Yep - I'm lame (6Months???)

So what has happened in 6 months?

Work continues to be good. The guys get bigger and smarter every day. Kate is loving our home in NJ. All in all things are good.

I've had continued clean cat scans, chest x-rays and blood tests. I'll probably living with the quarterly poking and prodding for at least 5 more years. On the bright side, it makes me come to terms with the reality of cancer. I go to Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia regularly. When I go - first I get blood drawn. That is also where chemo patients get their treatments. So, I sit in a cramped waiting room with people in various stages of distress. It's an opportunity to encourage those people and tell them I'll be praying for them. Then I go to get a CAT scan or a Chest X-Ray. In the year that I've been a patient, I've seen big advances in technology. The last XRay I got, took about 5 minutes, and it was done digitally, so my Doctor could review it immediately. The CAT scans also are much quicker and more comfortable. Not that I'd recommend a CAT Scan for fun... 10 years ago, my cancer would have been a significantly different event. Nevertheless, I'm thankful that I dodged a significant bullet. I've developed a real compassion for others going through cancer. Hopefully I can use that to help other people out. All in all, I'm getting back in shape (slowly) and feeling fully recovered.

Kate and I both agree that this was a real life lesson. It is so true that our lives are "but a vapor". Kate's response was to go on a two week mission to India. I think that this is a result of realizing that we can't wait for circumstances to be "right" to go out and do what we are called to do. I think we all know that there are always hurdle to overcome. It's a matter of committing to it and working things out.

It was a long two weeks for me, but I had help. My parents came for the majority of week 1, and Kate's folks came out for most of the second week. I think they all realized that left in my charge, they might lose much of their legacy (matt, sam and joe). Kate had a great time and has a million stories to tell. Echoing a sermon from church last week, we have no idea how rich we are. Also, Kate saw the long term effects of living in a culture of hopelessness and how it can change radically when you do have hope. I'll try and post some more pics of her trip on here, maybe even get a story or two out there also.

The boys are great. They continue to find all the available mud in the neighborhood and somehow manage to track it home. It's a talent, really.

Matt is immersed in karate and trumpet. The karate program is through a local church and is as much about building character as it is about striking fatal heart blows. I hope they save the ninja training for high school, I don't know if I can handle a junior high ninja warrior. Matt also can play the trumpet. I mean he can really play songs - he's currently working on "take me out to the ballgame". I have a feeling he's pandering to his old man - Hey, is it March yet?

Sam is in basketball and enjoys it. For the most part he is in constant motion. Most days he can be found in the backyard making up games or flipping on the trampoline. I hope that he doesn't realize that the rope swing and the trampoline can be combined... but I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

Joe is in nursery school and is signed up for kindergarden next year. He was my biggest worry when Kate was gone. I knew that he'd be a little sad. I was worried that he might terrorize the grandparents. Fortunately for all of us, he was on his best behavior.

Well that's all for now. I'm resolving to update this blog more frequently. Check back soon. Here's us at our pre-missions trip dinner at a Japanese Steakhouse. ps - leave a comment or send me an email at bmag98@yahoo.com.