PHOTO FROM 7/7/09

I just got done taking Zach's 10 year old pictures...double digits in 2 days. I have done a similar photo shoot for both Nick and Chris so it is finally his turn (whata lucky guy). He actually does a really good job cooperating (for the most part) and I probably got 50 plus pictures I have to work with. While we were outside tonight, Zach visited his toad, Jamal, that lives near our pond and then he found a new, huge frog that he quickly named Trilo. Lawrence the toad lives in our front yard. I think we are acquiring a new natural, menagerie. I'm glad they dont' freak me out, but I certainly wouldn't want to accidentally step on one or have one jump in front of me when I wasn't expecting it.

Sad day in that Michael Jackson was memorialized. He is such an icon of my time, and probably the biggest entertainer of all time. His songs are a timestamp of my life and it's amazing what an impact his music has made on my kids even when they didn't know it. What came out of the whole thing is that he was a human being who lived a superhuman existence. Because of that he was hounded by the press, accused and assaulted, but at the end of the day, when his daughter stood up and said that he was the best daddy and she loved him, it shows that he is a lot like all of us...just trying to survive, doing our best to help others and making some kind of difference in the world (which he definitely did). Ultimately, he was "daddy" to 3 young children and they have lost that most important person as well as his mom lost her son...what a tragedy. His music and legacy will live on and for that, I am grateful.