of explosive, but a lot less stressful that receiving a call that the parking lot of our new St. Patrick’s was flooding. I wet down there and met the water department. There is a leak between the shut off at the street and the main shut off to the building. Our landlord is a GREAT GAL and though she mentioned that it is plumbing “on the premises” and “technically” ours to deal with (meaning pay for) she wants to work with us on it. Fortunately the city shut off the water and tomorrow morning we will begin to dry the thing out and get it fixed. I however do not need any additional stress in my life….particularly today.
So I indeed have poured myself a vodka tonic, but in an effort to not run away, I have handcuffed myself to the chair and I threw the key out of my reach. I know my limits and I am close to them, but had I really wanted to suffer I would have thrown the vodka tonic out of my reach too. I am dumb, but not stupid.
Anyway, the sunrise may not bring a better day, but it will lead to solutions, but tonight I will just set it aside. Bill Murray told the gopher, “Don’t drive angry,” and I won’t. I will instead take a deep breath and center myself for the new day.
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+
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Of moles and men……

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Though it is just after 8 pm here, it seems like 11 to me. My body is clearly out of whack, and I long for it to get back into a rhythm. My sleep cycles are all messed up, but hopefully soon I can get back to normalcy.

You see, I like routine, and I do best when I know what to expect. Lots of people are that way I suppose, and I number myself among them. I am not quite their king, but I could make a case for it. With my ever-fluid brain, the routine helps me to keep balance.
That’s why TWO things are bothering me now! You see I not only blog as a form of therapy, but I also work hard on my lawn. It is great exercise and a very tangible discipline as well. That’s why the sudden appearance of CRABGRASS is driving me wild…..particularly since I treated for it months ago. It is now popping up everywhere, but only to be surpassed in irritation by a MOLE.
Now I say “mole,” because the plural, “moles,” is just too much to fathom right now, but considering the tunnels are more numerous and elaborate than those in the Afghanistan mountains, I may be dealing with a bunch.
And I have tried all sorts of things that I have tried before that have never worked in my entire life…..hoses, poison, treating for bugs, and even mole traps. If they are still around next week I am going to claim them on my taxes, but for now I want them OUT.
In Caddyshack it was a gopher, and the dynamite Bill Murray used to try and terminate him destroyed a lot of the golf course, and I am considering this because these little rodents are killing off a lot of my lawn.
So keep me in your prayers. I sprayed the crabgrass again tonight with something new, though I am wondering if it was a good idea…after all, in a few weeks with the moles, it may be all I have left. I now have to figure out a plan for the moles. I may just call a dermatologist.
Goodnight and God Bless!
Tommy+
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My consultant has a nose that knows…….

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We have had some problems growing our Fellowship in Brownsburg, and Deacon Tony and I agreed it has a lot to do with the discomfort that people have coming to worship in somebody’s home. And although Tony and Denise have been generous in their offering, it seemed the time to restart our search for a “place” to meet for worship.

So tonight, instead of hanging out with my wife and Ben at the Noblesville Street Dance, our trusty dog Viper and I got into the car and drove out west. It wasn’t like Lewis and Clark, particularly because I had the air on and his head was out the window. And, though I do not remember history all that well, we were in a Volkswagen, when everyone knows that Lewis and Clark were not…..they drove a Ford. But we saw a lot, driving through the towns of Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, and Indianapolis. And, I have some ideas as to what we do next.
You see, we have a lot of people who are interested out there, but when it comes down to brass tacks, they just don’t seem to show up. That means we might want to consider a different plan. Tony will tell you, we already have our best-looking clergy out there, but that apparently is not enough! (Yep, that is a joke….everyone really thinks Fr. Stephen is the best-looking because he is young and he no doubt pays them) But regardless, we want to make things grow out there.
So if you know of a church willing to rent some space, or you are willing to donate thousands of dollars, get in touch with either Tony or me! Holy Spirit is a great opportunity, and my consultant has been out that way and agrees. And who in their right mind could ever disagree with God’s favorite dog……the Golden Retriever?
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+
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Time for a nap……

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Although I got a lot accomplished today, I am exhausted. It seems as if there are just times that I hit a wall, and I am there right now. The sad part is that it is just after 5pm and I still have a lot I need to do.

Amanda is now home and has asked me a ton of times if I am alright…..and I am. It’s just that my brain at times just needs to turn off. And I can do it myself, or it will do it for me! But right now I will choose to do it myself.
Some people struggle about naps, but mine are really necessary. And, they really fix me up!
So it is off for a nap right now. I am posting early, in that I never really know how long I will need to go. So if I do not post tomorrow, don’t call…..that means I am clearly still asleep!
Goodnight and good nap my friends! (And of course, God Bless!)
Tommy+
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Family math……

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Though my family from top to bottom is pretty adept at math, I have to say it alludes me at times. Sure, part of it is just good old fashioned brain damage, but the other part is that my kids do not help me out at all.

