A couple of thoughts I’ve been meaning to share..

First - THANKS to everyone who’s been writing in to my colleague Don Foss. I will continue to keep his page updated and still welcome the comments.  I know it means a lot to him and his family that so many friends and strangers are thinking of them and praying for them. You are all awesome.

BARACK’S NIGHT

Whether or not you’re an Obama fan, hopefully you can appreciate the historic nature of his nomination.   I was telling Todd tonight how much I love the “color blind” innocence of my own kids, and the diversity they are growing up with.  I hesitate at this young age to explain to them the sad and disturbing history of racism and slavery, therefore it’s hard for them to understand why a night like this is a big deal.   Some day I’ll figure out how to teach them the history.  Any thoughts?

BIKES

I can’t seem to get my kids off their bikes lately. Cal finally ditched the training wheels and graduated to a MUCH bigger set of wheels (he looks so little!)

His little sis inherited his old bike.  She doesn’t seem to care that it’s a “hand-me-down.”  They can go up and down the driveway for hours and not get tired.  I love it!

BANGING THOSE DRUMS

This is the other hobby that’s consuming lots of time lately for Thing One and Thing Two (thanks to Dr. Seuss for the nickname inspiration). Ian keeps side-by-side drumsets in his studio for teaching purposes, and you should hear the stuff these two come up with!  Calvin is getting so good the neighbor thought it was Ian practicing. Wish I had that kind of rhythm.

I hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend! I am looking forward to hanging out with a few friends around the grill, and making homemade strawberry pie.  Enjoy - and thanks for reading.

Trish

October 3rd:  Please see newest blog entry, Prayer Warrior Update, for the latest information.

Below, you’ll find the piece on the Foss’ that aired during 6 News at 7:00.

If you’re the type who prays, or believes in sending good “thoughts and energy” someone’s way, there’s a family close to our hearts here at RTV6 who could use all they can get right now.

In case you haven’t been following this situation until now, our production photographer and editor Don Foss is in the middle of a serious fight with colorectal cancer. Thankfully Don and his wife Susan have 2 great kids, and lots and lots of family and friends supporting them.  He’s one of the nicest people you could possibly ask to work with, the kind of person that rarely shows up to work without a smile on his face and something positive to say.  Even in his hospital room  when Todd and I visited, he was thinking positively, and cracking jokes with us.  I was encouraged by Don’s and Susan’s attitude and strength.

In watching this amazing family go through such a challenge, my own small struggles seem much less stressful to me now, and my family even more precious.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

If any of you have positive and encouraging messages to share, please do so here.  The Foss’s are checking regularly and are very encouraged by all the uplifting messages! Many, many thanks to all of you who have already written in. Specifically, the family is also asking for people to pray at 12:35pm each day.

PLEASE GET CHECKED!!!

This is Don’s #1 message to everyone.  Colonoscopies are reccommended for everyone 50 and over. He is 39, but has a family history, and has now learned he should have been checked earlier. 

His doctor, Dr. Bhatia with Community North, says if you notice ANY blood in your stools - do NOT ignore it, get checked. He says many curable cancers are missed because people dismiss it or chalk it up to something relatively harmless like hemmorhoids. 

Here’s a great link to info from the American Cancer Society on the other symptoms that may be warning signs of colorectal cancer:

Colorectal Cancer - Early Detection

KEEP THE FAITH

It’s clear that Don and Susan have found a tremendous amount of strength in their faith. They say they can feel your prayers, and that at a few moments they’ve actually felt like someone is standing next to them with a comforting hand on their shoulders.  The outpouring they’ve received has also shown them a side of humankind very few of us get to see.  Don and Susan say this has been a true gift.

I also consider their story a true gift. Thanks, you two, for giving me the privilege of sharing your story. Keep up the fight!

Trish

Thank you for your continued support.

Susan Foss

  We did a brief story about a young Hoosier Friday evening, August 15th, that inspired me so much I decided to blog about him.  First, though, a little background.

