March Madness!

Let the games begin!!!

Every since Roger and I got married, we would let the kids pick NCAA teams and Roger would chart them and follow the games and the winner got to pick what restaurant they wanted to eat at.

I'm sure we made good on those most of the time...

And this year notwithstanding, Mom did the drawing for everyone this year because March Madness sneaked up on me.

I was fair...

I let Roger and the kids have all the #1 teams.

I choose Notre Dame and Xavier as my teams.

Notre Dame, because, hey, I'm all about Catholic.

Xavier because....

well...

On Ash Wednesday after Mass I came home and decided that Colin needed a Confirmation name and I had no doubt that St. Francis of Assisi would agree...afterall, Colin DOES have a white cross on his forehead which shows up nicely against his black skin and I had a black cross on my forehead again my alabaster skin so it made sense.

And yes, I have gone around the bend...

So Colin's name is now Colin Berkeley Mac Xavier Campbell.

Colin and Berkely are Scottish like Campbell.

Mac is in honor of my granddog, Macon, God rest her soul.

And the Xavier is because Roger chose it and he's never been able to choose a name before because he defers to his wife.

And Campbell is blatantly obvious!  :-)

So I had to have the Xavier team because of Colin's Confirmation name.

Yes, I've gone waaaaaay around the bend...

But then, you've known that for a while, my loyal blogger sistahs.

And you know WHAT ELSE is March Madness?



The fact that my 1LT above is crossing the finish line of a 1/2 marathon(13.1 miles) during a wind/sand storm with lots of hills in 1 hour and 42 minutes, coming in 2nd in his Battery and 10th overall!  So proud of him!  I can't imagine running against wind much less being pelted with sand.

The same LT leaves a week from this Sunday(27 Mar) to go on 2 week leave in Europe using hostels and the EuroRail.  He Flies into London from Sharm El Sheik(Egypt) and then will visit Germany, France, Rome(where he's bringing his mom a Rosary from the Vatican that has been blessed by the Pope) and then going back on the EuroRail to Ireland, his family's origin.  I am so excited for him.

Then I am excited for ME because after he gets back from leave he should be back in the States by the middle of May!

Speaking of the middle of a month...

Today is the Ides of March.

I was going to post about that except I don't remember the story behind it anymore.

But I DO remember that the 15th of March is the Ides of March so I should get credit for that.

Roger has has followups with his pulmonologist and cardiologist in the last week and we're losing ground on both accounts but if determination counts for anything, we're gonna give it all we have.  More scarring in the base of the lungs, now enlarged lymph nodes of the chest, his thyroid numbers have elevated for the first time ever and his shortness of breath is getting worse, necessitating the need for an echocardiogram yesterday and a chest CT and pulmonary function studies a couple of weeks ago.  We've cut down on the prednisone for his pulmonary disease in order to preserve heart function because the heart does not like prednisone.

Kelli is working!!!!

She is with Centene in Clayton, a suburb of St. Louis processing Medicaid claims and making good money at it.  It's a temp to hire so when they say hire I'm gonna say it's been real and good luck in your new abode.  I understand not wanting to commit to a lease with a temp job(I'm not entirely cruel) but I have my eyes on the prize of getting my duplex back to a Roger-n-Me status and hopefully we're nearing the finish line. 

Michael's plans are up in the air.

They asked him to take over the 178th Fire Support in Afghanistan starting NEXT MONTH but he declined(and coming off a deployment in Egypt that was his right) and besides, his mom would have cardiac arrested having him go from Egypt to Afghanistan without coming home first.  Plus Afghanistan puts me in a panic.  My son is no better than any other soldier to fight in Afghanistan but I need some time with him first. 

Jake(Michael's cat) is back with me having spent the winter at his other grandma's and Colin is ecstatic.  Jake, too, is looking for Shania and when Cade and Carter came up over the weekend they wanted to know where she was and that was a tough moment having to tell them but they understand about The Bridge now and that Shania is feeling better now.

Carter turned SIX on Friday---can you believe it?

Speaking of believe, I'm still believing and hope you all are doing the same.  With all the tragedy in the world lately, we are a blessed people and need to keep on believin'.  Also in my daily morning prayers I thank God for 24 hours that I get to choose how to spend and I have been spending it wisely.  Consider spending your 24 hours wisely, too.

Today is the 11 month anniversary of Hallie's beloved son, CJ.  Please keep the family in your prayers.  I still can't believe that million dollar smile is out of my life...

Love to all.