Get a Grip Through The....

Reflectous Interruptous

2010-12-04T17:42:00.004-05:00

First Trimester down and strapping on the helmet doesn't come close to what sums it up. Do I love the transition from teacher to administration? Absolutely! Do I love the pety issues that enter my office on a daily basis? The responsible answer to that would be, 'there are no pety issues.' The actual answer would be, 'we create problems for the sake of the existence of problems.'

One of the issues that looms when any new person steps in to the position of authority... trust. If I had to define where my staff stood after a trimester of working with me, it would have to be 'waiting to exhale'. While they see that I'm a principal who understands the teacher point of view (after spending 17 years in the classroom), they have experienced a former principal with an administrator point of view (who had 3 years of classroom experience) and they keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. One teacher summed it up for me in a conversation: "We like what you stand for and how you work with us, but we keep waiting to be stabbed in the back." So there's some work to be done. Trust is an issue of time,... or staff parties. Perhaps both.

"I heard that you're trying to cancel Halloween," came a comment from a parent in the community.
"What?" I couldn't believe that I had such power.
Having made some simple changes to the day to day operations of the school, one of them came with the way the parade for our Halloween celebration took place. My design needs some work because I failed to anticipate parents standing in the middle of the hall to snap pictures, instead of going to the gymnasium where ALL parents could take pictures. The hallway debacle led to a mish mash of confusion and came close to requiring the assistance of an NBTS (National Bureau of Transportation) agent to assess the flow of traffic. In the end though, every child had a chance to parade in front of their peers and eat an absurd amount of chocolate. How this turned into my cancellation of Halloween I have no idea, but if the parents continue to cause traffic violations,... so let it be written, so let it be done. Maybe I should run for political office next.

"Do you miss the classroom?" many people ask me.
I have to think about it for a few seconds, but the answer is, No. I don't miss the classroom, but I do miss the direct impact on kids. I miss the interaction with the select few that were in my room. I miss the direct connection to the families. As the principal, I get to know many more, but it's not on that deep level - at least not yet. After all, it's only been a few months.

What Comes Around

2010-08-10T10:46:00.004-04:00

Trying to decide how to spend the remaining days of summer can be exhausting. When should I start the changing of the internal clock? When do I acknowledge a daily scheduled? When is it time to draft that back to school letter? When is it time to put away the T-shirts and shorts and pull out the dress slacks and shirts?

"I have this week! That's IT!" Kim announces as she slides into her morning coffee. The public school system begins back to school after Labor Day, while our private school system is on it's own to decide when it's best to hit the hallways and stuff the lockers once again. At Kim's school,... the teachers begin next Monday.

An awkwardness blankets our mornings in August as I relish the full month of freedom still to be enjoyed, while Kim begins full blown readiness. She mutters quite a bit about going back early, but deep down (usually by the bottom of her coffee cup), she is ready and excited to get started - as am I,... in another month.

There is some excitement coming in September - It's National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Tate Publishing is kicking things off with a nationwide media blitz. More on what this will entail as information becomes known.

Short Thoughts are Simple to Process

2010-07-19T18:50:00.001-04:00

Well,... I'm back. It took me a while to finally set down and process some thoughts since so much has been happening over the course of the past two months.

Where to begin? (Long, lingering pause while I stare out the window wondering what I'm doing sitting at a computer when summer is right outside).

I'll get back to you real soon - got to go!

Common Place Is Slowly Changing

2010-05-18T13:38:00.003-04:00

"You know that thing you talked about the other day?" a little voice came from the seat behind me.

Our class was off on a field trip and to kill the time on our ten minute ride, I grabbed a small devotional book titled The Family's Man (for husbands and fathers). I thought a devotional would be just the ticket for a short, peaceful bus ride with the kids. I was wrong.

Putting my book down I glanced back behind me, "What thing and what day?" I was hoping to narrow it down before providing any sort of relevant response.

"The one where you talked about electric cars and how someday they would have power stations in place of gas stations," she spoke as if she were preparing to make a point.

"Yep. I remember that," I said, hoping to return to my devotional.

"Well, my dad said that you didn't know what you were talking about. And my sister had this book that's titled "What Idiots Say", or something like that. It said that electric cars would never take over and that's just what people think."

"Hmmmpp. Well I suppose everyone has an opinion on the topic," I really wanted to say more but I knew I shouldn't. Stupid job security.

"But I'm not saying you're an idiot," she shot back, probably realizing that she had indeed called me an idiot. "I'm just saying what my dad said and that it said it in a book too."

"I think I'll go back to my reading now," I needed to desperately find a little peace. The only problem was I had now spent most of my time listening to a little girl explain to me that her dad disputes the use of electric cars in the future and finds me to be an idiot for even suggesting it to my students.

Join the Fight - Day 4

2010-02-22T11:18:00.012-05:00

There's a name tag epidemic in our country that must be addressed! You see it when you go to a convention, you see it at some church services, you see it in business, and you see it in schools - name tags that identify who you are.

Now I'm not opposed to the whole idea of taking away a formal greeting in place of slapping a sticky note to ones body or clipping of a badge. Although when som

eone's wearing a name tag you seldom stop to introduce yourself and ask who they are, because that would seem to 19th Century.

I'm opposed to placement. Case in point,... just this morning. I have my students in the library attending the Book Fair, where a number of volunteers (mainly moms) come to lend a hand. I have a brief interaction with a mom, whom I've not seen before, and I glance at her tag to catch a last name, while she's looking at two boys trying to jot down the name o

f a book.

I'm thinking that perhaps if I can get her last name I may know her

ild(ren). As I glance back to her face, I notice this look of disgust (because her attention is no longer on the boys),... she "apparently" feels that I was staring at an inappropriate area. Hello! If you would slap the sticker on a different body part then perhaps neither of us would have this uncomfortable moment!

I'm starting my own personal crusade that will last for the remainder of the year, ...month, ....week, ...day, ... in the moment, or until a lawsuit is filed. This name tag placement has

gotten out of control and I intend to bring it to the front of societal concerns. I'm thinking there's global warming and name tag placement, ... what Summit do I attend?

I need to rethink my photo and throw in a butt-double. No comments needed.

Day 2 and going strong! Dreams ALIVE PEOPLE! Dreams ALIVE!

Day 3 and

you can sense a movement afoot!

It's Day 4 already and the exhaustion is setting in,... not to mention the obliques are beginning to feel the burn every time I have to twist around to grab my key for something. Don't know how much longer I'll be able to sustain such a grueling pace for societal norming.

Foto Friday

2010-02-05T11:02:00.001-05:00

Whoodle Pose and Profile

2010-02-01T12:10:00.008-05:00

The 21st Century Classroom.

This is the title given to our classrooms in district that have a smartboard, sound system, and various other little technology gadgets. I thought I had a 21st Century room by simply being a teacher in the 21st Century, but I must be wrong. So then the question becomes,... what century

classroom do I have?

Could it be the 19th Century? If so, then that would be me up front next to my student who appears to presenting his/her career project using power point and an inkwell.

Could it be that I'm teaching in an early 20th Century room? If so, that would mean that these two girls are in my class and we've apparently formed some club that dabbles in iron works.

Perhaps I'm mid-20th Century,... a time when school was more civil, more disciplined, more school-like. I remember being taught how to sit with my hands folded,...

while wearing a suit coat and tie.

But this is not the classroom I have either! Today's class is all about movement within the room, comfortable clothing, and not having homework because it interferes with the after school travel sports schedule.

I'm getting the feeling that my issue isn't with being in the 21st Century in the United States,... after viewing a 21st Century classroom in the UK,

I think I need to rethink my century curiosity and go with location, location, location.

Let Them Be Free!

2010-01-26T13:27:00.012-05:00

The Squeaker.

The FlaBurtz.

The Waaf.

The Puffer. The Fluffer. The Ole Gezzer Duffer.

The Bllllzzzzzztt.

The Tweeter.

The Squirtity Squeeter.

No matter the word, it all comes down to the same thing. A loud, unavoidable release of gas in the class. The kind of gas passing that would register on any given Richter Scale as a damaging menace to society. . . One gas passing that a bar full of truckers and bikers would be proud to call their own. The only problem was, we weren't in a bar and there were no truck drivers or bikers to be had (self excluded). We were in whole class reading. A typically quiet venue.

The natural order of things can go in two directions:

1.) You can ignore it, talk quickly and loudly hoping that no one raises their hand with the typical, "Did you hear that mini nuclear explosion? I think the fall out has swiped the hair clean from my arms!"

2.) You can acknowledge the little thunder rumple for the mover and shaker they are, dismiss them to take care of any unfinished business, and adjust the classroom back to some form of civility as you grasp the nearest industrial air-spray sanitizer around.

Another day in the life of a teacher.

The Missing Test

2010-01-22T12:25:00.005-05:00

It's business as usual for a Friday in class with my students. Friday is usually assessment day.

"Is there anyone still working on their math test?" I have the students turn in their papers as they finish, rather than collecting them all at once. The good thing is I get a jump on correcting their papers, which usually allows me to return them before they leave for home. The bad thing is I have to keep track of who's still working and who's getting a bit edgy and ready to do something else.

No one responded to my questioning. This only means I need to say it again, in a different way, "Do I have everyone's paper?" I asserted my slower, louder voice in order to be understood clearly by the average 4th grade child.

The room begins to so signs of intelligent life as they become human bobble-heads one by one. At first glance you would have thought that each and every student was completed, but it's the silent stare that you have to have a keen eye out for,... and there it was. From a boy across the room,... a blank stare of confusion. As I locked in on him, I also took note that his desk was swiped clean of all papers.

"Did you turn in your paper?" I tried to coax an answer from him. His head gave a slight bob. "Did you just say yes?" I questioned further. His head gave a slight twist, side to side. "No?" I continued the dance as if it were leading somewhere. His head remained motionless this go 'round. What does that mean? Now he's not even giving me the non-verbals. Just the stare.

I decided years ago that when given the chance to stare, one should take it. And so it was on! The room was dead silent as I looked at him, him at me,... neither one of us knowing what good any of this would do. Finally the silence was broken with a tiny snickering voice, "Stop the madness!" came the plea.

"If you were your test, where would you be right now," I quietly probed him for one more response that I knew couldn't be answered with a 'yes' or 'no' bob of the head. I did realize that he could always resort to one of my favorite gestures, the shoulder shrug.

"It's in my desk," he answered as he opened up his desk and removed it from between two text books. "It's not done though."

I know, I know. How could a student take a test and then just put it in his desk and not finish it? Good question. It's also a question that they never answered when I was going through all of my teacher classes. They never teach you the crucial things such as, what do you do when one student throws up in class and starts a chain reaction? I don't think they want the new teachers to know about such things happening. This is where my years of experience pays off.

"Well, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you finish it and turn it in to me," I threw out a strong suggestion. "The rest of the class will move forward with Friday."

Resolve to....

2010-01-03T20:34:00.005-05:00

Blood work ... back in the day that meant we were building a higher ramp to jump our bikes off of,... today (at middle age) it just means that your doctor is going to have hurtful things to say about your eating habits.

Lucky me, I had mine done right before the turn of the calendar and just in time to make a NEW New Years Resolution. Over the past decade I have pretty much given up on the tradition of making and then breaking of a resolution. I just resolved myself to the fact that I had little will-power to carry out whatever I had set before me as a personal challenge. Some years the resolution lasted for months, other years,.... days,... and yes, there were those years,... just to the end of my fleeting thought of a resolution.

I found that if I didn't resolve to make myself a better person and it just happened, then bonus for me and society. However, once the pledge was out there for just one other person to hear, the resolution became a one way street to disappointment. I was doomed - DOOMED!!

They say you should tell other people what you have chosen to change about yourself in order to gain support and help you to succeed. I say this works if the other person is a complete stranger who could care less - point in case,... a toll booth operator. These people are to resolution makers, what drive through windows have become for fast food - like 'fast food' confessional booth, you just roll on up, pay your tool, and,.. "I resolved to cut down on speeding through the I-Pass lanes to see if they'll actually send me a ticket!!" The professional toll-booth operator won't even flinch an eyelash as they change the red traffic signal to green and give you the go ahead on the rest of your day, the rest of your life. They won't even bring up the topic with you again. There's no judgment, no disappointment if you happen to slip, no expectations what so ever.

Now tell this same thing to a close friend and you've just bought yourself the monthly conversation of, "Well, how's the I-Pass resolution going? Oh,... that's a shame,... I thought this was the one resolution you could actually attain in your life. Especially when you consider the lack of actual time you spend on the tollways."

Now I realize by putting out there the fact that I had blood work leads some to guess what I might be resolving to do this year, but the facts are these: We are four days into the twenty-ten year and the results of my resolve can't be seen yet. Check back with me in another 185 days. That will give me time to think of reasons as to my short coming and may even lead to your new position as a toll-booth operator,... just hitting the button and giving me the green light go-a-head.

Traffic Termoil

2009-12-27T13:17:00.007-05:00

I love the elderly. I actually hope to be one myself ,... someday (although I believe it's who you ask what elderly means, because my students would definitely say that I'm there already). However,... I do have a beef with the elderly.

Over the course of the past week, I've put in my share of time out and about and around the various shopping venues. I can't really say at this point what seems worse: driving to and around the stores or actually being in the stores and becoming challenged with the lack of room in which to maneuver my 4 foot cart in a 3 foot isle packed with others doing the same. Regardless of which one is the worse of evils, I'm beefing today about the first issue ... the driving!

I'm sitting at a four way stop and I'm next to go once the car directly across from me makes it through the intersection. My anticipation of being next builds with each full rotation of the car wheels. I slowly begin my slow creep forward in order to make the appropriate left hand turn when THIS CAR with a headless driver begins it's traffic movement directly following the car I was waiting on! I quickly look for a tow rope because this could be the only reasonable explanation for the premature crossing. Finding no said rope or chain, my gaze finds it's way to the driver seat in order for me to properly give the societal 'Hey, what gives?' look, but all I see are knuckles. That's right, knuckles,... clutching the wheel (10 and 2) and a fluff of gray hair. "Well, this can't be safe." The little lady had her eyes fixed directly on the car in front of her and damn the rules of the road, if she's in motion (slow motion), then others must respect her right of way and just adapt. This can't be correct though? Aren't their motor vehicle personnel who would stop such a thing? Shouldn't a license be given to those who can abide by universal common law rules of the road and not the rules of age? Where are the family members of this woman and why aren't they out looking for her? Perhaps even giving her tips on things such as, when to proceed through a four way stop.

Moments following the four-way debacle, I'm heading down a four lane road fixed between two major shopping stores. The chance of getting from one side to the other was near impossible with the traffic flowing in all four lanes. Yet, you know where this is heading? Damn the rules of the road, there's shopping to be had! All of a sudden, where even an experienced gamer in Frogger would have not dared leaped, there goes another elderly driver making the dash (no,.. a slow crawl) across all four lanes. Drivers on both sides begin hitting their brakes in hopes of avoiding a collision and all the probable insurance mess to follow. Like the parting of the Red Sea, cars came to a halt allowing the safe passage of this unlawful elderly speed racer. You have to be kidding? Another one? What is happening on our roadways?

Finally we had made our destination to the next store of isle horrors. As we began our pass in front of the store's entrance we came to our customary stop in order to let the pedestrians make the crossing in safety. As the group passed, there remained a lone straggler shuffling her way one line crossing at a time. With her pace at best equivalent to Tortuga, we waited and watched as she took her final step up onto the sidewalk. I kept scanning the lot, thinking there had to be someone with her, someone locking up the car or forgot something in the car and had to retrieve it. Nothing. No one.

"What do you think her reaction time is like in a car when it comes to making those quick decisions?" Kim said allowed.

"Not good, I would imagine," I replied as we found a parking spot. "Someone is going to end up in a serious accident at some point."

I've heard my parents talk about driving and the elderly before. I even understand the independence you take away from someone when they can't drive. Sam, our 15 year old, knows the lack of independence, but at what point do we stop the insanity of this blind, wishful driving? I had a thought the other day (as impractical as it may be) - beefed up bumper cars created for the elderly. Perhaps even separate driving lanes, similar to the ones they have for bicycles. With our society growing older, there will be more drivers out there who go at their own pace and their own rules.

I'm curious to know what the feelings and thoughts of others are. It's not a new issue, but it's one that's never been solved really.

Whoodle Watch

2009-12-24T09:42:00.004-05:00

Someone will be keeping a watchful eye out for Santa tonight!

And Now I've Been Told Twice

2009-12-22T13:19:00.007-05:00

"Have you put pictures on the blog yet?" Kim knew the answer to that question already. It was at the top of my list with balancing the bank account, vacuuming under furniture, and catching up on the People's Court.

"I'm on IT!"

With the recent departure of our beloved American Bulldog, Mojo to cancer, we decided to go in search of a new puppy. Enter Riley, the Whoodle. What's a Whoodle? Great question. Twenty years ago it would have been a mut, a mix, a non-specific type dog.

(Right: a photo of a grown Whoodle)

Today a Whoodle is considered a 'designer dog'. Part Poodle, Part Wheaten the Whoodle will will grow into,... a mut,... a non-shedding, allergy free, medium sized, bundle of happy go lucky, mut. The lady we got Riley from is currently working at getting the Whoddle recognized by the AKC as a bread she refers to as the Village Terrier. Now I have about as much knowledge regarding dog breeds as I do identifying what wine goes with what meal. So her telling me about the Village Terrier only makes me wish I had a good wine to go with my meal (what wine goes with basket of smelt?).

