We are doing our best here, though failing miserably. The two pups who were struggling did not make it through the night and then another died this evening. We are watching very closely the remaining pup, who has an appointment as the vet opens in the morning. Breeding Goldens is one of the best things we have ever done, but sometimes it can be heartbreaking. Generally yo do not have problems like this, but something is wrong. We knew the first two pups were riding the line, but these last two looked great and acted great all day…..fine at 6, and not at 10. I am praying that we get to the vet with him in the morning. It is Jen’s last litter, and the hardest on us all.

With that, I am going to go back in and check on him. Occasionally a mother dog will accidentally lay on a pup without knowing it, and that is what I suspect happened to this last one. We have a ridge in the whelping box to help pups avoid that, but sometimes they just can’t…they are too little. It generally happens when the mom is exhausted though…here she is not. That’s why we will check all night, and get to the vet in the morning.

We have probably delivered 30-40 pups over the years, and most of them are still living the life of leisure in their owners homes! We were ready to temporarily retire after this litter until Scott graduated and we moved to a farm (in 2011), but this has been a real hard way to retire. We don’t do this for money, we do it because we love the breed and put quality dogs into homes. It has been a real blessing. We will continue in the future, but for now, we will concentrate on tonight.

Keep us in your prayers.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

Today, though very busy, has not been as intense as tonight. Tonight Amanda and I are keeping a close eye on two of the new pups, one in particular that I had to resuscitate. We are struggling to keep them warm, and suckle, and have even tried to bottle feed them. Neither seems interested in that, so after we got them warmed back up I took them down and manually got them latched onto Jen. We will see, but this has all the makings of a long night!

And Ben of course does not understand. To him the puppies are just another thing to play with, and he becomes quite agitated when he is not allowed. Fortunately he is now distracted, so there is at least a sense of peace. And his bedtime is right around the corner.

Please keep us in your prayers though. Amanda’s back is still out, and I am doing my best. It is a tense time, but as I always learned…..you play the hand you were dealt. We are praying here for a big win!

So off to my job as a veterinary whatever I am! I hope to have a positive update tomorrow!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

Sometimes things just ignite and the flames get pretty high, and I suppose that would be a good way to describe my day today. Amanda’s back has incapacitated her, and it has been a lot of extra work to take care of Ben, her, and still work. I moved a meeting to the church this morning and was not even able to to shave this morning……and still haven’t.

What made this day totally on fire was getting home at 2pm and letting out our dogs. Many of you know that we both breed and show Golden Retrievers, and yes, we have one dog who is pregnant. Jenny however didn’t look due at all. We have delivered lots of pups, and we had planned to move her into sleeping in her whelping box within the next few weeks.

When I let them out for their afternoon walk, they all came running and were happy and energetic, including Jen. But there was a high piercing crying that I just couldn’t figure out. But as I went further into the pen I saw her, a small scared, crying pup, that I went and picked up immediately.

What I could not understand was that Jen wasn’t acting in labor, nor did she show any signs of delivery, nor did the pen. We are experienced breeders though, so this warranted a quick call to our vet, the amazing Dr. Vicki Barker Hagerman. Sure enough, Jen and I and the pup went to see Dr. Vicki for a check-up and x-ray.

The diagnosis was that Jen was carrying a small litter, just four, and tonight would be the night. We hustled back home, with the hopes of no car-delivery, and we were successful. I got the box ready, and over the past few hours have seen the other three enter the world. One girl and three boys. Mom and all the pups are healthy. I still haven’t shaved and feel gross. But the day is done and the flames are going down. Thanks especially to the girls on my lacrosse team for being so understanding about needing to cancel practice.

Anyway, I need to check on my wife….she has been a trooper, warming cold puppies on her chest while unable to move herself. Steph and Scott have helped too, and Ben just wants to hold the new puppies. Today has been a mess, but the next few weeks should be awesome!

I hope your day has been wonderful! Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

I am home from Columbus, and had a nice time. The new Church there was very nice, and Bishops Minns and Ames did a wonderful job in terms of dedicating it. Not too many clergy from our other churches were there, so Kelly and I were asked to take part. It was a great honor!

