Dr. Thomas Scott Walton 1957-2006

I haven't written for a while, because I've been bound up in a life drama of my big brother battling for his life. He lost the battle to colon cancer June 23, 2006 but I do believe he is in Heaven now pain free. I will miss him and do miss him very much.

I'm not sure what to say about this man who had the room across the hall from me in our house growing up. He was second oldest of five and I am the youngest. He was a man that I only had begun to know now that we were grown up. He is the guy who knew how to push my buttons to tease me and loved to get me all stirred up. He was in medicine and said he didn't understand my artistic nature, yet he loved music and taught himself guitar. He had a little girl with his wife five years ago and has always urged me to have a child with my husband. He was so proud that I had a little boy last year. He worried and fussed over all his siblings and when our Mom died he took her place in a way that we all complained about, but secretly loved, because his fusses showed us how much he cared.

He was a great brother, husband, and father. I miss you Dr. Tummy Tom. Give Mom a kiss for me.

Relatives and friends are welcome to send flowers or make contributions on-line to cancer research in honor of Thomas S. Walton, M.D. to www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp?promogaw or call 1-800-ACS-2345.

Life insurance?

Last night our friend Tim came over who happens to be an insurance salesman. He has talked to us for years just mentioning that anytime we want life insurance to just say the word and he'll be over. We finally decided or my husband finally was worn down about the subject or perhaps because of events this year, he sees things in a diffrent light, I know I do. Youth gives you an invinicible exterior and it is hard not to think of yourself as young. But this year, has been a challenge to my youthful outlook.
I had my first child, but was in the "high risk" age range for it and was frightened about it because there were so many things that could go wrong. Then my child came and he is so beautiful, but so vunrable and we want to protect him. Then one of my sisters came down with ovarian cancer and my brother was diagnosed with stomach and colon cancer at stage 4 and he was only 48 years old when he passed away in June. Then we've had two friends loose loved ones to leukemia, a daughter age 19 and a father of 6 age 48. Another friend struggles with leukemia, disabled for 5 years now. All this adds up and begs the question of what is predictable? Is there any real life insurence?
Not really on this earth. The only life insurence we can have is assurence in God and his kingdom. Sometimes that is very comforting and at other times it is deeply disturbing.

I know not what of good or ill may be reserved for me, Of weary ways or golden days, before his face I see. But I know whom I have believed and am pursuded that he is able to keep that which I've commited unto him aganinst that day. From the old hymn "I Know Whom I Have Believed"

Profundity Takes a Vacation

I often have profound thoughts when it comes to other people's blogs, sermons, or plays, but today in actually starting a blog I am stunned by the blank screen of my computer. I called this Strawberry Sneezes because that is what my 10 month old son kept doing this morning during breakfast sneezing out his strawberries as he tried to get down his yougurt.
He works so hard at everythig, because everything is so new. Things I don't even think about any more like eating becomes a serious endevor for him. Perhaps I should think more about what I eat and how questioning every bite, like a 10 month old often does, would do me a lot of good. I choose more healthy fare for him than I often do for myself.
I am concerned about his beginning of life getting off to a good start. Why don't we ever contemplate the middle of life continuing to be good as the start? That is where I am today, trying to make the middle really, really great by starting over with my ground in bad habits, stretching for my far off desires and dreams.
I am an artist, mother, wife, and friend. I can see middle-age approaching fast and wonder how I got where I am and how to go forward fantastically. This is the Skeleton Scoots part---getting my old bones to dance to a new tune. If you want to see a really accomplished blogger, go to my husband's blog spot: what-you-will.blogspot.com