St. Jude

(Many of you got this message from me earlier this afternoon, but for those of you that didn't...)

As many of you know, last year Jennifer and I participated in the St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon. This year, Jennifer’s not going to be able to run with me (she’ll be 4 weeks out from delivering baby boy #3!), but I’m looking forward to logging a lot of miles and raising a lot of money for the kids of St. Jude. I would love for you to help me with that.

Did you know that...
· St. Jude treats 250 patients every day on an outpatient basis and maintains 78 inpatient beds?
· St. Jude has about 5,400 patients in active status?
· During the past three years, 85 cents of every dollar went to current or future needs?
· St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and around the world?
· St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's daily operating costs are nearly $1.4 million?
· In 1962, the survival rate for ALL was 4 percent. Today, it's 94 percent. Hodgkin disease is 90 percent; Medulloblastoma is 85 percent; Wilms tumor is 90 percent.Protocols have brought survival rates for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent when the hospital opened to more than 70 percent today?

Maybe you’re wondering, “That’s great, but what can I do?”

First, consider sponsoring me. Check out my race website at www.mystjudeheroes.org/fred and donate online. It’s really easy. If you have any trouble, contact me and I’ll walk you through it.

Second, consider running with me. St. Jude needs all the help they can get. Register online as a St. Jude Hero and join my fundraising team, Team Evan. Team Evan is named for my buddy, Evan Twilbeck, living proof that the work St. Jude does is worthwhile. Register early; this race fills up fast! We can do more together than we can on our own.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. My buddy Juston Gates at FBC Saltillo replied to my earlier e-mail and reminded me that his son, Caleb, is just shy of being declared 3 years cancer-free thanks to St. Jude's research. This really is a worthwhile organization!

Men's Cake Bake Off

In the summer we have started having some kind of music/fellowship at our pavilion. Last time we had ice cream, but this time we decided to have a cake baking contest for our men. Here are the judges working very hard! A view of some of the cakes...

Fred's cake is the one in the upper corner. It was a homemade chocolate cake with homemade peanut butter icing. He took honorable mention. I have enjoyed that honorable mention cake all day long!!

The Beach, Part IV

Just to change things up we took the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island on our return trip. The boys really enjoyed it. We also tried to snap a few last minute group and family pictures. What a trip!

The Beach, Part III

Photographing four precious boys proved to be everything we thought it would be. The vote on the beach was that Aunt Elizabeth should have been present!

The Beach, Part II

For most of the week we hung out at the pool and beach. All of the boys LOVED the ocean and pool! Here are just a few pictures from our fun times...

The Beach, Part I

We headed to The Track one morning for a hot, but fun time! Clayton even got to drive his own bumper boat and Jack got to drive his own go cart. After a fun morning here we met up with the grandma's at Lambert's for a delicious lunch. Good times!

Our little/big boy is THREE!!

Seems like yesterday, but this is Jack shortly after we brought him home from the hospital... Jack at his party on Saturday!

Where have these three years gone? We are so thankful for our precious little boy! He is such a blessing to our family and friends...full of personality and smiles! God truly blessed our lives when he sent him to us!

This morning we had a balloon and donuts for his birthday morning. Unfortulately, I don't have pictures of him discovering this surprise since he was up around 6:05 a.m.!! Fred was heading to the gym and he lit the candles. I sang from the bedroom!