A friend of mine shared this video on Facebook this morning. I immediately sent it over to my girlfriend Jessica who is getting married next May with a message asking if we could do this at her wedding. Fun idea right?




Then I remembered this video --- we had a little fun too.

We practiced this once and we looked like a dancing disaster but we got a ton of laughs. We didn't even intend for the dance to be videoed but a quick thinking friend ran back to his table and grabbed his camera when he realized what we were doing -- that's why the first portion of the dance is missing. I woke up in a funky mood this morning so reliving this moment snapped me right out of it -- insert big sigh of relief from EJ. We're spending our Saturday doing a little yardwork and cleaning the house in preparation for an end of summer sunday school social we're hosting tomorrow afternoon. My sister also returns from summer break this weekend and will begin her junior year at Winthrop next week. EJ may be more excited than I am about her return -- she keeps him company while I'm out of town for work and doesn't care if he plays Call of Duty for hours on end.
I'll update everyone on my Mom in detail next week. She wrapped up her induction chemo cycles this week and we're headed to Greenville on Tuesday to meet with her oncologist who will hopefully answer all of our questions about the next battle of this war --- the stem cell transplant. Keep those prayers going!

Size 15

At what point do you stop keeping score by month for a kid's age? I understand 0-11 months, you can't round up to one year given magnitude of the event that is a child's first birthday party (see previous post). But I always get confused when I ask someone at work how old their child is and I get a response like "33 months." I love math, especially the easy kind I can do in my head but I think this is a case when it just isn't necessary. I can't figure if 33 months sounds older or younger than "almost" 3 years. Maybe it is because so many new and exciting things happen in a child's life from month to month in those first few years? I mean, once you get to be 411 like me, you're not surprising too many people with new tricks, right? Not to go Andy Rooney on here, but I never understood kid's clothes sizes. No toddler I have ever met is wearing the size clothes that match his age. If babies really grow at such varying shapes and speeds so that you can only at best eyeball the attire to fit, then a new system is needed. Women's shoe sizes don't make sense to me either. Why can't a size 15 in men's be a size 15 in women's shoes too? Those are huge feet and there is no hiding them, so does using the same formula that converts Fahrenheit to Celsius really need to be used to crosswalk a male shoe size to a female's? None of this adds up. But yet, without hesitation, I can tell you that today is our 15 month anniversary and I can tell you Roo's dress and shoe sizes. I won't though, so that the next 15 months start off as wonderful as the last 15 have been.

For Buxton on his Very First Birthday..

Some of you may remember this post where we welcomed baby boy Buxton to the world, first born to our dear friends Anna & John.

It's hard to believe it's been a year since this precious little monkey was put in my arms for the first time.

It's your very first birthday, Buxton,

One candle on your cake;

Proud parents stare in wonder

At each new move you make.

We join in celebration,

As this special date arrives,

For you have brought pleasure

Into all our lives.

We look forward now to seeing

How you progress and grow,

From the cute and tiny infant

You were one year ago.

So dig into your icing;

Enjoy your presents, too.

The reason for this day

Is a special person -- you!

Revised from original by Joanna Fuchs

Happy Birthday Roo!

To my wonderful and beautiful wife - every day with you is deserving of cake and ice cream. All the candles for all the birthday cakes in the world wouldn't create a flicker compared to the light that you shine in my life. Happy Birthday Roo!

The One that Got Away

On our annual Edisto trip, as Roo has already documented aspects of, I was reunited not only with my summer playmates Dusty and Morgan, but also with a long lost love for fishing. So reminded by the simple joy that comes with fishing that I hung a stuffed fish in our garage. I’ve always enjoyed fishing which is odd given my competitive nature, impatient tendencies and complete uncertainty of success that comes with fishing. Fishing is one of those things that make you feel closer to nature and more manly you feel when you reel in the big catch. And there’s always hope that the big one is still out there. No matter the size you nab (or don’t), you have no idea how much bigger the next one could be. Whether it was brother Mike and I riding our bikes down to Lufkin Pond to snare Blue Gills or Henry, PJ and I seeking 12 pound Pikes on the cold waters of Kenora, Canada, fishing has always been a hunt in the unknown. I’ve been hunting maybe twice in my life and didn’t enjoy it. You can’t shoot something you can’t see. But with fishing, what you can’t see may be the next big one. At the Edisto Marina, we got a great idea of what that big one might be at the weigh-in for the 1st Annual Edisto Fishing Club Shark Tournament. We don't quite have expectations this big...but whose to say aspirations aren't.

