We went to cool Uncle Mike`s town in Pa and spent the day with him last Sunday. 2 meals, a visit to his apt, an awesome ride on a steam engine thru the countryside, a state park and a tour of his TV studio...it was a packed day! And the boys loved it, only one mood swing. Here`s a 6 year old pretending to be a sports anchor like his uncle & a Creature at the state park.

Erika, the baby pic is for you. :)thanks for the shirt.

Finally

An ad in American Baby magazine.
Finally a mainstream magazine with an anti-circumcision ad.
If only every expecting couple would educate themselves fully on this subject, the risks are so much higher than any "risk" of being left the way God created. Seeing one done, learning about the history of circ in this country, would lead to routine non-religious circumcision going away forever, like it has in every other "civilized" country.
-The rates are dropping every day so there is no more locker room issue.
-The new circs are done differently to save more nerve endings, they don`t even "look like daddy" anymore.
-in the beginning of this century, both female and male circumcision were done rountinely in this country, only one caught on. If they had both caught on, we`d be carving up girls too. Lucky for us, we`re safe here.
-Every 10 years a new reason to do it is given and it is shot down every time. I wonder what excuse will be next?


p.s. because I can`t resist--circumcision totally violates the Hippocratic oath of First do No Harm. And altering a person permanently without asking them first, pretty harsh.

Saint

My little baptized cutie and his big baptism with 4 other babies.

Scary

Early this morning I dreamed I had a job in New York that I had to fly to once a month. Each time I got on the plane I worried that it would crash so I had the same ritual, saying a prayer right when I got on and staying pretty calm once we were flying.

It was time for me to go back and I had to get on the plane, but this time I was reading a book instead of saying my prayer. My book was actually religious and I remember in my dream feeling awkward about openly reading such a religious book, but it was really good, so I was reading as the plane took off. The pilot was talking, the plane was a small commuter plane & we were flying low. I looked up from my book and saw that we were really really low right over the Potomac. Then the plane just slipped into the river. I saw the water rising over the windows and I couldn`t believe it actually happened, my greatest fear. For a second I looked down at my book. Then it hit me that I had a very limited number of breaths and I was alone. Because dreams are so random, now my section of the plane was like a fighter jet. It was just me, in a bubble of glass, praying that somebody would notice as I slid further underwater. It was sunny and there were leaves all over the water.

I woke up right then and I couldn't catch my breath for the longest time.

sweet

A happy guy and a beautiful fall day in my neighborhood. That was last week. This week has been a real challenge. more later...