ArtPrize

A few of our favorites from this evening's stroll through ArtPrize...

And, of course, Gavin had a load of fun interacting with the art...

Losing Teams

I meant to post this last weekend; I'm a little late. It's been a long week. These photos were taken pre-games on Saturday and Sunday. There was a vibe of great anticipation as the Fighting Irish and Lions took the field...only to end in typical fashion, losses. I do still think these photos are awfully cute and certainly blog-worthy.

Matching teeshirts for Dadda and son.

And as Brad said to Gavin after the Lions game Sunday "this is the beginning of a lifetime of disappointment". Sigh. Poor boys! Regardless of whether our teams win or lose, Gavin sure does enjoying watching!

BaPa

No doubt, some of Gavin's favorite people in the world are his grandparents - "BaPa" and "Mae mee" as he calls them.

We received some bad/sad news about BaPa Clark this past week. Brad's Dad, Mark, was diagnosed with prostate cancer five years ago at the age of 52. He had surgery to remove his prostate quickly after diagnosis. It was discovered at that time that the cancer had spread locally to surrounding soft tissue, so he underwent several weeks of radiation treatment as well as hormone therapy. Though never cured of cancer, his PSA remained low for several years. And while changed by the diagnosis, Mark continued to live life to the fullest, as he had always done. Last week, Mark had a routine bone scan that revealed his cancer has spread to his bones (spine and femurs). He will start chemotherapy next week after having a port placed later this week.

My heart is aching, among many other hearts in the family. I find my eyes filled with tears quite often lately, questioning all of the "whys". Why someone so young? Why someone with so many people in his life who need him for many more years? Why no cure? I'm having a hard time making sense of God's plan.

Please pray for Mark and all of our family that he remains strong during his coming treatment. And that he continues to live life to the fullest. He is an amazing man, who has become a second dad to me. And a particularly adored "BaPa" to Gavin and his three other grandchildren, Luke, Lexi and Ava.

We love you Mark!

Fort

I ordered a baby shower gift for a co-worker on Amazon.com (love Amazon Prime, as a side note). And when it came, the shipping box was just the perfect size for Gavin to play in. I gave it to Brad and here's what he came up with...Gavin's first fort ("house")! It even has a roof and doors. Needless to say, it's been Gavin's favorite thing all week. He loves hiding (usually with one foot hanging out because he's just too excited to fully enclose himself) and then poping out to surprise us. I love the creativity. I can vividly remember creating similar forts with boxes as a child. I absolutely loved transforming cardboard into a a magical little place.

Here's Gavin "hiding" inside the house (note the toes peeking through)...

And, SURPRISE, here he is!

This photo I've added because I just like it. We spent some time outside on Tuesday night while Brad was with his cycling group. It was so HOT in the sun, even though it was the evening. This picture is cute because it shows off Gavin's rosy cheeks that he commonly acquires while playing in the heat. He's very much like his cousin Luke when it comes to the "flushing" department. I also love the photo because it showcases nicely his beautiful eyes. He has been blessed with BIG, gorgeous blue/green eyes (turning more green over the recent months, like his mom's)!

Who could say "no" to this little face? So precious!