Riley’s dad and I have been determined to catch the next big one ever since I started attending the annual summer retreat with Roo’s family seven years ago. For the past two years, Ronnie and I have tried harder than we did in 2002. We’ve scoped out various docks, landings and creeks and chartered captains and boats. We’ve waded chest deep into the ocean while in over our heads with enthusiasm. What I like about our recent adventures only lures me back for more. But I am getting ahead of myself. On the last day of our vacation, we set out early on a chartered voyage. We put our squid and shrimp baited shortcomings of the previous trips of the week behind us and set out for some big game. We knew right away that we were on the right boat as our guide took us to shallow waters where St. Helena Sound meets Big Bay creek, where bonnethead sharks were nearly beaching themselves to get a morning snack. Into the water we tossed blue crab-baited hooks and out came a 17-pound relative to the hammerhead. Ronnie reeled it in. Later that night, while grilling our fresh catch along with some small Whiting fillets, Riley’s dad shared some rare quality time and conversation. It was mostly and pleasantly one-sided. Ronnie told me stories from his newlywed days, where he and Riley’s mom would take fishing trips on her grandfather’s pontoon on the Santee (River). He told other stories of Riley’s early adventures on the boat as well. For someone who doesn’t seem to talk very much, Riley’s dad is a great story teller. I look forward to telling our kids tales of these trips now. That said, Ronnie and I are going to have to really start reeling in some big fish. Or not. Like I said, with fishing, you don’t need something on the end of the line to necessarily have a good story. But Ronnie and I both agree having our own boat might help.

So for a week, I am the one that got away, away from it all: my inbox, cell phone reception, traffic; and got back to a childhood joy that I hope to grow in the coming year, connecting with my father-in-law, creating stories that we can pass down in vacations to come.

Exploring Botany Bay - A little piece of heaven on Edisto

We have several great highlights to share from our recent annual vacation on Edisto Island so we're going to split them into a few short posts rather than one long one.

Exploring Botany Bay

Botany Bay is a public wildlife reserve that was opened to the public last year. 4,630 coastal acres with moss-draped live oaks, sunflower-filled farm fields, a lake, the ruins of an 1800s plantation house and slave quarters, a couple of intact 1840s outbuildings and two miles of beach. We set out early one morning to take in this little piece of heaven on earth. Visitors to Botany Bay are asked not remove any shells, artifacts, or fossils from the beach unless you're 17 & under....we were able to convince Morgan (cousin) & Ian (Morgan's friend) both 17, to join us on our adventure since we knew we could possibly hit the shark tooth jackpot. Momma wasn't able to join us -- the walk out to the beach was nearly half a mile and she was feeling a little tired that morning.

I thought I'd spend the morning adding to our ever growing sharks' teeth collection but I was wrong. It wasn't because there weren't teeth to be found. I think it was because I was so amazed by the beauty that surrounded me and I wanted to leave it like I found it -- untouched. We all went our separate ways to explore the beach. I walked the water line and found myself talking to God --- thanking him for all the blessings he's given me and asking him to give us strength as we continue our battle against MM. I felt guilty asking Morgan to pick up a shark's tooth I spotted -- it was probably the biggest one I've ever found. I'm sure we'll explore Botany Bay next year -- we won't have anyone younger than 17 in our group to collect sharks' teeth for us -- that's okay though -- I'll enjoy the amazing untouched beach and another quite beach walk conversation with God.

The pictures don't do this place justice...

Happiness is where you find it and we always find it in Edisto...

Cancer can't keep the great sharks' tooth hunter away from the beach.

Greetings from Edisto Island! We're looking forward to a week of sun, sand, family, Whaleys, Scrabble, cornhole, fishing trips, Chairmen of the Board, and all things EDISTO!!

Thriller

When did we lose focus of what matters? Not to say anyone in particular has but as a collective whole, it seems "we" have become so obsessed with all things celebrity. I am not sure it started with John and Kate and it certainly won't end with the drama surrounding Steve McNair, but I guess over the past few weeks I seem to have noticed more and more the passion that pours in from the public over popular figures and their on-goings. Be it the public display of a governor's marital troubles or the worldwide weeping over the passing of a music icon, I just wish people exercised the same emotion towards matters in life that affected them more on an everyday basis.

Wouldn't we all just be thrilled to live in a world where strangers flocked to the funeral of a fallen soldier? Wouldn't we all just be thrilled to pass a school where a flash mob has formed to celebrate a career and recognize a retiring teacher? Wouldn't we all be just thrilled to live in a world where people prayed as much as they texted and tweeted? What if US Weekly's cover previewed the heroic story of a firefighter or brave tale of a police officer instead of always telling us who got arrested or fired?

