Two weeks of sorrow

After the loss of my son all I can think of is how thankful I am that I didn't lose my wife. Life goes on. My wife's health improves. I continue to try to be better; sure I mess up sometimes, but I try to do right and get back on track. I love my wife and love her life with me.

What pain can we endure

I believe that the most difficult part of this whole experience is just knowing that the girls will ask questions when mom comes home. Her being in septic shock was very scary. Especially after reading the statistics for mortality. However, when the girls start asking about the baby boy that will never come into our home that is when my wife will shed the most tears. She spoke to them on the phone today and already shed a lot. Well we have a couple more days to prepare, and then there will be a funeral.

Can they resist?

I was in an actuary meeting today. The topic of discussion was adaptu.com and how it was created. It was a lunch and discussion. During the speech someone started opening a bag of chips. I watched my neighbors out of the corner of my eyes and I found it amusing how every single one of them had to peek a glance at the person opening the chips. I resisted but the could not.

Grand Slam

I made my first Grand Slam at the Salem Bridge Club.  My partner opened 1♣.  I had 17 points.  I made my bid of 1♠.  She raised to 3♣.  I knew that she had more than an opener and at least 6♣s.  I had 2 so I knew we had a fit.  I went to 4NT.  We did simple blackwood, although I prefer RKC.  She bid 5♥.  We had all aces.  So I pushed on to 5NT.  She bid 6♥, so we were missing a king.  I counted from my hand four winning spades, at least one heart and one diamond (aces in my hand).  I knew that we had at least 8 clubs and she had two undisclosed kings.  So I went for it all at 7NT.  A heart was played that led straight to my A, Q…but she had the K so no concern there.  I then noticed that she had a whopping 18 points and 7 clubs, headed by the A, K, Q.  Clubs broke 3 -1 and it was a lay down.  It was top board (everyone else stopped at 6 NT) and awesome.

North (dealer)

♣AKQxxxx

♦Qxxx

♥K

♠A

South

♣xx

♦AJxx

♥AQx

♠KQJx

It's the vines

I keep having this reacurring dream. My wife and I are at crescent lake and we have to scale a cliff to get down. We the search for something onthe beach and pull ourselves up via some vines. It is a struggle but we finally make it up.

If father love mother

My five year old got a monkey stuffed animal from us for Valentine's Day. She wanted to know if she was going to see me tonight in order to thank me for the gift. She then asked "what did he get you, because father is suppose to get mother something, if he loves her. Doesn't he love you?"

Do you know him?

So the family was at Baja Fresh, yesterday.  We go there every Valentine's Day or close to it as our family tradition.  We were sitting next to the door.  Two guys walk in and head towards a table to set stuff down.  My four year old daughter's face lit up and exclaimed "Mom look who it is, its those men." Both my wife and I look over there at the guys and look back at each other a little confused.  My wife asks her "Do you know those men?" "No, I just have never seen them before."

I thought that was pretty funny and then I thought of the significance of being seen.  We are told that Christ knows each of us.

Today, during the blessing of her sandwich, she said "Thank you for the food and please bless the food and the drink and Mommy." After the prayer my five year old said, "well I don't say bless Mommy in all my prayers."  To which she replied, "well she needs to be blessed."  "I know that, just I don't always say it."

From the mouth of a four year old the significance of honoring your Father and Mother and being your [Mother's] keeper is shown from this experience.  She knows what is going on.  She amazes me at how smart she is.  My gorgeous wife and I try to teach them what is right and wrong as much as we can.  I sometimes wish we can teach more.