My CFF Gala Speech

I'm not a fundraiser by nature, but I can certainly get up and share my story with passion. I was honored to be a part of a record breaking night for the Southern Arizona chapter of the CFF. They were able to raise over 400,000 dollars (the year before they raised around $175,000) and I was happy to be a part of that!

   

When The CFF Gets It Wrong

by Julie Desch and found on her blog "Sick and Happy".

Six months ago, the National Cystic Fibrosis Foundation announced an update of their infection prevention and control policy.  As stated on their website:

• Indoor events: At any Foundation-sponsored indoor event or meeting, including gatherings such as chapter committee meetings, only one person with CF may be present and he or she will be designated in close consultation with event chairs and key event volunteers.
• Outdoor events: At Foundation-sponsored outdoor events or gatherings, people with CF need to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from each other.

As stated by the CEO of the CFF, Robert Beale, the intent of the change of policy was “… we want to be sure that we are doing all we can to reduce the risk of cross-infection among people with the disease. The health and well-being of people with CF is our top concern — it is at the heart of all we do.”

At the risk of incurring the wrath of what most in the CF world regard as a beloved organization run by those with only the best intentions for all of us with CF, I would like to respectfully disagree with Dr. Beale, and the Infection Prevention and Control Committee charged by the CFF to come up with an updated and revised version of the 2003 Infection Control Recommendations for Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

Don’t get me wrong.  The CFF does an amazing job raising money and awareness in the fight to cure CF.  The millions of dollars raised by over 75 chapters and branch offices of the CFF provide the ongoing gravitational force that has led to a tidal wave of new discoveries and lately, some promising new treatments for a disease that we all love to hate.  There is no doubt that the fight to cure this ghastly disease would be nowhere near the finish line, as it appears to be rapidly approaching now, if it were not for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Indeed, the Foundation is lauded for birthing the concept of “Venture Philanthropy,” in which non-profit fundraising organizations provide funding for small pharmaceutical companies to develop new drugs for orphan diseases…companies that would otherwise be unable to do the necessary research.  The idea is brilliant, and the proof of concept is none other than Vertex Pharmaceutical, maker of Kalydeco, AKA Blue Lightening, or as I like to call it, The Little Blue Pill That Was The Beginning To The End Of CF As We Know It (I need to work on an acronym).  Bob Beale and his team deserve abundant credit for this.

But, you and I are a big part of the fund raising process.  We fund raise.  We educate others.  We tell our stories.  When we were younger and cuter, they were our pictures on the fund raising literature.  After all, this is about us, right?  Yet here is where the CFF has completely left us out of the equation.  We are SO far out of the equation, in fact, that the concept that we might actually be able to decide for ourselves if we want to risk attending a CFF event has not even been considered–at least not that I can discern.

Instead, the CFF will be introducing at their next annual conference, a 92 item document, listing all of the ways adults and children with CF should be protected from cross infection.  Note that the passive nature “be protected” as opposed to “protect themselves.”  I mean what I say and I say what I mean.  This document covers everything from telling us to avoid construction sites to containing our secretions.  They include the directive to avoid all social contact with each other, to avoid car rides with each other, to not share utensils, to stand no closer than six feet from each other if we are outside, and to please not exercise together (they didn’t say please). The Foundation has no hesitancy telling us what to do.

Generally, I can take this all with a grain of salt and know that they are in fact, simply doing their job, and attempting to educate us about the risks that we face when we come in contact with another person with CF whose lung microbiome is different from ours.  NEWS BREAK: Bugs might mix and match, and we could end up on the wrong side of that equation.  I am well aware of that, and I don’t intend to hug you the next time I see you (I am assuming that you, dear reader, have CFTR “issues” as I do).  But, perhaps there are a few of us out there who didn’t see Grey’s Anatomy, and don’t yet know that we are all co-pariahs and need to avoid each other like the plague.  If so, I’m sure the new edition of the best-selling Infection Control Recommendations for Patients with Cystic Fibrosis will not be for naught.

But when they specifically mandate my behavior, I get pissed.

To read this rest of this blog, please click here. You'll want to read the rest of this!!!

Note from Ronnie: Full disclosure, I love Julie Desch. 

