Ben and his school were on “early release” today, which I always feel is more of a prison term than a school term.  I suppose it helps that I hated school and that it felt like prison to me, therefore making the concept rather palatable.  What I can say however is that in the Dark Ages we had no such thing as early release.  In fact, anything under 10 feet of snow required us to go to school…..and we were there the entire time, unless of course we were skipping.

But I picked him up at 2:00pm, at the same place I dropped him off.  I was surprised to learn that he had made it through the day without getting into trouble.  When Father PT and I dropped him off at 8:00am he would not stop talking.  And talking just happens to be the reason for him getting in trouble about 90% of the time.  So when I picked him up and his teacher said he did great, my response was “really?”  I was surprised…..pleasantly surprised.  And tonight’s picture is of Ben dropping his mom off at the airport with the very best of intentions in March of last year.  He is, generally, a good boy…..although it is often hard to find hard evidence of it.  Tonight’s picture however is of him rolling his mom’s bags into the airport as she was off to a business trip to Texas in March of last year.  He LOVED taking her, and he was even more excited to pick her up!

But because he was on early release, and not for good behavior although he had it….they let everyone out, I did not put him onto some type of work crew when we got home.  I went out and mowed, and he just hung out with the dog.  I suppose all that skoolin wore him out and made it necessary for him to relax.   Good thing too…….he has a full day back at the joint tomorrow.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Well today is finished, and I am now at home and happy with the results.  Bootcamp went very well.  It was GLORIOUS to be back getting the crap kicked out of me, and I was the only man among 4 other very in shape women.  But I survived, and although I am sore, I am very blessed to start my year of recovery.

One thing I did not mention to you was that tonight Amanda and I also started Taekwondo together with Ben.  We cannot help him with that we do not know, and it was a blessing for us both to be able to try and punch each other legally, and without the police.  The picture tonight however, is of VIPER at Taekwondo, as the pictures of me in my “outfit” don’t quite look like the Pillsbury Doughboy, as he is A BOY and I am as old as PHARAOH.  But they are NOT flattering.  Amanda looks pretty hot in hers, but I could not get a good shot as she is always punching me.  SO you will have to take the consolation picture of my belt, post-Taekwondo, on my bookcase.  It will have to do.

But the bottom line is that I am on my way back…hell or high water, I am on my way back.  No more excuses, no more nonsense….no more no more.

Keep me in your prayers.  I am on my way and I am not looking back!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Well I have finally made it to today…….the LAST DAY of the first part of my life.  I now intend to enter into the second and make it all worthwhile.

Tomorrow morning I will enter the first day of ONE YEAR of BOOTCAMP.  I have earnestly thought and prayed about this, and am committed to beating the effects of the stupid stroke and damage once and for all.  I just need to be myself and I haven’t been able to be that for quite some time.

It is also well fitting to me to be starting all this tomorrow……it is my grandma’s birthday and her and my grandpa’s anniversary……..God bless both their souls.  It is always a meaningful day to me, and I want to give thanks to God for my crazy Easter breakdown and CT scan that delayed my start of boot camp till tomorrow….otherwise I would have started just after Easter.

But I am asking for your support……in thought and in prayer, and really if you want just plain old cash….but no restaurant gift cards!  Yes, THAT is an OLD JOKE OF MINE and one that has not EVER produced ANY cash, but one that I always think is funny…..and apparently that means only I think it is funny.

I have had a miserable 5 years since my stroke, with a lot of setbacks, a lot of struggle and a LOT of pain……but in the end, I believe it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.  I am not delusional, and I am a winner…..I always have been and I always will be.  I will hold my head high and I will beat the hell out of all of this.  I even ordered my boot camp t-shirt one size smaller than I currently wear.

Bad stuff happens.  Life isn’t fair…..in fact, some times it totally SUCKS……as mine has at times.  But I want to encourage you.  As Darius Rucker sings in the great Hootie and the Blowfish song Hold My Hand,  “I said get up, and let me see you smile.  Well take a walk together, walk the road awhile, because I’ve gotta hand for you.”

Let’s make this a time of encouragement and victory.  I ask you to join me.

Goodnight and God Bless!