Riley is fairly brownish-red with a black muzzle, but as she grows, her hair color should change into a similar color as the dog above. She should grow to about 30 pounds. Quite a difference from Mojo, who strolled the neighborhood at around 115 or so.

With two weeks off before heading back to school, we have plenty of time to acclamate our new family member and to catch up on any sleep missed during the night due to potty training.

Merry Christmas

PS: I am working on the Christmas Note,... New Years Note next!

Matter of Tradition

2009-12-20T19:08:00.007-05:00

The Great Tree Hunt '09

Each year it's a family tradition to bundle up, load up, and head out to the local tree farm in search of the perfect tree. Each year is also becoming a family tradition where we heavily negotiate the size of tree we are looking for. I prefer one that takes no added climbing devices in the house in order to place the angel on top, whereas the rest of the family wants one that goes from floor to ceiling,... and of course, Max would prefer that we do major construction on the house in order to have vaulted ceilings.

It's also become a tradition as to who carries the sharp object into the wilderness. "I got the saw!",..."No, I do!!" This is usually where I step in and control the blade of death before we end up making the unnecessary trip to the ER. Once we have our tree cart, we are set for the long eighth mile walk into the tree field.

Our third standing tradition has always been that each member selects their number one choice before we go with the one I want. This year Sam and Max thought that mocking me should be added to the list of traditions as they selected their choices. Little did they know that if their tree selections had actually had tags on them - we would have been on our way home!

Once we find the tree, it's a family effort to cut it down. With the size tree we often hunt, it's worthy of Paul Bunyen, and surely worthy of all of us pitching in to bring it down. After dropping the mammoth size lumber, there's but one solitary tradition left to go - Hoisting the

Tree in Victory! I wouldn't recommend this unless you've had some sort of proper training and/or have been cleared by your doctor.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Ahhhh, Reading

2009-12-18T14:06:00.007-05:00

How did he do it? Years ago I had a history teacher who made a living reading the newspaper. He never actually read to us, but instead sat behind his desk flipping page after page, droning over sports scores and national happenings. Everyone once in a while he would share whether his stocks were doing good or not. We in turn were quiet as happy clams because it meant that he was not actually instructing us and in turn giving out loads of homework.

Yesterday, I received a few 'prop' gifts for Christmas. One item was a newspaper. With the hustle and bustle of our Thursday Christmas parties, I never got around to unwinding the rubber band until today.

"Kids, before we get out of here today, you need to clean out your desk," I'm sure this is a standing order in most schools the last day before a break. As I wandered through the room checking on the various bottomless pits, I spotted the newspaper at the front of the room, still rolled neatly together. What a great opportunity to see what's in the news,... or so I thought.

There's something about me calmly reading in class that draws 4th graders - like passers-by to an accident, they just have to stop and see what's going on. Perhaps it's the look of peace on my face that sends out a non-verbal signal that says 'Help ME! I'm way to relaxed right now and need to talk about someone who has a cousin who has a pet that nearly got run over by the lawnmower years ago.'

As I unfolded each section and began to read different articles I can honestly say that I didn't make it through a single one. I did however learn that one boy wrestles a lot, another girl is working on a drawing for me, I was informed that the country that eats the most bread is Turkey, there's a birthday coming up in the spring time and would it be okay to bring a treat, another boy wanted me to know that he's leaving a paper in his desk which is done, but not due until we return,..... Yep, didn't finish one article. As I took a deep breath, glanced at the clock to see if the 10 minute cleaning period was almost over, I thought of my former teacher with wonderment - for he had mastered something that remains intangible to me - peace while reading. Merry Christmas Everyone.

Need to Know,.. or just,.. No Need

2009-12-11T11:24:00.004-05:00

Coming back to school after a snow day is similar to the last day of school ... nobody is in the right mindset for education. Everyone carries on about what they did on their 'free day' from school. Everyone talks about the 'one more day' aspect, "We needed just one more snow day to round out the week!" Everyone shares what traditions they carried out in order to attain the elusive day, "I wore my pajamas inside out and backwards." ... "Well, I did that too, but I also put a huge spoon under my pillow!" Then the bell rings and the students show up.

Today's much like any other - it's every family every day. I'm moving beyond the 'every child every day' approach because I've realized one crucial element to helping every child every day is also helping every parent every day. Here, let me explain with a little something I like to call,... my daily encounter of the "Huh?"

"MR. KELLY!!!!!!" screams an impatient child. "MY MOM WANTS TO KNOW WHEN THE HOLIDAY PARTY IS!!!!"

"Huh? ... (slight pause) It's next week," I was stuck between answering the question and trying to figure out why she doesn't know this already. "I've been writing it in the newsletter for the past three weeks, as well as it being posted on line and in the school newsletter."

"Well my mom doesn't read those things, so she told me to find out from you!" and there you have it. In a nutshell, life has become to hectic to take time to search for information. It's become similar to our need for the feed me quick answer society in which we live. I'm guilty of it as well. I seldom get around to reading the classroom newsletter that my own children bring home,... but I also don't ask questions, so my 'in the dark' fatherly persona remains unblemished. Tip #1: Whenever there is an event at the school and the school along with the teacher both send out weekly news, chances are,... it's in there. Now you have no need to know what is already known.

Popcorn Snow

2009-12-09T10:29:00.014-05:00

We've all experienced it,... you're at home doing your own thing, when suddenly you are hit with the smell of buttered popcorn floating through the air. Go ahead, take a few moments to breath in deeply and test your olfactory senses. The smell is intoxicating, mouth watering, and says to the body, it's time to relax and enjoy a good movie or book while munching on some corn.

The picture changes,... I'm in school teaching metric measurement to 21 eager learners who suffer from one form or another of metric measurement phobia, only because they had their parents say, "I hate metrics! Didn't get it when I was in school and I don't get it now. Nobody uses metric, sept those soft drink companies and Canadians. Good luck, you're on your own!"

"As we learn to count to ten, we discover that there are ten millimeters in a centime... ,"

"WHAT'S THAT SMELL?" one student blurts out.

"POPCORN!!!" others cry in unison.

"Where's it coming from? Do we get popcorn today? Will they bring it before recess? What time is recess? I LOVE popcorn! " the comments and questions begin flying.

"Okay. I have no prior knowledge of moms making popcorn for us today, but I do smell it as well. If they bring it to our classroom, then it will be here,... and we'll eat it. If not,... then we won't,....... eat it," I find that being real specific with directions and information helps somewhat, sort of, possibly, perhaps. "Let's get back to metrics for now. We have the 10 millimeters which make up 1 centimeter (pointing at the overhead screen with ruler displayed). You then have 10 centimeters which make up a decim...,"

"LOOK! SNOW!!" a window sitter calls out, drawing attention to the snow blowing around the playground.

"Oh, COOL!" a boy begins to lean over his desk in order to get a closer look at the snow fall.

"People, we all know what SNOW looks like! Remember what Mr. Kelly said. We don't need to get all excited each time it snows!" my teacher want-to-be jumped in on the action to remind the kids what I had said days before when it snowed the first time. What I had actually said was, it's exciting to see snow fall for the first time of the year, but let's not get hung up on it for twenty minutes jumping up and down pointing at each individual flake - let's take it in and move on. Which is what I was attempting to do with the metric system - unsuccessfully.

After the go-ahead finger point, head nod by my little room-mom of a student and the room settled back down to a dull buzz, I noticed a kid in the back of the room waving his arm in the air as if he were about to burst. A good question or answer is like helium for the hand in a classroom; the better the question or answer, the higher the hand goes,.. literally raising students out of their chair - I've seen it with my own eyes several times. "Yes, what is it?"

"Mr. Kelly, I got it! They are making popcorn to celebrate the snow!!" And there it was,... the double whammy. The mention of popcorn and snow all in one sentence - the class was gone!

Give a Little .... at a time

2009-12-08T09:52:00.006-05:00

"What do you mean we're out of money? I still have shopping to do."

Has this conversation happened in your house yet?

It never fails that no matter how much I save and plan for Christmas gifts, I never seem to have enough to go around. It gets worse each year. I've concluded that in my choice of presents going from Fisher-Price tractors to Uber-Electronics, there's just not enough to cover more than one gift per child. But you can't just have one gift under the tree, can you? Of course not! You can't go from the toddler child who use to get about 50 different toys because they each cost a mere $2, to one gift. Half of the fun on Christmas morning is watching the kids open their presents.

That's why, this year I've decided to take apart the one electronic gift and spread them out over several boxes and gift wrappings. I'm figuring upwards of twenty boxes should do the trick. When they are completely done unwrapping each gift-box, they can then begin building the one device back into a whole working unit of electronic wonderment! Sound crazy? I think not - you just have to be sure to get the warranty.

Lit Up

2009-12-03T10:05:00.008-05:00

"Do either of you smoke?" asked our waitress.

Seemed like a strange question as we sat in the Irish Pub in Holland, having a celebratory late night snack, due to Kim wrapping up another master's class. "No we don't."

"Well,.. I thought I should ask because in about ten minutes this whole place goes from smokeless to smoking," as her words hung in the air, I tried to recall state laws.

Before I could grasp the slightest jurisprudence thought rattling in my brain, a gal walked by our table carrying two packs of cigarettes in each hand. I found it odd that she was taking her smoking to such a serious level. As I turned around to view the rest of the room to see if anyone else was preparing to vacate as fast as we were, I glanced at the tab

le directly behind me and the guys who had been chatting over a couple pints were now flicking lighters, as two packs of cigarettes sat in front of them. Moments later, a waitress careened through room between the tables doling out ash trays like a blackjack dealer in a casino. It was as if a switch had flipped and we were just waiting to hear the voice of Rod Sterling drift through the air, Your next stop ... the Twilight Zone.

"People must REALLY be intense with smoking around here," I threw out my observation to the waitress.

"Oh no," she said, "if you did smoke you could get two packs of cigarettes for free by just letting them scan your ID. It's a promotional thing every week."

All For 10 Minutes

2009-12-01T13:07:00.013-05:00

It was suppose to be a simple planning trip that went down a long, winding road leading to the money pit of doom. Let me expound...

"Hey, let's head out to the fireplace shop today and look over our choices so I can get started on the framing portion," I have always wanted to add a fireplace in the living room,... something to place my television over while I watch Sunday Football - something about that set up is comforting for us men.

"Okay, but I need to work on my school work for a little bit before we go." Little did I know that those words would end up changing the next two days.

I like to have a project going and one in the talking phase,.. and one in my mind to spring on Kim for whenever we find down time and need to DO something. For now the project is the living room / fireplace followed by the dreams, hopes, misguided delusions of redoing the kitchen down the road.

I knew looking at fireplaces and talking specs wasn't going to be the most thrilling part of Kim's day, so I closed the fireplace conversation with, "While we're out, let's swing by Lowes and get some ideas for the kitchen. I'll even measure the kitchen so we can have some plans drawn up." What was I thinking?! While we're out,... measure the kitchen,... plans!?!?!?!?! I was out alright,... out of my mind. Why don't I just dangle my arms over a boat in front of a group of hungry, angry alligators and see if they'll bite.

After Kim wrapped up her school paper, she was more than ready to get out of the house and away from any and all desk work. As we drove to the store, we discussed what we wanted in a fire place: the design, function, and more design. Pretty much it was more of me explaining my vision of how I thought it would look when I finished building the whole mantle / shelving,.. and Kim quietly thinking to herself: Boy, I hope he doesn't mess this up!

Pulling into the parking lot, something seemed strange. Like there was no sign of life in the store, around the store, or within 500 feet of the store. We did the s l o w w a l k up to the door, looking for the 'hours of operation'. "Darn it! Missed it by ten minutes!" ten minutes

"Maybe they're still around," Kim was being optimistic.

"Not on a Saturday. These guys were probably sitting in their cars at 2 waiting to pull out (the sign had business hours 'open until 2 PM' - my watch read 2:10) and start their weekend," I was like a kid who rips through every wrapped gift under the tree in hopes of that one special present,... slightly let down. "Let's head to Lowes."

"What's the cut off point?" We had finished our visit with the cabinet guy and were heading home.

"What do you mean, cut off point?" Kim was more than excited to see what the kitchen would look like with new cabinets. After listening to what we wanted and going over the space we had, the cabinet guy told us that it would be a few days before he could have a drawing put together for us to come back and take a look at. This move is similar to going from bean bags in your living room to actual furniture. You can be comfortable in both, yet one simply feels like a vast improvement towards adulthood.

"I can sense you desperately want the new kitchen and I'm willing to put off the living room project, but it needs to be within some kind of budget. So, what's the dollar point where we say no to the kitchen and I go back to my original plan?"

Kim was quick with a response, "Let's see what he says first."

One Day Goes By and the phone rings with a the caller ID showing LOWES.

"I'm done with the drawings, so whenever you have time,...." it took seconds to process this answer.

"We'll be in today."

I couldn't help but let out a chuckle as we left the store with drawings in hand. Sixteen thousand dollars and some change for cabinets. No pulls, no counter top, no new appliances,... just cabinets. I figured it was well beyond the point of our cut off. "Well, that does it. Back to Plan A - the fire place."

"What do you mean?" Kim seemed puzzled by my dismissal of a new kitchen. "Did you see what it's going to look like? Did you see how much space we're going to have compared to what we have now!? You're the money man,... you can figure a way!" With that bit of encouragement, we are moving forward with our fireplace.

So what's the lessons to be learned by this little endeavor? Don't be 10 minutes late and don't entice your wife with home improvement projects you can't back with money.

Sweet 13

2009-11-24T17:21:00.003-05:00

With every office visit usually comes the comment by Mayo personnel, "So Hannah, you're twelve and in what grade?"

With every question regarding age and grade, Hannah responds with, "Soon to be 13!"

Yes you are honey. You are soon to be 13 and this picture captures it all. Happy Birthday this Friday!

OYAM

2009-11-23T10:48:00.008-05:00

Sometimes working in reverse is not a bad thing. I had forgot to mention to others that we were heading back to Mayo for scans. So I'm a little behind with the information. The point is we're here and we got to stop at Kutter Harley (my personal favorite store) and see Kerry (our favorite Harley Lady)!

"Did you post?" Kim sat across from me this morning as we reclined in the first of many waiting rooms, sipping down our morning caffeine.

"Huh?" I was fairly certain what she meant, but in order to deflect the question, buy some time to down a few more sips of 'Ahhhhh, that's good', and to hopefully have something / anything else suddenly happen that would distract her from the original question, I reckoned the 'huh' retort would be sufficient.

"You heard me," there it was. The no non-sense 'you heard me' response. As if she had been down this road with me before and knew that I was dodging, ducking, and generally in avoidance of any responsibilities. "You didn't post,... did you?" She knew the answer, but in the grand scheme of things, just needed to hear me admit to it.

"I will," taking another drink in order to pump myself up for more quick, diverse thinking in case she had more matter of fact questions for me,... like, 'Did you remember to charge your cell phone so that it works and I can get a hold of you if I need to?' Any one who knows me well, knows that I'm against cell phones when it comes to them ringing anywhere and everywhere. Half the time I have mine, it's more for show because it's either off or has a dead battery that I forget to charge.

Okay, enough about my cell phone habits,... we're back at Mayo for a series of scans and tests. Hannah's been jumping from one waiting room to the next with us in tow. SO far we've managed a couple heart tests, an MRI, and currently wait for the CT. It's not the tests that are the most nerve racking of all (unless you were to ask Hannah about needles - she may have a different view). It's that first doctor's visit... the one in which you hear the results of the tests. You would think it's something you just get use to, but unfortunately it's kind of like taking the driver's license test - you feel fairly confident going into the test, but there's also a touch of apprehension that there may be something on the test that you weren't ready for and may not be able to answer correctly. That's pretty much it in a nutshell,.. just magnified by a lot.

"I posted," writing accomplished, I was happy to report back to Kim that I found some quiet time to jot a few lines. Thanks for reading. I will live to write another day!

What's Your Response?

2009-11-12T11:21:00.004-05:00

With first quarter in the books, it's time once again to review some of the favorite missing homework stories as told to me by students.

"Where's your homework?"

Response #1:

Student: "Well,... you see it's like this. My mom said you were teaching it wrong and by the time she taught me the right way, it was time for me to go to bed."

Response #2:

Student: "Our wood floors were being done last night and my homework was inside the house and I couldn't go in to get it."

Mr. Kelly: "How did your homework get in to the house in the first place?"

Student: "I put it there. How do you think?"

Response #3:

Student: "I planned to do it last night when I got home, but then the plans changed."

Mr. Kelly: "Oh, I see. Did your parents take you somewhere or you had some family thing that popped up?"

Student: "No."

Mr. Kelly: "So, no emergency,... no unforeseen trip out,... you were just at home,.. all night?"

Student: "Well,... yeah. Can I turn it in tomorrow and can you not count it late?"

Response #4:

Student: "I just had it and now it's GONE!"

Mr. Kelly: "Where did you just have it?"

Student: "I'm pretty sure it was right here! (pointing at the desk top)"

Mr. Kelly: "Well, let's check around to make sure that it didn't fly off somewhere." I made my way back to the hanging file folders to check the outgoing mail for students.

