The Days Just Aren't Long Enough

I really planned on doing a daily blog. Now it has been almost three weeks and I haven't had the opportunity to write outside of my weekly column. I have been amazed at how well our service dog, Shia, has taken to the family. Sleep (at keast for an entire night) once a forgotten commodity, has now become more routine, as our daughter is kept company by the dog every night. For those with a child with autism or related disorders, a service dog may provide one extra component in the bag of tricks in helping a child. I would suggest Working Class Dogs in Illinois. There are related links from this site to other associations that are involved with training and placing service dogs.
In other news, our oldest daughter has just finished her first course in college. She'll find out her grade on Monday, the same day that she starts her Swedish Massage class. We hear from her usually once a day, or every other day.
If you are from the Freeport or Northwest Illinois area, keep your eye on this site, as well as around town and in the Journal Standard for information about an Irish Variety Show that will be in Freeport at the Masonic Temple on Monday, September 26th. This will be a fundraiser for St. Mary's Church's new community center.
Looking forward to trying to get back to more regular contributions to this site. Hope you enjoy the newer columns that have been added to the Kastle Publishing site. Once again if you are looking for assistance with your web site or graphic design, contact Ben at Luedtke Creative Group.

Happy Birthday, America!

Once again we celebrate the birth of our nation. The grilling, the fireworks, the memories of childhood and family gatherings. Today is the first Fourth of July that we are spending without our daughter, Mary, being home for the past 18 years. She is celebrating with friends in Nashville as we await for friends and neighbors to converge for our annual outdoor cookout and pool party. It looks like it might be an indoor event this year, however, if the weather doesn't cooperate. We have been starving for rain most of the Spring and Summer. The farmers will be happy, as will our lawns and shrubs and flowers. I guess that it doesn't matter which days it rains, as long as it does. We can always cook indoors and the major point is that we have the freedom to gather, to share our stories, to share our faith, and our mutual respect for our country and our families. Today we pray for the well-being of the troops that are serving our country overseas and within our borders. Ever since September 11 we cannot take these freedoms for granted. Whether we agree or disagree with the policies set forth by this administration or any other freely elected president and his or her cabinet and the elected officials, we have the freedom to celebrate the differences that we have, while at the same time still being patriotic to the ideals and principals that our country was founded on.
So, Happy Birthday, America! We wish for many happy returns!