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Two Brothers

Two Brothers
By Author Unknown


Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box. "I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you."

"Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor; in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better."

"See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore."

The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."

The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.

The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand.

They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, but I have many more bridges to build.


Do you have any bridges

that you need to build?

Happy 14th Birthday Adam!!

HAPPY 14th Birthday my sweet Adam!!!
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Sometimes it seems like yesterday I was carrying you like a HUGE watermelon in my belly and now you are a TALL young man. I love you so much and interested to see where you let God take you with your life!!
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Adam's collage of his first year. Birth, 1 month, 3,6,9 and 15 months.
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One of my favorite pics of Adam when he was younger. He reminded me of Harry Potter with those glasses. :)
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Adam now. Hanging out at In and Out.
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Today the boys dad said he might take Adam somewhere.. We'll see.. Im trying to see if our church is still having our barbque at the lake or not or if I'm going to take the boys somewhere for his birthday.
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We leave Thurs am I think for Family House in San Fransisco. Adam, Noah and I have derm appts on Friday at UCSF. I'm hoping we can schedule surgery or something on Adam to get his skin cancer down. Especially the ones on his face around his eyes. He WONT cooperate so it will be a challenge. Noah wont either, but is easier than 6 ft tall Adam. We will be back Saturday I think.. Maybe Sun am.
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Well it's almost 2:30 am and I NEED to get to bed. Nathan left for the night and left his puppy here and I know she wants to go potty and will be up early to go again... uggg.. I want to sleep in. lol
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PLEASE remember to pray for everyone. Those on here and those who aren't and yet need prayer. We ALL NEED prayer no matter what right now... Love you all and praying for all.
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Blessings,
Gina Marie and boys

A lil boy gets his wings and a doctors writings....

I went to sweet lil Joshua Nelsons (pictured above) http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joshuacalebnelson celebration service Monday. It was beautiful ( was beautiful as funerals can be). The church was FULL. Lil Joshua was so loved and cared for. It was neat hearing all the different memories of him. They called him "General" like Joshua and Caleb in the bible. :o) He definitly was a FIGHTER!! It was nice to see Vanessa, Fred, Peleke, Nathan, Angelica and Caleb again tho would have been funner under better circumstances.
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The boys started school Monday. Well they went to SOME of school on Monday then we left for the service. Noah is in 6th grade now but in same K-8th grade. So they are rotating classes btwn 6-8th. This year the 8th grade teacher USED to be the Kindergarten teacher for the past 12 yrs. Now she is 8th. lol Adam is a Freshman. Him and Caleb go to the charter school so its a lot smaller. They dont have Adam's computer classes set up yet so he is just working on Math (which he hates). lol
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We head to UCSF (San Fransisco) next week for our Derm appts. Tho the boys were suppose to be using Aldara these past 3-4 months but we just got the med this past month and haven't been able to put it on Noah each night. Adam wont let me put it on like he told them he would. Typical for Adam and his moods. He has so many skin cancers around his eyes and face also. :o(
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I'm trying to sign up for some college classes. School already started so it all depends if the instructor will let me in now IF they have room or not. I want to take a Sign Language class on Tues nights, An internet course for Microsoft Word, Excel and Access and possibly a beginners Piano which is Tues and THurs mornings. I'm not sure if I can do all those and go to church, keep all our appts, and keep up being Chairpersonand parent rep for our small schools district for our CAC (special ed). But we wil see. Most of the classes are to help my church and others (well the sign language is). The piano and sign language can help our church.
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BTW.. Yes Donna!! I DID get approved for disability!! That started last month. Which reminds me.. I need to send the lawyer a check still.. I finally dont have to fight that fight anymore!! :o)
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I know this is kinda long but I wanted you all to read this post from a friend who is a doctor and she has blogged all thru her medical school and now she is a doctor. She writes awesome stuff and a lot of have told her she should write a book.. But this one I wanted to post and I hope you see it like we did... Her name is Danielle.. Some of you know her also from her being on our other sites..
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Please Don't Make Me Sing This Song
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In some of my weaker moments, as a human being, I have gone to great lengths to avoid other people, specifically, public masses. I have, on more than one occasion, been known to go up seven flights of stairs, just to avoid the human contact on the hospital elevator. Or "Tuberculosis Express" as we used to refer to it in medical school. Crowded patient elevators at lunchtime are pretty much disgusting petri dishes of deadly germs. Don't offer to push the button, I implore you.

