Yep, we found it. I think it was back in 2003 when I brought Stephanie and Scotty here to fulfill a promise I had made to them years before. The picture was actually taken at the entrance to Epcot, two of them in fact (one with each of the kids) and they supposedly would be there for 20 years.

Yep, believe it or not, we are on vacation, something we rarely do together. But we figured this may be the last time we could all get together and take a trip. Steph leaves for college in two months to the day, and Scotty has two lacrosse camps and a busy social schedule too! (Really they both do.)

So we decided on Disney, and although we got on the plane this morning with almost zero sleep, everyone seemed to survive. We had not intended to leave or hotel except for dinner tonight, but because we purchased a meal plan as part of our vacation, we needed to hop a bus to the Magic Kingdom to get lunch. Fortunately it allowed us to get this wonderful picture of the kids in front of Cinderella’s Castle.

But it is now 8:30 and we have been in the room over an hour and are all exhausted with Steph and Ben already asleep. I will not be far behind. Our housesitters will take care of home, and Ben will continue to explode with excitement here. It is already a great time. For now however, I am calling it a day!

Goodnight from Mickey’s house my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Yep, today is Scotty’s 17th birthday and to celebrate we went out to lunch at Red Robin. Sadly, he forgot that they sing there, and the smile on his face is from the balloons they delivered along with his complimentary birthday sundae. Ben, who had been a bit fussy to that point got pretty compliant, and offered to help Scott with his sundae. He also helped Scott blow out the candles on his cake tonight……he is a giver for sure.

I really cannot see any way this is my fault. Sure, I understand the Spiderman underwear (I wear them all the time) and I understand the Spiderman boots, I just do not understand them in the middle of summer…..particularly together. This incredible fashion violation, combined with the desire to watch “Thomas the Train,” really indicate that my DNA has taken the backseat to hers. Not that she is a big fan of Thomas or bad fashion, but clearly it is just so very twisted that it could not be from me.

Okay, this is my first post from my MAC. I am now done migrating everything from my PC, and hopefully in time I will figure out this technology!

The men’s lacrosse banquet was held this evening, and the team said goodbye to 18 seniors and Head Coach Rick Dinkins who retired after an 8 year career. Rick not only founded the program, but really is a guy who could get the best out of the boys. He will be sorely missed. He however has spent a lot of time grooming the very capable Coach Mac to take his place, and Andy will take the wheel from here. Scotty now enters his Senior Year under Mac, who was his coach the first year he played. It is looking to be an exciting year!

And speaking of Scotty, he spent the year on the JV team, first as an attack player, but just after the season started he switched to goalie. It was a great move for the former All-Star baseball catcher. He has a natural talent for it…and tonight he was voted MVP by his team!

The prospect of a great year for them is much better than you might think. Sure, losing so many seniors may seem scary, but older players always develop the younger ones. I lost seven players this year, but they all were leaders. Leaders develop hunger in the younger ones and believe me, heart is the most important attribute of any player I tell you!

So now I have two MVP’s. Through a lifetime of ice hockey I was never awarded such an award. But tonight I am prouder than I would be if I did.

Congrats Scotty on the award and congrats to Stephy too. I am no longer Steph’s coach, but I know she will do well. And I look forward to following them both as they further their careers!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Well I am out on the back porch again, this time with a very reluctant dog. There is a thunderstorm moving through the area, and because of it the cat has abandoned her post. Viper, who is often called a stalker or trailer in our home because he will follow you everywhere, stood at the door to the porch and just watched me until I talked him into coming out. He wants to be with me, just not in the line of what he considers to be considerable danger.

But though they hate it, I love storms very much. I have been fascinated by them my whole life. We used to watch them come in all the time, and where I am from just north of here, the weather is quite a bit more frequent and spectacular! I loved it!

One of the interesting things about my life is that I was actually struck by lightening when I was 16. I only remember the before and the after. I was thrown, not burned, nor did I even go to the hospital. (I would like to say it was because I was too tough, but in retrospect it was because I was too stupid.) But it makes for a pretty cool story and the detailed version is pretty rare. Many people do not survive such things. (AND yes, the picture is the clock being struck by lightening in “Back to the Future.”)

But, of course, I did. And lots of things have changed in this life because of it.

We make the most of the time we have on this good earth and tonight I am thankful for the beauty and the power of these storms. Afraid? Nope, not at all. They remind me of the One who was and is, and is to come. He has knocked me on my backside three different times in my life and each time I have been thankful about continuing on (lightening 1977, liver tumor 1989, stroke 2008) (Okay Lord, no more….I GET IT). But let me just say on this “dark and stormy night” (Snoopy in Peanuts – pick a year) that life is precious, not just each day, but each and every breath. And tonight I thank God for each one!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Yep, tonight we played in the 2nd Annual Michael Treinen Memorial Alumni Games at Hare Field. It was a marvelous night for lacrosse and for a good cause too. The money that was raised will go back to the Michael Treinen Foundation to continue their legacy of good work for cancer research and victims families.

But tonight was also a time to remember Mike. I met him on that very same field just over two years ago where as a young man undergoing chemotherapy to battle cancer once again, he stepped in to be my assistant after a stroke sent me to the hospital. I had yet to coach a game as head coach, he had the victory a few days earlier with Coach Mac already under his belt. We met out on the big “N” of the field for the first time.

In the short few months I knew him before his death, Michael came to mean more to me and my team than I could ever express. I was a hockey player and had only studied lacrosse. He was both a hockey and lacrosse player. We spoke the same language. I had never seen him play, but I could see him coach daily. He had a gift, not only in leading the girls, but in leading others in life. It was a pretty amazing couple of months.

His jersey that was retired last year at the 1st Annual Alumni Games was looking for a home and it got one this evening. Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear, who is a real quality guy, asked to display the jersey in its case in City Hall. You see, Michael did more than make his mark upon the lacrosse community, it was really upon the entire city. He was one amazing guy.

And tonight in the women’s game I was one of the refs, along with my son Scott. One difference between the women’s and men’s alumni games is that our game is the high school team verses ALL graduates, including the ones who graduated this year. The men’s game splits up alumni on both teams and puts a few high school players on each squad.

Why that is significant is that as I was huffing and puffing my way up and down the field I thought of Michael. He used to analyze things all the time and look at ways we could get better. I was struck at how it was our next year’s team out there against a team stacked with All State and college players, and how I’d just bet Michael was looking down from heaven thinking the same things. We got beat 11-5, though we were missing a few major players, but wow was I encouraged. I just knew Michael was thinking, just like I was, how we were going to move this team of raw talent into the new year. I just now need him to tell me!

My brother, I miss you, and want you to know what you did for me and for the girls I will spend a lifetime remembering and giving back because of. We still wear our orange everyday, and as long as I am the coach, we always will. God bless you my friend, you are coaching us still!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless! And if you feel compelled, go make a donation at