Yeah Dave, It was me (bigger, stronger joke..haha) Hope you had a great birthday.
We had Adam's (Brooke's brother) family here last week through the weekend. We went to our favorite place to take people when they visit: Savannah. We devoured shrimp, mussels and crab over the fire, listening to Jimmy Buffet at the Crab Shack. It is a fun place out on the island where you eat outdoors. It was a bit chilly and windy, but otherwise very pleasant. You will be shocked to learn that the next morning, Jane "Seafood" Stinchfield had Krispy Kreme Donuts, fresh Georgia Strawberries, and, yes, 1/2 pound of leftover peel-and-eat boiled shrimp. Fun trip, I will get pictures up as soon as we can find the USB cable for the camera. You should of seen Sadie climb this rock climbing wall at the playground. She negotiated it like a pro. With her character, I can see her as the rock climbing type. She will be a tough woman... with curly blonde hair. A funny story: When we were at the Crab Shack, Sadie spilled her water, for which I scorned her. So when she proceeded to spill her chowder some time later, she immediatley blamed it on her cousin by pointing her finger at her little 2 year old cousin, "she did it"
I am about four weeks away from the mid-point of the course. That is when the homework load is supposed to lighten up a lot. We find out where we are going May 10th. Two items of good news: I verified that the request for the unit I want to go to at Lewis got Dep. Army approval, now just waiting on Infantry branch to work it out. Also, it looks like that unit won't deploy to Iraq this year.
Brooke and I read a book on the trip that really is compelling (I read aloud while she drives). It is called Freakonomics by Levitt. Brent, he is a quirky economist, if that picques your interest. Somewhat controversial, but it really makes you pause to think about how things work in this crazy world. Don't miss it. The economist is purely objective with his findings, the journalist that helped him write it, a little less so. Is drug dealing really profitable? Do Sumo wrestlers cheat? Do teachers cheat? Did abortion lower the crime rate? Should you have a gun in your home or a swimming pool? You will finish it in a day and at least be more informed. Let me know if anyone wants to borrow it.
Great recent XBOX games I have through Gamefly- Psychonauts and Jade Empire. I bet Dave's kids would love the latter if they liked Gladius. The first one is pretty quirky. Probably just me would like it, maybe Tom.
My leg is getting better. I ran 3 miles Friday which is great but it took until today for the pain to subside... so that is bad. But, before I couldn't run 3 steps up the street, so...progress. I am loving swimming and biking, both of which I will be doing when I am 80.
Brooke got her MRI today. She has a small reherniation of the disk in her back (L5-S1) and a load of scar tissue pinching the nerve. We are meeting with the surgeon again. She will probably get cortizone to affect the scar tisuue. Who knows what else. She has picked up swimming too.
Jane is doing great in school-a true model child.
Ellyn still refuses to walk. She just likes being a baby and loves to be held. I can't complain.
Funny Sadie story. Today Sadie was saying stupid, stupid, stupid repetitively. Brooke asked her to stop several times before threatening her with a Time Out. So she starts out "stu...Brooke gives her the evil eye..."stuper-duper Mommy, STUPER-DUPER!!"

Mike