Tommy+

Yes I know, I haven’t had a post in a few days, but this time it was intentional as I have been in Akron, Ohio for the Anglican Diocese of the Great Lakes Synod.  And I didn’t post because I was gone, and mainly because Amanda does not like to be here alone with Ben, and even more importantly to have that be common knowledge.  (I don’t worry as I believe she can shoot straight.)  But I fell on the sword and decided it was better for everyone to think I was just forgetful or crazy, rather than to let anyone with evil intentions know that she was here alone.

But that is not entirely true.  First of all, we have a BIG DOG.  Sure he is a Golden Retriever who sleeps about 23.5 hours a day, but he IS BIG.  And TWO, Ben is now in an “Ironman” phase as a new movie is coming out May 3rd.  But he will have to wait as his brother, PFC Scott Tirman USMC will be home in 25 days (for 10) and wants to take him to the movie himself.  So he will have to wait, but honestly I always feel better about our house, our family, and security when I know that there is a delusional 5 year old on site.  PLUS he is a Taekwondo WHITE BELT WITH A YELLOW TIP…….evil doers need to beware.

SO……..I am home and I am just here preparing for tomorrow.  In all honesty I really have my sights set on tomorrow after Church when I hope to see some serious NAP TIME and catch up.  But for now I will just say how thankful I am to be home.  MY wife and I have renewed our vows every night since late August of this past year, and my crazy schedule screwed that up last night.  So vows are on the agenda and then sleep.  Tonight’s picture is actually FROM TONIGHT as Ben and I hung out on the balcony off my office.

It has been a busy week and I am exhausted, but I NEED to rest and catch up.  After all, I am expected to take over for Ironman tomorrow night.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

On Tuesday and Thursday nights we do NOT HAVE Taekwondo, so occasionally we get to go out to eat and enjoy each other’s company…that is unless you decide to become infected with some good old fashioned Red Robin Depression.

And of course that was the case for us tonight.  And I will confess that is is bad enough coming to a burger joint and not eating the fries or the bun, but then to have you son be a BUTT and not even help his mom with dessert, well that just beats all in my book. (I was going to say “takes the cake” but as a dieter, I am trying to not torture myself)

But in the picture he DOES look depressed, and that is despite scarfing down a grilled cheese and a ton of fries.  Countless numbers of potatoes and tomatoes gave their sorry little vegetable lives for him tonight, and he dissed them by getting snotty and not even eat dessert.

I however, HAVE NO PATIENCE for any of it.  I would have LOVED to have a fries or some ketchup or even to SNIFF the bun…..no patience, no sympathy.

All I feel for him is……….well really nothing as I am starving.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

PS…in the words of Marie Antoinette……”let them eat cake”…..but not in front of me!

Well I have spent the Lion’s share of the day in my yard.  No, I have not been in a chair with a book and a drink, but really in the yard with a chain saw, shovels, a spud bar, and mower.  And I have been trying to cut everything up in preparation for the fire I will set to burn all this that could very well at this point be seen from space.

But Ben and the dog were no help.  In fact, I had to take a break to take the dog to the vet and pick Ben up from school.  Dr. Vicki told me he had cataracts, which is expected for a dog his age, but all I could think about was how he would now use that to not want to drive or use the chainsaw.  Go figure!

The good news however is that it is all cut up.I do have three fairly small stumps to dig out, but that is far less than how I began my day.  It has however exhausted me.  Oh sure, I DID HAVE VISIONS of finishing and THEN getting into that chair, with a book (and some glasses as I cannot see anymore) and that DRINK…….but I am just too tired.

And I would have the dog pour me one, but it would just be a mess…..he cannot see either.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+


PS…..tonight’s picture is of Stephanie and her friend Krissy at university.  Neither one helped me in the yard, but they are both young and can see, and as they are at college I certainly know they are capable of pouring….

I probably would have called this blog entry “Changes” but I decided against it as I didn’t want anyone to think I graduated from high school in the 1970’s and knew a David Bowie song .fairly close to the Ziggy Stardust era.  But in fact changes were on my mind.

We went and saw Steph play her last home game of the year over the weekend, and as we were heading OUT of the St. Louis area I saw the sign for the college Scotty was heading to last year to study music education.  I still remember the college visit very well, but not nearly as much as the uncomfortable for him but very cool conversation for me in the very office I am typing this tonight, as to why he suddenly didn’t want to go there.  He wanted to become a US Marine, and I couldn’t be prouder.  All that came back to me as we drove by (and took the picture).

But the Lindenwood visit in 2010 also crossed my mind as well.  Lindenwood was  heading into NCAA Division II and were looking for great players with vision and faith in the program…..and Steph fit the bill.  She was academically brilliant and was able to go on academic scholarship the first year.  In the second and third, this year, she has been on athletic scholarship (as they are now D-II).  And as I type this they are currently #15 in the COUNTRY.  And next year, after 2 years in D-II they will be eligible to play for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!   Too cool.  And the best part is that Steph will end this era with a degree in CHEMISTRY that will have cost her just her blood sweat and tears, but ME very little!!!

The LU stickers however I have been missing.  (The bookstore ran out!)  But I bought them and put them on my truck and Amanda’s car.  The “My son is a US Marine” is also on both vehicles, and because we have no “My son is the baddest Taekwondo yellow tip at lapel Elementary School” sticker, I will let him claim my NRA one.  (although he is technically not an NRA member)

But we are home and it has been a great time.  Tomorrow however means WORK.  But remember, I work for the CHURCH……..and I am not too worried about any changes there!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Sure he seems cute now, but if he doesn’t start developing some semblance of normality soon he will be 35 years old playing video games and living in my basement.  The moustache, which he insists is real and that he grew tonight, has apparently been shaved in time for bed.  I love him, but he is bizarre.

Steph and Scott both had their share of weirdness too, but never to anything near the DEFCON level Ben goes.  Steph loved math and school and learning……so much in fact that I had to force her to go out and play.  Fortunately now she loves both. She is a chemistry major and a top notch athlete (her lacrosse team is now ranked 15th in the NCAA II poll in the COUNTRY!)

Scotty was the opposite. I had to force him to learn.  He was plenty smart enough, but his favorite subject in school was the same as mine…..recess.  He was all social.  If he had interest he he nailed it, but had really no interest in tests or being measured….he lived for the love of it.  In fact, he quit all the music lessons I ever paid for and then self-taught himself to be a very accomplished musician and theorist.  He loves history and can talk a lot about it, but has no interest on being graded about it.  And in a world that measures (SCHOOL), as a parent, he drove me nuts.  He was me, and I deserved him.

But each of my children give me a glimpse into myself.  And although I love them all and am every proud of them, I wish I could just go into their brains and tweak them with the things that I have learned by my mistakes.  Of course I can’t, but I can live with it.

Just like I will be living with Don Juan and his cheesy moustache…….everyday for the rest of my life.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

It actually made him cry.  He and his mom’s favorite tree lost two big branches.  The higher one fell on the lower one, and the lower one was the one that his swing was attached to.  But we bravely headed out to the tree together and looked at the damage. (as seen in the pictures) And in all honesty, he changed.  By the time we headed back into the house he was more concerned about all the flowers from the fallen branches dying……he has a good heart.

But as for me, I didn’t see the same picture in front of me…..I saw instead a chain saw project that I will probably hit on Monday.  But that is nothing new in this house with all the mature trees.  Every time the wind blows (or the sun shines) something is down.  But that is why I have a place in my yard to burn.

And I am not so sure what a pink flowered tree will smell like when it burns, but I intend to find out.  AND….it will burn with the other 10,000 branches I have picked up this past week.

But it really doesn’t bother me as I LOVE our house.  And within days the yard will be clean, the swing reinstalled, and I will be awaiting the next time I will be picking up branches to burn.

It will probably be sometime late Monday afternoon……

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Yes, he cannot pronounce it, (he says “caradactyl”) nor does he believe me when I tell him what it is, but that really never matters to him……at 5 years old he is always right and far smarter than me.

He received the prehistoric replica for answering a “math question” at school.  It apparently was what do you get by adding 1 to any number.  And he nailed it, however he always does when there is a toy on the line.  Regardless, we are proud of him.

But his stubbornness has also reared its ugly head at other times this week as well.  My favorite was an argument that he and I got into on Tuesday.  You see Amanda had left ME a note on MY DESK.  It said “TOM, I love you. Amanda.”  Make your own assumptions about it, but I am guessing is was meant for me.

Oh but Ben would have none of it.  He KNEW the note was for HIM and that his mom just made a mistake……a big mistake apparently.

So I am living the easy life with my youngest son.  He gets everything right you know.  I just need to figure out how to get that to work for me.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+