I am not saying things we enjoy or follow or watch aren't important. If and when the Cubs make it to the World Series, you can all point to this post and ask me exactly where my priorities lie as I attempt to be part of something bigger than myself. Perhaps I am just worn down by the constant media coverage, the over-saturation of news feeds that are no doubt coming from significant events...it is just that I question how substantial they really are in relation to everything else going on around us.

I guess I'd just be thrilled if the news could start off with a good story every once and awhile. A good story about real people doing real and good things.

If you like Coke...or bottle rockets

It's the calm before the boom...red, white and boom that is. Roo and I are gearing up for our second annual Happy Birthday America party. I have spent the past week working on my new cornhole boards and seasoning the grill grates. Riley has been organizing the menu and guests and pretty much every other aspect of the event. We went shopping today, Roo always the bargain hunter and finder, I was blown away by our savings. If you happen to be in the market for Coca-Cola products and you are within 36 miles of a Harris Teeter, it is worth the trip. (I calculated the mileage and lowballed the fuel economy at 18 miles per gallon. Disclaimer: If you live more than 36 miles away, its not mathematically or financially worth the trip). With your "Very Important Customer" card at HT, when you buy 2 12-packs of coke products, you get 3 free. We paid for 4 and got 10, more soda in one trip than I think we purchased for all of 2008. Add that to the deeply discounted Boston butts (that Roo wrestled away from an old lady...ok, that's not quite how it went down, but I got a good laugh) and the other deals, we saved over $100 in groceries today. We are all set for this weekend's USA birthday bash and have made a sizable dent in the edible needs for our annual Edisto beach trip, only 10 days away. Expecting a considerable amount of guests on Saturday, I have yet to give the yard a work over and have yet to visit any of the hundreds of firework stands to add to our neighborhood arsonal. Fireworks are legal in South Carolina and given our proximity to the NC border, around this time of year, the roadside fireworks stands pop-up as quickly as dandelions and clover appear in your yard after spring's first good rainfall. Our cul-de-sac is renowned (at the homeowners association meeting) for putting on a big show. I plan to contribute which ultimately means one thing. Kennedy will end up in the bath tub.

Wishing We Were Somehow There Again

Its a lazy Saturday afternoon after a fairly productive Saturday morning. Roo found a deal on a treadmill on craigslist that has made a nice addition to our garage gym. I cut the grass...failing again in my attempt to cut a baseball field-like pattern into our yard...

...I admit I rushed through the job as I was racing the mercury. Its supposed to hit 100 degrees today. I'll give the grass a full-service treatment on July 3rd, in preparation for our 2nd Annual Red, White and Boom party. While I was sweating it out in the yard, Roo ran some last minute Father's Day errands. We rendezvoused in front of the TV for lunch and an afternoon Cubs game. The announcers noted that summer has arrived in Chicago and followed with a quip about the hot 81 degree day. I laughed. Roo admired the sunlit skyline on the screen and wished we were there, not recalling having been to a game in the heat of the summer. In the heat of our summer, we have yet to visit my brother Phil's community pool, but we will soon find our selves on the soft sands of Edisto Island. Our annual family trip is only 3 weeks away. We had to adjust the schedule this year to accommodate for Riley's mom's treatment schedule. Hopefully, while the trip for us will be an escape from work and weeds, Roo's mom will enjoy a much needed break in the exhausting treatment cycle. I wish we were there now.

Riley and I enjoyed Phil's Christmas wishes last night, as his holiday gift of two tickets to see Phantom of the Opera at Charlotte's Belk Theater came to fruition. Aside from school plays, this was only the second time I'd been to see a major musical, the first being Wicked in Chicago with Roo. Coming from a guy that spends many a lazy day in front of a Cubs game or playing on the Xbox, I wish we went to more plays like Phantom.

Phantom's opening scene presented an auction of old opera house items. As I type this, Roo is researching options to set up her own ebay auction-house. We missed out (snoozed through) the neighborhood yard sale a couple weeks ago and inspired by the treadmill find, Riley is going to try to clean out some room in the garage with some on-line sales. I wish her the best of luck, but hopes she patient. No rush...because the sooner she's got the garage cleared out, the sooner I have run out of excuses for not spending part of my lazy Saturday afternoon in our garage gym.