Reaction: New CFF Infection Control Policy

I had absolutely zero percent interest in writing about this or sharing my thoughts on the matter. I was only going to share the new guidelines as I did this morning, here, and move on. What's sparking this blog is the responses I've been reading, receiving, hearing etc. Maybe what I write here will make it better for some and maybe it will make it worse for some.

[And now the obligatory preemptive strike. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. How you feel about this and how it affects your life is valid. I respect the views of others. I'm sure there are other pleasantries that I'm leaving out that I will soon be reminded of. This is just my opinion, no more, no less.]

As many of you know who read this blog from time to time, I'm a pretty pragmatic guy. I see the world in black and white with very little grey. I like to focus on the rule and let others worry about the exceptions to that rule. I like facts. I prefer for others to give me straight talk and I appreciate that in return (Just ask my wife). I'm more concerned with the solutions to the problems than the problems themselves. I'm also a pretty visceral guy. Not in an emotional outburst sort of a way, but in an inward, deep-thinking kind of a way. I like to think of unintended consequences. I try to understand someones motivation rather action taken or not taken. I like to debate just to hear the other side, even if I agree with it. I will often not respond during a conversation because I'd rather respond with how I really feel than respond with how I felt in the moment.

Anyway, that's where I'm coming from with this.

So what was my first reaction when I received the email from the CFF regarding the email? Honestly, I said to myself, "Ok," and moved on with my day.

As I started thinking about it more, and with the assistance of the thoughts from others, my opinion has evolved, but maybe not by that much.

Here are the facts about cross-infection:

1. People with CF can get each other sick by spreading different bacteria.
2. New evidence suggests that this may be a bigger problem than once thought.
3. New evidence suggests that the bugs can "hang out" longer than previously thought.
4. New evidence suggests that droplets can go further in the air than previously thought.
5. CFers getting new bugs in their lungs that could potentially make them sick, even with their consent, is not a good thing.

Here are the facts about the CFF:

1. They are one of the best non-profit organizations around.
2. They have changed the way orphan disease research gets done.
3. Their job is to raise money.
4. Their job is to develop materials and provide some programs that support the CF community.
5. I would not be alive today without them doing what they do.

Here are some facts about me:

1. I've been to and spoken at 100's of CFF sponsored events both indoors and outdoors.
2. I've had good friends who happen to have CF my entire life.
3. I have a good relationship with the local CFF chapter.
4. I have no relationship with the national office and have never been to Bethesda, Maryland.
5. I'm not a cheerleader for the CFF.

Okay. So. What does all of this mean?

In short, the CFF can make whatever rule they want to make regarding what takes place at events they are running and/or supporting. There is absolutely nothing I'm going to say that will change the new guidelines set forth. They are not basing these on feelings, they're basing them on science, facts and research.

Do I think it's awesome? Of course not! But it's totally understandable. Who knows, maybe as we continue to learn more and more about pathogens, we'll be wondering why they didn't do this sooner. They are not doing this to protect themselves, they are doing this to protect us. I can understand if a business, or in this case a non-profit, doesn't want any part in putting us in a possibly compromising position.

So how do I respond? Well, at this point, I'm not sure. I know this though. When I don't like something, I don't turn to complaining, I turn to changing. If I think someone isn't doing a great job, I will try to take their job and do better. If I can't make a system run smoother, I'll opt to create a new system. If I think I can be better at x, y or z, I don't talk about it, I just do it. In other words, if I thought that a myriad of people with CF had to be at an event in order for it to be a success, I'd throw my own events with plenty of people with CF invited. But I don't think that. I think the CFF can still have successful events, and raise a ton of money, even while following the guidelines. (In fact, some CF centers have been enforcing some of these guidelines for years at their events [like CF Ed Days] already. Those events are still successful.)

I woke up this morning and these new guidelines didn't change my life one bit. There may be things that will change in the future with regards to my participation in certain events, but that remains to be seen. I'll still take the same precautions as I did before when hanging out with my friends with CF in the real world. Will my approach change with them? Maybe, but not by much.

I woke up this morning with a wife to love. I woke up this morning with a daughter to raise. I woke up this morning with bills to pay. I woke up this morning with a run to complete. I woke up this morning with 4 treatment sets to do. I woke up this morning with Cystic Fibrosis.

I have much bigger fish to fry. Now, maybe I'll just fry those fish 6 feet away from all of my fish-frying peers.

New Cross-Infection Control Guidelines

From the CFF...