It was nice to see Kelly as well. He is a great friend and really gives great advice. I always run things by him on the phone, but it is always so much better in person. We had a nice dinner and evening. He and his family will be out here in June to lead a training on Intercessory Prayer, and with how time is flying lately that is just around the corner.

Things here are back to normal though. Amanda slipped on the hardwood floors while wearing her sock and hurt her back. So Ben is here between us snoring away to keep her company. He is a weasel for sure, but I admire his talent. He gets what he wants!! I only wish I were as successful!

Anyway, it is now bedtime for me. I wanted to catch a short nap today because I was exhausted, but there was just no way Amanda could watch Ben…….we has to play all afternoon! My lacrosse game was rained out, so kid stuff filled the entire day! No worries though. Exhausting or not, they are my favorite days!!

It is great to be home but I am beat….so goodnight and God Bless.

Tom+

I wrote this post late Saturday, because tonight I am in Columbus, Ohio for the dedication of a new Church. Probably a few times a year I have an overnight trip, and usually I end up rooming with Fr. Kelly Irish, a seminary buddy of mine (just a few years ago……over 20), and what makes this even better is that it is his birthday.

Kelly is like that much much MUCH older brother I never had. (I am the much much much older brother in my family). Kelly is 52 today, an age I’d have to live a long time to even attain. But he doesn’t look his age at all……most people think he is a lot older.

No no no…..Kelly is not just one of the finest people I know, but the finest priest I know as well. He has been my confidant for over 20 years, and I certainly would not be the priest I am if it were not for his influence on my life. And sure, I figure if I say enough nice stuff about him I will not have to buy him dinner too. But seriously, I will. Kelly is a pretty good egg as they say.

Over the course of my life the Lord has put quite a few amazing people into my life, and Kelly is one of them. I give thanks to God for him on this day, and am honored to get to see him and buy him a dinner on his birthday. Happy Birthday Kelly.

I hope you have had a blessed day as well! God Bless you, and thanks for checking in!

Tom+

Amanda is home, and thankfully in a great mood. The games went well in Fort Wayne apparently, and Ben was an angel as always! And though I seriously doubt the latter, she still seems to be quite happy to be home, which is of course good for me!

The Noblesville Lady Millers won all their games Friday and Saturday which makes me happy as well. The Varsity is now 6-2, one of the best records in the state, and the JV is undefeated at 4-0. It is a grat year so far, and we are enjoying it more than you could ever imagine.

As for me however, I am exhausted. It is just 8 and I have a tom to do before bed, but I am happy that the day seems to be under control. Tomorrow will be a long day, but tonight is joyous because things are back to the normal type of chaos that at least I understand.

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this most beautiful and wonderful day!

Goodnight to you my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

Tonight was “Senior Night” at Hare Chevrolet Field, and in addition to posting two solid wins (we played both Varsity and a JV games) we also honored our 6 graduating seniors. All six are a wonderful group of girls, and I will miss them when in a couple of months they go off into life!

But it was a different kind of night for me. Though Steph was at the game, Amanda and the boys were up in Elkhart (and tomorrow Fort Wayne) for games in the north. Scott is staying in a hotel with the team, and Amanda and the other Scott (Ben) are staying with my aunt and uncle in Fort Wayne. So it is a it odd for me to not hear Amanda in the stands or to come home and hear Scott playing guitar or read books to Ben. I will get home late and we play again early tomorrow, so I am sure it will go quickly.

Anyway, it was FINALLY a perfect day weather-wise!! Let’s pray tomorrow is the same.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless. Thanks for checking in!

Tom+

Ben and I spent the day together and he is doing TONS better, so much in fact that the doctor released him from daily reports. He is happy, full of energy, and making up for all the lost time when he was down…..he is killing me!

Tonight we played Zionsville HS, and last night Park Tudor HS….the number one and number two teams in the state. We stayed with them both the first halves, but PT pulled away late, while we gave Zionsville a game. Though we lost two, we are now 4-2 and intend to be 6-2 by Saturday.

But tonight, as players are stopping by to pick up spiritwear (lacrosse sportswear that they ordered….nothing to do with church clothes) the topic has headed to PROM and now my wife is involved, so I escaped here to the porch. Yes, I know my daughter is going to prom, but like an ostrich, I’d rather not know the details. Her boyfriend is a great guy and I like him, but I do not need to hear about fancy dates, limos, dinners, fancy dresses, or anything else that rips my heart from my chest. Amanda is all about making this stuff perfect and memorable, I would just settle for “in by 10.” Steph tells me I am “exactly like” Steve Martin in Father of the Bride, and maybe so, but she is not the one dealing with a daughter growing up. Dear Lord, help me to survive.

Anyway, I hope to hear no more tonight and next Friday, perhaps Amanda can just lash me to a chair and give me a glass of wine through a straw. Though I am happy for her, it will be a rough night.

Raising kids is not for sissies, and raising a daughter is at least twice as hard as two boys!!

Pray for me….she is just 17, and still my little girl.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

Though Ben acted like a total maniac today as if he were fine, by the time his nap time came around he started coughing again and acting miserable. I really wish he would understand it when I tell him to do something, but then again that really does not work with any of the kids or even Amanda. It appears he will just tough it out his own way. I will say though, he seems to have turned the corner. The doctor had us call him today though, and wants us to do it again tomorrow.

I often tell Stephanie and Scott that one of the reasons we have children is to scare us to death all the time. It is not that life cannot be challenging enough, we need children to make it more so. It is funny to me at how much stress I get worrying about them and how much joy they give too. It is the opposite ends of the spectrum and at times it seems as if it is way off the end too.

But I am not complaining. Nothing worthwhile comes without work, and for me this is great work. Ben is now with me in bed, with his feet in my face as an alternative to banging on the laptop keys. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Anyway, I intend to move these feet and get some rest. Tomorrow is another busy day, and one that I hope sees him even better.

I hope your day has been filled with many blessings!

Goodnight and God Bless.

Tom+

As much as I hate to admit it, today celebrates the one year anniversary of my stroke. A year ago, Ben and I, and many good friends and firemen gathered together in my living room to check me for something I do not even remember. Thank God it has turned out so well too. I am glad to be by it.

And try as I may, I was hell-bent on avoiding doctors all day today, but I failed. Where Ben supervised my demise last year, I supervised his this year. We spent a bit of time this afternoon getting him a chest x-ray, with both of us wearing lead aprons. Guess what?? He is an arm full when not irritated, but twice that much when he is….and today he was irritated! Fortunately we got the pictures snapped on the first go through. The aprons stayed on so both of us should be able to have children….though after wrestling with him I am not sure I want to!

But Ben has pneumonia, and is now dosed up and snoozing next to me on my bed. Though we NEED to practice, lacrosse was canceled today due to the rain, so fortunately I am able to take care of him. Not that he needs it mind you. He just has a cough, but still wrestles quite well, and has managed to run me ragged even in his supposed ill state. He as no clue he ever has anything wrong with him. What a lucky dog!!

As for me, on a personal note, I ran into a guy at radiology who clearly was struggling with the effects of a recent stroke. How ironic I thought, especially today. I don’t normally say anything, but today I felt called to, so I did. So I told him it was my stroke anniversary, and I encouraged him to keep at it. The opportunity meant a lot to me, as encouragement still does when other stroke patients encourage me. I think it encouraged him as well.

As I look back upon this last year I am struck by the abundance of God’s many blessings on my life. I understand more than anyone that I am not the man I was just 366 days ago, and I have learned to accept that I never will be again. But in so many ways I understand that I am actually much more than I ever was.

Through all of this, the Lord has deepened me in ways I had not known, and for it I am thankful. Maybe someday I will share some of the details of all that, but for now let me just say that my life is richer than ever before.

Tonight I will toast my wife and kids with a big glass of Merlot and thank God for them again. It has been an amazing year full of amazing blessings. And you might be surprised to hear me confess, that though this year has been hard, it has clearly been one of my best. Thank God for all He has given me.

His Blessings to you my friends! And please keep Ben in your prayers.

Tom+