Student: "Oh no,... I know it was here! And now it's gone, just like that!!"

Mr Kelly: "Would this be your paper that you're looking for? And would this be the papers you never took home last night? (holding up a full file folder)"

Response #5:

Student: "You never gave me the assignment."

Mr. Kelly: "Yes I did. I passed it out to everyone in class."

Student: "I must have been gone."

Mr. Kelly: "Then I would have laid it on your desk."

Student: "It must have fell off then."

Mr. Kelly: "So what did you do when you returned from your trip, from where ever you went, and we spent 40 minutes working on the assignment in class yesterday?"

Student: "I don't know. You never gave me the assignment."

Student 2 walks in: "We worked on it together yesterday. Mine's right here (holds up the paperwork)."

Student: "Oh that assignment! I know I did it, but I can't find it."

Response #6:

Student: "I left it in my backpack."

Mr. Kelly: "Where's your backpack?"

Student: "In my locker."

Simmer Down Now

2009-11-05T12:07:00.003-05:00

"I'll wait,..........." I had asked my students to quiet down and was using some Love and Logic patience on them. As I sat looking out on an unaffected class, I began my flash back in time to a place where my classmates and I once ruled the room. We loved,.. no make that adored, teachers who allowed us to run things our way. Who wouldn't? We started class when we were ready, we ended it when we had enough (usually they were minutes apart). We even had the homework things down,..."We can't do homework tonight, there's a football game." And now,.. I had become my teachers. It's true what they say about things in education coming full circle. Like bell-bottom pants, I was living in the past.

The noise began to elevate and bodies started moving from their once stationary position seated behind a desk. I snapped my mind from my happy place back to the classroom. While it's true I was using Love and Logic rather than screaming from the top of my lungs EVERYBODY BE QUIET!,... I had the final part of my sentence to finish, the one that I had begun five minutes earlier,.. the ending to a sentence that would prove who was still in charge of the room,.. the ending to a sentence that would be considered the knock out punch in a prize fight,... "I'll wait for everyone to be quiet. What I don't cover in class today will be homework." BOOM, there it was! I laid out the end of a sentence with the calm of a storm before the worst is unleashed. Only I wasn't unleashing, I was calmified. I didn't need to repeat myself,... you really need just one kid to hear the word homework and you immediately have the numbers on your side.

Room established to order.

Book Week IS Here

2009-10-31T16:44:00.006-04:00

Two Signings Coming Up:

The Return to Galien. Since graduating from Galien in 1984, I've made several trips back and a lot has changed over the course of 25 years (the biggest one being the shut down of GHS). Another change is the library. "You'll be very impressed when you return to see the upgrades we've made to the library," Linda told me as we talked about the book signing. To be honest, I was never one for stopping in the library much. Probably because it was located near the baseball field and tennis court and if I made the trip to town, chances were it was likely to go to a court or field before sitting in the library with a good book. "I think I will be be very surprised," I replied.

I do have memories of going to the library, after all, it happened to be located across the street from my grandparents house, which probably gave me an escape from the evening news with my grandpa,... and I'm sure one or two of my teachers gave me cause for research. I remember a small, quaint room which housed tall shelves, or at least they seemed tall to a little boy. It held that inescapable book smell that is best described as 'old'. I also recall an elderly woman who managed the library, never talked to me much, which seemed good for me, because I didn't really have much to say. And then there was this window in the back that seem to light the small room with a sense of life. I remember thinking that if I ever needed to get out of there quick,.. that window would make the perfect exit. Of course, I never had a reason to use it.

I'm looking forward to seeing the upgrades and spending some time in a library that I spent more time riding by on the way to play then I did actually stopping in. If you find yourself in Galien this Tuesday, stop by (I don't think there's a game going on at the field), stop in, and I have a good book for you. Tuesday, November 3, 7-8 PM.

If you're in Niles this weekend,.. the Niles Star reports:

Local authors to gather for signing

By JESSICA SIEFF
Niles Daily Star

For painters, there are murals and galleries and museums.

For sculptors there are tons of sand and blocks of ice that make their way to downtown Niles each year. For musicians – air to breathe and wind to carry the sound from the Riverfront Amphitheater.

But there is another art form alive and well in Niles, if not a little hidden – the art of the written word. Four local authors will be on hand in downtown Niles for a group signing of some of their work Nov. 7.

“There are a lot of writers in Niles,” said Stephani Wuthnow, one of the authors who will be signing copies of her book at Color Me Christian at 101 E. Main St. in Niles on Nov. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The authors may all be local writers but their featured works seem distinctly different, offering a variety for readers who make their way downtown for the signing.

Joining Wuthnow on Wednesday, Nov. 7 will be:

• MaryBeth Seal, author of the novel ‘Valley Girl.’ “We have all been a valley a girl at some time or another,” Seal writes on the book’s back cover. “Walking through valleys of trouble, sorrow, even the shadow of death is something we all can relate to.”

Where finding a way out of trouble and sorrow may be the subject of Seal’s novel, romance and Scotland serve as the backdrop for ‘Edwina,’ by Patricia Strefling.

The book describes the title character as”a small town librarian” who “loves her predictable lifestyle.” After her stepsister bails on a trip to Scotland, Edwina is left “exhausted and alone in Edinburgh,” where she “collapses into the arms of a tall Scot.” Her adventures with a new cast of characters serve as inspiration for Edwina, in Strefling’s “sweet romance” for readers from teens and up.

Strefling already has a sequel to the book in mind.

• David Kelly’s book ‘Time Out’ brings a new perspective to the phrase in his recollection of his daughter’s fight with cancer.

In the book, Kelly “recounts his family’s journey as his daughter, Hannah, battles a rare form of childhood cancer.

“At the time of her prognosis,” as the book describes, “Hannah was a fun-loving, ten-year-old girl who was looking forward to a summer playing basketball.

“Instead, she and her family would be at the Mayo Clinic, entering into the unknown medical world of oncology, radiology, and childhood cancer support. With thousands of newly-diagnosed children per year, Time Out not only walks you through experiences shared by many but inspires you with this family’s story of faith, strength, and hope.”

• Pastor Kevin Hester of Coloma is also making his way to Color Me Christian Nov. 7. with his books that focus on the harms caused by gossip. The ‘Gossip Free’ series looks at the dangers of the practice of gossip as it affects teens and young adults, children and even the workplace.

And Wuthnow brings a fresh take on teaching children about music in “A Musical Mouse in a Rhythmical House.”

Wuthnow said the “engaging storybook” can serve as a child’s first music lesson and is the first in a series that she’s planning for publication for young children ages 5-8.

“A Musical Mouse” focuses on the principals of music and how to work well with other musicians through the art of storytelling.

“The delightful secret is, adults who wish to begin learning music can also benefit from this series,” Wuthnow states about her book. “The appealing story line and illustrations of this book teach young children basics of rhythm, and resource ideas for parents and teachers are featured in the back pages of the book.”

Wuthnow said there will be door prizes and light refreshments during the signing.

I WANT an A!

2009-10-28T14:21:00.005-04:00

"She's always gotten A's," seems to be the standard line I hear as a 4th grade teacher when meeting parents for the first time. Since when does a year of 3rd grade, where grades first begin, constitute a pattern of straight A's?

I wish I could have used that line throughout my entire educational career - 'Well, I don't know what that science professor was thinking by giving me a B in biology. Doesn't he realize I got an A in 3rd grade science , which covered all the science disciplines, not just one?'

The pressure to achieve is always a bit of a puzzle for me. Not that the pressure is there, but more from the standpoint of where the pressure comes from (student, parents, or peers). Sometimes I have students that experience all three. They have the parents who talk constantly about 'A's or failure', followed by their own pressure to maintain an A or feel like a failure, increased by friends who also strive for the A.

As the teacher, I've always found that students who prepare, focus on their studies, put in their best effort, and follow through on their assignments, tend to do rather well. Yet, it's the students who have the A's already that come in and request / demand the extra credit work to ensure their chances of not only the A, but possibly the A++.

To my demise / fault I try and let these students know that it's okay to let the grade handle itself and they can focus on learning. What a concept! We actually put aside the goal of a grade and learn something. The problem with my attempt is that most parents view this as my interfering with the grand plan of the aforementioned straight A plan. After all, no matter how many times I say it, some believe that colleges do look at elementary records for entry.

Let me set something straight,... I like grades. I like the goal setting, I like the attempt to attain, and I even like showing kids how close they are to making their goals with bi-monthly reports. I think it's life when we get to see where we sometimes fall short, sometimes where we can relax and breathe easy, and other times where we are right on track. Grades give that gauge to students. Heck, whenever one of my kids come home after bombing an assignment or test, it usually sends up a flare that there's something we need to review and work on. It signifies that learning was neglected and more effort must be put forth. It does not indicate that the world has stopped spinning, that the college application stack needs to be reduced, or that life as we know it has suddenly and drastically taken a turn for the worse.

So how do you get this point across when a child walks in and says, "My mom wants to know if you can give me extra credit so I can get the highest grade in class." Most of the time, I don't. It's heart breaking to see a child put under this kind of pressure, but this kid is my student, not my own child. It's really important to put on a smile and reassure that student that know matter what, I appreciate their effort,... and we don't do extra credit to make goals,... that's what daily work is for.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
- Edison

I would love to hear how other teachers feel about this topic.

Two Reasons I Love Volleyball

2009-10-22T16:53:00.003-04:00

On the Net

2009-10-19T11:48:00.002-04:00

With Time Out set for release tomorrow, it hit the internet today!

Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Better World Books, and others. If you want to get your hands on a signed copy, we have plenty of those too. You can order through us by following the directions on the left side bar.

Measure of Winning

2009-10-17T09:56:00.005-04:00

What's the measure of winning? Surely there can only be one team / player that ends on a winning note.

State Champion.
National Champion.
World Champion.

I believe it comes down to expectations. If you reach a certain plateau and know that taking the next level is well beyond your reach,... then if failure is met, winning doesn't seem to be much of a measurement. However, if your expectations are in line with success and you don't meet the mark,.. then winning becomes the end all. But should it really matter? Winners say 'yes' to this question, while the losing side says 'no'. Take for example the Notre Dame v. USC game to be played today. Clearly USC has dominated and created a history of winning over Notre Dame, yet will they fold or concede their season if they lose? I don't believe that's the way it goes. It's just a matter of dealing with the disappointment of losing before you pick yourself up, refocus on what's ahead, and talk of a new day where winning is the target. It's called competition - something we strive to eliminate in our schools because we don't want kids to have to deal with disappointment. It's why in some youth arenas the score is not kept. Right or wrong,... it's our way of helping the little ones cope and keeping some over-zealous parents in check.

Sam's tennis just wrapped up the State Tennis Tournament where he and his partner (Alex) made it to the third round before dropping a close one. Just over half of the flights on his team dropped matches in the third, with a few playing on.

"I don't want to talk. Not NOW." There were several of these conversations held between players and parents as the day went on, as teams lost their chance to define their season. I couldn't help but think that while these boys will take a few moments to drop to the depths of disappointment, it's the bounce back that really defines them. Ranked #4 in the State and shooting for the Team State Championship, I know that they are disappointed, but the fact remains that you play to compete, you compete to win, you define yourself and your team by where you are, where you want to be, and how will you get there.

"So, what's in store for next year?" I asked Sam as we sat on the couch at home after a long day of tennis.

"A lot of work," he replied.
Best answer I could have hoped for.

And the Band Played On

2009-10-10T21:56:00.003-04:00

"So will they be bringing out the football team to fill in the downtime?" I was attending my second band festival of the season. My first one was directly following a day of tennis watching Sam and the Bears, so it was more of a one and done scenario. We ran in right before the band took the field, threw Sam into a band uniform, and paid the token allotment to listen to 'the band'. After the performance, it was right back into the van, and off for home. This band festival was not going to be the same.

"So,... we can leave after the Bears are done, right?" It was more like a wish that I was stating rather than a question. Perhaps I should have made a cake and blown out the candles first.

"No! We're staying to listen to the bands," Kim is a person with a toe to tap whenever any band takes the field.
"The Bands?" I gave it my best surprised to hear that voice, but it was futile.

I gutted the festival out like a pillager with no village to pillage. The last band had finally finished their four-part program and the masses had begun the exodus. I stood with the excitement found within any kid on the last day of school, when I felt a tug, "Where are you going? They have to give out the awards," Kim hadn't budged - not one centimeter from her seated position.

"Awards? Are you serious? You want to sit through the awards?" I could hear myself asking the questions, but deep, deep down we all know the answer and the outcome.

For Real

2009-10-06T12:49:00.005-04:00

Conversation held between myself and one of my students"

"Are you ready for the quiz today?"

"There's a quiz today? For real?"

"It's not for fake. I told the class about it yesterday."

"No way! For real?"

"Once again,... not for fake."

"Aw that's not right."

"What's not right?"

"That you're giving a quiz for real."

"Would you feel better about it if I gave a quiz not for fake?"

"Yeah,.. wait,... what? You're confusing me."

"Wait until you see your quiz."

"For real?"

"No,.. that one was for fake. Now go sit down so we can start."

Long Time Coming Foto Friday

2009-09-18T20:39:00.003-04:00

Our Book Signing may be over, but we'll be heading back to WINGS ETC. before you know it!

Hannah was given a gift from WINGS ETC.

We love the girls at WINGS ETC.!

When All You Have Are Twin Sheets - Make 'Em Work

2009-09-14T13:46:00.004-04:00

"So can we work with a partner?" came the voice from the back.

I had just finished explaining the difference between math 'group' work (which had been done earlier in the day) and 'independent' work (which was about to happen). Typically giving directions in great length and detail the first week or so: "In math you will have 'group' work and 'independent' work," I had begun laying out the dynamics of Everyday Math that would be taking place ... everyday. "Group work is done with your group. It begins with the letter 'G' as in 'Gosh, I get to work with others!" I went on to cover independent, "Independent work is done on your own,.. as in, I have to do it all by myself."

"You've already completed your group work for today, so that leaves the independent assignment on page three," I gestured toward the white board behind me which outlined the days schedule and assignments covered that day. No,.. I'm no Vanna White, but I could take the place of Pat Sajack if given the right dollar amount as an incentive.

"Any questions," I scanned the room looking for lost souls in search of a way out. "Fantastic! You may get started," seeing no hands shoot up, I proceeded to close my books, grab my notes, and proceeded to prepare for the next lesson.

"So can we?" the voice asked again as if my non-reply might be an indication of the go-ahead.

The beginning of each year is a lot like trying to fit twin sheets on a queen bed. They look like they should fit, so you stretch and pull as hard as you can, only to find out, after exhaustion has set in, that no matter what further effort you put forth,... there's no possible way things are going to work just the way you had hoped. Yet, you're stuck with twin sheets non-the-less.

Livin' on Caffeine

2009-09-11T10:43:00.004-04:00

I've had short nights before. The kind where you wake up at 4 in the morning and end up listening to the sounds of night until you finally give in and get up. Well last night was an all time, put it in the books, sleep little type of night!

I went to bed, extremely tired, right around the ten o'clock hour. So far, so typical. I awoke at eleven, having felt as if I had already sacked a good six hours. You've got to be kidding, I glanced at the clock expecting it to read the usual three or four in the morning. It's only been an hour, this is not good, as I fluffed the pillows, repositioned myself for an even better 2nd go of things.

Slowly my mind took over and went down many roads of it's own,... I have Back to School Night coming up - really should plan for that,... I really did a good job on grilling the chicken tonight,... My arms are still killing me from lifting the other day, I wonder what the old guy rule is for recovery,... How is it that the street light always seems to land right on my face through the smallest of slit in the shades,... what time is it? This is the point you glance at the clock and hope it's time to get up - nope. Twelve minutes just rattled off. A whopping twelve.

I spent the next hour tossing and turning trying to convince myself that if just find that one elusive spot of slumber, I will be out like a light. I close my eyes, clear my mind, breath deeply to soothe the body into rest,... and yet I'm still awake!

The next phase is what I like to call 'The Argument'. I should just get up and go watch some television,... no I shouldn't because I'm comfortable and I need to fall asleep, not be up watching a late late show. It's that inner struggle that bounces back and forth long enough that you finally give in and head to the living room. Why? BECAUSE YOU"RE STILL AWAKE AND TALKING TO YOURSELF IN SILENCE - SEEK HELP!

Perhaps if I just lay down on the couch as I watch tv, I will eventually drift off. This plan had the makings of brilliance, if it weren't for a couple minor flaws: the dog's sleep barking and my intermittent moments of falling to sleep, only to be woken by a hefty snoring sound that shook my inner being. The bright spot here was the fact that I now knew sleep was possible. By two I was ready to hit the sack once again and round out this night of horror.

For some reason, as soon as I laid my head down on the pillow, my mind went right back to the wandering trail of torture. I drifted from one thought to another, one checklist of things needing accomplishment to long term projects. Three rolled around without the slightest nod to slumberland.

So here I sit. At school, with absolutely nothing to do,.. because I got up at three and came to work and cranked out all my plans, all my paper work, and yes,.. even the Back to School Night agenda. It's now that I realize that while I've pumped myself full of caffeine, there is no hope. My mind is shot, my energy drained, and my desk looks good enough to sleep on.

