Friends...

Today as I was driving I happened to pass a school in which all the little kids were outside playing. Playtime... Remember when the biggest thing you had to worry about was how fast you could eat your lunch so you could get outside and play. 4-square, monkey-bars, tether ball, kick ball or even just running around because you didn't want to talk with the "yucky girls" ( my how that will and does change ). The freedom to do and be anything you want... or so we thought. At that age you are more worried about your snack pack then how you are going to pay the rent. All the friends in the world and can't imagine your life without them. Makes me smile just thinking about it... simple things in life.

From those thoughts it made me think about all the people that have come and gone in my life. Would seem that more have gone but what an amazing select few have stood the test of time. I think about all the times sleeping over at Mikes house playing the old school Nintendo. Staying up all night playing tell your thumb would hurt for weeks. Hard to think that something with only two buttons could do that. lol

Playing basketball at Nathans house till his mom told us to stop and I had to go home. Going to the school dances and playing basketball ( Yeah I know we should have been hanging out with the ladies ). Going over to his house every morning and watching ESPN before school and watching the game show Jeopardy after school ( still not sure how Nathan knew all the answers ).

Ski trips... Trying to keep up with John and trying not to kill myself. Funny how looking back being around John would do that to you. Not a bad thing just better learn really fast because that's how you had to be to keep up. Oh how I miss skiing and can't wait to get back someday. One time John and I went down the backside of the bowl which at the time I shouldn't have been even close to there. Prob should have been skiing the greens and maybe a blue if they weren't too hard.The statement said most often while we skied was, " Boundaries... We don't need no stinkin' boundaries," lol. The last run of the day always went something like this. Knowing how long it would take to get to the bottom John and I would ski like we were going for the Gold Medal to get to the bottom and make it for the last run up the ski lift. I still can smell the fresh air as we would get to the top. John would make us sit down and take it all in. Looking around at all Gods splendor and love every moment. Simple things in life...

A lot of today's thoughts have come from the fact that Katrina asks me from time to time if I will love her forever. The real question is will she stay with me. I think about those that have come and gone in my life and I'm truly blessed for those of you that have stayed with me. From good times and bad I should tell each and everyone of you how much you mean. I am bad about letting people in but each of you have a place with me for as long as God has us be on his earth. Hard to believe that I have known those that are so close to me for over 20 years. From football to playing pick-up games of basketball. From off-roading to late night Jamming on the old guitar ( thanks mike for putting up with me ). To have such great friends is more then I could have ever asked for. So many people couldn't tell you where or what the people they knew in grade school are doing today. I'm lucky enough to talk with them most weeks of the year. Not as much as I would like but enough to still know they want me around. Thank you... Truly

Quote of the day: "How dare you show up to my wedding with pecks"

Song of the day: "So Damn Lucky" by Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds