Abby rolls her eyes EVERY time I do it. But ya know what…..I don't care!
(The above statement applies to all of the following: Play Golf, Sing (badly), Swoon for Matt Lauer, Cuss, Fart, Drive 5-10 Below the Speed Limit, Pick Judd's Outfit, and Take 32 Minutes to Eat something that took everyone else 11). However, none of these are the subject of this post.
I like to ask thought provoking questions. I like to see what drives people. What makes people tick. What's a dream that somebody wants to achieve. I am pretty much the world's worst small talker. "How are you today" or "Man, how about this weather" pretty much take me nowhere in a conversation. Instead, I like to ask my friends these kinds of questions…..
What's something you have to do in the next 5 years?
What's the Top 5 on your bucket list?
What are your Top 10 Moments of your 20's?
Is it lame? Maybe. But, it works for me. Just the other day I was talking to a buddy I hadn't seen in a decade. I asked, "So dude, can you give me your Top 3 for the last decade?" His replies….
1. Opening my own business. 2. Saving a kids life by aborting my mountain bike and breaking my arm. 3. Being President of the Ocala _______ Association.
My mind was blown.
A few years ago we're sitting on the beach with a group of our best friends. Once again I posed a question… "What do you HAVE to do in the next 5 years?"
Some of the answers: Run a marathon, Open my own Practice, Have a baby, Finish my Master's, Quit my job, Match for my Doctoral Residency.
Ya know what……many of those things have happened, and it's awesome to see when you know these accomplishments were somebody's dream. Soooo, I'm going to keep it up. And guess what….
I think I'll start with today's blog post.
So, as I mentioned. What.A.Summer! We've journeyed all over the state. We've had some great, good, and bad times while we were home. We've taken some great pictures and made some great memories during this Summer of 2014. So, I have to ask myself…..
What were the Top 10 Events during the Summer of 2014?
I've searched my soul and provided my "Summer Top 10 Countdown" below. However, I first must provide a necessary disclaimer: All content below is the exclusive opinion of M. Ross Jones. Abby Jones will likely disagree with some of the content. Abby Jones is banned from any sarcastic comments while reading this post. Bruce Jenner still likes facelifts.
On to the Countdown……
10. Matching Shirts and a "New" Kind of July 4th
I walked into my bedroom and there they were…..Matching Shirts…….Ugh! Can this really be my life? The answer…..darn skippy! Some of our friends gathered in Apollo Beach for the July 4th weekend. We wore matching shirts (and thus my dignity is forever gone). We also celebrated July 4th in a much different style this year. No longer do we spend all day enjoying cocktails and fireworks. Instead, these days we change diapers and chase our kids. After the kids go to bed, we enjoy a quiet meal. And after that quiet meal, we go to bed (without even seeing the fireworks). Photo evidence provided. It was certainly a great weekend!
9. Surprise, Surprise
So one of our great friends was turning 30. Thus, we needed to go big. We needed to go bold. But as myself, Abby, and his wife were discussing 30th Birthday Party ideas - the hopes of a great time appeared bleak.
Not so fast! Just then it dawns on me that an 11th story Beach Condo was available for us on his birthday weekend. And then, operation Birthday Surprise went into effect! Ya see, two great friends (whom we rarely see) each decided they'd get a hotel room near our condo and SURPRISE our buddy on his birthday. One making the drive from Ocala….one catching the Red Eye from Washington D.C. The logistics were complicated but feasible. AND, the plans ended up going off without a hitch. For one day and one night, many of us were together for the first time in years. Happy 30th Ahrens!
8. Girl Time
Guys need guy time….girls need girl time too. Unfortunately for you ladies, us dudes probably get way more of it than we should, and certainly way more of it than you do. Abby recently had some great times with her sisters and some of her best friends. Judd and I barely survived without her, but I know this was important for Abs. Thankfully, I believe the "girl time" was quite tame (or at least the parts I was informed about were tame). We were also blessed to have "Aunti Mindi" down from The Big Apple for a visit, and for us to finally interrogate the new dude in her life. Wish we had more time.
7. Ketchup
If you missed this picture sequence in a prior post, then today is your lucky day! Judd Jones trying ketchup for the first time cracks the Top 10 at Number 7. I still laugh out loud every time I see this picture sequence. And for the record, I absolutely REFUSE to use "LOL".
