Zzzzzzz

Kim and I have been married for just over 20 years. In that time I have changed a little. I have added about 30 pounds in weight along with about twice as much hair as I had when we got married, unfortunately not on my head… One other thing that has changed is the amount, volume and general disgustingness of the nocturnal noises I make. This last change seems to be the worst because it is the only one that she is constantly bugging me about fixing. So, when I saw my dr. this week I mentioned that Kim has had quite enough of my nightly ritual. I snore loud enough to wake the dead or I just don’t breath at all. Now, I am sure that you are thinking that given Kim’s propensity to exaggerate, perhaps the problem is not really that bad. Well, when my brothers and I go on our annual UCLA trips, they have offered to put me up in my own room just so they can get some sleep. And on the Confirmation Retreat I recently attended there were many wide-eyed 14 year olds asking how I could possibly make so much noise. So it’s safe to say the problem does exist.

To appease my wife I had a sleep study done Wed. night. I showed up at a non-descript medical building in Bedford at 9:45PM, buzzed the intercom and was led to a 2nd floor office. It was kind of funny, the examination rooms were all numbered like a regular doctors office, but the rooms were carpeted with a bed, dresser, TV, and nightstands. I figured this would be an easy way to get a few good hours of sleep without a 4-year old kicking me in the back every 15 minutes. Of course, that was before the “Parade of Electrodes” started. First, 2 on each leg just below the knee to find out if I have ‘the jimmy legs’. Then two on my chest to monitor my heart, fair enough. A microphone taped to my neck for snore volume (could have told them they wouldn’t need that one!). Two, yes, two sets of those hospital nose things sticking into my nose. One electrode on my jaw to check teeth clenching, on corners of each eye for eye movement, behind ears for sleep level, top of head for something, 2 on back of head for something else, one on my chin… When she pulled all the wires back I felt like I had dreadlocks! Then of course the finger deal to check oxygen level in the blood. All this stuff plugged in to one box that she carried to the nightstand as I trailed. I felt like a cross between Frankenstein and Steve Austin (better, stronger, faster).

I get into the bed and can hardly roll over because of all the wires and the chick says, “have a good sleep” as she turns off the light and closes the door. Uh huh. It’s now about 11:00 and I’m in bed and tired, which usually means about a 45 second window of awake time, but I lay there for about 20 minutes with my head about 3 inches off the pillow because of all the wires and I can’t sleep. Great, what a waste of electrodes. I eventually get to sleep and only wake up about 12 times during the next 6 hours, yes, they woke me at 5:00!!

As she is removing all the paraphernalia from my face she says, “ You do snore.” To which I internally replied, “No #^%$, Sherlock!” She then told me I did have sleep apnea, but she couldn’t tell me the severity of it, that has to come from the doctor. She thought I was fine until about 3:00AM when I “freaked out on her”. As I went to the bathroom to change into clothes for the ride home I saw how they had kept those electrodes on my face and head. Not tape, no, they had this sticky paste stuff that was all over my face and in my hair, guess I won’t be stopping for a Diet Coke Big Gulp on the way home. I ended up getting home about 6:00AM, just in time to wake the kids, make sandwiches and hop in the shower to wash all the paste off. What a great night!

Our birthday surprise LATech visit!!

Tod and "My Karen" as he used to call her way back when....
FOUR of Aunt Karen's EIGHT nephews! (Poor Craig...his bottom lip/chin was still so swollen!)

We headed over to the practice field on Saturday....fascinating to watch! It is extremely organized...loud horns blow and players move from station to station! I am not the most talented photographer...so I didn't get any actual kicking shots...I would need Kris or Brad for those!

The kickers

Cole, of course, could not sit still and just WATCH...he was itching to get out on that field!! Before we could get words out of our mouth..."no"...he ran down on the field and signaled to us (watching from the van) which kicks were good or no good, and then decided to shag balls for the kickers! They were appreciative and even asked him to come to every practice!

Handin' off the goods to big brother!

Little want-to-be....Cole is ready to be 19, already!

Stud!

19 years ago today....3/23 at 4:56!!

Grandma Kit showing off your cute little face!Sneakin' a peak at Daddy!

Grandma Jackson holding you!

Tired mommy...and proud Aunt Karen!

Tod, we had the most fun this past weekend showing up in Louisiana for a little birthday spoilin' and surprise! (More pictures to come soon!) It is so hard for me to believe that it is already 19 years ago that you entered into this world. As we have always said, you have added so much color to our lives!!

We are thanking God for you, especially today!

Happy 19th Birthday, Tod-o!

We love you!

