Ya know what?

Writing daily is HARD! It is even harder when you are a math guy and English class was something to be survived rather than enjoyed.

Okay...whining for the night is done. On to the blog.

Tonight will be the first posting where I don't have a look back since we are all caught up. From this point on, this blog will be about the present, about today. I'll try to keep it interesting, informative and at times (if I can) humorous.

As the days go on, my story will begin to get a bit mundane. You will only want to read, "today was a pretty average day," so many times. Quite frankly, I will only want to WRITE it so many times. So, periodically I will break away from me & present information about heart health, or about EMTs, or some other related topic.

Today is actually a little bit of a day like that. Today will not be so much about me, but about others.

While this blog is to be a thank you to everyone, I never intended to list all of the people who have been so wonderful to me. I made that decision for two very simple reasons.

1. If I forgot anyone, it would be a great injustice. One I am not prepared to cause.
2. I don't want to make anyone feel their help, prayers, or visits were any more or less important than anyone else's. IF I tried to talk about every person, my posts would be 2 hours long and somewhere along the line, I would not do justice to how special any particular individual act was. Again, not something I want to do.

However, I want to make two particular "shout-outs" today and tomorrow.

Today, I want to recognize my in-laws and the role they played in my story.

Kris, my brother-in-law, was in Raleigh when everything happened & by mid afternoon Sunday, he had dropped everything & was at my bedside. He headed to our home & collected some items for Ashley to stay with me. His day suddenly became longer & more challenging. I just want him to know how much I appreciate the love and care he showed that day.

If you have been reading the blog from the beginning, you know that my in-laws took care of the kids for Ashley & I for a few days. What you DON'T know is that my mother & father-in-law jumped into their car in Chicago on a couple of hours notice & drove to NC without hesitation. In fact, they nearly drove the entire 13 hour trip on Sunday; straight through. Folks, I am here to tell you that the ride form Chicago to NC is not an easy one. the first 1/2 is hypnotizingly flat. The second 1/2 is through some of the toughest mountain roads in the East. Just when Paula & Kerry would have been the most tired, the drive got more challenging.

After a very tiring drive, these wonderful people took care of 3 children for nearly a week and got ready for Thanksgiving all while worrying about he welfare of their daughter.

I have said countless times that I am very lucky. Another reason I AM so lucky is that I actually LIKE my in-laws. Do we always agree? Probably not. Do we always get our relationship right? Probably not. We are family after all; we have good days and bad. But when it comes right down to it, I like knowing that I have the family I have; all of the family I have.

So, while I can't thank everyone personally, I needed to take this opportunity to thank my in-laws for putting their lives on hold for Ashley & I. And, I want to thank them for making me one of those few lucky husbands that likes his family "in-law".

I love you guys.

That's it for tonight. Stop back tomorrow for my other "shout out.".
Goodnight & God bless.