This picture is one that hangs in the house. I found it one day when I was cleaning the closet. Its kinda wrinkly and I know that I should take it to Walgreens or something and have them do something proper with it, but I like it how it is...kinda worn.

The idea of it being worn is that my dad was older when I was born...despite that, I think there were things, namely me, that kept him young. He was spry and didn't really take much shit from anyone...not me in this case. I was daddy's girl. I didn't have that ridiculous only child syndrome that people sometimes rant about, but I know how to work my way around my pops.

So this I found the other day that seemed fitting:

My Hero is the quiet type,

No marching bands, no media hype,
But through my eyes it's plain to see,
A hero, God has sent to me.

With gentle strength and quiet pride,
All self concern is set aside,
To reach out to our fellow man,
And be there with a helping hand.

Heroes are a rarity,
A blessing to humanity.
With all they give and all they do,
I'll bet the thing you never knew,
My quiet hero has always been you.

I figured I would sort of recycle aspects of this blog. It is one I had done elsewhere years ago. At the point that I wrote the blog my dad had been gone for 7 years. This year marks 9 that he hasn't been with us in person, but is always with us in spirit. Tuesday we will bring Elliot to the cemetary with us. He won't understand why we are there, but the lessons and love that I got from my dad will be passed down in the lessons and love that I show for my son. I remember that Spring Break like it was yesterday. The memory of my fathers passing is forever etched in my mind. There are always random discussions of bringing someone back if you could, even just for a short time...that would be my person. I know that as I gradute again here soon, that he would have been so proud. My promise to him continues to be fulfilled. That is that I will care for my mom and family, and always uphold the highest standards for myself in order to make him proud. If you had ever met him he left a mark...I was chatting with a friend the other day who said that Elliot looked like Izzy....pride swelled inside me.

Hurry up Spring!

Well, it is nice outside, I wouldn't say any where near hot, but it is a nice change to feel some warmth from the sun. I am getting tired of bundling up and warming up the car and ice.
Last year close to this time, this was us. My how things have changed!

It seems like a short span can create a whole different situation. In this picture, I was pregnant. I didn't really know it yet, but I was. My little dude is three months...Heather has her boy, and Erin is on the way to being a mom. Pete is in Costa Rica and Elena is in Portland...everyone doing what they need to do! Throughout the years we have all vacationed together...Naples, FL. Atlanta, New Orleans, Vegas....this year we are all sticking around home. Strange.

I am one week from being done with the classes I am taking. I am just excited to get the presentations out of the way and move on to something different that will take me the one step closer to graduation. The next round of classes are taught by a prof that I know will have me leaving the classes with a wealth of information. I am not paying the kind of money that I am to just "get through the program." I do truly want to take with me as much info as I can to make me a good administrator in whatever capacity that I end up in. It will also be kinda fun to say that I have two master's degrees!

My aunt came out of heart surgery and did really well. I stopped up to see her the other night and we went with Elliot last night because it was interesting how even when being attached to a respirator on Thursday, she wanted to know how the baby was doing. He is so smiley that she got him to give her a grin last night. It was good to see her up and walking and was so completely different from the time that my dad had bypass. It is sure amazing how technology and modern medicine have worked together to get people through things that are that strenuous on the body.

Baseball is starting! Yeah! I got my first set of tickets in the mail the other day.