Food Stupid

2009-09-02T22:24:00.012-04:00

So there we were, 7:42 at night, walking through the isles of Martin's Supermarket trying to decide what we needed for that night's dinner. It had already been a long day that was made longer with the realization that there was no food at home.

No food at home? I could have sworn that the refrigerator has something on every shelf; that the pantry is full top to bottom; that the freezer holds something edible. No food at home?

"Remember when we weren't 'food stupid' and made great meals?" I decided to throw out the question that had been plaguing me since the vegetable and fruits section.

"Food stupid? What do you mean by that?" Kim shot back as if both puzzled and defensive by my comment.

"I remember meals that we use to have which contained a main dish, a side vegetable, and even a carb or two. We use to plan our meals,... talk about our meals,... set out tableware for our meals. Now it's frozen pizza, fish sticks, spaghetti, or grilled cheese sandwiches with chips. We can't even think of what makes a decent meal now-a-days," there,... I had said it. I wasn't pointing blame, I was defining defeat.

And there we stood by the meat department - dumbfounded. The realization of life at light speed had hit us. The fact that it was now 7:54 and we hadn't even broached the checkout line with tonight's feast of 'I haven't a clue'.

"I never thought of it that way, but you're right," Kim had that look on her face like a child learning a factoid for the first time.

With a smile towards one another we walked on in happy stupidity for tonight would be no different from the night before. We could order out food like nobody's business, but when it came to down home cooking,... it would be left in the dark for another night. It was late,.. we were exhausted,... and grilled cheese sandwiches and chips sounded perfect by the time we hit the dairy products.

Hot as They Come!

2009-08-28T21:48:00.003-04:00

Wings over radiation any day! When given the option of listening to your favorite music while a laser pin points the exact spot to induce the radiation into your tumor,... or go for some super hot wings with a dill spear chaser, the choice is easy. "Extra pickles please," Hannah is known for requesting the extra dill spears every time we take a trip to our favorite wings spot, Wings Etc.

This is probably why she jumped so high when we listened to the voice message left by Darla, the manager of Wings Etc. at Benton Harbor, "We love your family and would love to host a signing here."

"We have a special gift for Hannah," Darla sat across from me today outlining plans for the book signing. I actually know what the "special" is but because I have a 12 year old who loves to read the blog, I'm not at liberty to say - only that it's really really cool! I wanted to leap across the table and give Darla a giant hug, but I fear that social boundaries might be over-stepped. So instead, I just sat there in my high bar seat and fought back the water welling up in my eyes. It just seems overwhelming to have such a tremendous support of people that I knew, but yet don't truly know.

Then Darla hit me with another overwhelming gift, "We would like to take part of the proceeds and donate them to a charity you wold like to name." So,... to recap the past five minutes of our meeting, Wings has a special gift for Hannah AND they would like to give a part of their proceeds to a charity we name. "We would handle all the marketing for the book signing with emails and posters as well," Darla was laying out the plan and I was trying to soak in the generosity of it all.

We concluded our meeting with a hand shake - which again, I was thinking I wanted to hug this wonderful lady who just offered to do SO much. As I walked to the car, I couldn't help but smile - the kind of smile you get after just winning a state championship (you just can't help yourself because there's no removing it).

We are signing books at Wings Etc. on September 17 from 5 to 9 PM. We hope you can make it.

Circle of Faith

2009-08-26T09:57:00.009-04:00

"You have to meet Axel," is what I was told back in June during our last visit at the Mayo Clinic.

I had heard about Axel and that he was battling rhabdomyosarcoma (rab-doe-my-O-sar-co-ma). I knew that Hannah's cancer was termed non-rhabdo, but I had to go look up what the rhabdo part actually was: A fast-growing, highly malignant tumor which accounts for over half of the soft tissue sarcomas in children. It grows in soft tissue areas of the body and tumors can appear in many locations.

After meeting Axel and his mom in the hospital that day, I instantly became connected with his story. It amazes me still that while I don't know any more about a person than the time we may spend chatting in a hospital room or hallway, you connect on a level that escapes most people,... cancer has that power to connect. You know their worries, their fears, their struggle, and their strength in faith. In reading Axel's journal (written by his mom) this morning, he is moving into a hospice care situation. The fear flairs up in me and a pit grows in my stomach,.. for a boy that I met one day has touched me without even knowing it. His mom writes: Thursday, August 20th confirmed our worst fears of a recurrence of the rhabdomyosarcoma. Do not feel that your prayers have not worked, or not been answered, for indeed they have. God has been good to us. The last year and eight months have been truly wonderful including and despite Axel's medical inconveniences. It is just now apparent to us, that Axel, as the medical miracle, is not meant to be. Please give us some space, and a tiny bit more time.

Please keep Axel, a boy you've never met, in your prayers today.

Off to The Livery

2009-08-23T19:37:00.007-04:00

This TUESDAY,... at The Livery,... it's follow the SIGNS time. As you cross the bridge from Saint Joe and head into downtown Benton Harbor you may notice something along the lines of there being no road! Not to panic,... if you can read and drive at the same time, you've got it made. If that seems to be difficult, bring a co-pilot. Heck, bring a co-pilot anyway! I suppose since your heading to a microbrewery the correct term would be called wingman or wingwoman. Wait, that doesn't sound accurate, "Hey,... Kim! You know how when two guys are going to a bar, one is called the wingman!"

"Yeah!"
"Well, what's it called when there a two girls?" a slight pause filled the air as I contemplated repeating the question at a louder level since she was all the way across the house.

Finally, her answer returned, "I have no idea!"

So there you have it. We have no idea of the social identity of one female friend to another when attending a microbrewery / bar.

Anyway,... as I was saying - just follow the signs posted LIVERY and you will go directly to it... wingperson or not.

Reviews are Rolling In

2009-08-14T13:46:00.005-04:00

Time Out has wrapped up it's first book signing at Mammina's at Edgewater with overwhelming support from the Mammina staff and the community.

While we haven't reached the best seller list, our first intention is to share a story that readers can draw inspiration, hope, understanding, and even some insight into the world of childhood cancer from a family's perspective.

Like the blog where readers can make a connection through comments, readers of Time Out have been posting on my Face Book and sending in emails. The response is terrific. If you have found something you enjoyed about the book or care to share your thoughts on it, please email or jot down a note on Facebook.

For now, here are what others have to say:

I received the book today and I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN!!!! It is awesome!!!!!

I think you should send it to Oprah and Ellen Degeneras !!!! I am speechless!!!

Thank you so much!

When you think of a cancer story you automatically think it's going to be sad. BUT IT'S NOT! This is great! The humor mixed in with the story is wonderful and I find myself reading it out loud to others.

What an inspiring and exciting book... full of passion for life. Thank you for sharing your story with us! God Bless.

AWESOME BOOK!!! Read it cover to cover ... Didn't even stop to feed the family!

I finished reading it - what an inspirational story. I passed it on to a friend already. Does that mean I should pay you double?

This has been such an inspirational story that I needed to share it with a family member who's going through cancer and needs to read something so uplifting.

I have been reading Time Out today but I have to stop so much cause my glasses fog up. What a touching story.

Looking for a Sign

2009-08-11T19:37:00.005-04:00

We've been consumed with 'business' lately. It seems that once you begin selling books, you become a small business. Along with being a small business comes the responsibility of knowing what is all needed for a small business. Reminds me a bit of that economic class I took one summer in college. It was painful then as it's painful now. The only difference is, I no longer have the luxury of screwing up the books and just writing it off to a B on my report card. Okay,.. B-,.... C (there, I finally broke).

"So, did you record your mileage?" Kim had just returned from a run to Office Depot to pick up a ledger, in order to better track our incoming and outgoing money. "No," she replied, as if I were hounding her on the importance of recording mileage for the sake of tax season - and I was, just for the record.

Business aside, I've received feedback from those who have finished the book, and,... it's the purpose more than the bottom line that matters. If this book can give hope through faith to those who are in their darkest of times, then it's been worth it. It's also a reminder of true grace every time I sign a book and then pass it on to Hannah. To be able to have her name right by mine on the book is such a blessing - I don't imagine too many fathers can say that they had a chance to hold a book signing with their daughter. What a miracle, what a gift!

If you were wondering what these photos have to do with my writing for today - there's absolutely nothing. It's rare that you see one, let alone three priests walking the beach, on a hot, 90 degree day. Three guys of God, enjoying the day and taking in the wonders. It doesn't get any better.

Beach Sitting

2009-08-07T17:25:00.002-04:00

UPS with the Arrival

2009-07-30T22:26:00.005-04:00

"I've been practicing my signature," Hannah had been given the task of improving her signature a bit in order to prep for the up coming book signings. Up to this point, print was the top method of signing something. "Do I have to sit behind a table the entire time?" Spoken like a true teenager.

"Yes, you do," I didn't want to sugarcoat anything for her. "This book may have been written by me, but it's about your journey through treatment. People are going to want to see and speak to you more than they will me."

Pre-release books were not suppose to be arriving on our doorstep until the 7th of August. "Dave! You need to get down here!" Kim had been working outside in the yard. My first thought was that I had sprayed a precious plant with crabgrass killer - oops. As I got up to look out the up stairs window to identify my level of incompetence, I noticed a UPS truck backing into the driveway.

I made my way downstairs and heard further, "It's the BOOKS! They're HERE!" All I could think of was,... this can't be, they weren't suppose to be here for a another week,...and a day.

After off loading a number of boxes, "What's the title?" the driver inquired.

"Time Out," I told him.
"Time Out? That's it?"
"No. My mind just went blank with all these boxes sitting before me,.. hold on, I'll get the rest in a second," I glanced at Kim and gave her the 'help me' look - being high school sweethearts, she knew the look well as I used it in many classes we had together.

"A Family's Journey,.." she began the bailout.
"Oh yeah, I got it : A Family's Journey of Faith and Hope through Childhood Cancer," I turned and told the driver.

With that he had all the information he needed to look for the book release in October. But who wants to wait for October? "Have you heard of Mammina's or The Livery?" as if I need to ask a driver for UPS if he knew of business locations in our area.

"Yeah, I know where they are at," he replied.
"Well, check out the Herald Palladium. There's a story being done soon and we're having pre-release signings then," I think I gave him information overload because he was looking for the quick and easy.

"Will they be at the bookstores in town?" he posed his last question before driving on.
"Yes they will," I bid my fair well to him and off the big brown truck went.

As we stood there looking at the number of boxes that engulfed the only exit in the garage that I have for my Harley, "Well,.. let's start hauling them inside."

Bring the Support

2009-07-22T21:11:00.005-04:00

"I had no idea how many there were," Kim had just hung up the phone from speaking with a parent who had lost her son to cancer. "It was ten months from diagnosis to the time he passed," Kim wore a look that said 'enough is enough' without saying any more to me.

"There's a lot?" I heard myself ask the question, but I guess I knew all along that there were more children in our area alone who have been diagnosed with cancer. It's a bit strange to find out there are more out there, because when you're going through it, you never hear about the others. Partly because you're so engrossed in your own crisis state, and partly because your just engrossed with the thought of 'this can't be happening'. It's that surreal state that holds you paralyzed and numb to what's around you.

"There's enough to have a support group. In fact there's more being diagnosed according to our pediatrician," her eyes glistened with that look that said 'something would happen here'. Having experienced the support of other cancer families at the Ronald McDonald House through the Brighter Tomorrows group, we were fortunate to have a connection to talk things through, vent, and cry when we needed. To hear someone express that they knew what you were going through without having to explain it,... worth a thousand words.

Hannah walked in on the conversation and Kim immediately broke with what she was telling me to inform Hannah, "We're forming a support group." It was one of those moments where you just except it. Kind of like having someone tell you that they're going to put peanut butter on your jelly sandwich - that sounds about right.

"So, where do we go from here?" I was expecting a business plan to materialize, but I got what I guess I should have planned for:

"We contact people, we open our home, and we talk,... a lot," having been through the Brighter Tomorrow's meetings, Kim had an idea of where to go (I did too for that matter). The thing the BT group has on us was two major group's support: The Mayo Clinic doctors and the Ronald McDonald House. Somehow, I think we're going to be alright because we're doing the right thing and the needed thing.

"Sounds like a good plan," I said.

If anyone knows of a family who has gone through or is going through childhood cancer,... send them our way - we're ready to heal, ready to deal, and ready to let them know, "We know what you're going through and we will be willing to help in any way."

Creating a New

2009-07-18T18:17:00.004-04:00

Ever try to do without before?

Let me rephrase,... ever try to do without a body part before? I know a good friend of mine who often claims he's only 10% utilized, but that's for another day (perhaps another blogsite). Hannah's new and improved hand doesn't seem so 'new' or 'improved' lately.

With her latest surgery this summer to release muscle and tendons from the bone (rendering them useless), in order to straighten her wrist, she has been left with only one hand and one arm in which to function. Maybe it was just a matter of time, but Hannah finally broke down over a ketchup packet. It was a minor dilemma, but a dilemma none the less.

"I don't like to feel helpless," Hannah tried to choke back her tears.
"You're not help-less. You have plenty of help around you and you need to let us be there for you. Even for what seems to be the small stuff," Kim has a way of explaining things better than I could.
Working with one arm for a year will be a whole different journey, but Hannah knows that it's a temporary one (which is the real miracle here).

In the meantime, we have a book release to prepare for!

The actually release date will not be until October 20, 2009. The pre-release sales begin on August 15. We are currently looking at various venues in which to hold book signings and gatherings. I will post more information as the date draws near. Those living out of the area and wanting to get there hands on the book can always drop me an email and we can see about shipping one,... or a dozen out to you!

Foto Friday

2009-07-17T18:32:00.007-04:00

Joe works at removing the cast and NOT pulling the pin out.

The pin before removal - it's actually sticking in a bone.

Dr. Shin dropped by the cast room to give some tender care to Hannah before the pin was YANKED OUT!

After Dr. Shin was done having fun with Hannah, Jim came in and did the removal. Everything went smoothly (with minor pain on my end).

Kim, our hand therapist, works with Hannah on scar massage.

It's Just "16"

2009-07-15T18:14:00.008-04:00

"Things look great," those three words from Dr. Laack were all we needed.

Today was a two-fer day. We're crashing at the Hucke's on this trip (getting in yesterday, with doctor appointments first thing in the morning). Come to find out, Danielle was scheduled for her scans as well. It was nice to have both girls and parents together the night before scans because everyone is just on the same page with thoughts, "I said a prayer for both Danielle and Hannah," Steve mentions as we got ready to hit the air mattress last night. "Me too," I replied.

As we wrapped up Hannah's MRI visit, we had about an hour to wait before meeting with Dr. Laack. "Dawn and Danielle should be meeting with Dr. Arndt right now on 16 (that's what we refer to the pediatric oncology department because it's on the 16th floor of the Mayo Clinic). Let's head that way and meet up with them," Kim was already on the move towards the bank of elevators.

As we got to 16 I decided to hang back and wait it out in quiet. The last time I entered the pediatric area, it was kid central. I just wasn't up to the commotion. No, I would have rathered just sat quietly and read from my book, Hell's Angel, which gave me a glimpse of the hardcore biker life. I also figured that a pediatric waiting room wouldn't be the proper place for such a book cover.

The phone began to ring in my pocket about 5 minutes after Kim and Hannah made their way to the waiting area, "cl_____ _ a____!"

"What? I can't hear you. Hello?????" I raised my voice like most do in an attempt to make my phone work better.

"___ea__ s____!" came the broken voice again.

"Okay,...I still didn't get that but if you can hear me, I'm moving closer to the window," I was now talking louder AND slower.

Finally I heard the message, "Clea_ sca_s!"
I stepped on top of the vent that lay at the foot of the window, "Dawn?"

"Clear scans!" she repeated.
"That's great! Where are you?" I was assuming that because Kim and Hannah had been down the hall for a bit, that they would have already seen Dawn and Danielle.

"We're on 16, and in a room," Dawn was now coming in more clearly. Must have been my last move to heighten my stature.
"We're on 16 as well. In fact, Kim and Hannah are down in the waiting room," with the last ounce of energy I had to remain balanced I said my goodbye and went back to my novel of motor oil, hard riding, and patches.

Kim and Hannah eventually made their way back to me and we were off to see Dr. Laack for our results. Two girls, two excellent results - one night to celebrate before heading back to Michigan in the morning.

Foto Friday

2009-07-10T19:14:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite moments in a match is when the players forget the score.

Alex - partnering with Sam and readying themselves for another run at STATE!

USTA Tennis - Service!

WAM Cookie

2009-07-07T15:15:00.006-04:00

"We've been on many visits to wish kid homes, but this has to be the first visit we've had to our home," Harry greeted us at the door with his familiar smile. It's been over six months, but I finally finished the all-encompassing DVD of Hannah and our family's Make A Wish trip to Give Kids the World and all the theme parks imaginable. As I finished the final burn, Kim took no time in announcing throughout the house, "We're going to Harry and Sharon's!"

Harry and Sharon are the two nicest people you would hope to never have pay you a visit (because that would mean that they were there for Make A Wish). However, meeting them in a different capacity is all together fine. While they train with 40-60 mile bike rides, I find walking down the steps on most mornings a bit slow. Harry and Sharon participate in WAM: Affectionately known by riders and volunteers as WAM, the Wish-A-Mile 300 is a three-day, 300-mile bicycle ride from Traverse City to Chelsea, Michigan to raise funds and awareness for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. We wish them the best of luck and the cushiest of seats.

