So, since Chris had his incident in Germany and we discovered the root cause, high blood pressure, our lives have changed. We've become addicted. It's true. Living an active and healthy lifestyle already, we've made few changes to our diet. We've cut out more salt, added more veggies, and apple cider vinegar (more on that later). However, the salt, veggies, and cider are not the source of the addiction. When Chris left the hospital in Germany, the final words of the German doctor were "Purchase a blood pressure cuff and check your blood pressure regularly." So, we did. And there you have the source of the addiction. We can admit it now. We may start recovery soon. But, we still can't walk by it without wrapping the blue cuff around our arms, pushing the READ button and let it do it's magic. The sounds, the tightness around the arm ... all quite addictive. In fact, Chris is part of a blood pressure support group. His friend, who we will not disclose, but his initials are Greg Bennett, it addicted too! So, let this be a lesson for those of you approaching your mid to late 40's ... don't let the cuff get you!!!

New babies, gotta love them. Our good friends, who for security reasons I will not mention, just had a new baby. It was unexpected. I mean they knew they were pregnant ... it was the pregnancy that was unexpected. Early on in the pregnancy there were fears from the doctors of complications, however this week they proudly named their perfectly healthy baby girl ... Addison. It's been weird hearing reports on baby Addison. It has definitely thrown me into memory lane! I've been reflecting about bringing our Addison home for the first time, watching Chris trying to fold up her sleeves to her pj's that were too long, and wondering when I would know when to feed her. I remember older ladies (like the age I am now, grumble grumble) say to me, "Now honey, you hold on to these days. They slip right through your hands." All the while, I'm thinking to myself, "Lady, the only thing slipping through my hands is dirty diaper gue!" So, here's some advice for my friend who is a new mother .... "Honey, you hold on to these days, because they will slip right through your hands just like the dirty diaper gue you now find in your hands!"

This past Thursday Addison, nine other students and a rather young teacher left for Germany for a Yearbook Conference. Despite the fact that she is returning Sunday, the scenes around here were sad. Libby and Parker were fighting over who would get possession of her room while she was gone and Chris kept talking about the heartache we would experience in just 3 years, 6 months, and 13 days from now when we take her to college in the States! Good grief! Those little old ladies were right ... time has slipped right through our hands! I packed her up some goodies, made it look real cute, and just knew she would burst into shrieks of joy when she was presented with my sentiment. She just said, "Bye". "Bye"... that's it. Doesn't she know the time and effort I put into picking out all the right goodies to go into that little bag. Plus the time I put into making the cute little card that was pink and girly but not too pink and girly so it wouldn't embarrass her in front of her friends! Then it hit me. She's not supposed to know all that. That's the beauty of being the one younger, the one caught up in the moment. You are supposed to want to leave, to head out for adventure, to tackle what's out there. It's the Momma that stands there thinking ... "I remember when I first brought you home from the hospital ... ". Then I thought ... "Wow, this is how my Mom felt every time I headed out for a new adventure." Life has it circles, doesn't it?

Speaking of life circles, God has done a miracle for Rodney. Home from the hospital as of yesterday, he is re cooperating from the surgery! The doctors can't believe that he made it! They are wide-eyed at seeing his recovery. Just wanted to publically say, it's not MD Anderson, fine hospital that it is, that "made good" for Rodney. It was God Almighty who performed a supernatural act of healing and brought wellness to Rodney! It wasn't prayers of petition that changed God's mind, it was an act of God. We do not hold the power to treat God as a puppet. God would still be God if Rodney did not make it through the surgery. However, in His limitless love, He let us witness a miracle!

Thank you all for riding the ride with us ... the future will only hold more!