Ben and I have been “bach-ing” it all day. We dropped Amanda off at the airport where she was flying to Arizona for an all week meeting. Ben first cried as she walked away, but when he realized she was not coming back he began to wail. I want to say that it makes it quite a bit more difficult to watch your wife check through security with an inconsolable fire siren in your ear, plus you tend to attract A LOT of attention. I was certain people already thought I was either beating him or abducting him. I therefore chose to leave and take him home.

Fortunately for me, he was still in his Mr. Incredible costume so people probably thought we were shooting a movie scene. We made our escape and are now at home, in a much better mood, and playing with our toys!

Oddly enough, as I have been looking at this blog, I see that I have never been such a poor poster as I have over this past month. It puzzles me, and I suppose I may never know why. The reason that it puzzles me so is that I feel so good and together. Sure there are times that I don’t, but this past month has not been one of them. In all honesty, I have felt very blessed. A parishioner of ours had a similar stroke about a month ago, and I have spent a lot of time in self-reflection about it. It is bizarre. How do you get so forgetful in times that you feel so well? I suppose I should consider that it may not be stroke-related at all, but I seem to be well-ordered everywhere else. It is certainly suspect.

The real blessing of this day is that I remembered tonight, so I am declaring a victory! The Lord has blessed me with three superhero children, a great life, and a wife who cannot tell us to clean up our mess for 6 more days! Praise God, and let the fun here begin!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tom+

I have often heard that our God is a God of second chances, but He would be way beyond that if He was indeed the One making sure I got onto this daily to post. Thankfully my salvation is not tied to this……if it were I would no doubt be looking to an eternity of shoveling coal into some fiery furnace, or worse yet, a Colts fan (yep, that one is for you Danny!)

But lest I turn this blog into a rambling about my stroke-infested memory or my inability to remember anything other than I keep forgetting, let me say that things are going marvelously here in Indiana. My family has all turned the corner and have been restored to health. Our churches are in the process of some major changes that will lead us into a new era of ministry in the future. My lacrosse team is hanging tough in the indoor league, which we use as a developmental league, and the rookies are enjoying learning the game and becoming part of a team. AND, I am clearly I am getting taller and smarter. I thank God for all of it….including the delusions.

I have a busy day for tomorrow planned and I am hoping to see it go smoothly. Keep me in your prayers…….lest I am wrong and stumble. After all, who would ever want to spend eternity in Colt’s blue?

Goodnight and God Bless……and Go Bears!

Tommy+

Though my day was ultra productive yesterday, and quite busy, and though it was great to be out among the living, I do need to confess that it has exhausted me. I got home late last night and could do not much more than check my email before bed. I did get a good night’s sleep, but it seems it is going to take a while to get back.

On a wonderful note, Scotty is also back to the land of the living and for him it was quite a trip! For days he sounded like a zombie, but suddenly his normal voice appeared, he had some energy, and was actually anxious to get back to school. I thank God that he especially has made the turn.

So I am skipping my post for yesterday for obvious reasons and posting this one today early.

We have a lot to be thankful for here. And we have a lot of laundry to do to get feeling normal again. Keep us still in your prayers! We appreciate all your love and support!

God Bless!

Tom+

Although I slept much of the day, tonight I do feel better. Ben will hopefully head back to the sitter tomorrow, allowing me to spend the day in two meetings, one local and another out of town. Everyone seems to be getting better but Scott, who is still struggling to make some progress. Though he is still quarantined until Friday, he will need to make a lot of progress to get to school then. And truthfully, picking up his homework before Friday seems futile. He certainly doesn’t have the energy to do anything yet. Please keep him in your prayers.

It is now just before 10 and I hopefully will be asleep within 30 minutes. I hate to report and run, but I am in need of calling it a day. I hope and pray 24 hours from now will see us all feeling much better and celebrating it as well!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

Scott was diagnosed today with the full-blown flu. And though there is no real way to tell at this point whether it is the swine flu, the doctors were sure to tell us that we treat it as such. He is quarantined and off school until Friday.

Steph was able to head back to school today. She was diagnosed with bronchitis, and is on antibiotics, but as they mentioned, she and everyone else still run a significant risk from Scotty. I remain feverish and feeling like a dog. Ben is still warm and was a saint all day here at home with me. This all will pass I am certain, but I just wish it would pass more quickly than it is. Keep up in your prayers.

Off to take some Advil! Goodnight, a toasty goodnight my friends , and God Bless.

Tom+

As much as I hate to admit it, our home has been hot with illness. Everyone but Amanda is sick, and with the way she dotes on Ben, she is probably not far behind. Steph was able to see the doctor today, but that was because they had only one available appointment and she was the worst! My hope and prayer is that tomorrow we see some real progress in terms of getting better.

So now I can say, there was actually a reason I didn’t post yesterday…a first! A valid excuse!

