Happy Birthday Dad!

Yesterday was the Walk to Defeat ALS. I woke up to rain and immediately was depressed because in the 5 walks that we've done, we've never had anything but blue skies and sunshine. However, God heard our prayers and as we drove over to the walk at OSU, bits of blue sky started appearing and then the sun came out for a good portion of the 4 mile walk. The whole family walked this year, something that's never happened before. We had a great day together. After the walk, we headed up to Pathway to the Son where my dad's ashes are. We shed some tears and had some laughs too. After that, it was our annual lunch at the Rusty Bucket to celebrate Dad's birthday which is today. Love you Dad. I miss you every day but know that we will be together again some day.

It was a great day after a rough Saturday. I'm not ready to blog about that yet, but I will in time.

Big week

I have packed Evan's lunch every day since kindergarten. I guess it's been the last thing I have felt I have control over in regards to what he eats. The doctor has told me that his esophagus is pretty open and we probably will not need another dilatation for a long time BUT I still worry every time he's away from me and I know he's someplace where he's eating. Part of me is fearful every day at lunchtime. Silly I know but I can't let it go. Kindergarten and first grade he really didn't seem to care about buying his lunch at school and I didn't really offer it up to him as an option. Last year I told him he could if he wanted to but he wasn't too interested. He's quite a creature of habit and he likes things to be the same every day in regards to what is in his lunch box! So, Monday night he came home and said he wanted to be a "hot luncher" tomorrow. So, we looked up his code that he would need in the cafeteria and I wrote a check and off he went Tuesday morning without his lunchbox. He was SO excited. I told him to make good choices as to what he should eat AND to make sure he had enough to drink and he just said, "I know, I know Mommy". Ah. It's been 3 days now that he's bought his lunch. He wants me to pack it for him tomorrow though since it's Friday. ?? No idea what Friday has to do with it but I'll do whatever he wants. :-)

Sunny 95

Every year, the morning show on Sunny 95 holds a marathon for Nationwide Children's. I have volunteered to answer phones in the past and decided to do it again this year. That got me thinking about the interview I did for the marathon five years ago. The radio station gave me a CD with the interview on it so I actually found it in the basement and then an idea came to me. I've started playing around Windows Movie Maker and thought that maybe I could scan all the pictures from the NICU and use the interview as the background. Ta da!! The finished product. I also want to share something that took place 5 years ago when I was answering phones. They played my interview and then when they found out I was there, they had me speak with the hosts on air. About 5 minutes later, a man called and he was pretty insistent in speaking with me. He was about 35 years old and born with TEF/EA, just like Evan. He felt that he needed to call and talk with me and let me know that things will be okay. This was a time when we were still strugggling with feeding issues and we really didn't know if we were going to have ongoing issues with the narrowing in his esophagus. This man made me cry. I didn't get him name but that phone call touched me greatly and I will never forget the kindness of that stranger.

He Rides!

Well, the day I've been waiting for has finally arrived. Evan rides a bike without training wheels! Yes, I know he's almost 9. From the start, Evan has struggled with delays in many, many areas (mostly related to gross motor skills) since he was a baby. Crawling, walking, running. I don't attribute the delay in bike riding to his developmental issues only, but I think it's been a combination of both physical limitations and lack of confidence. Just like with swimming. He actually rode for the first time when I was out of town so tonight was the first night I witnessed this tremendous accomplishment in my little guy's life. :) Oh, and it's my first real attempt at using Windows Movie Maker, something I think I'm going to have fun with!

Obama's speech

Yeah, I'm upset by his words. He made my child write this. Click on the picture so you can read it. Aren't you outraged??

Has it really been four years?

Easter '67 or '68


"To The Glory of God Altar Flowers have been given by the Blakeslee Family who remember with love their husband, father and grandfather, Jim Blakeslee"

I really have a hard time believing that four years have gone by since I have seen, talked to or hugged my father. I miss him every day and I don't think that will ever go away. We spent part of the day in London at church and then to Bob Evans for breakfast w/Mom, Liz, Cathy and our good friends Jim and Diane. Dad loved Jim and Jim loved Dad. Tears have been shed on and off throughout the day. I woke up at the time Dad died and that's when it started for me! I then took a good walk in the early morning and it was a beautiful morning just like the day he died. We got in the car to go to church and as soon as Mike turned it on, Wake Me Up When September Ends was playing on the radio. We literally got goosebumps. That song was a hit for Green Day that September when Dad died-his birthday month is also September so it's turned into a hard month for all of us and yes, just wake me up when it's over! It always reminds me of him and I can't say that I've heard it on the radio in quite awhile. He was a good man, a wonderful father and husband and a devoted friend to all. Here's to you Daddy. I say this with beer in hand. :-)

One more thing I want to add. A very good friend of Liz and Cathy's is currently in the ICU, awaiting a lung biopsy that will be done on Tuesday. Denise has endured 3 battles w/breast cancer and was admitted Thursday with fluid in one lung (2 liters were removed) and then suspcious looking xray on the other. A CAT scan was done yesterday and yes, there is a mass. Please, please keep her in your prayers. She has a son overseas, I think in Iraq, and a daughter who was just married this year. Tears were shed for Denise as well today.

The day is getting close

The anniversary of my dad's death is fast approaching and of course he's been on my mind alot lately. I was empyting out Evan's school folder today and came across this.......wow.