Graduation Day!!!!!!

Nothing like some cake for the graduation party

Addy on stage with "2" hands on the diploma.

Mommy and Addy on our proud day.

Here is Jaci (left) my little girl with her friend Ivy.

I can't believe my little girl is going to kindergarten!! It seems like yesterday Addy was learning to walk and now she is telling me why stars blink (very technical to explain). I cried more today than I have the past ten years. I know there are plenty more graduations left but this ONE seemed so significant. I can't explain how proud I was as she strutted across that stage today. I guess I was a little terrified as well. I am not ready to give my little girl to this world yet....maybe never. I know I am going to have to someday, but THAT day just got a LOT closer. It's funny when you prepare to be a parent people say things like "it will change you forever" or " you will wonder how you could you love something so much when you know so little about them" and you think to yourself yeah whatever I will be different, but I am here to tell you being a father has forever changed me. I actually say a little prayer at night asking God "if you need someone from this family PLEASE take me." If you knew how selfish of a person I used to be you would understand the significance of that statement....but like they say kids WILL change you forever.

Beast of burden

Is it me or have all the new "carry-on" bags just gotten WAY out of hand in the size department? As I was boarding my flight to West Palm Beach this weekend, for my little girl's graduation of pre-k ( don't get jealous about the south Florida thing they are in the middle of Tropical Storm "Barry" here) all I noticed was people trying to CRAM in these huge suitcases they call carry on luggage these days into the tiny bins that actually haven't changed sizes for the last twenty plus years. I watched in disbelief as one of the stewardesses did EVERYTHING but give a "FLYING ELBOW" to one of these gargantuan suitcases to try and fit it in the tiniest of crevices to no avail. As my eyes traced the mammoth curves of one of these monstrosities I wondered if I could actually fit a 13 inch TV, ALONG with my 5 and 3 year old little girls (which I had already decided would fit with no problem). I actually had to laugh to myself when the stewardess read the all too familiar line "be careful when opening the storage compartments as items may have shifted during flight". If there was SO much turbulence that these beasts actually shifted, then the only one touching the cargo will be the N.T.S.B. as they try to figure out why the plane went down, and God forbid if one of these things actually fell on you good luck! I guess the carry on luggage is like everything else these days the BIGGER we can make it the more stuff we can have. I gotta have it ALL.....NOW, bigger ,faster, stronger. What ever happened to the days when it wasn't about what YOU have, or how big your SUV is, or how much money you have in your wallet? As much of America is consumed with those types of questions it's kinda nice to think about Milwaukee. I have noticed that for the most part that type of thinking doesn't get to live here. The people here are friendly and down to earth. Once you mesh with this town they embrace you and call you their own. I can't wait for my little girls to NEVER know what they're missing.