To explain what I mean, I do believe with my whole heart that I have three children, and even with my limited memory I remember blogging about the three of them up with me the other night while Amanda slept. But it ends as quickly as it begins. With all my heart I swear I still have those three kids, but Scotty left for a lacrosse camp this morning at Ohio State for four days, and Steph is hardly ever around with her and her friends on their “Farewell Tour” and all. I do expect to “see her” at some point before she is off to spend the night at the home of one of her herd. (I am not sure that “herd” is correct, but I know it is not “pack,” because that is teenage boys….it may be gaggle. I will have to ask some of my friends with more daughters)
But all and all, just watching the hard one to watch is enough. I don’t worry anymore about Steph diving down the steps anymore, and Scott has stopped doing that since I threatened to take his car away. Ben however is a different story…..he, like me, needs a lot of supervision.
So now that Amanda has suspiciously disappeared tonight (it’s not really suspicious…..she hiding from us) I will get Ben in his PJ’s and get him to bed. It’s just a little after 9 and bed will be a welcome sentence for me. Tonight I am certain sleep will come easy……after all, math wears me out!
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+
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Lacrosse for Yummies……

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Tonight we held a women’s lacrosse fundraiser at Culver’s Restaurant in Noblesville. It was well-attended, and hopefully we raised a little bit of money, but more than anything, it was nice to be with the team again. Sure, not all of them could make it, but it was great to see the ones that did make it.

We had sophomores to seniors and some of the new alums too. PLUS, there was good food and ice cream. It was a total blast. I have the great privilege of coaching some of the coolest girls on the planet, and it is such a hoot to get them together.
It will be just a couple of months from now when we will take the indoor field, hopefully with a load of new freshmen for Fall Ball. It all goes by so fast, but I love it. In the meantime, we will be naming some Captains for the upcoming year and charge them with beginning to gather the team together for team-building work. Time will tell, but we hope to be contenders again in 2011. Until then, the ice cream events will be an integral part of our training!
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+
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Hanging out…….

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I do not often get to have a night like I did tonight. I was home late from a premarital session and Ben was not yet asleep. As it turned out, Amanda was tired, so Scott and I snuck Ben downstairs to play. And after a while, Steph came home and it was just me and the three kids destroying the house on our own without supervision, I mean Amanda.

And it was really kind of fun for me. All three of them are so much alike, yet so very different. They all three make each other laugh, and that’s part of the fun. Steph is leaving for Lindenwood in a few weeks, and Ben, who will be a college probably long after I am dead, was wearing a Lindenwood jersey. Scotty and Ben had pizza together tonight and both relayed that adventure to me. Steph and Scott both got texts from friends as all this went on……it was an interesting dynamic, that’s for sure.
But mostly, it just made me thankful I am their dad, and reminded me of how proud I am of them all too. I should mention the dog was there too, but asleep the whole time. He, like Amanda, will need to read this tomorrow when they wake up.
But for now I will go to bed counting my blessings. It has been a marvelous evening and I pray for a good night’s sleep.
Goodnight to you my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+
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On the Potter’s Bridge Trail……

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In between all that I have to do, I am trying to get a bit of exercise too. And today I thought it would be a great idea to go push Ben in his stroller down at Potter’s Bridge. It is 3 miles from beginning to end, and in his stroller I thought I would get two times in before the rain.

Of course he was much less than cooperative. He apparently is “too big” for the stroller and prefers to choose option two….”run around like a maniac,” although his “maniac” sounds a lot more like something else. But regardless, I was put into a situation where I needed to choose between the exercise I wanted and total “dad” time. And like Martha and Mary in yesterday’s Gospel, I “chose the good portion,” …..the stroller remained in the car.
And Ben did a lot better than he or I expected. He wanted to keep moving ahead, and he did at a great pace. When we turned around we were 1.25 miles from the start making it a 2.5 mile walk. But Ben, clearly not wanting me to have an easy workout, INSISTED that I carry his sweaty hot little stinky self the last mile in the 85 degree heat. So yes, I got a great workout in the end.
And honestly, I have no regrets. Hanging with any of my kids is always a blessing and an adventure…….though the little one lies. To get me to carry him he kept saying that he loved me and wanted to give me a kiss. And once he had his arms around my neck the “carry you’s” (he doesn’t say “carry me,” he says “carry you”) began in insistence. And our half mile workout of intensity would have rivaled even Billy Banks!
But now we are home and enjoying the night. I still may get out an walk some more after he goes to bed. Scotty might want to go but I have news for him…..at 6’1″ he can finish the entire walk by himself.
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+
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A matter of perspective…….

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Today is July 18th, and as I made it through my day today I became very aware that just 1 month from now, August 18th, I will be dropping my daughter Stephanie off at college hundreds of miles away. And though I am proud of her, and excited for her, somehow the whole thing (that I have been preparing for my entire life) will be a big thing for me.

Of course for her, it is also July 18th. And I am sure today at one point at least, if not multiple times throughout the day, she thought that in just 1 month, August 18th, I will arrive at college and begin my new life there. And though I am sure she is excited to go, I am also certain that she wonders just how she will ever live without us! (Okay, I just made that last part up).
But it’s funny how we can look at the very same thing and see it so differently…..it clearly is a matter of perspective. And my perspective to her, and all her friends, I know they believe is skewed. After all, to me they are all still the same kids I have known for years. They however, are young women, adults now in fact, all legally able to be married and live on their own with or without parental permission. But as a parent, it is often hard to let go. And my perspective is what makes that so hard.
I told Steph tonight that her three full days here in the house were the most that I could remember seeing her in years. Teenagers these days are always doing something, and tomorrow I am sure she will get back to her active social schedule. But I will say being able to talk to her by just walking down the hall at anytime, really was quite weird. It was like she was 8 again and here all the time. Times are changing and times have changed…..I guess I better get used to it.
So just a month to go. I intend however to hold my head high and enjoy every day. As a dad, I am glad it worries me and that I am dealing already with the fact that I will miss her. I would be horrified to think our relationship was such that I just couldn’t wait for her to go. She’s a great kid….excuse me, young woman…adult. These 30 days I expect like these last 18 years, will go by quickly. I will thank God for each and every one of them! (and yes, the picture is a couple years old)
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+