So for most Houston County Schools Saturday night is Prom Night. I remember my 1st prom. I actually was not going to go. I did not have a date (I was to shy for the girls). Matt, Jake, Thomas all had their dates lined up and ready, I did not. When Jakes sister Holly heard that I was going to skip it she insisted on being my date. I thought that was sweet, and decided to go. So if we all do not know by now, I am a bit of a goof, and prom night was no exception. 1st thing I goof up on is getting a white jacket tuxedo. I stood out like a sore thumb, especially when everyone was looking real nice in their black matching tuxes. So we head off to get our pictures done, and as we are waiting in line Jake looks down at my feet and says “dude, are you wearing white socks?” I was, I thought they would match the jacket, I was wrong and I looked ridicules. Especially being that the socks were big thick sport socks, which bunched up and looked silly in black shoes. So after the picture we go back to his house so I could borrow a pair of his dads black dress socks.

The 3rd thing I do is during dinner. We had reservations at Angelina’s in Perry. At that time it was the fanciest place I had ever been for a dinner. Looking at the menu, I had no idea what to order. I couldn’t pronounce half the things on it. So I go with what I know, chicken. The waitress asks me what I would like, “um yes I would like some chicken pajamas please” everyone falls over laughing. I knew it was not pajamas, but I was nervous, I was under pressure, and what could I do? “You mean chicken parmesan?” she says.

We only stayed at the prom for maybe 45 minutes. We were back at Jakes house by 10pm. We had a good time. We had some good laughs, and to this day, I always think of chicken pajamas, when ordering chicken parmesan.

This is a powerpoint my moms friend made for Jackie and I when we were getting married.
I was able to convert it to a flash file so it can be viewed on the web. I made a change to one of the pictures, bonus points to those of you who catch it. Enjoy!

Jackie and I Growing up and falling in Love.

Just click the slide when you want it to go to the next one.

I love you Jackie. Two more weeks until Graduation!!!!!

Sure he is cute, but do not be fooled by his innocent looks or playful licks. He has ninja like reflexes and covert style tactics. We will intimidate the largest of dogs or humans with a growl that will rattle you to the bone, if you go near his bone that is. We do not know much about Scruffy he lived his life on the streets his 1st two years in this world, there is no telling what he knows or saw. I witnessed 1st hand yesterday what possibly was a secret mission to report to his peers. Yesterday evening around 7pm he managed to slip by me and my security measures. He had tricked me into thinking he was hiding under the small shed in the back yard, because this is where he goes when there is any sign that he is about to get a haircut or bath. I was wrong; while I was mowing the yard he must have slipped out the gate entrance. After mowing the yard it had got dark, and I called him to come in, but there was no sign, Nard One and Nard Two (Scooter and Duchy) where there, but Nard Three was nowhere to be found. I searched the back yard in the dark with a flashlight for 30 minutes in my PJ’s all the while Scooter (that’s nard two) chased the flashlight around the yard trying to catch it, making my search even more difficult, because everywhere I put the light, scooter was there trying to eat and kill it. So now I am getting worried. I hop in the car and start driving, to make matters worse; he does not have his collar on. I took it off to give him a haircut. So I am dangling his collar out the window of the car so he can hear it jingle, he will usually come when he hears it because he thinks its time to go for a walk.
I drive for about an hour, all these thoughts go through my head about how there is no way I can have kids now, I can’t even take care of a small dog, how on earth can I manage a child? I worry about Jackie and what is she going to think of me, my mind was going 100 miles an hour while I am only going about 10mph in my car. I head around the neighborhoods and then across Green Street to the other neighborhoods, because that is where J and I go for walks with him, so I thought maybe he went there. So after no luck there and seeing lots of cats the same color as him, my heart is starting to sink. I begin the painful search of looking for him on the busy roads, fearing the worst had happened. This was difficult so I say a little prayer. After I exhausted my search on those streets I went home. It’s now about 9pm. I get the flash light again, and search the backyard again this time I put nard two, I mean Scooter inside, I search all his hiding places again. I head out to the front yard, and start whistling. I hear a little bark in the distance, was it him? So I pull out the big guns and do my power whistle with my fingers. Well this didn’t work, because this just sets off every dog in the neighborhood barking. I start walking up the street, and this lady calls me from a house two doors up “are you looking for a little dog?” my heart jumped, there he was in her arms. She said he had been sitting at her door step not wanting to move; she had fed him and gave him water. My only guess is he thought he was at the right house, but was confused that someone else lived there so he would not go in.

Scruffy is home safe now, he had his freedom on the streets again, I guess he wanted to get back out there and see what the old life used to be like, but I think he knows how lucky he is to be in the home he is now. Isn’t that right Rick?