Changing gears a bit. From the fitness test of WAM we shift to the sugary sweets of South State Street and Hannah's Cookies for Cancer Kids. "I'm ready to get started," Hannah's been informing us (by us, I refer to the baker, Kim). With her surgery behind us and one more visit to Mayo in July, she's hoping to sell some lemonade and cookies for the kids undergoing cancer treatments at Bronson. With our visit to Mayo in less than a week, I believe Hannah will begin her corner lot stand over the Venetian Festival weekend.

In other related news: Max turned 9! Kim and I survived the Boy Party Sleepover!!

I Live Another Day

2009-07-01T19:09:00.004-04:00

You see, the trick to a good haircut for a 'soon to be' nine year old boy is that the hair must look as if it hasn't been cut - oh, but it has though.

You would have thought we were printing money in order to buy another American Girl Doll by the way Hannah was trying to get into the bathroom to watch the de-hairing. She even was so thoughtful as to bring her own scissors along for the chopping.

After kicking big sister out and locking the door, Max and I got down to business. I would snip and he would say, "Are ya done?"

"Not exactly," I explained that being my first time as the cutter, I would need a little time in order to meet mom's approval. I kept picturing the many hair mags that lay around the shops; I knew I had to use a comb at some point (because all good hair stylists hold a comb in one hand and scissors in the other); I also knew I needed to develop a dialogue with my new client, "So,...new in town? I haven't seen you in my barber shop before."

All in all, I live another day and Max was totally happy with the cut (which appears as if I didn't cut it at all).

Father's Day Take II

2009-06-30T22:19:00.005-04:00

"What's wrong?" I was on my way through the house when I noticed Max hunched over and looking ever so sad.

"Mom just scheduled me for a haircut," came the tearful voice as he stood and wrapped his arms around me in a desperation move,... as if a I were the one to pull Excalibur from the stone.

This was my opening I had waited for ... I casually mentioned, "Well, I suppose I could cut your hair?"

"Would YOU?!" His posture transformed immediately from hopeless, to 'well, my dad couldn't be that bad at cutting hair.'

The only thing left to do was to inform Kim. This would be comparable to getting a prisoner out of Alcatraz (it's been done once, but many who tried before had failed miserably). "So,... Max feels pretty bad about his impending haircut," I didn't even get a chance to finish my sentence.

"He'll be just fine. He just doesn't want a haircut, that's all," spoken like a true mother.

"Well, as I was saying... he wants me to cut it," I had positioned myself in another room when I broke the news, because if looks could do damage, hers would have flattened me.

"He did not," I could catch a glint of disbelief in her voice - the kind you get after someone picks your exact card out of a pile that you had randomly placed it.

(Max entered the room at just the right moment) "What are you doing?" an innocent question from a child of eight.

"Did you tell tell dad that he could cut your hair?" Kim was not messing around and got right to it.

"Yea. He will cut it just the way I want it and besides, we'll save money on a haircut," I was still deflecting looks by staying in the other room, but I could hear the upbeat spirit of a boy who was about to entrust sharp cutting instruments in to the hands of 'DAD'.

I've been hacking away at my hair for the past year or so and with each trim (successful and not so successful), I proudly announce two things throughout the household: 1.) Your mother won't leave me over a bad haircut, and 2.) Just saved myself a little cash.

So you can see how proud I was that my 'cheapness' is rubbing off onto my children. Kim, on the other hand, not so proud. I heard footsteps approaching my vicinity and felt the need to move, but stood paralyzed like any good extra in a horror flick. "You put him up to this," her voice sounded a bit accusatory.

"Nope. He just recognized talent," it's up to me to come through in the clutch now. I don't pretend to fix cars or solve world problems, but this,... I think I can do THIS! If all goes well, tomorrow it shall be revealed. If it doesn't go well, this may be my last post for a while as I heal.

Relay Rally

2009-06-27T16:44:00.006-04:00

Cruisin for the Cure, Relay for Life began today with a signing in and a kick off in the Grand Stand at the county fair grounds.

It never ceases to astound me as to the numbers of people and families affected by this disease. "Nine hundred and fifty new people in our county alone, sometime this year, will hear the words: You have cancer," one of the speakers announced this morning. That seems like an awfully large number. But then again, as I remembered back two years ago, it felt as if Hannah was one of the very few kids to have cancer in the county. Then I glanced down the bleachers,... there sat a young lady who wore a survivor shirt (she's in high school),... I watched as Maddie (a middle school girl) walked by with her short, baby soft-hair (an outward badge that is earned only by the ones who have battled with cancer through chemo),...I spotted a young boy from our church (a high school boy in his survivor purple),... and many others who I didn't see but know of - the point is, once your eyes are open, you seldom miss the big picture, and numbers that reach into the high hundreds are very real,...and very sad.

Hannah signs the Survivor Lifesaver along with a fellow survivor.

Kim and Hannah made the first walk around the track with a number of survivors.

I stood by with my new walking stick (also makes a good standing stick).

PINZ

2009-06-26T10:53:00.009-04:00

Arriving home is always wonderful ... "Who left the bucket of clothes sitting in the middle of the kitchen!?"

We will, of course, need to head back to Mayo in the middle of July (which is a brief two weeks at home), but leaving things packed for the return trip might be a little preemptive. Hannah has a rather impressive knitting needle stuck through her hand, allowing the wrist to remain immobile.

When we return in July, she will have it removed and Dr. Shin will have the opportunity to see how the arm and hand are progressing. In the meantime, we (which is singular for Kim) are to keep her fingers moving. I thought that the movement would be getting much easier by now, but after watching Kim take each digit this morning and flex them at each knuckle, it doesn't seem to be the case. "That hurts," Hannah explained to me that she feels most of the discomfort in her fingers and not in her arm.

Hannah's cast, being below the elbow, will allow her to begin stretching out her arm and getting it back to somewhat normal extension. Kind of similar to the motion I have to go through every morning right before getting out of bed - I have to make sure my knees are ready for the flexing motion that accompanies a little something known as walking.

After we get through this next step in July, we will move into planning for her third procedure to remove a muscle from her left thigh to place in her right arm. As it is now, Hannah's hand is straight, but she has no way of clenching or gripping anything. She will literally be a one handed girl until that point.

It's Friday

2009-06-19T20:16:00.004-04:00

Puppies visit the House.

Medication seems to be working!

The Farm

2009-06-17T18:12:00.015-04:00

Just returned from spending a terrific afternoon visiting with Bob and Lois (see page 210 in Time Out) in Waltham. Along with the Melbourne size steaks and the iced beer, which is always a must when grilling, we got the chance to visit 'the farm' that I hear Bob talk about.

Pictured: Dan, Bob, Max, Hannah, Lois, and Dave (photographer: Kim)

(ring, ring) "Hey Bob! What have you been up to?"
"Working on the farm."

(ring, ring) "Hey Bob! What's going on?"
"Not much. Just getting ready to head back to the farm."

(ring, ring) "Hey Bob! What's happenin' eh?"
"Just been at the farm working. Gonna grab a bite and head back."

Bob and Lois live in the town of Waltham, but in the counrty-side lies 'the farm' that Bob seems to always be going to, coming from, or returning to. "When are we going to the farm?" Max didn't take much time after dinner (aka lunch) before wanting to make his way to the farm.

Arriving at the farm, Bob, Dan (their son), and I made our way through a number of buildings before the kids, Kim, and Lois got there. Turns out the farm was a whopping 1/2 mile away,.. maybe.

"Where are the animals?!" came Max's voice from behind us.

Bob had told us that they had pigs but that they were at a different location. The farm we were at had most of the equipment they use for the fields. So we got to see semi-trucks, tractors, planters, and other equipment - like motorcycles! For Max, a farm meant chickens, cows, rabbits, pigs, sheep, and a spider that weaves words into a corner post web. He quickly got past his disappointment of the missing livestock when he spotted the tractors and semi-trucks. It reminded me a bit of years gone by when we would take the kids to the Berrien County Youth Fair and they would RUN from tractor to tractor, climbing on each and every seat to test out the steering wheel and gadgets on them. As soon as the seat was warmed, it was off to the next one. Can't even count how many times we've had someone walk up to us to remind us that the rides were in another part of the fair grounds.

The thing I like most about being on 'the farm', aside from seeing the motorcycles, was the opportunity to ask Bob questions. Just learning about the planting equipment was fascinating,... making me a true farm geek. It gave me a great deal of appreciation for all the things they have to continually maintain and prepare for on a farm, not to mention the actual field work.

After the tour, I had the chance to talk with Bob's dad, Bill. He told me one story that I won't soon forget. Bill is a long time biker who could fill a book of his various adventures in a long afternoon. "I love riding," he leaned in to tell me, with a glint in his eye and a smile that could only be compared to that of the smile found on a child's face on Christmas morning. "I use to milk cow long ago and every night, round the time I was getting to the last cow, I could hear my friend's bike coming in the drive," he continued the story as his eyes drifted away from me, as if he could just picture that very moment in time right in front of him. I was hanging on the next word. "You see, the barn was set so you could look right out the end of the barn door on to the drive. I knew it was time to ride every time I got near the last cow," he told me as if it were a treat to a job well-done. "Even if my friend hadn't shown up on time, I knew he was coming. We would always head to some nearby town, go to a carnival, walk around a bit, and then ride some more," Bill had that biker smile. That kind of smile that can't be wiped away.

His story summed up riding for me - it's a joy and experience that you carry with you. We went on to talk a bit more about riding and some of his adventures before I had to leave to head back to Rochester.

When in Waltham on a bike ride, be sure to keep an eye out for Bill - he'll be the one grabbing his helmet and trying to catch up to you.

Stepping Out

2009-06-16T15:18:00.011-04:00

Getting out of the room is always a positive step in the right direction. Today we got around and made our way downtown to the radio station Y105 to get the station tour and meet Tom from the Morning Show. To describe Tom would be like trying to describe the inside of a tornado - you know there's a whole lot going on in there, but it's going to take several years of study to fully understand a tiny part of it.

Shanna had just finished a guest spot on the Tom and Alex Morning Show this past Friday, so we had our ticket in. Actually, Shanna was the one to set it all up.

Tom was a great host, showing us around the station. Once we got to his studio, the kids had a chance to record and listen to their voices after editing. "How about coming up with a play that we could record?" Tom suggested.
"We could make it a musical," Shanna chimed in.
"What should it be about?" Tom was waiting for the kids to come up with a suggestion.
Something about squirrels, a one legged goose, an angry villain, a disgruntled old man sweep up goose poop... it's a story in development.
"Send me the script and I'll pull some sound effects," Tom continued with the plan.

The kids seemed fairly excited to get this script pulled together,...and to make me some sort of goose catcher. Suppose that's a better role than Tom's because they made him Boy Furball #2, right behind Max as Boy Furball #1. I'm keeping my day job, but if this thing takes off,...I may be rethinking it. We've already talk to Shanna about changing her major - after all, she's only a college sophomore with many more years of major changing to go!

Plug Tuesday

2009-06-16T11:13:00.005-04:00

Promotional moment.

We've been passing the book along with each person reading various portions. We have 30 days to read, edit, and send back the only copy that we have to date.

Shanna has become the top salesperson in the Time Out organization so far,... but we still have 14 days to go.

The main question people keep asking is, "When is it coming out?"

Good question - we're not sure. Once I send it back, they will do a final edit adjustment and layout, then the marketing team goes to work along with the printer. When, where, how many, will be the question we all want to know.

Wheelin'

2009-06-15T09:53:00.013-04:00

I don't ever recall having so much wheelchair time in the past.

"What are you doing?" Shanna questioned Axel and his twin sister Melanie.

Axel had been killing time in the hospital with a little fun run down the incline hallway. Enough said ... Shanna grabbed the closest wheelchair and it was on!

With their respective assistant drivers, Axel and Shanna were doing what most nurses preferred to not watch. Us parents did what any cancer parent would do: We got our cameras out.

The races turned out to be human damage free. With the time-honored, good sportsmanship hand shake, the races were over. Till we meet again on the simple machine known as the incline plane of the 2nd floor, where the true test of pushing limits is at large. Next stop was the 7th floor.

The 7th floor is known for three things: Meditation room, hospital suits for the wealthy, and the library (where Hannah could check out videos). We were there for the movies. Shanna was feeling a bit sassy today as she took our entourage through the private section hospital suits with, "Hey, let's go this way!" Who was I to argue with a daredevil such as this. Besides, if we were to be confronted by guards of any kind, I could just point at Shanna since she was in front of the pack. The other good thing to point out is that at the end of the trek through how the other side receives hospital care, was the mediation room. So if anyone were to get clipped by a rubber bullet, we could yoga the pain away.

As intense as it was going through the doors that clearly read: SHANNA AND CREW, STAY OUT! Once we were in the carpeted hallways, with oak-lined chair rails, the people we encountered were very nice - even offered us some homemade cookies.

Heading back to the House after being discharged was all about pain management. As long as Hannah could handle the pain on her oral meds, then we could move out of the St. Mary's and to the Ronald.

Back at the RMH Hannah spends a lot of time relaxing in bed, watching television, and grabbing some needed rest.

We did manage to escape for an hour or so yesterday to attend the Mac Attack 5k Run / 3k Walk (we opted for the walk portion). As long as Hannah can support her arm and reduce jarring she's pretty good. Oh,.. and the pain medicine seems to help too.

The path of the walk was lined with pictures and quotes. Hannah and Danielle found a few of the posters that featured THEM!

Not quite sure how much money was raised for the RMH and Brighter Tomorrows. It was just great being out with everyone and seeing cancer kids with hair! Hannah, of course, is wiped out today and on her first nap already.

Bed Wrest

2009-06-12T08:57:00.010-04:00

Coming out of recovery and rounding the corner to the hospital room.

Still feeling the affects of anesthesia.

Making the bed transfer can be a bit dicey.

The power to the pain pump button!

Hannah rests with the photo of the surgical team wearing their fashionable hats at the foot of her bed.

Dr. Shin drops by to get a post-op look at Hannah's hand.

In a moment of consciousness, Hannah manages a Popsicle (her big meal of the day). Shortly after this, it was right back to sleep.

"We're officially related," Dr. Shin told Hannah. "When I was stitching you up, the needle slipped and went right into my finger. Sharing blood makes you related I'm pretty sure." With Dr. Shin having daughters, one that is Hannah's age, I'm sure adding one more won't be a stretch.

Dr. Shin stopped by this morning and gave us the all clear if Hannah's pain management goes well today. IF not, then we will be in the hospital until tomorrow. The focus for today is to get her fingers bending twice an hour. The tendon that is being moved happens to slide right over the area that was operated on and is very painful. The strange thing is that you would think the pain would be in the wrist area, but it hurts her more closer to the elbow. If this were Vegas, my bet would be on getting out of the hospital tomorrow.

Thanks for all the prayers.

Landing on Recovery

2009-06-11T11:58:00.002-04:00

"Dr. Shin and Dr. Bishop are ready to speak to you," the communication nurse found us dropping caffeine into our system ala Caribou Coffee. One of my favorite parts of surgery is when the nurses tell you to take care of yourself and to go get a bite to eat - yeah, right! The last thing you want to do is to take even one step out of the parent waiting room.

Sitting in the tiny conference room is not one of the most relaxing places to be,.. I've heard that the Jamaican beaches are nice,... but knowing that Hannah was done had some comfort to it. Kim and I both sat in our own silence, holding hands for the few minutes we waited to hear the outcome.

"The three bones have been removed," Dr. Bishop began telling us about the procedure. "The cartilage had been completely worn away, leaving bone on bone." He explained that while the removal of the bones was necessary to alleviate tightness in the wrist area, the sight would eventually host arthritis. With the bones removed Hannah's wrist went to a 30 degree bend.

Dr. Shin then explained the part of releasing all the muscle and tendons to allow the hand further flexing. "We were able to cut through a large section of scar tissue and release the hand." The one thing they both noticed was the artery that supplies the blood flow to the hand. Apparently, one was removed with the tumor, while the other was shut down by process of radiation. "This leaves one tiny path for the blood to flow to the hand which has us concerned," Dr. Bishop added. If the blood flow were to stop, then Hannah's skin would develop ischemia (shortage of blood which causes tissue damage that is very painful). "We released the tourniquet and her fingers turned pink. That's a good sign. Not quite sure how it's doing it, but at this point it seems to be working," Dr. Shin continued to explain the floppy hand issues. "Her hand has no function right now. With the release of the muscles she has nothing to bring her grip in."

Both went on to explain that Hannah would need another surgery (perhaps in August) to remove a muscle from her upper left thigh and place it into her arm. This would give her some ability to clench her fingers, but as for her strength in that hand,... time will tell. The one thing that they kept reiterating was, "She will be in a tremendous amount of pain."

We are waiting to hear from the recovery room and the possibility of getting a hospital room - because this morning they were waiting to see how many kids would be discharged today in order to place us in a room.

The Pink Team

2009-06-11T10:02:00.004-04:00

"Jim!" The start to our surgery morning couldn't have started out better than seeing Jim. Jim is the PA assistant to Dr. Shin and Dr. Bishop,... and as PA's go, Jim is one of the best. Dawning the pink hat in a show of solidarity Jim confesses, "I've had a number of comments this morning already about my pink hat."