But there now is also a reason I am calling it a day. I am exhausted. Keep us in your prayers.

Goodnight (I hope) my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Okay, it took a call from Deacon Dan Conley tonight as I was on my way home from Chicago to inform me that I had not posted since last SUNDAY. If I could have pulled over and posted right then I would have, because forgetting bothers me more than you could ever know. I like to think of myself as “sharp” or “hip” or “with it” as you young people say these days……..but clearly I am about as sharp as a big red rubber ball!

But this week has been a busy week. In addition to many regular duties I have done, I also said good-bye to a friend. On Wednesday, Deacon PT called me to the home of his aunt and uncle, where his Uncle Earl, had accidentally shot and killed himself wile cleaning a gun in his garage. Earl and his wife Barbara are both parishioners at St. Anne’s, and it was a real tragedy. PT and I both said prayers in the garage, though separately because PT got there first, before the funeral home came to get Earl. But what strikes me so deeply is the character of the people I work with. I know it must have been incredibly hard for PT there with his Uncle, but he stepped up to care for his Aunt and family. We are all blessed to have that kind of man as clergy.

Our good buddy Mike Sams (from St. Patrick’s) also had a pretty extensive knee surgery this week as well. I saw him before surgery and PT saw him after. When I spoke to him tonight on the phone, he was talking about being in church tomorrow! That kind of lunacy is what makes what we do so great! And as a member of the extensive knee surgery club myself, I will be happy to welcome him as a member in the morning!

On a last but not least note, I spoke to my dear friend and parishioner Jo Piece tonight. Jo and her mother Flo were in California at the beginning of the week to intern her father, Harold, in a military cemetery in Riverside. I tried and tried to find a priest out there that I knew to do it, and ALMOST had a Bishop there, but he was traveling that day. So the burial went exclusively to the military, and looked back to the service we had here. Military services however, are oh so important, and I have the deepest respect for them. I was within INCHES of enlisting at 17 in the Marines, and often regret that I didn’t (shame on that recruited for lying to me and doubting that call). But those who serve our country, Harry included, deserve our utmost respect. It is an honor to know them, and for me, an honor to be the priest to send him to his resting place among so many other heroes of our nation. May God grant them all eternal rest!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+

Although my dance career, or at least dance-watching career is over, apparently my wife’s is not. Tonight she is down in Indianapolis with some friends at what I think was called, “So you think you can dance,” or something like that. I believe it is some kind of TV show, but I cannot be sure. The important thing is that she is happy, and that I am not watching dancers.

So with Steph at work, and Scotty with a rare Sunday night off, Ben and Scott and I went to Red Robin for dinner. Red Robin was their choice and it was great, particularly in that there we no men in tights, nor a lady sitting next to me going “oooohh and ahhhh” (not Amanda) to everything happening in front of us. It was just the boys doing “man stuff,” you know, eating fries with ketchup, throwing crayons on the floor and drinking from sippy-cups. We ad a ball.

But it is now 10:30 and I am exhausted. I have been able to watch some Colts (God’s second favorite pro team) football with my boys, but I am not too hopeful I can make it to the end….plus it is not a Bears game. They could stay up forever, I have to give it up! There is no show called,”So you think you can stay up longer than your boys.” Off to bed I go!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

What a great day! Our lacrosse team played three games in the Butler Invitational and won all three. Many of our freshmen, who had never played in a real game before and had a baptism by fire experience for sure. It turned out well though. We had a successful day as well as a great time. I am proud to have such a great team.

My day ended with a night with my wife at Butler again, but this time for the ballet. Amanda was a ballerina herself for many years, and this might surprise you….but I have never been to one. I used to think that such a thing was a badge of honor, but apparently when you are married to a ballerina such a profession is, let’s just say, a mistake.

This performance however, was not classical ballet, but called something like Ballet Hispanico. Since I know absolutely nothing about ballet or dance, I had to ask a lot of questions. Apparently only a bit of it was classical. But the big thing was that I survived, though I know I am going to take a lot of ribbing.

Tomorrow will be another day, and no dance anything for me. All I can say is that I am blessed….and especially more tomorrow!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Okay, no lacrosse today, but also I confess that I am not going to make anything up! We are all home tonight, although Steph did see a movie, but we are going to bed early because tomorrow my team is playing in the Butler Invitational! We play three games at 12, 1 and 2 with our Varsity team that will take the field in March! It is pretty exciting and to be honest I cannot wait.

Of course it is not without tension. 5 of our starters are taking their SAT’s until 12:30. Playing time will be had by all, and it should be an interesting day! It will give area coaches a look at us early, but it will be our third game when we will really be showing our wares! I am ready for it all…..but I am particularly ready to get a glimpse of our 2010 team in action.

Pray for me and for my heart!! It is going to be a BIG DAY!

And pray for the shortest SAT day in history…..I have a good heart, but it will be better with my entire team on the field!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+