My mum e-mailed me this weekend to tell me that her half-brother Sammy, and my Nana’s sister Maisie passed away this weekend. I know they were dear to my grandmother. They were both very sick, and have been for sometime now, but as Nana said today, they are no longer suffering, and both are resting in a better place. Please keep them all in your prayers this week, their funerals will be during the week in Ireland.
Greg.

I am posting this Birthday wish a day early.

Some will say that it is not polite to tell everyone a ladies age, but this is Nana we are talking about. This Saturday Nana turns 78! That is really an age to brag about. You would think Nana is 28 somtimes. There is 50 years between myself and her, 25 years between myself and my mom, so it makes it easy to remember how old we all are.

I love my grandmother and here are some reasons why. Growing up in Ireland, I would spend every single summer out at her house. That was 3 months of nothing but me, her and the country, ohh and I cant forget Tiny. He was our dog. He would follow me all over the country side as we explored and looked for Queen Aine’s Treasure. (think I am kidding? click the link). Anyway, I cherished the summers out at her house. The memories are countless and priceless in my mind. One summer we climbed to the top of Lough Gur hill, which is no easy task, but we did it, the view from up there was incredible, you can see Limerick City which is almost 40 minutes away. Not many grandmothers will man-up and climb a small mountain with a 8 year old full of energy, and a passion for lost Irish treasures. She has never once every raised her voice at me in anger. She was my best friend those summer months. Every night we would sit around the fire and watch TV, with a nice cup of tea with plenty of sugar and bickies (these are cookies, she calls them bickies). My favorites were the pink creme filled one’s, they tasted great when you made them soggy from dipping them in the hot tea. I would eat a dozen or more, because with Nana there was no limits on bickie consumption.

Going to town on Saturdays was a blast, we would hop in the “Puddle Jumper” this was her two door Corolla that would jump every pothole from one end of Ireland to another. We would pick up her friend Mrs. Goery and off to town we went. This was exciting for me, we would get the TV Guide and some chocolate. There was also the dougnuts. We would get dougnuts that were not covered in glaze like here, and we would warm them over the fire so they got toasted, and then roll them in sugar. This was pure heaven.

My grandmother is awesome, and always will be. I have a very special place in my heart for her. She makes me laugh and says some of the strangest phrases, all of which make her one of a kind.

Happy Birthday Nana and Lord, Love A Duck.
Greg.

Today is Amy’s Birthday, WOOT! Happy Birthday Amy! We all hope you have a great day!

(this cake not included)

Benjamin and his parents! (More on that later) So this year for the 1st time ever Jackie and I decided to do Easter at our house. We do not hold many events at our place, but this Easter we wanted to make it work. So after a back breaking Saturday of getting everything ready, it was time to throw on the hosting hats and get the party started. The food was great, the company was fantastic (we missed you Kelly, Joey and the little one we don’t know yet). The easter egg hunt was a lot of fun, I don’t know if they all were found, but I am sure Scooter and Scruffy will find a few missing eggs during the week.

So on to the MVP award. Well sometime into the day Amy came running in with little Benjamin in her arms, covered in Blood, it would seem the little guy took a tumble, and knocked his little head that caused a cut which made him look like William Wallace from Braveheart. Everyone’s reaction was of horror, my stomach just went into knots, but the look and reaction of Chris and Danyelle is something I will never forget, they were calm, focused and in complete control of the situation. Chris took little B, and Danyelle just placed all trust in him to make it right. This was very comforting to me. Being the parents of three boys is no easy task I am sure of, but seeing how calm, cool and collective speaks volumes of how great of parents they are. I am glad to know that when the time comes for Jackie and I to have kids that we have such a valuable resource to look to. This is true for all the parents around us; family is the strongest relationship next to Faith. Without either of those the smallest of things become overwhelming.

Anyway, little B is fine; it was a small cut that looked big, and nothing to worry about at all. But that small cut thought me so much. It showed that our family is blessed and strong, and as a team we come together perfectly, even in the scariest of moments.

So this Sunday is Easter!! We are having a little get together at our house. We can have some lunch and just hangout and enjoy each others company. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone. Jackie has a request for all the children. She would like to have a picture made of all the little ones. I think this is a great idea, there is not one picture I can think of that has all of them in it. So with the help of everyone, I think we can make this happen. There is also a rumor going around that some weird bunny is going to litter my yard with eggs. I am not sure how I feel about this, but I think the kids will love it, so bring a basket if you have one, and help me clean up all this bunnies egg business.

* Easter Pictures are ONLINE!!* Click Me!

Jackie and I love to travel, and we want to see as many places as possible. We have been blessed with many great trips so far in our marriage. I have put together a map with all the places we have seen so far, and to make it even more fun, I have added photos, and links to more photos for each location on the map. So if you click on the little “pin” it will give you a nice picture from those vacations. I plan on updating this every time we take a big trip. I will add the link to the right so it will always be there from now on. If you want to take a peak now, click the map.