We are writing to let you know that the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation recently implemented a new infection prevention and control policy for all Foundation events, meetings and offices to protect the health of people with CF. We took this step based on increasing medical evidence that the risk of people with CF spreading destructive germs to one another is greater than was previously thought. Our new policy reflects the advice of leading medical experts on this subject.

The health and well-being of people with CF is our topmost concern — it is at the heart of all we do. We have long had infection control guidelines in place to promote the safety of people with CF. With this new policy, we are acting proactively and immediately to reduce the risk of cross-infection among people with CF. 

The key elements of the Foundation’s new policy are: 

• At any CF Foundation-sponsored indoor event or meeting, including gatherings like committee meetings, only oneperson with CF may be present and he or she will be designated in close consultation with event chairs and key event volunteers.
  
• At Foundation-sponsored outdoor events or gatherings, people with CF need to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from each other.
  
• Under no circumstances shall individuals who have ever had a confirmed positive sputum culture for Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) complex attend any CF Foundation events, meetings or offices.  

We understand that these changes are disheartening and difficult for many in our community. Among the many burdens of CF is that of social isolation. We also recognize the unique challenges that our new policy poses to adults with CF, whose full engagement is vital to helping us better serve the entire CF community. The Foundation embraces and owes so much of its success to the active participation of people with CF in all our activities, from major fundraising and advocacy campaigns to informal meetings in chapter offices.

Fortunately, there are alternative ways we can make Foundation events more accessible to people with CF. We are expanding our use of teleconferencing and live videocasts so people can take part in group activities remotely. We are also exploring other new technologies to help us engage people with CF more creatively and draw on their talents and experiences to strengthen our collective efforts.

You can find more information about our new policy, including FAQs, in a new section on the Foundation’s website:http://www.cff.org/aboutCFFoundation/InfectionPreventionControlPolicy/. We will follow up with more information and resources as we implement these changes.

We are confident that, with the right tools and in a spirit of partnership, the Foundation will be able to put our new policy into practice successfully. Thank you for your help as we take this important step.

AZ CF Cycle for Life

The Arizona Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation  is hosting the Aptalis CF Cycle for Life presented by BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. on Saturday, November 3, 2012 beginning at 7am starting at Goodyear Sports Complex, Goodyear, AZ. The ride will kick off to two routes –35-miles and 65-miles – and then riders will embark on their ride traversing the farm lands, Sonoran desert, Verrado and rural communities throughout Estrella Mountains, Goodyear and Avondale to raise dollars for cystic fibrosis research.

Here is an opportunity for individual and cycle clubs to make their mark! Ride organizers are expecting hundreds of riders to take to the streets in support of changing CF to CURE FOUND! All funds raised will support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The Foundation is one of the most effective and efficient organizations of its kind. It has received a four-star rating for sound fiscal management from Charity Navigator, the largest independent charity evaluator in the United States, and is an accredited charity of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.

“This event will be a great ride for all—no matter your riding experience we have a route for you!” said Sheryl Keeme, executive director for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “Join my team Girls Gone Riding or form one of your own. But it isn’t just the route and the weather that will bring people together. We’re uniting in the cause of finding a cure for cystic fibrosis.”

With more than 30,000 people living with CF nationwide, cystic fibrosis is the number one life-shortening disease of children and young adults in the U.S.; however, there is much hope for the future as the median survival age for cystic fibrosis sufferers has climbed to 37+ years.

Cyclist can register today for the Inaugural CF Cycle for Life at www.cff.org/chapters/arizona. Register today and save, the $25 registration runs through July 31, 2012. Registered cyclists are asked to raise $150 by event day, but riders are encouraged to go above and beyond with their fundraising efforts.

Additionally, those who want a taste of the ride, can participate in a free kick-off ride through Verrado on Saturday, Sept. 29, through Verrado beginning at 7:30 AM!

           

Corporate sponsorships are available; please contact Sheryl Keeme at skeeme@cff.org or call 602-224-0068 at CFF to learn more.

Top rider fundraisers will receive a variety of prizes, including a collectors’ ride shirt, cycle jersey, wind jacket and other unique cycle items.

