Quote of the Week

"I just roped, I didn't jump." Madeleine, when asked if she had been outside playing with her new jump rope.

Quote of the Week

"I just roped, I didn't jump." Madeleine, when asked if she had been outside

Belated Happy Birthday, Erin

Erin's birthday was last Friday. The fact that I am just now posting happy birthday greetings gives you an idea of how badly I am scheduling my time right now. I am officially a week behind! We had a fun evening eating at El Jimador (we forgot to make Erin wear the hat!) and then Cosmo (is that a proper noun?)bowling. We had a ball and Chris had a real adventure. Halfway through the evening it was his turn to bowl and he was nowhere to be seen. I found him in the bar with a gin and tonic in front of him, and a funny looking dog behind the bar. That was all, no other customers, no bartender, just Chris, the drink, and the dog. You know the rest of the story by now, of course, but I do want you to take in that scene: Chris, the gin and tonic, and this weird looking dog, just sitting and looking at each other. And another Thanksgiving story is born! Happy Birthday, Erin!

Roulez Les Bon Temps

Last week we celebrated Mardi Gras from Friday through Tuesday! On Friday night we went to a dinner/dance at St. Peter's in Fulton with OJIF. It was a fun evening with lots of silliness. There was an auction and I tried to get an autographed football for Chris, but it went for $550 and I can buy season tickets for that, so no football for Chris! Here are some snaps of the the good times rolling.

Happy Birthday Dan

It's the big 58 for Dan today. We have been celebrating all weekend. It's nice that the whole country paused today to honor Dan Ramsay with banks and post offices closed. A truly fitting tribute! Here are some pictures from the birthday dinner
Saturday night.

Happy Birthday Maia!

Happy first birthday, baby girl. We wish we could be there with you but here are some more pictures from your birthday party we had when you were here for Christmas. Have fun today. We hope it isn't too cold!

Goodbye Arnie, and angels come to greet you.

Dan, Erin, Shannon, and I had the sad task today of attending the funeral of an old TEC friend, Arnold (Arnie) Brucks. We had known Arnie for at least 20 years and have been on many TEC weekends with him. He was a great guy who had married later in life and he and his wife Barb had adopted two beautiful Chinese children. Barb was also Erin's boss at the NICU. Arnie had taken his son David to the Mizzou basketball game Tuesday night and close to the Arena, after the game, suffered a massive heart attack while driving home. The car went into a ravine but David was OK, he must have been strapped in. We heard about the accident the next morning on the news as we were getting ready for work. We heard the name Arnold Brucks and just went cold, hoping it wasn't our friend. But it turned out to be. Erin said his heart condition was undiagnosed, so this whole thing has been a terrible shock to his family and friends. The funeral today was in Boonville at a small funeral home. The turnout was enormous. We had to sit in an overflow room with the service projected on the wall from close circuit television. The staff were bringing out their own office chairs for people to sit in and there were still many people standing. Instead of flowers people were asked to donate to the children's college fund. It was a sad, sad day and the kind of thing that makes you want to ask God why? But all things come to good for those who trust in the Lord, so we pray for Arnie, for Barb and the children, and for us who have lost a friend and the example of this man who loved his family, his Church, and his Lord. May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace, Amen.