Time with the Family

So I started summer vacation by visiting my cousins in D.C.
It was nice to see them and hang out!
The perfect start to a much needed break.

Elisa, Dave, Adriana & Kelan

Cindy, Jadyn, Kennedy & Landry (Keith was working)

Aunt Marlene with 5 of her 12 grandchildren

The Mitchells

I visited Scott & Melissa Mitchell
on the way home from NYC.
They live inin Munroe Falls, OH,
which is just S of Cleveland.
We had a nice time catching up with each other.
It's hard when good friends move,
but it's the best when you get to see them again!

Hiking Ledges Park

It's part of Cuyahoga Valley National Park

U Can't Hold a Good Woman Down

Here's to Coach!
Pat Handy has dedicated herself to believing that
we can make an impact in the lives of young adults in Detroit.
She's been a huge influence in the world of Special Olympics Detroit
and all of my students have benefited from it.
She helps to raise funds for it, has taken many students from DPS to the winter and summer games and constantly runs Special Olympics events and field trips for the students throughout the year. Oh, and she also runs the swimming program at our school.
She's retiring and it goes without saying that
Detroit is loosing an incredibly dedicated teacher.
Yeah.......She's irreplacable! We're SO gonna miss her!!

Family Fun

Hung out with the fam in Chicago this past weekend

Zoo Trip

My kids look forward to going to the zoo

with the enthusiasm of a young child

and I have to say that I enjoy it equally as much.
Good Times!

What are the odds?

I broke a wine glass yesterday and it broke in the oddest of fashions. It almost looks like I pulled the stem out from the bottom of the glass. No other cracks or chips. Randomly cool.

The Prodigal Son

One of my favorite sermons is given by Steve Andrews
(He's a pastor at Kensington Community Church in Troy, MI)
The message is about the Luke 15 parables
The lost sheep, the lost coin and the Prodigal Son
If you'd like to listen to it, here's the link:
http://www.kensingtonchurch.org/messages/index.php?indextabs_int=0&video=2009-04-26

Click on the Scandalous Series
Message Title: God Shreds Evidence Date: April 26

Rembrandt: The Prodigal Son (L'Hermitage, St. Petersburg)

Special Olympics

Room 42 Pride

Camille

Marie at the Softball Throw

Fonso Migo
Alfonso's other name in our room.
Somehow, my saying Adios Amigo, got blended into that.
Fonso is definitely the character in our room.
He's mostly non-verbal, but completely expressive about a LOT!
Take a look at that leg. Gotta love it. He does it when he bowls too.

J Green (Jeremy)
He's a sports score nut.
He comes in everyday and updates me
on all the teams that played the previous night.

New Life

Trillium

One of Northern Michigan's springtime delights

Happy Mother's Day!

The Plight of the Mailbox

A really good friend of mine came up north to visit me during the spring not too long ago.
We decided to go for a walk and ended up having a good laugh
at the sad status of the mailboxes in Michaywe.
Ah....the hazards of living Up N!
Snow plows will in fact eat your mailbox.
So, here you go. Enjoy!

There's a reason this guy
A) still has a mailbox and B) built this guard.....

This one's my personal favorite.
Only because I came home one year and my dad had done the exact same thing.
His argument was that "It was still a perfectly good mailbox,
so why should I go and buy another one?"

Blooms

Spring has Sprung