On the rare occasions I do choose to ride the 74 Express to The Swine Flu, I have either regretted it, or fallen madly in love with another passenger. The first occurs regularly. The later will be saved for my memoir.

Between the 8th floor and the 5th floor, I learned that my 12-year-old, spiky-haired, documentary-loving cancer patient had died, just like we told her she would. I was carrying a giant box of leftover donuts, and in rush to make it to my clinic on time. "She didn't make it to camp," he said. Which was all he needed to say, because I understood. Someone sneezed, and a stroller bumped my foot. My throat went dry, or, it was already dry and I just noticed it acutely. He pushed himself passed an obese woman wearing a tie-died t-shirt. "Shit." I said under my breath, because sometimes cursing is called for, and I had nothing else to say to him anyway. The obese woman turned around and glared at me. He lowered his head and exited the elevator. I thought about the water, and how I couldn't breathe.

As the doors started to shut, a frantic, well-manicured hand jetted in between the inevitable closure. "Hold it for me!" she said, as the stroller once again backed over my foot. I knew that voice and that hand, and just like they do on TV, I averted my eyes, held the donut box up high over my face and willed her not to look my way. Why can't my elevator encounters include Patrick Dempsey?

We made it to the 1st floor, and people slowly filed out. I pushed my way to the front, and started to walk FAST. "Daneeeyaaail!" I heard, in her pseudo-Southern drawl. It was the mother of another cancer patient. "Long time no see! Can you buh-leave we are back here again? Oh, you have to come see her! Mah whole family is up there. She's gettin' her chemo in Room 19. Come on back with me! Do you have time?"

"No. Sorry. I really don't. I am on my way to clinic..." I said, sorrily.

"Oh."

"You know what, I can be a few minutes late. I'd love to see her. Let's go."

"Great!"

But in my head I was pleading, "Please, please, PLEASE don't make me look at her." She has the same type of cancer that my little documentarian had. The chemo is rough. It does terrible things to little bodies. Please don't make me look at that right now. And I was right. She did. The baby looked absolutely horrible. What we do to kids would completely astound you. She looked like death, and I couldn't help to think that It was coming for her.

I was late to clinic, and another mother was annoyed. She had brought her healthy 6-month-old in for a check-up. I hurried the exam along, and could have been more outgoing, but I just felt weary.

Sometimes, people ask me what I want others to get out of reading these stories. One of my main goals would be for you to realize that doctors are people too. And even though the gravity of these things we go through will never, EVER compare to the personal struggles of the families we care for, the tiny twinges of pain we feel, multiple times a day, every single day, over and over and over again, eventually add up.

If your doctor is terse with you, if he doesn't take enough time to explain things, or if she seems to be constantly in a hurry, maybe sheis just a jerk. Or, maybe, she's just one elevator ride away from losing the scramble to keep her pieces together. One heartbeat away from being completely crushed.
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Well its almost 12:30 AM and I still have to make a gallon of Sweet Tea so Adam and Caleb can take some in their lunches tomorrow (Later this morning).. Hey... Dont be a stranger... Stop by and visit and say HI. :oP lol I am praying for all of you. Even if I haven't been able to stop by your sites. HUGSSSSSSSSS

Blessings,
Gina Marie

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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AFTER 8 YEARS of working with an attorney and hard work.....

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I FINALLY GOT APPROVED FOR DISABILITY!!!!

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WITH BACK PAY!!!!!!

