Memories

I missed posting this past weekend due to family commitments and my continued urge to always be there for my wife and kids and develop as many memories as we can. I have been blessed over the past 36 years to have shaped some incredible memories that keep me searching for more. Looking back at these memories most of them have shaped the person I am today and have taught me the same values that I try to teach my little ladies everyday.

This past Friday my wife's cousin Jimmy unfortunately lost his battle with cancer. I was both sad and frustrated that this terrible disease took such a young person away from us. Sometimes events just don't seem fair and I wish that there was more that I could do to change the world. I just have to keep reminding myself that if I can accomplish the small things everyday and always smile that it will change someones life hopefully for the better and that's all I can ask for.

I have noticed one common theme after loosing a couple close people to cancer over the years and that's the memories we have of them. The great memories of the good times seem to out weigh the sad days that come at the end and I am grateful for this. I was with my grandmother years ago when cancer took her life and to this day I remember all the great memories and not the final few days. I remember her telling me all about the upcoming Chicago Bears season and what she felt about what management was doing...as a kid I thought how cool is my grandmother that she is a bigger Da Bears fan than I was. I saw pictures of Jimmy the final weeks of his life and the first thing that always came to my mind was how he always had a smile on his face and such a positive outlook and not what cancer had done to him in the end.

As my wife and I get closer to welcoming our third princess into the world in a few weeks my mind is full of joy looking back over the past 10 years my wife and I have been married. She was there for me when I decided to do my first Ironman, she helped support me while I went back to school and more than anything else she has helped me raise two amazing little girls. If the memories I have had the past 10 years are any indication of what the future brings than I have hit the lottery.

What I am trying to get at with this post is don't waste your time worrying about the little things but make time every single day of creating memories with those around you. They will enrich your life more than you can imagine and when your time comes to leave this world people will remember all the amazing moments you provided them with.

As always thanks to everyone who has helped out Jimmy's family. Please keep them in your prayers as they go through the grieving process. I know that I will not give up the fight and I will do my best to spread the word.

On a training note I have had a great couple weeks of training and I am feeling stronger every single day going into Lake Placid Ironman this summer. Last weeks totals:
Swim: 5000...anyone that knows me knows I dont swim much so this is my start towards the next 13 weeks
Bike: 230 miles
Run: 38 miles
This week looks to be bigger and then I am planning on a recovery week soon when my new little lady arrives....

Make It Count!!!!