Kim, along with Jeanne Simpson, made 12 hats for the surgery team at the request of Hannah. "When I come for my surgery, I think it would be great for everyone to wear pink!" Hannah told Dr. Shin back in February. Dr. Shin is a good sport, but he refuses to let Hannah turn his world pink. Upon presenting the four pink patterned options to Dr. Shin yesterday at the appointments, "I will be happy to wear this red one here," he told Hannah.

"It's pink, not red," Hannah replied, as if Dr. Shin were having some color vision issue.

The surgery procedure started at 6 AM this morning with a line to the admissions desk that would make a Disney employee proud. A mere 47 minutes later and we were officially checked into Saint Mary's Hospital! Following our admissions process we headed to the next floor up for prep and wait. Now that you're here, let me prep you by telling that you need to have a seat and wait for a bit.

Actually, it wasn't that bad. We cruised right through the nurse's questions, the changing into the surgery outfit, the visit from anesthesiology, and even a little boy in another prep area who did not want to lay on a rolling bed where he would become loopy.

The plan for today is to remove three small bones at the base of the wrist to allow for more room and mobility; get into the forearm and free up some of the muscle and tendons from the bone to allow them to move a bit more freely as well. Hannah will more than likely be in the hospital for the next three days as they keep an eye on her pain and post-op healing. From that point she will have 10-12 days before we will know if she's able to head back to Michigan (then back to Mayo ... then back to Michigan ... then back to Mayo). This will more than likely be the Summer of I-90, as we travel the all to familiar trek.

Jim and Hannah
7:45

A Bucket List

2009-06-07T14:22:00.003-04:00

It was just yesterday when I was seated in a circle of friends, when one of them mentioned a bucket list. All I could think of was Jack Nicholson strapped to a parachute and about to take the plunge of a lifetime out of a perfectly good airplane (isn't that what most think ... why jump? This plane is working great.).

A bucket list? I don't have a bucket list. Should I have one? Wouldn't it just be a reminder of things I haven't done yet? Perhaps I could design one that has no chance of failure,... like a bucket list of 'beers to taste before I die'. But what if I never get the opportunity to sample all the ones I had listed; or worse yet, end up in rehab because I had made it through my list and was on a second go-round.

Then I thought why do people develop a bucket list? Are they terminal? The only reason for creating one, as Jack had, was because of a terminal diagnosis. Which makes sense to me. If the doctor gave me a time period of so many months, what would I want to see, do, and experience? We've all given this some thought, haven't we?

That's when clarity broke in for me and stopped my search for a reason for a bucket list. It's not what you do, what you experience, or what you can check off a list. It's the relationships both with friends, family, and God that matter the most. I don't need to climb the highest mountain when I can spend an evening in the company of remarkable friends. I don't need to see the ruins of some great monument when I can spend time watching my children grow. I don't need to check off a list when I know that the greatest moment in life will be standing before Jesus, because nothing on that list will compare.

We leave for Mayo on Tuesday, with doctors appointments on Wednesday, followed by surgery on Thursday. I will do my very best to keep everyone informed. Of course, I have fallen short lately with information regarding Shanna. She has undergone surgery to remove a tumor that was recently found. The doctors feel that they have clear margins. Please keep her in your prayers.

Also, the book is in and it looks great! A little surreal to see it actually in a finalized format. We have 30 days to proof it one last time before it goes to print for the masses.

Peace and Prayers

Just Hug IT Out

2009-05-29T10:58:00.003-04:00

"Hey,.. what's the problem back there? Do you two need to 'Hug IT Out?"

As the school year winds down, the students are finding themselves more wound up. It reminds me a bit of Festivus, when the Costanza family held the 'Airing of Grievances', with the idea to share with others the little things about other people that have been bothering them all year. We've been having a little taste of the Festivus tradition in room 110. In order to heal the wounds, I've been asking students if they need to 'Hug IT Out'. So far,... only one taker. Actually, it was one young girl who had an issue with a boy in her group talking too much. When she aired her grievance to him in a rather harsh manor, "Stop talking! You're so annoying!!", the young boy shot back with a quip of his own, "Shut IT! Nobody likes you!"

"Let's just simmer down now. Do you two need to Hug IT Out?" I offered the phrase of the day.

"Ewwww, NOOOOO!" the young girl replied with a wrinkle to her brow.

"Gross! Sick!" yelped the boy as he slumped in his seat and pushed his chair back from the group as if the distance would help.

"I will!" came this tiny voice from another little girl in the group seated to the right of the frustrated young lass. With that she sprung with arms outstretched, wrapping them around her. "I'll Hug IT Out with ya!"

As the frustrated girl was squeezed with a warm hug, a smile came across her face. "See," I said, "Hugging IT Out is the way to go. It releases all your tension and frustration."

The hugger-girl, with her eyes closed, head leaning against a shoulder, and arms wrapped firmly around the huggee, gave a bit of a smile and said, "Feels squishy."

I think everyone should have a 'squishy moment'.

Hannah update: We are heading to Minnesota in June for a June 11 surgery. The doctors are hoping to correct the deformed arm/hand, yet are not exactly sure what the surgery will bring as they cut through the grey-matter of radiated area.

The Twist

2009-05-15T09:29:00.006-04:00

"What are you doing?" I had been reviewing the day to come with the class when I noticed one of my boys in an awkward position and a look of confusion on his face. He had stuck his legs through the back of his seat, causing his body to have an unusual twist to it as the chair itself rocked backwards. If you're a teacher, I'm sure you've seen this maneuver performed many times throughout a school year. This is probably the reason that when I was a child, we had our chairs connected to the desk with a sturdy steel bar (they had all the answers back then).

By this time, I had lost the attention of the class as they looked at the boy writhing to free himself from his fate. "Look away!" he cried, "I'm hideous!" and with that declaration he gave into the fact that there was no returning from where he had gone - he went into a slow tipping motion that landed him face down on the carpet, legs still mangled in steel.

"There is no cure for what you have," I told him as I helped him back to an upright position. "Being you is just something that you're going to have to deal with for the rest of your life,...and I hope that never changes."

"Yeah. I know... thanks," he got himself back to his desk and received the huzzahs from the boys around him - like a warrior returning victorious from battle.

This is what makes teaching so awesome! The fact that after 15 years I can watch a student contort his body in a metal chair, then tip over landing in a heap on the floor, and not be phased one bit, but rather find the humor in it all - that's the fun of working with kids.

The other thing that makes teaching cool - you don't get to run these type of experiments in an office:

The Last Two Words

2009-05-14T10:21:00.006-04:00

"Wait,...what?" Two words that should never be put together after I'm done teaching a lesson,..unless it's May.

It's tough enough teaching review lessons at this time of the year... the sun is out, the warm breeze blows through the window, and I'm diving into new content in hopes of giving them a leg up for next year. Just when I get to the end of the lesson and I ask, "Are there any questions because I'm going to have you do some problems?" that's when those two words send a slump into my shoulder area.

"Wait,...what?" the look on about a dozen faces leaves me wondering who said it. They all seem to have the burned out look in their eyes. "What are we suppose to be doing?" comes the voice of the brave person who admittedly wasn't paying attention.

It's the end of nine and a half month endeavor to cram knowledge into their brain, and I'm trying to squeeze more. They would rather walk over a hot bed of coals then have to endure another math lesson - stand out in a lightning storm with a metal pole, then have to hear and discuss the finer points of prepositional phrases - or, clean their room at home before doing one more lesson in phonics.

That's when I realized that summer is only three weeks away. A well needed 'wait,...what,...vacation!' But before that, let's try and tackle some mixed number multiplication!

Bad Boys, Bad Boys

2009-05-11T13:36:00.003-04:00

It's 7:35 as I head down the neighborhood street that leads to my school. Normally, at this time of year, I would preface my arrival by the sound of the pipes of my Harley; yet, as Spring in Michigan would have it, 35 degrees doesn't sound like much of a ride to work, so I was in the ever-sporty family van. As I approach the parking lot, I glance up from adjusting the morning news station to see a police officer sitting in the parking lot with a bead on the incoming traffic. A double take as I pass him, I notice his radar gun at the ready to nail any unsuspecting parent who may have already begun the day off on the wrong foot, thus leading to the quickened drop off - let's make matters even better by ticketing them in the parking lot of the elementary school in front of all the other parents.

I don't really know what came from the stakeout on school grounds, but I'm fairly certain our local officer didn't have one of the tougher assignments of the morning, "Excuse me ma'am, but you were doing 27 in a 25 and I notice your 8 year old isn't properly strapped down. That will be $200."

As for me,... thank goodness I was messing with the radio and puttering along way below the allowed speed. I could just hear it now,..."Remember that time Mr. Kelly was sitting in the back of the squad car before school? I wonder if it will ever be on COPS?"

Change of Days

2009-05-08T14:30:00.004-04:00

"All right, it's Friday!" the kids keep reminding me as the day gets under way. You can feel the excitement in the room build with each tick of the clock as it moves closer and closer to that magical hour of 3:25 - the end of the day bell.

I have a different take on Fridays for the the next seven weeks. For Friday to me just means working all day followed by class at night ... then back up again on Saturday and back to class. I remember when Friday meant fun, freedom, and a weekend filled with friends around a fire.

Last night I decided to make Thursday my new Friday for now. If I can't have Friday on Friday than why not just move it and call it Friday. My issue then becomes changing Friday to something like a Monday - after all, Monday's typically seem to drag on longer than most days, and with teaching all day and grad class at night, this day definitely drags on. So it's settled, Monday is now the old Friday, Thursday is the new Friday, and Monday becomes a second Sunday which means I simply change my lesson plans to read nap time for the rest of the year, because Sunday is a day of rest after all.

Foto Friday

2009-05-08T13:09:00.003-04:00

Ethan Grove

Fat Bands, Clear Scans

2009-05-04T19:19:00.002-04:00

"Hannah Kelly!" came the call from the desk.

We had all pretty much kept to ourselves for the past hour - like a hungry group of people sitting down for a meal. You're all sharing the same experience, but nobody can talk about it until the basic needs are met. That pretty much described us. We were all together, but for the most part, not really sharing our thoughts aloud - mainly because our basic needs were not being met,..not until 5:30 when we sat down with Dr. Laack to hear the news of the tests.

As Hannah and Kim got up to go back to the room to see Dr. Laack, Hannah finally tells Kim, "Mom, if God's plan is for me to go with one arm, then I can do that. I just hope that's not his plan."

As we listen to the results (after Kim rocketed off the floor), it was explained that the fullness in Hannah's wrist was a result of the fat bands from the tendons being pushed further out due to the hand being pulled down and in.

Time to relax and celebrate! This will definitely make the rest of our doctor visits tomorrow seem a whole heck of a lot easier.

Thanks for your prayers.

Birthday Bash

2009-05-04T11:50:00.005-04:00

Nothing says distraction like a party.

We arrived in Rochester yesterday afternoon to find no room at the Ronald. For those of you who aren't up with protocol, you can't call ahead and reserve a room at the Ronald McDonald House. You have to physically stand before them when they give you the yes or no on room availability.

"Well?" I asked Kim as she opened the van door after being the designated one to check on possible room openings.
"We're number 13 on the waiting list. There's little hope of getting a room," she replied. "Let's head to the Hucke's."

Normally, if you don't get in at the RMH, they have a list of hotels for you to go through to see if they have any rooms available. Most hotels in the area work with the local houses, such as the Ronald, and will often offer a room at a discount to help out families staying in the the area.

It was Daniel's 13th birthday yesterday, so this would be perfect for a fun, relaxing evening before scans and tests today. A little hair straightening, dancing, cake, and cooking dinner over the fire made for a perfect evening in Minnesota. It also gave us a chance to get some quality photos of the birthday girl enjoying some delicious BBQ chops:

Happy Birthday Ya Teenager!

We drove into town this morning to get things underway - paused for a family prayer and began the morning with a CT and blood work. Ahhhh, back in the Mayo swing of things. We will hope to have information regarding the tests by early evening.

Back to Mayo

2009-04-29T21:40:00.003-04:00

Some people have all the cool gear.

Heading back to Mayo early. Not the five words I had hoped for ... I was thinking more along the lines of, "Hey, let's have a beerfire."

Hannah has begun to develop a fullness in her wrist which has us questioning whether it's a result of her hand issue, or recurrence. Either case, the doctors want to check her out now rather than waiting until June (when she was scheduled). We're set for testing early on Monday to determine what we are dealing with.

Peace and Prayers

Start Your Day

2009-04-15T13:37:00.009-04:00

Each morning begins with two very important details: who's here and what do you want to eat for lunch. That's it. After we're done with those two things, the rest of the day is downhill.

I take attendance by carefully scanning the room and looking for the empty chairs. With twenty-seven students you would think it to be an easy task. It's about as clear cut as trying to catch your shadow on a partly cloudy, blustery day. At any given moment of the morning, there could be one student off to the office to drop off the latest and greatest in fundraiser packets, another could have deep issues with cramming an entire wardrobe into their locker and struggling with the door staying shut under the pressure, and a third child could easily be snagged by another for a quick will you play with me at recess chat before the day gets underway. After my scan of the room, I typically follow it with, "Has anybody seen...?"

The second item of the day is a bit more complicated. I have to share the 'lunch choices' for the day. This to would seemingly be an easy task, but you have to account for the moans and groans that certain foods bring about. For example, the breaded pork patty receives the coveted name of the dread pork fatty, while the turkey deli wrap is figuratively transformed into the jerky smelly wrap. Kids are very creative when it comes to school lunch choices. Aside from the various nicknames they share amongst themselves, they feel the need to tell me why they dislike a certain choice over another and what their parents seem to think about the caloric content. All of which gets filed under my uh huh expression. Once we move past the pleasantries, it's on to decision making: which choice will you choose.

Choosing a lunch choice comes down to two key elements:

1. whether they like the food.

2. which choice did my friend pick

If you REALLY like one food option, then it negates the second element completely. However, if you were wavering at all, then the second option takes precedence and ultimately becomes the reason for lunch.

Some teachers will have a board that students mark their lunch choice (usually located at the classroom entrance), some will have students raise their hands in order to take count. I choose the standing method. "All those having Veggie Corn Dogs please stand." one, two, three, four,.."Are you standing or just kneeling on your chair? Well then, sit down so I don't count you.".. five, six,.."Wait, why are you sitting down now? You're not having the Veggie Corn Dog?"..five, six, and seven. "Great, you may be seated. Now I need those having Grilled Cheese Quesadilla to stand." one, two,.."Okay, didn't I just count you for the first choice? ... Then why are you standing again? ... Because you changed your mind? ... You changed your mind too? ... What do you mean you didn't know we were taking lunch count? ... You want to can call your mom to see if she can bring in a cold lunch, because you didn't look at the lunch choices at home? ... Let's just start all over with how many people want the Veggie Corn Dog?" one.

Academics seem fairly easy once you've gotten the morning started.

POP! Goes the Bubble.

2009-04-13T11:17:00.003-04:00

Frantically spending each free moment working on the manuscript...teach a lesson, have the kids work for a few moments. I believe most aspiring writers work in such conditions.

Out of the corner of my eye, as a wrap up another imperfect sentence overlooked in the MS, there stands a boy patiently waiting for me to stop typing. "Mr. Kelly?" unsure of the response he might draw from me.

"Yep. That would be correct. What can I help you with?" I really wanted to finish my paragraph in the MS, but I could tell he wasn't going anywhere until I had heard him out.

"I was wondering," he paused as if he were searching for just the right words that would elicit the desired response.

"You were wondering what?" I threw out my hands, palms up, in an attempt to say, 'let me have the question.'

"I got this never ending bubble wrap device for Easter, and I was wondering if it would be okay to bring it to class," his eyebrows lifted with a sign of hope, while his eyes squinted in order to shield himself from my responsive glare.

That's correct, you read it right: A Never Ending Bubble Wrap Device for Popping!

Now I don't know how much time you've spent in an elementary classroom lately, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that your response would not be too far removed from mine. "Hmmmm, let me give this some time to soak in and then,......... No." I felt the need to cut right to the heart of the matter.

With my answer given he returned to his seat like a rejected puppy who's been told there will be no walk today. "He said no," was the answer he gave his peers, who huddled around the group of desks waiting for the news of the impending popping to begin.

Back to writing on the MS! The only problem I have now is, I can't seem to get the sound of bubble wrap popping out of my head.

Fancy Free From Facebook

2009-04-12T21:38:00.002-04:00

It's been said that we live in a connected world. I would agree.

The problem with a connected world is that sometimes you just need to unplug. Over the past several months I have journeyed to the world of the fast and furious connectedness of Facebook. I've posted photos, picked clever little buttons to display, downloaded funny videos, and spent meticulous time developing the profile...I even went as far as to suggest it to others that I ran into. Then it dawned on me after listening to my good friend Odessa, "Facebook has become at least a hourly routine in my house every night. It's an addiction to see what everyone else is up to."

Hmmmm. An addiction? An hour a day, life sucker upper? Can't break free from it? Odessa has a point!

Today, I have the decision move back to the blogging world with open arms. To rid myself once and for all of the Facebook Monkey that has climb on my back. I've unplugged, switched off, and become a closed book - except for the bloggers that still review the Roosevelt Dave news that is my life.

So maybe I'm not as disconnected, but I do know that there's more to pure written expression on a blog than could ever be found on a Facebook. It's good to be back.

Two Fer

2009-04-06T20:44:00.004-04:00

Once upon a time, a father and son shared a dream.

Travel to Wings Etc. seven days in a row and partake of a minimum of seven wings. We called it the 'Seven in Seven, Dare to Dream'. It was not only a dream, but looked upon as a personal challenge. A CHALLENGE!

This Spring Break, while not shooting for the 'Seven in Seven, Dare to Dream,' I did find myself in a 'Two Fer.' What's a 'Two Fer?' It's not a 'Seven Fer' because that would put me about, ohhh, five days short.

While we might not make the seven day dream, we will someday,....someday soon. I love Spring Break.

Stone Aged

2009-03-26T12:36:00.004-04:00

If you never had the pleasure of trying to pass a kidney stone while in the presence of 27 nine and ten year old kids...than you're just not experiencing life to the fullest.

About a half a week had passed and the ever present pain across one side of my lower back had been looming. I had one prior stone to this one and like falling off my bike, I remembered well the sensation of pain.

"All right, everyone needs to take their seat because we have a lot to,...." it was at this point, out of habit, that I flicked my pen in the air, typically catching it on its way back to earth; only I missed. I stopped mid sentence as I stared at my pen a whopping two and half feet out reach in front of me, laying on the ground.

Typically I would reach down with minimal effort (something in the form of a reverse sit up so I counted it as exercise whenever I would miss the flying pen) and snatch up the pen to attempt the flick again. It was my own version of a mulligan. This day, this past week, was different. With the surging pain across my back, the pen might as well fallen into the Grand Canyon.

"What's a matter Mr. Kelly," came a little voice from the girl sitting near the front of the room. Ohhhh, she cares about me and notices my pain. "are you too old to bend down and pick the pen up?" That of course, got a number of chuckles from the students at large.

Old man jokes? I've got sharpened crystal clawing it's way through my lower back towards my bladder and they're making old man comments. Kids, how about we play a little game called, "Does it hurt" and we can compare pain.

Not quite sure which pained me more, the stone or the old man jokes at my expense - pretty positive it was the stone.

I managed to get through the rest of the week, moving slower with each hour of the day, but by the weekend I was able to dilute the stone situation and was back to normal by Monday.

Start - Think

2009-03-18T12:11:00.006-04:00

"The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."

We start the day with a salute to the flag, morning announcements, and daily happenings. What if we could start with the Lord's benediction? What if we had it twice a day?

Have you ever had a quote, saying, motivational / inspirational phrase that transformed the way you looked at things? I had been trying like crazy to find a free moment in my teaching day to wrap up the final editing and changes I needed to do before sending my manuscript back to the editor. I would finish a lesson, check to make sure all the students were on track and working on the given assignment... before racing back to my computer to knock out a few more paragraphs.

Yesterday was the big push. I need to crank through a ton of pages! It was crunch time; down to the wire; do or die; sink or swim. I had to get the load done during the day because at night it was Sam's birthday celebration and St. Patrick's Day - which no respectable Irishman works the evening of St. Pats. Yesterday was also (for me) know as the 'Day of Interruption'. No matter what the time or situation, I had a student back at my desk continuously. It was as if they were in a tag team wrestling bout and I was the opponent. Even at the end of the day, I became flooded with visitors up until the point that I had to leave.

New day, new strategy. I awoke early and headed off to school to get a 'jump' on the work load. Only it wasn't as much of a jump as I had hoped for ... more like a pounce. With consistent interruptions this morning before school, I thought to myself, I still have a little prep time ... that's when I will accomplish the majority of the work left. It was at the moment the kids exited the class, that I spotted a good friend heading towards my room for one of our chat sessions. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Rather than frustration setting in, I just assumed that God had different plans for me with this book. Perhaps it was fine the way it was and He was just keeping me from messing it up - may His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.

Kingsmen Volleyball

2009-03-10T10:39:00.005-04:00

Kingsmen Volleyball 6th grade squad captured it's first win yesterday in a close third match 25-22. The girls have been steadily improving on just about everything - which is the way it's suppose to be.

Hannah has been working this season with just the left arm in play. I was not really excited about the whole idea at first. The thought of her using her right arm to hit the ball was not on the Road to Recovery and Therapy. But, both Hannah and Kim assured me that she would just use one arm and be fine.

If I didn't see it, I would not think it would be possible, yet Hannah seems to manage just fine with the one armed bump. Although as a non-professional volleyball coach, I still give my pointers to make her play better. "Dad,.. what do you possibly know about volleyball?" This is what I get.

Book Phase

2009-03-03T16:16:00.002-05:00

And here we go,.... I received a phone call today from the graphic designer to discuss the book, the contents, and a general idea to help him with the design layout. After our conversation it was off to the drawing board where he will lay out the beginning design based on our conversation. Once the basics are concluded, he meets with the design team who tosses in suggestions. Within two weeks we should have a preliminary look. The process will take about a month of going back and forth before a design is settled upon.

As of two minutes ago I received the first round of edits back. I'm actually a bit nervous to open them currently because,... well, it means the work is now here and ready for me to get started. They give you about two weeks to change, add, approve what will become the text. Then it's back to the editor for another go round.

Lastly, I have the option of audio book, book trailer, or book website. Apparently it's all up to me as to the direction we move from here. I need to go sit by a fire sometime soon.

Peace and prayers

Where You're At

2009-02-10T10:20:00.006-05:00

Hannah and Danielle: Hearts and Diamonds 2009

Clear scans! We are officially two more check ups, six months, from being two years out,.. or as I would like to think 730 days. The recurrence rate goes significantly lower once you get past the two year mark.

Dr. Laack shared with us the imaging done yesterday. Technology has come a long way - the imaging was a 3D model that laid out bone, tendons, and veins. It was like looking at 'Bones' the skeleton statue that every high school biology teacher has standing in the corner of their classroom. Dr. Laack was able to rotate the image in order to view all angles.

The Hearts and Diamonds Gala was another success as well. The girls, along with the guys who went looked wonderful. It's a truly amazing thing to be able to share this experience with other families as well. It's also tough to know that these kids had to go through some pretty tough stuff in order to get to this point. One young man, Tim, has his last radiation scans this week. The doctors have told him that it's at that point, treatments will stop - there's nothing more they can do. He will have anywhere from 3 days to a year. Remarkable to sit and listen to him talk. It's like holding any normal conversation, yet he's facing something more daunting than our everyday trivial worries. You can't help but be in awe of his courage and strength in God as his faith shows through strong.
Another little boy, Will, is on his third round of tumors on the brain. They go this week to see what the next step will be. Yet, there they stand in front of us, with smiles on their faces, proud to be a part of this group that gets to go to the Gala and share themselves and their stories with others who are coming out in support of the Ronald McDonald House.

Tim, Hannah, Will, Danielle, and Gustavo

Safety, Danger, or Just Plain Nerd

2009-02-06T11:47:00.004-05:00

"I'm ordering these (holds up a sample for demonstration purposes) bright, orange safety vests for teachers to wear during recess," my principal announces to us during a staff meeting. "We are having trouble with students not being able to find teachers on the playground."

It's official,...I'm extending the resume' to include: crossing guard,.. construction, road sign turner/holder,.. and hunter safety instructor. These are all job fields in which you see people dressed in these bright orange vests.

What kid doesn't know where the teacher is at on the playground? Half of my elementary life was spent as 'playground-teacher spotter'. It was like reconnaissance Marine-style,.. only I was eight. Anywhere you went on the playground you could hear the cries call out,...'Teeeeeeaaaccchhhheerrrrr!' as the teacher drew nearer to the action. It was this help that allowed me the opportunity to climb up the poll, that was a slide down only poll. It was this assistance that allowed me to kick the ball near the classroom windows, when I knew you were suppose to kick the ball a minimum 500 yards away from the building. It was this very organized system that allowed me the opportunity to kiss my first girl.

Okay,.. that last part was just a recurring day dream I kept having about my present spouse. But I think if she had been up for the moment, it could have happened.

"Teachers! Your orange vests have arrived and are ready for you to begin wearing them!" Another staff meeting where my principal has seen her vision through to completion. We don't have funds to pay for busing to go on a field trip, but there's enough money lying around to dress me like Elmer Fudd. So be it. I will wear the orange vest and be recognized by the very students who already know where I am,... but what about my safety? Is it not an easy target for perhaps (and heaven forbid) a sniper who's looking to take out a teacher? Have I not become more of a target for would-be vengeful deer who happened to survive the onslaught? I feel that in the name of safety and the fact that children will be able to find a teacher on the playground, has just put me in mortal danger!

The last point I question is the Nerd-Factor. Oh sure, my principal is all smiles and wanting to save children from seconds of teacher disconnect. But the true fact is, kids find me no matter what. They will now not only find but they I will spend more recess time now telling me things like, "You look silly in that orange vest." and "Are you leaving us to go work for the road commission?"

I can't wait for the next staff meeting.

Not Just for Goats

2009-01-28T19:30:00.006-05:00

Top Ten Reason It's Good to Have Kids

10. You can get the BIG dog, because you don't have to be the one to pick up the poop,.... unless you end up stepping in it and then I suppose you technically ARE picking it up yourself.

9. There's always someone there to tell you that what you're wearing looks dorkie - which is another sign of maturity. Don't believe me,.... look at how the elderly dress and tell me that they aren't mature.

8. You reach a whole new level about what pain really is.

7. You always know where the remote is,... down in between a couch cushion, under the couch / chair, or in a whole other room not referred to as the 'TV Room'.

6. If you happen to forget your sweethearts special day,.. there's always a child to blame, "I'm sorry. I had no money because Sam needed my last $20 for something school related."

5. They cheer you on when your trying to fix something and end up destroying it into a million little pieces.

4. Free movies at Family Video if your kid can pull off an A (that's a free video for EACH A! Brings a whole new purpose for pushing them to do well).

3. Can't figure out my taxes, but I'm a genius at second grade math,.. most days, when I'm not forced to figure out that crazy NEW Math!

2. When I talk about My Space, the kids think I'm really cool, but what I really want is just my space.

1. Retirement! At the rate they are turning me gray, my retirement must be just around the corner!!

Being the Bad Blogger

2009-01-25T21:28:00.003-05:00

There's something to being a bad blogger. It's ranks up there with being a bloggert. What? You don't remember the term 'bloggert'?
Bloggert: to view blogs and leave no sign of viewing behind (ie: a note).

So we've established the bad blogger status and boy do I have a great deal to catch you up on,.....

First of all,.. I've tried the facebook thing. What's facebook? Seriously, you need to spend a bit more time around technology. Facebook is the posting and walling posts to those people you deam to be friend worthy.

Okay, cutting to the short of it. Facebook is way to transparent. For instance,.. my friend leaves a message about having an adult beverage for his birthday. Nothing wrong with that - right? Wrong! Because on my facebook I've not been picky and have accepted former students (who are still in school) and now have the 911 on my time spent with friends. "So, like Mr. K. You're going out with your bud for a drink on his birthday huh."

Does anyone remember growing up with the party line phone? This Facebook thing is a huge party line waiting to happen. The other issue I've run across is that my friends know when I'm on line because it hooks into some sort of IM (instant message) system. So when I'm looking to see if anyone has posted on my 'wall', I get the "Hey,... what are you doing?" Most of the time it's a nice opportunity to chat, but there are those moments when you feel you've just been caught running out to get the news paper on the front steps and the only thing you have on is your underwear. Sorry, just wanted the paper! - weren't suppose to see that!

The last thing I'll say about the facebook craze is - addicting. It's relatively easy to get on, post pictures, and find numerous friends that you've lost contact with. That's what makes it difficult to not check into on a daily basis. I wonder who left me a note? I wonder if there's an old friend trying to reach me? I wonder what's the latest in the world of...?

Well, that's it for tonight. We have politics, cancer topics, school, and many other things to catch up on,... but there's time. The one thing we have is time. Sitting in church this morning I was remind of the miracles we witnessed, the plans God has, and the notion accures to me,... we need to get back to cherishing time and less about getting caught up in the worldly stuff that makes us say, "Where did the time go?"

Peace and Prayers

Learning Lingo

2009-01-08T18:49:00.002-05:00

Febscans. That's the easiest way to talk about our next trip to Mayo. This whole Mayo experience has given us a great deal of new terms. HD use to mean Harley Davidson around the house,.. now it stands for Hearts and Diamonds - the Ronald McDonald gala that Hannah will be attending again this year with Danielle. Then there's therapy,...actually that still means the same as before, only it's not me heading to therapy for my knee,...or my shoulder,...or my elbows,...or basically anything that happens to when I try to exercise and get healthy and end up in therapy,.... it's now Hannah and her hand, wrist, pinkie, and arm. Of course you can't go too long without hearing the words 'splinting.' "Hey pick up your splint ting off the living room floor, I almost killed myself on it!"

Our trip to Mayo begins with a bit of fun as we make our way back for the HD festivities. I'm probably more excited to go out with the adults. Hannah and Danielle go off to the formal for an evening of meet and greet,... I get steak! It's a fair trade off. Then we begin early Monday with a series of test on her arm, where the doctors hope to gain even more insight before moving forward with any reconstruction. She won't have her chest CT scan this trip, but we're still on the three month MRI scan of the arm. As we wrap of our last appointments on Wednesday, it will be right to the car and back to Michigan. Last year when we headed back, Wisconsin had the 25 inch snow fall (right in our path). A special treat that I could do without,.. just give me the cheese.

As for the book,... well it's been smooth sailing so far. A team of copy editors are working on it (probably at this very moment). The awesome thing about having editors look over your writing - they don't call me and point out all my mistakes,... they just fix them. After they finish, then the conceptual editing team takes over. The conceptual team will be the ones calling me up in the wee hours of the night, "Are you sure you wanted a period at the end of that sentence and not an exclamation point? You can never have enough exclamation points ya know!" They also have a few things to say about the character development. That could be good or bad news for some of the characters in the book (I'm thinking Steve might be calling me soon wanting a little input on his character development).

That's a wrap people. Keep reading, keep praying, and let's find a cure for cancer. Someone out there has to have a chemistry set that's working overtime.

Make A Wish

2009-01-03T15:44:00.005-05:00

Nothing says cool more than having your family photo session with "Frank" from Men in Black!

Okay,... there may be a few more things that are just as cool,... but for me, it will BE the top highlight of Hannah's Make A Wish trip.

"It seems like it went soooo fast," Kim seemed to be on her downward slide which tends to happen after a long anticipated trip to Give Kids the World, Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens, Sea World, and Orange Manor. Did I mention a drive-by at a local Harley dealer? Probably should since we went there on the only day of the entire year that they are closed.

We had heard about level of care you receive when you're on a Make A Wish, but come on! These people are insane in the best way! "Welcome. We're here to serve you," said the greeter who met us at the House of Hearts at Give Kids the World. "If you need something,... anything,...all you need to do is ask," she finished her greeting with a big smile. We arrived just before midnight.

While chatting with Mrs. Clause (that's right, we had the Mr. and the Mrs. meet and greet) she insisted on two things,... the first was that Sam sit on her lap, "You're not too big for me," she said in such a quiet, confident, caring manner. Her second request was that the children have ice cream for breakfast at least once while we were there. I didn't think that would be a problem since after our first morning trek to the Ginger Bread House for breakfast, we made a second stop at the ice cream shop for breakfast dessert!

We had such a wonderful time and so many people to thank for taking their time to make this a wonderful experience for our family. I'm currently working through about a trillion photos and epic hours of video film in order to turn this journey into a DVD extravaganza. Thank goodness I gave up scrap-booking to a more technological approach.

Thanks Make A Wish!

Going South Should Be Easy

2008-12-16T14:38:00.002-05:00

We met with Harry and Sharon yesterday over pizza and pop. What a wonderful couple to represent the Make A Wish foundation. They came to deliver our shirts, check on our plans for Hannah's Make A Wish, and brought us pizza and treats to boot. We even got to hear about their trip to Africa in support of building a school. It was fantastic!

We finally received the 'BIG' package from the Michigan Make A Wish headquarters, which outlines our travel plans and time to be spent at Give Kids The World. It was one of those moments that makes you sit back in order to catch your breath - right before all the screaming begins: "WE'RE HEADING TO FLORIDA!"

Hannah and Max have never been on a plane before, so our excitement for them matches their excitement to go. It's a lot like watching the kids come down the staircase on Christmas morning to see what lies under the tree. Besides the plane ride we found out that the whole family gets to have a luncheon at the castle with the princesses. I could see the puzzled look on Sam's face when I said, "The reservation here says it's for five people. Guess what,...you're dining with fairy tale gals!"

"Nooooo! Do I have to go?" Sam may have been outwardly protesting, but deep, deep down I know he's thinking he's the luckiest guy on the face of the planet.

Aside from the ladies in big puffy dresses, we're ready for takeoff and what ever comes our way! I mean,... once we figure out what the parameters for flight actually are.

Tis The Time

2008-12-05T08:03:00.008-05:00

Going Christmas Retro

"Have you done the Holiday Cards yet?"