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It took the judge 14 months to FINALLY approve it after my 3rd hearing!! We were about to contact the head judge this week if we didn't hear a decision.

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I had heard a preacher tell us that we have an angel that is with us all the time and that we are able to send that angel to do things.. So two days ago I said, Angel, GO over to that judge and wake him up and make him realize what he is doing and get him to approve my disability!!! AND today I get my Partial Approval letter!!!! Its only partial because apparently I said I was disabled since 1994 ( I dont remember. lol) but filed in 2001. I will contact SSI tomorrow to set up the bank account.

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Oh I can't wait... Neither can my attorney's. lol They get 25%!! I am or am one of their LONGEST clients. We are going out to lunch to celebrate!! lol

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PRAISE THE LORD for my angel and answered prayer!!!

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Thanks for all YOUR PRAYERS also!!!

It's almost time for CAMP WONDER!!

Adam and Noah are SOOOO EXCITED because its ALMOST time for Camp Wonder!! Only 18 more days til they go!! We went and bought some of the the stuff they need yesterday at dollar store and Big Lots like chap stick, containers for shampoo/body wash, deodorant etc. I still need to hit the thrift stores and find Adam some turtleneck shirts since that's ALL he will wear and he only has ONE!! lol I don't think the counselors will appreciate him wearing the same shirt all week!! Right guys?

Camp Wonder is an AWESOME camp for kids with fatal skin diseases. A place for them to go and have fun and do things other kids can do without being teased, stared at or critized. They go to the resevior, swimming, rockwall climbing, rope course, baseball, at night they have casino nights, dances, pirate night, campfires, and LOTSSSSSSSS MORE!! The camp is free to the campers and their families because of all the expenses the families put out on medical bills and such. The camp is run by donors who send in donations and sponsor kids and volunteers.There are nurses and doctors there all week to help the campers along with lots of volunteers who are counselors to make sure the kids have LOTSSSSSSS of FUN and MORE FUN!! Their website is at www.csdf.org or you can go to this site and click on the video links on the right and SEE the fun the kids have http://csdf.org/support-csdf/camp-wonder-video.html. You will see my youngest (Noah) in A LOT of these videos. He is my lil red head.He is known as the "Camp Flirt" lol. I saw Adam in a few. Noah's friend Emilio is in them also. HI Emilio!!! Check out the video and see what the kids have to say about Camp Wonder!! I know the day we leave Camp Wonder, my boys are COUNTING the days til next yrs camp!!

If you know of any kids from 7 yrs and up that have a skin disease then have them contact the Childrens Skin Disease Foundation www.csdf.org and ask them about Camp Wonder. Tell Gina Marie (Adam and Noah's Mom) sent you. :o) Also if you would like to help out the kids that go to Camp Wonder, you can contact the foundation and ask how you can help. They can use all the help you can give, financially mostly. Let's help give these kids some fun this summer!!

It's Memorial Day!!

Lets remember those who have lost someone fighting for our country and our freedom!! Lets pray for those still fighting and those who have fought and are now home and dealing with the what they have been thru.
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It's not just a day to have picnics and fun with the families but a day to remember and pray for those putting THEIR lives on the line AND GIVING for OURS and those who ALREADY HAVE!!

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Lord, I ask you to bless these families and give them strength, peace, comfort during these times and not just today but everyday. Walk with them Lord. Wrap your loving arms around them and fill them with your love.
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Lord also protect those who are being held captive or prisoner. Give them comfort and a peace also. Help them to become free if its in your will.
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Lord also touch those who are now out there fighting for our freedom and are out there on the lines. Keep your hand on them and be with them. Let them be a light to others. Lord we thank you for all you are doing and are going to do. We praise you Lord in all things.In JESUS name we pray. Amen


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I hope you all remembered to put sunblock on if you were out having fun with your families today outside.
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Blessings,
Gina Marie and boys

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© 2000 George P.
Crofton