Motherhood, Fatherhood, and parenting

Becoming a mother has been one of the most glorious gifts that God has ever, and probably will ever, bless me with. No single blessing, with the exception of their father, has brought me such joy, crazy laughter, love, fun, and peace. And, no single blessing do I enjoy more than I do them. They, collectively and individually, have shown me what God's love is and how powerful it is. A very close friend of ours gave us a card when Craig was born which read something like....deciding to have another child is deciding to have your heart walk around outside of your body....so true. I remind myself often that the love I feel for them is but a fraction of the amount that God loves us. Almost incomprehensible. Perhaps it is because of the intensity in which we love, that it often demands every single ounce of energy and emotion. At times the weight of parenthood is heavy. Amy Grant sang a song (that I can not find on our music deal but will try again just for grins) called Lay Down Your Burden which is PERFECT for what I am feeling.......heavy. In fact, I feel like my prayer life is a "Are you still there, God, it is me, Kim, AGAIN"....and He seems distant and unresponsive. I hold on to a lot. My head knows that laying the burdens down at His Feet is exactly what I need to do. And yet, why do I feel so paralyzed? Funny, but I feel like Mike and I are sitting in the cockpit of our aircraft, PfaffLife, capable of doing and going anywhere ....we go through the "departure" check off lists...all is ready....yet we both seem unable to fly.

Guillaume Apollinaire wrote:

Come to the edge, he said,

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, he said.

They came,

He pushed them...and they flew.

Heavenly Father, we are on that edge in so many areas. Our hearts watch Tod work out with the Bulldogs...but never was pulled to kick in front of the coach that day....my heart feels heavy. Craig receives two letters from future high schools....which should it be?...a Jesuit or Legionaries of Christ high school education for him?...again, heavy heart. And our educational decisions heavily impact the weight of our financial responsibilities...all of which You know so well. It IS all about YOU...help us to find Your Way.

Happy 11th Dawn and BJ!

My baby brother and his girlfriend...way back when...when they had only just begun....
Years later on....March 21, 1998

Cheer for the happy family!

11 years and five beautiful children later....

still loving strong!

Happy 11th Anniversary!!

We love you seven!

Tooth Fairy is coming tonight!

Spring Break 2009

St. Patrick's Day

Craig's first major surgery was today! Unfortunately one of his bottom permanent teeth, number 22 to be exact, decided over a two year period (inbetween panoramic xrays) to head south... for his jaw. In addition, a pretty good size cyst formed around the tooth which also had to be removed. Dr. Spingola and Craig did an amazing job! Craig was so nervous...and I am so proud of how brave he was! We are praying the baby tooth will hold on for dear life! Unfortunately, we are all afraid that when Dr. Ohlenforst starts moving his crooked teeth, it's little root won't be able to withstand the movement.

What a memorable spring break this will be for Craig!!! And guess what? Nine days from now....surgery #2! Seems to us that March Madness in the Pfaff household should be

March Meaness!

Just for Craig we put on one of his favorite tunes, Viva La Vida, by Cold Play. Hold on just four more months Craig and you will be listening to them in person! Your first concert!

Thank you for your support, love, and prayers.

Our Kicker....

Another Aunt Kris photo!

Get your game face on, Tod! Spring Football starts on Wednesday and Tod has successfully walked on to Louisiana Tech's SPRING Football Team. Truly is amazing to me! I feel like pinching myself....thousands long to play NCAA Division I football...and Tod is now getting his chance to BEAT OUT five (possibly six) other kickers. Three kickers are on Louisiana Tech's team now...adding Tod made 4, and apparently they are welcoming another walk on next week. They have scholarshiped a senior out of Texas for the fall as well. So, as we love to say around here....get out there, leave it all on the field, and K-I-C-K- E-M....Kick 'em, Tod, Kick 'em!!

There is an amazing difference between high school ball and division 1 college ball...especially at practice, and at LA Tech. Kickers work out FULLY with the team...hitting drills and all!! I wish so badly that I had had video footage of Tod coming off the field after his first official college practice. We perhaps could have won America's Funniest Home Video! He limped into the trainers room with two (one of each ball of his feet) half dollar sized blisters that they drained blood off of before leaving. In addition, he had a shoulder pad sized bag of crushed ice on his left shoulder. (Which later resulted in x-rays and a ever so slight seperation of his AC joint) As he walked out to the his car, one of the his close friends, John (also attempting to walk on...but as a wide receiver), said in what I am calling his Saturday Night Live Tracy Morgan sound alike voice...."Tod, what in the WORLD happended to you?" And the beauty of this whole entire post is that Tod also enjoys laughing about it...and yes, can handle the ribbing he gets from others....he laughs and responds..."Apparently, I forgot how to barrell roll!!" This barrell rolling running drill was new to Tod...so not only did he have a bit of a learning curve issue but he also had not moved some of the muscles required in quite sometime (eventhough he works out every single day!)....after all, he is only THE KICKER. At one point during the drill he apparently was the SOLE player sprinting forward 10 yards....at which time he shared..."Oh, yeah, I knew I messed up the second a hand slapped my back, grabbed my shirt, picked me up, and put me back where I was supposed to be!"

Outside of the fact that God has blessed Tod with a cannon of a leg, Scott, equally a blessing, has been the sole "teacher" for Tod in regards to football. And Scott is a kicker. So hitting, tackling, blocking, etc. are essential to learn...and Tod is learning them for the first time at LA Tech. Says a lot, doesn't it, about kickers today, and especially Coach Wunderlick at Jesuit. A lot has changed since then....thank you, God.


If you would....say some kicker-position winning prayers for our Tod. Selfishly we would love to sit at every home game cheering on the Bulldogs with Tod kicking. More importantly, though, we want Tod to bring glory to God with his gifts...which don't always involve his leg!


We will keep you posted.....