Mom's Myeloma Update

It's been awhile since I've updated everyone on my mom's battle with multiple myeloma. She's been in sort of a holding pattern over the last few months. Labs were good, bone marrow biopsy was good, therefore there was really no need to begin any sort of treatment. A few months ago she began having pain in her hip and was immediately sent in for a full body bone scan. It was determined that the hip pain was probably arthritis but during the scan a second tumor was found in her shoulder. If you've been keeping up with this story you know that her cancer was discovered because of a tumor found in her shoulder that was causing alot of pain which led to an MRI. She had radiation treatments to treat the first tumor. The second tumor signifies that the myeloma is progressing therefore more aggressive treatment is needed as opposed to radiation.
So last month the initial treatment began with oral chemo. The combination of medicines were causing allergic reactions and lab work concluded that the meds weren't really doing the job they needed to be doing. It was clear a new treatment plan would need to begin.

She'll now endure 16 cycles of induction chemo followed by a stem cell transplant. Her first chemo cocktail was Monday --- I was on duty for the first round. We attended a quick Chemo 101 session followed by an hour of fluids, Velcade, and Zometa. The room was filled with soft leather loungers and every chair was full. I sat there wondering to myself what kind of cancer each person was suffering from. I felt bad for the people who didn't have a loved one sitting with them. I wondered if the building architect thought that surrounding the room with floor to ceiling windows would help people forget that they're bodies are being filled with toxic drugs. The gigantic bird feeders positioned outside the windows were completely empty -- I wondered if they'd be filled by Thursday so my mom can sit by the window and watch the birds. I was mesmerized by the beautiful salt water fish tanks and pointed them out to my mom hoping she'd choose to sit closer to one of them next time I'm on duty. Due to her pretty pitiful veins she had to have a port put in this morning so her next round of chemo on Thursday should go a little smoother since the nurse won't have to poke and prod for a decent vein.

I never imagined I'd be going through something like this with someone I love. My mom is a tough cookie and in my heart I know we're going to get through this. I'm not naive enough to think it's not going to be a battle but I know it's a battle that my mom can fight surrounded by the people that love her. When she was diagnosed I really struggled with trying to find the reason that this was happening. I'm starting to realize that there probably isn't a reason but my personal struggle with dealing with this has brought me closer to God and helped me realize the importance of prayer and for that I'm grateful.

I've thought about starting a separate blog to chronicle our journey through chemo and the stem cell transplant. I'll leave that one up to my mom. So for now I'll keep everyone up to date on her progress here as long as everyone who reads this entry promises to add her to your prayer lists!

Let's Eat Year Old Cake! Celebrating 5/17 for the 1st Time!

Well it's fifteen days later and I'm finally posting about our First Anniversary Celebration. On our way back from Edisto we decided to take a detour and check out Irvin House Vineyards on Wadmalaw Island.

Irvin House produces five varieties of wine. The wines range from semi-dry to the regular sweet muscadine. Muscadines are the only grapes that will grow in the humid climate of the Lowcountry. Local Charleston artists created the wine bottle labels.

We enjoyed a wine tasting followed by a tour of the winery. Irvin House is also home of the Firefly Distillery the producer of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. They aren't licensed to provide vodka tastings and distillery tours yet so we're hoping we'll get to do that sometime in the future. A case of wine (purchased not drank) later we headed north and checked in to the Oak Manor Inn. This B&B is where the bridesmaids and I stayed during wedding preparations and where EJ and I spent our first night as Mr. & Mrs. This photo was taken on the morning of our wedding day as a few of my aunts were heading home after my Bridesmaid's Breakfast. The innkeeper had a special anniversary gift waiting in our room when we checked in!

We spent the evening dining at the same restaurant that catered our rehearsal dinner - Shrimp & Grits and Chocolate Cobbler. Delicious!! We headed back to the B&B to relax and ended up ringing in year two as Mr. & Mrs. at midnight. I think we were both anxious to exchange gifts so we went ahead and did so before calling it a night. Keeping with tradition I gave my Cubs crazed hubby, tickets to an Atlanta vs Cubs game in ATL (we're headed to the game tomorrow). My ever creative hubby combined tradition and modern gifts and gave me the gift of time on paper. I'm all set for massages, mani/pedis, and salon visits for the summer!!! He also gave me a copy of The Love Dare and made the comment that we don't have to be struggling in our marriage to read it!

The next morning we slept in then headed to my parent's house for lunch and year old cake. I'd heard from a friend that it's good luck to eat the entire cake -- not just one piece. We tried, well EJ tried.....

Who needs luck when you've got a love like ours anyway?

The Fever

Forget swine flu, the pandemic working its way into our household is baby fever. A co-worker recently quipped that she got a 3rd dog to buy some time from her pressuring husband about having a baby. I shared this with Riley and was greeted the next morning with a circled husky ad in the classifieds. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I pressure Roo into anything but I can’t say I’d settle for a 3rd dog right now either…especially after the latest trip to the vet. We seem to pay an awful lot of money to get the dogs groomed in ways that don’t seem to be of much more value than me shaving them myself. One of Roo’s facebook friends remarked that it is faster to teach a puppy to poop that it is a baby.

