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I wrote a poem about my life, particularly about how fortunate I am to have Wendy. For 28 years we’ve traveled this journey together, helping each other through all the hurdles and obstacles life throws our way.

You probably didn’t know, but Wendy is magic. She can lift me with a smile, move me with the touch of a finger, and make the world disappear when I’m with her. It’s better than having a genie… no three wishes in the universe could replace our love. With Wendy, all my wishes are fulfilled.

A Fortunate Man

John J. LaPierre

If the journey were easy from the start,
no sickness or pain, no broken heart;
wanting for nothing in whole or in part.

If every dawn began a perfect day,
every path and turn went my way;
dark clouds never blocked the suns warm rays.

If fear nor doubt never fell upon me,
no anxious moments, never a worry;
and if evil, my eyes would never see.

What an unfortunate man I’d be…

How then would I cherish the journey I take,
or know I was blessed every step I make,
and appreciate a sacrifice made for my sake.

I’d not know the joy of a perfect sunrise,
nor excitement that comes only with surprise;
and miss the wonder of thunder filled skies.

I’d lack the courage that comes with chance,
I’d sit on the side and miss the whole dance,
blind to the goodness by which you’re enhanced.

Then, what a fortunate man I am…

To have climbed many mountains and gained a view.
To know the comfort of being healed anew;
made stronger by hope, by faith, by you.

To see the sunrise in every condition,
stormy, calm, the sun fulfills it’s mission;
on the darkest days giving me vision.

I’m encouraged to face and conquer my fears,
embracing the moments that fill the years;
knowing love in my heart, when I feel the tears…

…of joy, for the love of the journey with you..

We spent the 4th up at Granny and Pawpaws house, then went to West Point Lake for the fireworks, which has become a tradition for us. The fireworks display is first class, bar none. It was 27+ minutes long this year, with a finale of at least 4 rockets going up PER second, for 30 seconds!

Before we went to the park we celebrated Wendy and Blake’s birthdays at the house with a pool party. The only thing that would have made the day better, is if all 6 of our grands were there, along with their mommy’s and daddy’s.

This video is only 8 minutes long, but if you can’t watch the whole thing, do not miss the last 3-4 minutes… ahhh, just watch the whole thing! You’ll be glad you did.

Ahhh… a taste of the good life. I only wish I could have more of it. The hardest part has been getting my head back into work again. This was on the oldest and smallest (733 ft) ship in the Carnival fleet, and I highly recommend it. They have won top honors two years running for the food and service… no small feat in a fleet as large as Carnival. I don’t believe this ship (25 yrs old) will be in commission much longer, so if you want a taste of the good life with a touch of nostalgia, go soon. The Carnival M.S. Holiday departs from Mobile Alabama, and is the only cruise ship to do so. As such, they have a very large and modern terminal all to themselves. The lines on and off the ship are relatively short and fast compared to other busy ports. The service is incredibly personal and caring. Every crew member associated with us called us by first name immediately, and treated us like we were the only ones on board. One of the stops (Progreso, Yucatan) offers a taste of rural Mexico life, Mayan style, once you wander out of the pier area. I can’t say enough about how relaxing and fun this trip was…

I uploaded our cruise video to Google Video. It looks better on DVD, but this is still pretty good. It’s about 12 minutes long, and the last 3-4 minutes is my favorite. About 5 minutes in is a “speaker truck” like Jeremy said he saw on his mission in Brazil all the time. We had a very wonderful time on this cruise. I hope in the near future we can go again, and with all of out children and grand-children.

The first song on the video is “Siesta Del Sol”. (Laid Back Summer?) The second song is “Sol Menor” (Smaller Sun?), and the last one is “Seabreeze” by Keola and Kapono Beamer. There are other sounds and music that were just part of the video and where we were.

One of my favorite pictures is at 10:51, Papaw is all smiles, even with a mouthful of food, as he chats with Pamela (granddaughter). I like it because I know what he is feeling… There is nothing like the intense love and pride you have for your grandchildren. I never would have believed it or even understood until I felt it myself.

Tomorrow morning we set sail on our first cruise. If Internet access is reasonable I’ll try to post an at-sea update or two with some pictures.