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| Before |
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| After |
6. Sunset Cruise
Do you know who is the best kind of friend to have? A friend who owns a boat….a nice boat….and lives on a canal leading directly into Tampa Bay. Judd had never ridden on a boat before this summer, but we can officially cross that off the list! We took a sunset cruise earlier this summer with our great friends. The weather was great, the water was beautiful, the dinner was magnificent….and even better: Judd didn't fall overboard! All in all….a really great night.
5. Lingering
Ok I am just going to admit it.
Anywho, I like to linger. And, thanks to Steve Jobs, I get to capture a lot of memories on my iPhone as I linger. Below are some great memories from this Summer, all made possible by being an old man.
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| That Darn Bird |
4. Tide Pools
Abby, Judd, and I took a trip to Crescent Beach a few weeks back with my parents. More specifically, with Lellie and
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| My single favorite photo from this summer |
3. First Steps
For the last couple years, our son has had one true constant in his life: First Steps Daycare at the First Baptist Church of Ocala. We dropped Judd off at First Steps for the first time when he was just 14 weeks old. They've helped us raise him ever since. When Abs was diagnosed, the great people at First Steps were some of the first to wrap their arms around us and help. I always handled the morning drop off, and almost EVERY day someone at First Steps would ask about Abby and say they were praying for her. They took great care of our family. Life happens and circumstances change, and so this Summer was Judd's "curtain call" at First Steps. We will always be so thankful for First Steps. Thank you to Mrs. Susan, Cheryl, Teresa, Lindsey (x2), Laura, Katie, Heather, Barbara, Audrey, Sharon, and Janice. We are so thankful for you. Below are a couple pictures from Judd's last day. One hugging a friend goodbye, the other as he walked out (which may or may not make me a little "misty").
2. Celebrating Bopz
We lost a great man this summer, and someone who was a crucial part of our team that raises Judd….Jimmie "Bopz" Sparrow. Jimmie married Abby's mom in 2002 and was a significant part of our life over the last 12 years. ESPECIALLY when Judd came along. Judd absolutely adored him. We lost Jimmie in late June. It was a sad time, but also a time for celebrating a great life. Jimmie got all of the "important stuff" right while he was with us. We'll see him again one day. Judd wrote a letter to him which was read at his funeral. Like I said….Judd adored him.
1. August 25, 2014
Yes, the summer ends officially somewhere around September 20th. But lets face it, the summer really ends Labor Day weekend and when football starts.
Abby marches into her Oncology office for her LAST ROUND of Chemo tomorrow, 08/25.
She'll get her meds on the 25th, and if the typical pattern holds true, she'll feel good again on the 1st. Labor Day is September 1st. Thus, Abs will officially be done on the same day that a new season will begin anew, and we'll be able to put this last season…the Summer of 2014….the Summer of 6 Rounds of Chemotherapy…..a truly hard Summer…..Behind us…..I call that Design.
I am so proud of her. I am so amazed by her. I can't tell you how many times someone has approached me this summer and said, "Man, Abby really looks great". Heck yes she does. There's been some down days, but my wife is truly tenacious, and she did not let circumstance dictate how she would live this summer. How did I get so lucky?
I'm also so thankful for Abby's sisters and girlfriends, especially her oldest sister Kristi, whom have really helped Abby get through these treatments. Kristi has been here for every drop of meds. Every 9 hour marathon of Chemo Cold Cap rotation. Every time Abby has needed her….she's been here. She really got Abby through this. I was merely a bystander trying not to do anything stupid.
#1 has no pictures because we will take them all tomorrow. Regardless, this is truly the best day of the Summer. Abby, Kristi, and I are rocking some pink shirts at the oncology office tomorrow. What a day it will be.
If you're still praying for us, add Abby's Heart to your prayer list. She's still having some issues with her heart exams (as a result of her Meds), and therefore she needs to see a Cardiologist. Nothing big, but these heart problems are causing her to have to forgo a few drugs which are CRUCIAL to her treatment. She's taking it in stride though, and I'm certain her Docs will have a plan.
So there you have it….My Top 10 Summer Countdown. I hope you've had just as great of a summer. If not, you've still got a week to make some memories. Talk to you again soon.
-Rossaroni
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