Our friends’ baby Buxton first crawl was revealed in this week’s blog. We are taking baby steps ourselves. With Roo’s new promotion, its probably best to let her settle into that role for awhile and I am not quite where I want to be in my career to be comfortable enough where she doesn’t have to work at all. All that said, it will happen when it happens, when its meant to happen. For now, we’ll fall back on the old saying starve a cold, feed a fever. I think it is actually the other way around but we’ve got some good eats ahead of us this Memorial Day weekend.

We kicked it off with ballpark dogs at the local minor league baseball affiliate Friday night. Tonight, Roo is making homemade guacamole. Sometime Monday, marinaded pork ribs will be strewn over a bed of hot coals and smoking hickory chips. I picked up a watermelon from the farmer’s market as well as a couple pounds of fresh green peanuts, so sometime in between guac and grilled corn-on-the-cob, boiled peanuts will be had. I can eat boiled peanuts until I am sick to my stomach. I don't think a baby or a dog could ever cure my crave for those delicious summer treats.

Edisto Maycation Highlights

A photo shoot with a tutu clad beach baby.

Building Crab Cities (what happened to sand castles?)

52 lb Bill Fish

Spending time with old friends

Turning off the blackberry and catching up on some reading...

We're already counting down the days until our return to Edisto in July....

The greatest of these is love...

We have spent the better part of the last few days reflecting, recollecting and remembering where we were at "this time last year." Our wedding weekend is filled with special moments, simple laughs, thoughtful tears, and emotions that I truly don't have the words to describe. We are quickly and easily overwhelmed with joy by the vivid memories of how we came together, how we've grown together and how we've loved together. There have been laughs and less than joyful quibbles as we have also learned to live together.

Some say the first year of marriage is the toughest, I say every day of every year of a marriage should be a challenge. It should never be too easy to love and live for Roo. Challenge is a good thing and not the same thing as a struggle. It may not always be easy, it may not always be fun, we make mistakes big and small. But you can never stop learning and loving. We've done plenty of both in the past year.

We all have those defining moments in our lives that we think back to...if it would have broken this way or split that other way, where would we be now. If I could go back and do it all again... As I look back at the past year (and beyond), I've never lived my life wanting to do it over again because I wouldn't want to miss any of the moments, learned any of the lessons, or loved any part of the past year any less than the amazing way it has all unfolded in the early years of our lives together. For all the support, love, lessons and more, we thank the Lord, our family and friends.

As clearly as I can see Riley walking up the aisle or hear Jessica's made of honor speech or taste the rehearsal dinner shrimp and grits, I can feel the faith in our hearts, the hope for another year of countless blessings and love in our home that we share and grow...the greatest of these is love.

And now, time for some year-old cake...

From the Island!!

EJ & I have spent the last two days soaking up the sun on Edisto Island. My bestie Aly Kat and her adorable family are down here as well. Jackson and Nola Zee have definitely given EJ a major case of baby fever.....

Our first anniversary weekend celebration begins tomorrow. We're headed to my hometown after a pit stop at Irvin Vineyards (home of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka) on Wadmalaw Island. We'll then spend Saturday & Sunday at the Oak Manor Inn -- the super cute B&B that was home to our wedding weekend last year. My mom's in charge of taking our top cake tier out of the freezer -- let's hope she remembers.....

EJ's in charge of our first anniversary post so more to come from him on Sunday!

Happy Mother's Day to our Moms!!

We love you both!!

On the road again...

Its been a busy couple weeks since our trip to Chicago. Roo has hit the road again for work and I've maintained the homefront, more so on my own as Jessica has moved home to the parents' place for summer vacation. We will check in with her this weekend as we visit for Mother's Day. I expect and look forward to being put to work in the yard. Roo's dad came up to help us in our yard last month. More travel next week, a quick trip for Riley early on then we head to the beach for a taste of Edisto a couple months prior to our July vacation. Next weekend, we will celebrate our anniversary in the same bed and breakfast that we celebrated the wedding in almost one year ago.

For My Husband

You're everything

I always wished for,

better than

I dreamed of,

and all I'll ever need.

Happy Birthday!

xoxo

By this time tomorrow we'll be here...

We'll have a hot dog (or two) here...

We'll do a little (or alot) of shopping here...

and catch some zzz's here...

and since I've never been (surprisingly) we'll spend a little time here...

and have an amazing dinner with Art Smith (if we're lucky) here...

We're off for a 4 day birthday celebration/vacation to the Windy City!