Kim already knows the answer to the question. She's just toying with me psychological-like. We've been receiving various cards and photos in the mail (thanks everyone). It was just her casual way to put verbal reminder-foot to my butt in order to get me moving. And yet,... I sit here once again, having left everything I need at home.
I still have time, right?

The whole family is getting geared for Hannah's Make A Wish trip over Christmas Break - "Sixteen days," Sam mutters to me as I drop him off at school this morning. I didn't even need to ask what he was talking about. We are heading to a place called Give Kids the World.
Countless smiles, endless laughter… and a week full of dreams come true. Each day, Give Kids The World lives by this mission and has made a promise to never turn a child away. The Village was built through the selfless commitment and generous spirit of individuals and corporations who wanted to make a difference in the life of a child. Since 1986, more than 88,000 children have had their dream come true at Give Kids The World. No child in need has ever been turned away – and no child ever will. Give Kids The World is a place where families find joy, laughter, serenity, and a lifetime of memories. Through the tireless support of our volunteers, employees and generous partners, we dedicate each and every day to these special families.

With the trip to GKTW, also comes three days at Disney, two at Universal Studio, and a trip to Sea World. The biggest excitement for Hannah will more than likely be on that first day when she receives a Princess Makeover at the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo boutique in Cinderella's Castle.
Sam on the other hand had other questions, "What the heck are we suppose to do?" Not to worry about the boys during 'girl time', I think we'll be able to find something in the Magical Kingdom to occupy our time.

Hannah is doing great with her arm. They want to cast her pinkie finger in order to keep it stretched out, along with starting her back on therapy two days a week. The idea is to keep things stretched as much as possible, while she continues to grow, and before surgery.

One last note before I go: As a teacher I get to hear and see wonderful things from students all year long. Just this week, for example, my students were pealing off the layers of snow clothing in the hall - the noise level climbing to a fevered pitch as they discussed issues of not being able to feel their toes, fingers, or face muscles. Trying to get through the mine field of snow pants and boots was the Autistic class. As they began the trudge through the mess, one little autistic boy lifts his head and yells, "Shut The Hell Up!"

The hallway dropped to a hum. Well said,... and effective too. There was nothing more to say,... unless you consider,.. And Merry Christmas to All!

The Payoff

2008-11-26T20:37:00.009-05:00

Finally!

We made the drop off without a hitch to the Bronson Pediatric Hemoc Clinic .

"We heard you were coming and about the gifts you were brining. My daughters are so excited," we had just entered the clinic waiting room to visit with a mom who had been chatting with the receptionist. Daughters? Did she say she had two daughters in the clinic?

Nurse Jean was our contact person and the nurse that we had when we first visited the clinic at the very beginning of our trek through treatments.

"Where did you get these?" Nurse Jean was trying to pry information from Hannah.
"We went to Best Buy," Hannah stated.

"Well,... how did you get them?" Nurse Jean asked very patiently hoping to hear Hannah explain about the Cookies for Cancer Kids.
"We paid for them," another brief answer.
"Hannah,... tell her what we did ALL last summer," Kim jumped in with her impatient voice. I personally did the 'stare' at Hannah which said, stop being a knucklebrain and tell her before I fly through air dropping a little hammerlock on her head.

Hannah started off a bit shy and reserved, but slowly came around to being herself.

"What part did you have in helping with the cookies," Sam who sat with the other Wii, was questioned.

"I helped eat them."

Nurse Jean and Doctor Mattano with the kids and all the Wii gear.

Clear Ahead

2008-11-19T08:21:00.003-05:00

We received clear scans yesterday - yet the day seemed extremely long. We'll take l o n g any day over cancer.

The doctors spent a great deal of time trying to figure out where to go from here with Hannah's arm. They feel that there's tendons literally pulling Hannah's hand downward, preventing her from straightening the wrist and using it the way it was originally designed.

The order for more tests came late in the day. In order to make a decision, Drs. Shin and Bishop want more information to determine the best path to follow. Although Dr. Bishop commented, "As she grows the bone becomes longer, but the tendons won't stretch further, so her hand will continue to worsen." Dr. Laack described the tendons as rubber bands that stretch with the movement; however, after radiation , they become more like shoelaces. They will have some give, but not the way in which they use to.

When we come back in February, Hannah will have some tests added to her schedule and a plan will be made. Dr. Bishop doesn't seem to think there's any other way then going back into the radiated field and cutting some things loose. Dr. Shin began the conversation with, "Going into a radiated field is tough! It's like making your way through a mine field - you may make it all the way through, but somewhere along the way, something is going to be injured." After listening to Dr. Bishop, who has worked in many radiated fields before, Dr. Shin said, "As Dr. Bishop talks, I become more brave and willing to try." He further went on to tell us that Dr. Bishop has tons of experience with this area - which comforts us a great deal.

However, the best conversation we had was when Hannah told Dr. Bishop that she had switched to the French horn (with his expertise in music as well, he recommended the change for Hannah's sake). Dr. Shin, a professed non-musical person, jokingly told Dr. Bishop, "I think the French horn sucks." To which Dr. Bishop replied, "Well, that's where you are wrong. It doesn't suck, it blows." Classic! Two top notch surgeons in the country sharing wit over music.

We're heading home.

Peace and Prayers

On the Way

2008-11-14T15:01:00.003-05:00

Heading back to Mayo this week for scans. Hannah will have the usual series of CT and MRI scans, along with checking out her heart. Strange to use the word "usual", but at least we know what is in store.

We ask for prayers for clear scans and that the doctors have a good plan for reconstruction of her wrist.

Minister of Education

2008-11-02T19:10:00.003-05:00

It's Official - Kim has completed her training and education as a Lutheran Minister of Education!

We have been blessed in many ways over this past year, and this is just another example of God working in us and through us. As Kim worked night after night, beginning in January, she has stayed the course (a little political quote for ya, with elections in two days), and finalized her training with two oral exams over the past week.

We are so proud of her efforts!

Hannah is scheduled for scans and plans (for her wrist) on November 17-18. In order to see all involved it will make for some very long days! We'll keep you posted.

Peace and Prayers

Book in the Making

2008-10-27T15:00:00.003-04:00

Thanks for checking in,....

"What's going on with the blog? There's no entries, no Foto Friday,...."

Okay, okay. I realize I've been a bit absent - but with good reason.

About a month ago I sent off an excerpt (a short manuscript) of Hannah's story to a publishing company that I had come across on the internet. I wanted to find a publisher with a Christian foundation and I think I did just that. Tate Publishing has read the manuscript and is willing to publish a book with me.

To be honest, it was a little overwhelming to receive an actual contract, but since that point, I've been busily writing. There hasn't been a great deal of time for blogging between the book and writing papers for my class, I feel tapped out with writing.

As things progress with the process of making a book I should know more about the release date. The publishing company did mention book signings in our area. I was hoping to have at least one book signing somewhere in Hawaii. Of course, everyone will have to travel with us for the book purchase.

next stop - Oprah perhaps.

We head back to Mayo in November for scans.

Tennis Final Foto

2008-10-19T12:50:00.006-04:00

Someone just advanced to the Quarter Finals

Service With a Twist

Return to Sender

Gwum-Key

2008-10-18T18:51:00.004-04:00

It's about football and food.

"When is the game coming on?"
"What should we have to eat?"

I was curious,... after all, I had just gotten out of bed and these are the things I needed to know for my first Saturday off since the beginning of the football season and the beginning of Sam's tennis - who wouldn't be excited?

Sam and his teammates wrapped up their tennis season at the state tournament in a strong fashion. They ended 4th in the state. It was Sam's first experience playing at this level of win or go home. He and his partner, Alex, made a run to the quarter finals before dropping to the number 1 ranked squad. Yet, it was the conversation before the match and after that I will remember most.

"Holy cow, are these guys good," Sam had been watching the competition prior to the quarter final match. "We are so dead." It was a simple statement but said so much.

Trying to be the positive dad I was able to give Sam some pointers, "Hey look,... that guy hits the ball into the net just as hard as you."
"Shuttttt it," was Sam's retort.

My effectiveness as a motivational speaker was lacking some. I decided to try another approach. "Look at it this way, they are expecting to kick your butt. You're freshman. Maybe they will be over confident," I shot a smile, but it was returned by a look of get as far away from me as possible.

The match went better than expected with some hard shots back and forth, yet points slowly fell to the opponents as they edged out Sam and Alex. When Sam finished and sat down in the chair next to me I could see the steam rolling out of his ears.

"Mad, huh?" I attempted to poke the bear.
"What do you think?" Sam gave me the teenage response with tone-a-tude.

"I think if you didn't think you could beat these guys, you wouldn't be so mad. I think you realized when you were out there that, while they may be good, you realized that you're pretty good yourself. I think,..."

"Okay, I got it!" still mad, but he got the point.

Next year - Beyond the Quarter Finals.

Peace and Prayers

Time to go eat Gwum-key and watch more football.

When Won

2008-10-12T15:43:00.004-04:00

It's been a whirlwind past two weeks as Sam wrapped up a conference tennis tournament with a second place,... then on to the Regionals where he and his partner Alex swept the 4 doubles and took the championship! The rest of Sam's teammates,... well, they all swept their flights to win Regionals. Next stop,... STATE!

Hannah had a milestone of her own over this weekend. "Dad! You'll never believe it!" came the phone call.

"Oh no,.. please tell me that you didn't break a perfect streak. Streaks are so hard to keep going," Hannah's team (5-6th grade girls basketball) had struggled a great deal over the season and had yet to win a game.

"We did. We won our first game," you could hear the relief in her voice. "The game took two and half hours to play and we had five overtimes and I never came out I was so exhausted!"

I was exhausted after hearing it. For a youth basketball game, which plays 6 minute quarters, 150 minutes seemed a little unbelievable - but it was true.

6 Letter Word - Budget

2008-10-02T18:38:00.003-04:00

The fixed income. Hate it, like it, live it, blow it.

Kim and I have been involved in the Dave Ramsey mode of finance where you actually do a budget. Piece of cake. I can make numbers jump columns, the poor become less poor, and an eraser sing as it goes across the spreadsheet for the Nth time. It's a work of art by the time I'm finished: "Honey, get the frame, polish the glass,...... this baby is ready to be displayed, admired, and,....." well that's about it. The follow through seems to lack a little pizzazz.

Case in point: The little light in the vehicle comes on telling me that something is in need of attention. Not a problem - my way of assuring myself that I'm not about to get the 'Mechanic Special' by Mr. Wrench (the 2nd cousin twice removed from the more famous Mr. French - who, without a doubt made some nice coin for what he did). Well, a half of an Ellen Show and some local news in the hospitality lounge of the mechanics garage,... and I'm walking away with ONE IMPOSSIBLE FINANCIAL BUDGET. Oh sure, I could fudge the numbers once again, but that would require the removal of glass, the taking apart a thing of beauty. Who wants that? No one - right?!

So as I'm driving away from my cash-ectomy, I find myself really quite angry that this fine establishment has my money,...my budget,... but the worst part was, as I glanced down at the dashboard I find the ultimate "In Your Face" - the check engine light is still on! They did all the extra work to the vehicle, charged me a ton of money, but apparently it wasn't enough for the light to shut off. At this point what is there to do? I'll tell you,... you live it. Sometimes you live it to the best situations, and sometimes you just live 'It'. Today, I'm going to live it. Hopefully, tomorrow,.. I don't blow it.

The Silver in All

2008-09-30T19:44:00.003-04:00

Okay,... silver lining in the market strife. I'm no longer the only loser when it comes to not having much put away in their Roth IRA. Suddenly, my time in the nursing home just became more interesting. I can hear it already, "Oatmeal again?! Why if the market could have held, I would have been eating lobster in some pub off the coast of Maine! Okay, maybe not lobster,.... but I would definitely be in some pub off the coast of Maine!,... or Michigan! Yeah,.. most assuredly Michigan." Then I remember that money and stuff is just on loan. Apparently, unlike Wall Street today.

Got to spend some time on the court tonight working with Hannah's basketball team. It brings back how much I really enjoy coaching and working with kids. After Hannah's diagnosis, it was one thing that I thought I would never have again,.. time with her on the court - but then I found myself (watching players run the wrong direction, passes being thrown to the middle of nowhere) enjoying it more than ever. It wasn't so much the basketball, as much as it was basketball with Hannah.

The Non-Decaf Venting

2008-09-26T17:24:00.004-04:00

Foto Friday bets are off! I just finished writing a paper for my college course, and if I never have to look up APA format again, I will be okay. If there were a top ten list for things that absolutely suck when your in your forties it would be this:

10: People in the 30's!

9: Having a college loan.

8: Still using furniture from your college days.

7: The fact that I know what life is like without a computer.

6: Paying for water.

5: A paycheck that doesn't read "infinity" in the net column.

4: Belts in your closet no longer fit, but you can't get rid of them (just in case).

3: When someone says, "Wow,.. really,... you're in your 40's?"

2: Everything hurts longer.

1: Still having to write a college paper!

The bonus to being in my forties,... I made it this long, I might as well keep going!

Peace and Prayers

Get Your Gaming Face On

2008-09-22T07:50:00.023-04:00

Hours of baking, hours of selling,...now came time for the payoff!

From the moment Hannah began her cookie and lemonade stand, the goal was clear: Sell, sell, and sell some more.

Then purchase something special for the kids in the hospital who are fighting cancer. Something that would make things seem a little less bad. Is that grammar used good or well?

I think my English teacher is going to seek me out and break me down like a sentence diagram.

Today was finally the first step towards the end of all her hard work - it began with a cash recount. "Dad I have a total," she announced to me as I watched the Bears game.

"Ya, that's great,... talk to me in 15 minutes," I didn't mean to seem so flippant, but it was Da Bears!

a moment of silence please due to a bad call by the ref on a 3rd and long situation that would have clearly put the Bears in great field position to win the game in overtime (once again just another clear sign that societal gambling pressures affected yet another referee and the calls made in a game to determine the outcome).

Once we had the money counted and recounted, and my grief passed as I chanted the mantra of "it's just a game, it's just a game," we headed off to Best Buy to make our purchase of the Wii.

Why the Wii? Why not movies or board games or PSP games or tiny ponies? After going through many hospital stays, we wanted something for everyone - from the smallest child to oldest adult. Something that everyone could play without knowing much about it. If you've ever tried the Wii, you know exactly what I'm taliking about. It's interactive without the emphasis on active. You have to move, but the movement can be grand or slight - perfect for someone who needs to be hooked to a poll lined with various chemotherapy drugs. The other great catch is,... you don't have to guess where the R3, L2, square, X, circle buttons are on any given controller.

When we arrived at Best Buy we went directly to the first manager we could find and explained what we had hoped to purchase with our money, but needed direction as far as hardware. With the help of one of the sales guys, we quickly rounded up 2 consoles, extra numchucks (sounded a little violent, but it's a Wii World afterall), a charging station, and two extra controllers with mini games! We opted to not purchase extra games from the store because some wonderful people had offered to locate games for a reduced price for us - thus Hannah simply brought her pad of paper to research games. With her left over money she feels fairly confident that the kids will have some pretty cool games to play.

The shopping experience behind us, we rode home discussing the next step of spending the remaining money on games and planning the trip up to Bronson. The kids however had other things in mind:

"Can we get a Wii for Christmas?"

"Can we just open one game up and play a little tonight? You know, to make sure they work."

What a wonderful gift everyone has given to the children who battle cancer. You made it possible by supporting, helping, and sharing in the vision of Cookies for Cancer Kids.

When Hannah does make the trip to Kalamazoo to present the gifts, it will be because she had the support of her friends, family, and community - Thank You so very much.

Next year - Cookies for Cancer Kids will begin anew. The mission will be the same, the goal will be set higher, and the cookies and friendships,... fantastic!

In the meantime,... it's going to be pop tab collection for the Ronald McDonald house. With your help and the collection of tabs, the Ronald McDonald House (located across the U.S.) provide families like ours with

- home-cooked meals,

- private bedrooms for families,

- arts and crafts activities,

- non-clinical support,

- an extended network of support and connection to families going through similar experiences,

- a warm, comfortable alternative to costly hotels,

- and most importantly,... a chance for your child to experience the healing process with other children.

Foto Friday

2008-09-18T22:24:00.005-04:00

Hannah's playing basketball for Trinity Lutheran.

Breaking Barriers

2008-09-18T10:34:00.005-04:00

"Ummmm,... what's that?" a mild-mannered student was attempting to make the teacher-student connection with me as I ate a pretzel during our 'snack time'. That's right - I said snack time. It's equivalent to the water cooler time you hear about in the business world,.. only I have to monitor healthy food intake along with appropriate behavior when it comes to the mingle.

"It's a small, fat pretzel," I gave her a straight answer, even though in my mind, I had ideas of making something up just for the fun of it.

Then came the awkward stare, followed by silence.

"Yep,... that's what is alright. A pretzel," I wasn't sure where the conversation was heading, but I felt that a destination should be reached quickly.

Finally, her stare broke as she muttered an, "Ahhhhh, I thought it might be."

"Yep," I felt a need to repeat myself, all the while thinking How long can this continue?

With a bob of the head, it was over,.. she walked back to her desk to complete her snack time. I went back to grading papers and munching on the remaining pretzels. I'm sure it's moments like this that would make our President's words (echoed by my superintendent) of Every Child, Every Day ring true.

Happy Snack Time Everybody!