Even Walter Noticed

June 13, 2006

Okay, okay, okay. When even Walter notices I haven't updated the web site lately, it's time to get back to work.

It took Erin a full week and a full-strength Z-Pak to get back on top of her game after the Disney World trip, but by the beginning of last week she had turned the corner, with renewed energy, renewed appetite, and renewed spirit to attack the summer with vigor. I have to admit that had she not had stable scans on the previous Monday, I would have taken myself into orbit. She had all of the telltale signs of relapse: low grade fever, back pain, loss of the Erin sparkle. The look inside let me take a much calmer outlook. She was just sick. And now she's better.

Erin completely enjoyed soccer camp at Texas A&M last week. Her small group leader all week was Ashlee Pistorius, who has garnered this list of awards in her first year at A&M (the website hasn't been updated with her sophomore accomplishments, but I know she was the team"s leading scorer and Offensive MVP last season):

• Soccer Buzz 3rd Team All-American
• NSCAA All-Central Region
• Soccer Buzz 1st Team All-Central Region
• Soccer Buzz National Freshman of the Year Finalist
• Soccer Buzz 1st Team Freshman All-American
• Soccer Buzz Central Region All-Freshman Team
• Soccer Buzz Central Region Freshman of the Year
• 2nd Team All-Big 12
• Big 12 All-Newcomer Team
• Big 12 All-Tournament Team
• Big 12 Rookie of the Year
• Three-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (9/13/04, 9/28/04, 10/12/04)
• Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week (9/13/04)

What an honor and a privilege for Erin to work with her all week in a group with just 6 other nine-year olds. It almost made me weep to hear her praise Erin and say how heroic she was.

Davis made his final trip to Mo Ranch as a youth last week. He fully enjoyed the beauty and comradierie of this 9th summer camp, and knows he is leaving something behind that he can't return to as he moves into adulthood. Speaking of which. He made his first (of many?) bonafide research trip of his life. He is in Louisiana measuring pine tree respiration (or something).

I am in the full stream of summer school. Tomorrow is the halfway point, and I am feeling confident that I will survive. I did complicate my life somewhat by moving offices last week at work, but my view has improved considerably and it gave me a chance to do a bit of housekeeping.

Erin's social calender is filling up rapidly. Ayesha is here for the week to help her plan and prepare for the Big Number 9 Birthday Party on Saturday. We hope the lake won't dry up by then. Erin's big pay-off for enduring the dreaded port removal surgery in March was that she wanted a swim-in-the-lake party for the party theme. On her actual birthday (next Tuesday) she and I are flying to Washington D.C. for Gold Ribbon Days. We will visit as many congressmen and women and staffers as we can and tell them about the need for funding for pediatric cancer. I am sure she will put a great face on childhood cancer for those lawmakers and staffers who think they can think dispassionately about the topic.

I will try to be more dutiful about keeping you all filled in. It's just that during the summer, I can always think of more excuses not to sit at my computer.