As much as we intended to do another 6 miles today, the rain prevented it. I didn’t even know it was going to rain either! So the day was indoors, and that was not good for me. I not only missed the walk, but had lots of opportunities to not do myself any favors at home with food. We then went downtown (Indy) to have dinner with some friends at an Italian restaurant. They were going to see “Wicked” with Amanda, so the kids and I joined them for some food!

I am pretty sure I do not need to eat again until December. It was wonderful, but we all ate too much. And if that were not enough, we stopped by my dad’s on the way home (after all Amanda was at a play) and they were doing a Dairy Queen run shortly after we arrived. I ended up not just screwing up yesterday, but perhaps all of June!

Anyway the kids and I are home and we have yet to hear from Amanda, but expect to soon. I am up in my bed trying to convince Ben that he has talked enough today, but he appears to have a lot more to say. I am just happy he is in his pj’s and home. Sleep will come, but not quite yet.

My schedule has been thrown on its head with Ben this past week, but we have someone watching him tomorrow so I can hold a clergy meeting and get to the hospitals. Our regular sitter will be available on Monday and things for me can get back to normal.

But for now I am going to tickle attack this little jackrabbit who keeps poking me in the head and laughing. I am done for the day and he and I can get a few laughs in still before bed!

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

Tom+

I got a lot done today, but more than anything, I was able to walk 6 miles pushing Ben’s stroller. We went to a park in town called “Potter’s Bridge” which runs right next to the river and has the path covered mostly by trees. It is a beautiful and restful place.

Ben and I enjoyed it too. Ben talked constantly for approximately 5.75 miles before conking out. He did stop to take a drink here and there, but for the most part he was a jabber box. The whole walk was significant though, especially since I really needed to get out and get back to exercising. Walking six miles is really no big thing I suppose, but for me it was monumental. I hope to do six more tomorrow.

But now I am out with Scotty on the porch getting ready to check his homework. After that, I hope to sit on the porch swing for a while and relax. It has been a busy, but productive day! Maybe tomorrow that scale upstairs will reflect a 20 pound loss. (I can dream!)

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

Tom+

A lot of things I have been needing to get behind me are now there, and over the next two weeks I hope to catch up with everything I need to. It is quite a tall order, but it will get done I assure you. I turn 48 in less than two weeks, and it is my goal to be caught up by then.

I also need to redirect my life in terms of my health. I feel like a slug much of the time. I struggle with losing weight, and though I know part of it is the medicine I am on, the truth is that it is unlikely that I will ever be off it. I need to make some adjustments so my health doesn’t overtake me!!

Tonight Scotty and I put together a porch swing that I bought for all of us to relax on. I thought it would be a good way to cut some stress and a fun way to hang out as a family. I am sure it will be. I was on it a bit tonight.

Anyway, I am in bed with Ben between Amanda and I because either Scotty or I woke him up when Amanda was checking on him in his crib. It really doesn’t matter who woke him up, we were both in trouble. But he came in and went right to bed like a little angel. Thank God! It make her smile and she coasted off too…..no one is in trouble anymore!

So off to bed for me as well. Keep me in your prayers. I need some help getting my body to move in the right direction. A good night’s sleep will be my start!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

Tonight was a great end to a difficult day, and it was just what I needed in the end.

Earlier in the day we transferred our youngest mission, St. Paul’s in Greenfield, from a Parochial Mission (under our direct care) to a District Mission (under the Bishop directly). One of our priests, Father Conover who is 80, has resigned from our staff and became their vicar today also. And though all of it worried me a great deal, I still showed up with Deacon Dan (their former vicar) to make the transfer. Father Chuck was not there much to my surprise. He had apparently been in the Heart Hospital for a few days, which I was notified in an email I had received when I returned home last night, but the email said he would be there on Sunday for the 1pm service. I was notified right before the service by a parishioner there that he would not be there. My uneasiness of course has gone up considerably.

I often tell people to give back to God things that trouble them, and today I have taken that advice. Sometimes people just want things their own way, and despite what you do to guide them sometimes you just have to let go. Please keep Fr. Chuck and the remaining people of St. Paul’s in your prayers.

After I returned home and took a short nap, I had the great privilege of watching Ben and Scott play in an inflatable pool that Scott had bought as an early birthday present for his brother. The water from the hose was freezing but it didn’t bother those two. They just played and laughed and kept pushing each other in the water.

I needed that. Life will have its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows, and its victories and challenges, but there is so much more to my life than all the back and forth. I have a great life filled with many blessings, and I thank God for reminding me of that on a hard day. I wish the best for the people we let go their way this afternoon and for Father Chuck as he leads them. And I hope Chuck is restored to full health.

As for me, I am going to make sure that older blessing of mine has his homework done. He is taking English 11 (composition) early in summer school to get it out of the way. And with this composition out of my way, I am just going to relax out here on the porch.