About The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Arizona:

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, of Arizona, headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a donor-sponsored nonprofit organization dedicated to finding therapies and a cure for cystic fibrosis (CF), while helping to improve the lives of those living with CF. CF is the No. 1 life shortening disease of children and young adults in the U.S. Caused by a genetic defect, the disease forces the body to produce abnormally thick mucus, leading to chronic, life-threatening lung infections and impairs digestion. Thanks to the support of millions and the work of organizations like the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, researchers have discovered the basic genetic defect that causes CF. While today there exists no cure, an arsenal of remedies have been produced to help treat the disease, dramatically extending the life expectancy of people living with CF. The foundation’s “pipeline” is filled with more than 25 promising CF therapy candidates in clinical trials and six others in laboratory development. With help from its supporters, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation looks forward to the day research finds a cure.

Kalydeco - Can it benefit others??

A couple weeks back, I was able to listen to Dr. Beall (President of the CFF) present about all of the progress that has been made over the years with specific focus on the new drug, Kalydeco. As most of us know, Kalydeco was approved a few months back for those among us who are rocking the G551D mutation (about 4% of the population). He's a good speaker and I can see how he has spear-headed the fundraising machine known as the CFF. He's passionate, charismatic, engaging and of course, informative.

He gave a very good illustration of what Kalydeco does for the peeps it helps, and why it doesn't work for others. Basically, he had all of us in the room (the cell) pretend we were sodium and chloride and the door to the room represented the protein which opens and closes to allow a natural exchange of different properties from within the cell to the lining of the airways. Those with the G551D mutation have a door that is stuck shut and Kalydeco has shown that it is able to open that door.

I have heard all of this before, but what I haven't heard was what came out of his mouth next. To paraphrase, he said that although Kalydeco is only for about 4% of the population now, they hope that it eventually it will be effective on between 16 and 20 percent of the population. So how could this be? Well that's because G551D is a gating mutation, or "stuck door" mutation, and there are other gating mutations out there. If a CFer's protein is on the correct place on the cell surface and the only issue that the door is stuck, then Kalydeco may work for them. (For those who are wondering - DF508 not only causes a stuck door, but the door isn't even located where it should be, on the surface of the cell). They are currently running further tests to see just how many others may benefit from this new drug.

Which leads me to my last and final point, Dr. Beall wasn't just blowing smoke. In fact, I exchanged an email with a momma in the community whose daughter is currently taking Kalydeco and does not have the G551D mutation. So is it helping her? It seems so! Her FEV1 is up 11% which is her highest in three years, and her sweat test came back almost 30 points lower. I don't know about you, but that excites me to no end. Not only of course for this young gal (who happens to be one of my favorites), but also for others who may benefit from Kalydeco.

I know it's not available to everyone who may benefit, and that sucks, but just know that they are working their butt of to see who will be able to benefit from the drug. In the mean time, do everything you can do each and every day to put yourself in the best position for the day that your "wonder drug" comes out.

True CF Awareness

I was sitting down to write my own post, and just before I clicked on the little pencil to write something, another post caught my eye in my blog roll. It happens to be one of my favorite Life Blogs written by Lauren, a kick butt cyster who I have never heard offer up an excuse. If some of you mommas out there are looking for a college-aged girl to motivate your daughter, this would be the girl to do it. She's funny, smart, athletic and just an all-around great gal! She has a "take the bull by the horns" attitude that I love, and I find myself agreeing with many of her thoughts. What's nice, is she puts her thoughts out there much more eloquently than I and I'm sure offends much less people than I do :)

Please take the time to read this post, you'll be glad you did. When you're done, visit Lauren and read all of her other great stuff at I Have CF...So What?!?!

This image has been traveling around Facebook today and it sort of took me back a little bit. This blog is not meant to offend anyone, it is just my thoughts. Though I love the CF Foundation, and though I understand that it's trying to tug at people's heartstrings in order to get them to donate... I couldn't help but think that for me, and for many CFers I know... this isn't the truth. Sure, there are many many CFers who feel like they are breathing through a straw every day, who are on oxygen, and who are awaiting a lung transplant. However, there are also many CFers who are breathing easy with CF and who haven't reached a point where it takes their breath. It is unfair to portray all people with CF as breathing through a straw, because the fact is, it is possible to breathe with CF. Sure, some days I've experienced what it feels like to not be able to breathe, to cough until I'm red in the face, etc. However, if the public thinks that this is what CF is like every day, they will be strongly mistaken. There can be healthy days. No wonder why so many parents are so confused and afraid when their child is diagnosed, because sadly, there are ads like these that make it seem that this is the reality of all CFers at all ages and at all stages of their lives. 

