I hope everyone out there is enjoying their tees! We're completely out of youth small! I'll double-check counts on the other sizes. Chad & I were talking about fundraising ideas for the foundation and he mentioned that at these functions, it would be great if people wore their Go, Kyrie, Go! shirts. That idea took my breath away. How awesome.

Lots being done for the foundation. We are officially official according to the secretary of state. Wa-hoo!

There are also some wonderful little stories bubbling up that I hope to share with you soon.

I'm learning that my July word "vision" is a lot about perspective. If I think about all the work that the foundation will entail, I begin to get overwhelmed. The whos, wheres and hows crowd out the intention. Instead, I focus on today. What can I do today to get me toward the goal? Little steps over time cover a long distance. Ask any marathon runner.

Really, that's what it's about for all of us, right? What are we doing today to get us toward the light? Sometimes today is difficult to prioritize with demanding jobs, family and bills. We think in terms of weekend plans and milestone days. But what if today were THE day? What if today were your big chance? And what if you started tomorrow--an ordinary Thursday--what if you started tomorrow on purpose?

July.

So it's now been officially three months we've been without her. Longer than we knew Kyrie even had a PNET. Seasons have changed. Life has moved on. My heart has not.

Traveling abroad, I kept hearing Jordan's voice in my mind say, "It's just not fair." And over and over again, I'd see families with small children, who, from the outside, looked impatient, unappreciative, selfish. I'd silently ask, "Why not them?" Or rude fellow passengers. Why not them? Or the terrorists. Why not them? Or the families more interested in television than each other. Why not them? Or the self-righteous. Why not them? Or vainglorious celebrities. Why not them? Or, heck, even me. Why not me?

This weekend, the family came to visit Amanda & Ryan in their new home and to celebrate our sister's birthday. Dad visited the local Catholic church to find out Mass times in their bulletin: Prince of Peace in Olathe, Kansas. And in their bulletin, do you know who was still on their prayer list? Our girl, Kyrie! What a comforting surprise! And, in a way, it made me feel like she was with us.

She is with us. Seen and unseen, remember? So this week, I'm going to keep a look out for more Kyrieness. I hope you do, too.

So ...

what did you think of our swan, Paul Potts? He may single-handedly bring opera back to the people!

Don't judge a book by its cover.

Typically, I don't judge a book by its cover. I weigh it by the last page--I read the last page first, before I even know what the book is about. Usually, it makes absolutely no sense, but I'm looking for how the author brings it home, how the words feel in my head. I want to know what's on the inside of it all--it's vision.

Such is the case with this. You may have already seen the video, but it's too amazing not to watch. Everything isn't always how it appears, eh?

p.s.
I don't want to cause a panic, but just 11 days into the t-shirt sales, I need to tell you that certain sizes have quickly disappeared. As of this morning, we only have one youth small, one adult medium and one adult 3XL left. We have stock of all other sizes.

Vision

So, today being the Fourth, I've been thinking a lot about "vision," more aptly the vision for the foundation. Sometimes it's difficult to see how to get from here to there without a map.

Luckily, today on AMC, we tuned into Patton. One of my favorites. You don't meet too many people today with fires in their bellies to achieve greatness. Although, some of Patton's verbiage raises an eyebrow, I do agree with this:

The great things a man does appear to be great only after they are done. When they're at hand, they are normal decisions and are done without knowledge of their greatness.
Gen. George S. Patton

And Rocky is on today, too:

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!
Rocky Balboa
Speaking to his son in Rocky Balboa (2006)

For goodness' sake.

You may have seen billboards like these around town:




But maybe you weren't sure what it was about or from whom. Well, there's actually a privately-funded non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to publicize good principles. Nifty, huh? The Foundation for a Better Life has some very inspirational ideas on their site. Just a great place to visit if you need a little pick-me-up. They have tons of quotes, billboards, TV & radio spots. I really like this TV spot and this one, too. (It may take a long time to see these if you're on dial-up.) You can read inspiring little stories from other people or leave stories of your own. I think its a fantastic effort to combat all the junk that gets publicized.

Maybe this week, we could each choose one of these principles to make our focus for the month of July. I chose "vision." What's yours?

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

—Dr. Leonardo Buscaglia (1924-1998), professor, author

Hotcakes.

Lotsa buzz for Kyrie's tee! I hope when you wear yours, you'll feel a little hug from her. ;)