Thanks for checking in!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

It’s Saturday and 10:30 and just about 65 out here on the porch. I am now all already for work tomorrow, and only need to write this blog before heading to bed. It’s a good thing too…..I do not think I have a whole lot more in me.

Tomorrow will be a busy and stressful day. I will be in both Westfield and Greenfield tomorrow, and then have a meeting in the late afternoon. It is not going to be an easy day, for me or Deacons Dan and PT, but I do ask for your prayers. I will write more about it tomorrow, but for now I need to try and get some rest. I am uncharacteristically sharp tonight and I need it tomorrow for sure. Perhaps a good night’s rest will be just what the doctor ordered!

Anyway, thanks for checking in. It has been a beautiful day. I hope tomorrow is as well!

God Bless.

Tom+

I was able to get a lot done today, but am more than happy to say that the day is done. I am scheduled pretty full all day tomorrow, including the Michael Treinen Memorial Alumni Lacrosse games beginning at 1pm. We hope to see a big crowd to benefit the Michael Treinen Foundation.

Anyway, no other news from me this evening, other than I am exhausted. My hope and prayer is that you have had a blessed day yourself, and that tomorrow will be as equally wonderful!

God Bless!

Tom+

Tonight we celebrated our season’s end with a lacrosse banquet with the entire club, the men’s and women’s teams together. It was wonderful event filled with joy and plenty of laughter. It is such a great group of people who make lacrosse here in Noblesville such an enjoyable thing to be a part of.

Scott was one of the younger players on the men’s team, but got a certificate for completing the year. Steph was awarded the Most Valuable Player award on the women’s team for the second year in a row. We said goodbye to six seniors, all of whom will be sorely missed. It is always a bittersweet moment, as they graduate a team you really love to coach will never be the same again.

Of course next year we will welcome a new group of players that will make the team what it will be then, and the cycle repeats itself. But it is still hard to see these seniors go. This was an exceptional group of kids.

Anyway, it’s late and I am at home and on the back porch, thinking about it all. I was not able to get all the things I needed to do done today, so tomorrow is looking to be backed up already. But as for today, it has been a good one.

I hope yours has been good as well.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

Today is my dad’s birthday. I will not say how old he actually is, partly because I have my kids confused about it and I do not want them to know the truth. I told Steph he was 105 today and Scott 115…..neither is true. He is much closer to 120.

Actually, my dad is often confused for more of a brother of mine than my dad. He is in his 70’s but younger looking and definitely acting. He seems to be constantly on the move, and when he drives he actually uses his signals correctly rather than driving for miles with his left turn signal on. His great health is a real blessing.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Dad! I hope it was a great one, and here’s to many more!

God Bless!

Tom+

It is pretty warm tonight out on the back porch, but there is a nice breeze. Steph spent the day at King’s Island, Scott had summer school (taking 11th grade composition early) and Ben and I had a nice day together. It was all and all a good day.

All I have left to do tonight is this blog and to let all the dogs out. They like being out at any time, but the cool air I am certain is more enjoyable than the heat they had to endure this afternoon. They chased each other like maniacs in between drinks, but they eyed the sprinkler and were a bit miffed I hadn’t turned it on for them….maybe tomorrow.

Ben however was successful at getting me to turn it on for him. It was his first experience with one too. Needless to say HE LOVED IT, and I loved it too. It is such a blessing to see him laugh, and laugh he did! We will try it again tomorrow too.

But to get to tomorrow I must call it a day. It has been a long one, and I am glad it is over. I hope yours was as blessed as mine!

Goodnight and God Bless.

Tom+

I am certainly tell the times I am having trouble…..particularly by looking at how I am keeping up to date with my blog posts. My apologies for being a bit of a forgetful goober over the weekend. It was quite busy and I was quite stressed. I am just glad to remember today.

I really feel the need to talk about how I see my faith in all of this, because often during struggles people move away from their faith rather than toward it. I certainly understand the concept of struggle. And I certainly do question why a guy in great health and living a great life would have to endure such things, but to be honest, if anything, my faith is stronger than it was before. In fact, I believe these struggles to be a gift, and a gift I would not want to return.

Sure there are things I want to be different. I hate how hard it is for my family at times with my forgetfulness or my sudden needs to sleep. I hate how short my fuse can become, or what a challenge keeping myself together can often be.

But in the end, I have learned and am learning more about important things such as patience, allowing others to help me, and most importantly the fact that this has not just happened to me….it belongs to my whole family. I may struggle with symptoms, but they struggle with me. Saints that they are, they have yet to push me off a cliff too! (Sorry for the idea honey!) But I do notice, and I do appreciate it. It is an unexpected blessing to have the opportunity to see how I am loved in this way.

I really have become a lot more than I was before and for that I am thankful. God has blessed me, not with struggles, but with new vision. And I intend to continue to use it!

Anyway, once again, please accept my apologies.

God Bless…

Tom+