Every time I tell someone (who has some idea about what the illness is) that I have CF I get a familiar response. I can see the look on their face, trying to figure out how I, someone who looks relatively healthy except for the cough, has this horrible disease, like maybe I'm lying. I sometimes feel like I should to show them my PICC line scars, show them the insides of my infected lungs, take them to the doctor with me to prove its true, because most people don't understand the complexity of CF. I've had people tell me that they had friends who have died from the disease, friends who are always in the hospital, and that they thought that it was an early killer. I'm not saying that any of these instances are false or rare. CF can kill you, it can make you extremely sick.... but you can also live with CF. Because of the way CF is portrayed in order to get people to donate, some people are lead in the wrong direction. We don't see the healthy people in this ad. Why doesn't it say... "Because of all of the donations that lead to the research and new drugs the CFF has helped to bring to fruition, some people with CF DON'T breathe through a straw. Thank you." 

I also don't like that this ad tries to bring pity to the CF population. It's black background and choppy lines connote darkness. "You can stop when you've had enough. But people with cystic fibrosis can't. It's how they live every day..." What do you think when you read that line? "Oh my goooooodnesss, their lives are so horrible and difficult." And yeah... sometimes it is. But do we really need people to feel bad for us because of it? If there is anything I hate it is pity. Don't see me as someone suffering, see me as strong for getting through it with a smile on my face. Yes, I live with CF every day, and yes I am frustrated that I can't make it go away.... but don't cry for me, because I'm not crying for me. I'm doing what I can to survive, and I'm learning so much in the mean time from my hardships. 

It is important to recognize the complexity of CF.  That while there are people who are struggling to survive, who's lives are taken by CF... there are also those people who live with the illness, who's days are numbered but who have both sick days AND healthy days. The CF Foundation has created so much opportunity for people with CF, and they continue to do so. However don't be fooled by certain marketing techniques. This ad is good in that it tries to get people to understand what its like to live with CF at its worst stages... showing that there needs to be medication out there to prevent CFers from getting to that point. But at the same time, it is time that awareness comes to the forefront. Not just awareness about the bad parts of CF, but awareness of the great developments have been made, the healthy lives that have been created, and the true nature of the complexity of this chronic illness. So that new parents are no longer afraid that there child will be breathing through a straw their whole lives, so that someone that is new to CF might not see me as lying on my death bed, so that we can take even larger steps toward a cure without having to evoke pity in our donators.

Thank you so much for that post Lauren. I know that myself, and many other in the CF community, feel the exact same way.

Big Weekend Ahead: National Adoption Day and CFF Gala

**Post written by Mandi

We have an exciting weekend coming up. We've got all of our Tucson family coming up to Phoenix for an AWESOME celebration. Our cousins, Tim and Gina, are finally making their little man an official part of the family on Saturday, National Adoption Day. The whole family is getting together to celebrate on Saturday, and again on Sunday for his Christening. We couldn't be more excited for them and are really excited to have the family all up in our neck of the woods for the celebration - we'll be sure to post pictures so you can see what we did and just how cute there baby boy is...we're talking Gerber baby material.

We're also excited because Saturday is the CysticLife Breath of Life Gala in Tucson. This year, CysticLife is the title sponsor for the great event put on by the CFF and we're excited to be a part of it. So we'll be headed down on Saturday evening to enjoy a fun night at the Skyline Country Club, honoring Paul Lindsey and Kathy Alexander. The emcee will be Mariana Valencia. If you're in the Tucson or Phoenix, or shoot, anywhere in AZ, and have Saturday night free, pick up a few tickets here and join us. We'd love to see you!! We're hoping to raise some serious moola for the CFF.

And then Sunday, after the Christening, it's a mad dash home to hopefully get some outside work done before the sun sets. (Is it just me or does the sun seem to be setting WAY too early? It feels like I barely finish lunch and the sun's already going to sleep on me. For a girl who has trouble stay awake in the evening, an early sunset doesn't help!!)

