DOB: 9-9-96

It seems like yesterday, it seems like a lifetime ago.

To see him born, to see him grow into a young man and bring me the joy that he does. It makes me proud to be his father.

Twelve years is not nearly enough.

So today, on his twelfth birthday I have a request to God, please allow me to continue my battle with Prostate Cancer long enough for me to:

- watch him graduate from middle school and move on to high school (May 2011)

- teach him to drive and get his first drivers license (2012)

- celebrate his high school graduation (2015)

- send him off to college

- attend his wedding

- hold my first grandchild

……so much more…..

Happy Birthday Brad, I love you son, you are the best!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So where does a twelve year old ask to go for his birthday dinner? Houston's, where else! We had a great evening and I even cheated by having bbq ribs for the first time in four years! They were fantastic, just as I remembered! It was a great meal, for a special occassion, spent with special people.

No more colors

The family and I watched a wonderful TV movie last night, "Pictures of Hollis Woods", a Hallmark Hall of Fame production. For as many times as I complain about the garbage on TV, this was a beautiful story. There is nothing that can be compared to lounging on the sofa and crying with your family (the good kind of crying). It's available on DVD, I'd recommend it to all.

I spent last week at a training class in Atlanta. It was without doubt, the best training class I have ever participated in. I left with a different perspective on communication, body language and getting a message across to a group. I could go on and on, but will just end it there.

However, on my way to Atlanta, my mind was obviously in a far different place as reflected in this poem. Please don't read anything into this - I'm fine, feeling fine, looking marvelous (a joke, a Billy Crystal reference)....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No More Colors
(12/4/07)

What if your life changed,
things you loved,
and perhaps at times,
took for granted,
suddenly meant nothing?

What if just living,
breathing, getting through
another grey day, was
as much as you could,
find strength for?

What if the sun set,
on everything you knew,
and cherished,
Only to rise the next day,
without color,
without the brilliance or colors of God?

A life of cloud covered sky's,
one without color,
without the beauty you
had come to accept as truth,
What if your eyes only saw black, white and grey?