We'll be sure to take lots of photos and post them. If you're lucky, I may even get a photo snapped of Ronnie in DRESS CLOTHES - and as an adoring wife, I think he cleans up pretty darn well :)

Weekend Recap: I Love My Husband

Multiple times this weekend I thought to myself, "I love my husband." (I hope not all of you just thought, "YUCK-O. Newlyweds!") Well, I'll see your disgust and raise you some cheese. Ready for it? I think this relatively often. I know, I know, stop it already!

But seriously, this weekend I found myself thinking, "I love my husband," more than normal. It may be because our 6 month anniversary was on Friday (WOOT WOOT), or it may just be because we did/he did a lot that induced those thoughts. So let me tell you about our weekend.

As I mentioned before, Friday was our 6 month anniversary. We didn't do anything too crazy, just got some pizza and then sat and listen to music with the house all opened up. There's nothing better than a nice breeze coming through the windows and doors, and being able to relax to the sound of a fountain and some tunes. Now, this may sound romantic, but it wasn't this that made me think, "I love my husband." Instead, it was when he said, "soooo do you want to talk about angels?" His really sweet, romantic and subtle way of saying, "Don't you just want to turn on the TV instead of sitting here staring at each other?!" and it was in that moment that I smiled to myself and thought, "I love my husband." One, because I could totally predict that that would be his response, and two, because I was thinking to myself deep down, "Hm, maybe we should just watch something on TV." But we didn't, we sat and discussed what came first a zipper or velcro, the weather, and anything else random Ronnie could think of to poke fun of my efforts of wanting to just "sit and talk".

On Saturday morning, we attended our cousin's wedding. It was a FABULOUS wedding. Very, very well done. It was a smaller wedding, unique, and fit them PERFECTLY. I love when you can get a complete sense of who the couple is, just based on their wedding. It was fantastic. We sat at a table with a few cousins and family friends and it was a blast. And here's the best part. Cousins, Tim and Gina, have two perfect, adorable kids: one, a little over a year, and the other two months old. So I spent most the reception holding the precious little 2-month old. Eventually, Ronnie pried her out of my arms to hold her for a bit. And I tell you what - as I looked over and saw him adjusting her little dress so she'd be more comfortable, I thought to myself, "MAN, I love my husband." He's going to be a GREAT daddy one day. (Insert: Ronnie breaking into a cold sweat as he reads this...just kidding, he wants kids just as much, if not more, than I do...right honey?!)

Saturday night we had the privilege of attending the CFF Breath of Life Gala here in Phoenix. It was a very well done event. Great food, great venue, and GREAT company. We got to sit with some dear friends, the Olimbs and the Duns, and Josh and Christine. It was a delightful evening. We were there because Ronnie was asked to speak. In his typical fashion, he stood there, casually, confidently and with such ease shared his life in a matter of fact way with the attendees. A few jokes here, a real life example there. However, he was missing one key element that was "expected" of him: the sad story that showed the "death and destruction of CF". It was in that moment I thought to myself, "I love my husband." You see...that's what raises money, but that's not Ronnie. That's not Ronnie's view of CF. And because he doesn't feel that way, he doesn't work it into a speech, even when it's "appropriate". Instead, he talks about his CF. What his life looks like, and simply said with a smile on his face, "Thanks to the CFF...the meds...treatments...blah blah blah. I'm here at 30.....blah blah blah....I'm asking you to give what you can tonight because I plan on being here for my friends, my family, and I have to be here for my wife, or she'll kill me." Would a sad story have maybe raised 100 more dollars? Maybe. But what Ronnie cares about were the parents and CFers sitting next to us, or somewhere else in that room. The last thing they need to be told again is, "CF sucks" because Ronnie doesn't feel that way and they don't have to either. I think I'm getting side-tracked here, but the point is, in that moment, I smiled and thought, "Man, I love my husband."

And that brings me to Sunday. We went to church, came home, and I decided while Ronnie did a treatment, I was going to take a nap, and then we'd both work together to get the house all picked up and cleaned. But when I woke up, Ronnie had finished his treatment, and had already started cleaning without me. The house was picked up, the laundry folded and he was standing outside watching the sprinkles. (Oddly enough, I "catch" him watching the sprinklers often. This time it had a purpose as they weren't working the other day...but typically, he just watches them because they fascinate him! Ha, makes me laugh thinking about it). Anywhoo, as I woke up to see the house picked up, the laundry folded, and my shirtless husband watching the sprinklers (for the 100th time this week) I thought to myself, "I love my husband."

All in all, it was a great weekend!