You may know that the RTV 6 FAN CLUB distributes hundreds of fans throughout Central Indiana during the summer.  We should never take air condtioning for granted because there are thousands of Hoosiers who suffer in the heat and humidity every year.  One person who is evidently very aware of this fact is 7 year old Jackson Truitt.

Jackson could have spent the last days of summer vacation squeezing out all the fun that time would permit.  But instead, this first grader was squeezing lemons.  He set up a lemonade stand to raise money for the RTV FAN CLUB.  He did a great job, too.  He raised more than two hundred dollars… enough money to buy 17 fans for families in need.  Quite an accomplishment for any age, especially for a seven year old.

Now that’s pretty cool!!!

I was returning from Texas a couple of weeks ago with my family.  Since our daugher is only four, we pack everyting imagineable to keep her entertained while we fly.  She even has her own bag… a very, very pink Hello Kitty bag. It has DVD’s, coloring books, crayons, magazines, stuffed animals, crackers, juice, and I’m sure a few other things I’ve forgotten. 

At any rate, it was beginning to get heavy so I told my wife that I would carry it.  So, I happily strapped it across my shoulder as we walked through the airport.  As we waited for our flight, I decided to go to the restroom.  No big deal.  I just told my family I’d be back in a couple of minutes.  But as I was preparing to walk out, I kept noticing how several guys were giving me this weird look.  I thought “What the heck is wrong with them?”  I shrugged my shoulders and tried to ignore them.. that is.. until I looked in the mirror.  And there I saw it.  That very, very pink Hello Kitty bag across my shoulder.  Three words came to mind.   Oh! My! Gosh! 

I probably would have given the same kind of look, too. 

Daddy with pink Hello Kitty bag and daughter?  Cute.

Daddy with pink Hello Kitty bag WITHOUT daughter?  Let’s just say it was probably a topic of conversation at many dinner tables and bars.  

Quite honestly, I’ve carried that bag so often I never think twice about it.  I guess a daddy does just about anything for his daughter. .. even if it does raise more than a few eyebrows.

BACK TO SCHOOL

     This seemed way too easy.  No tears, no drama, just a very excited little boy on his first day of kindergarten.

    Calvin was up at 7am, asking “Is the bus here?” After wolfing down a breakfast, allowing me to comb down the Alfalfa hair, and putting on the brand new black Chuck Taylors, he demanded we go outside to wait for the bus - 20 minutes early. 

    Once it pulled up, he posed for the obligatory picture (darn, he blinked!), climbed right aboard and didn’t look back. A flawless departure.

     So of course, I followed him to school.  He told me I didn’t need too, but I needed to see with my own eyes that he got off the bus and figured out where to go.  I watched him find his teacher, get his nametag, and line up with all the other wide-eyed 5-year-olds clinging to a rope and filing down the hall to the classroom. 

     I did make sure to get myself out the door before he and his backpack totally disappeared around the corner.  I’m still amazed at this, but the flood of tears I was afraid of never came.  I was relieved to see him so happy and confident, and apparently ready for this big step.

      I hear not everyone’s first day went so well.  We’re reporting on some back to school registration snags for IPS parents.  I’ve heard a couple of school bus stories that made me cringe. I’d love to hear any of your stories from all over the area - good and bad!

JACKSON’S BIG NIGHT

     Saturday night I had the pleasure of meeting a very special young man. 7-year-old Jackson DePoy is the namesake for the Jackson Center, a school that provides therapy for children with cerebral palsy.  Jacskson’s parents, Spencer and Lara, started the center upon realizing that there wasn’t anything similar in Indiana. 

   I hosted their annual fundraiser, and heard from one family after another about how wonderful this program is.  Jackson certainly hammed it up - dancing with his Grandpa to the music of Orquesta Bravo!  This family has so much to be proud of, and I was glad to be able to lend a hand to such an important cause.

ONE MORE ELVIS

      Here’s an item I forgot to mention in my Elvis collection entry from the other day.  This sweet little guy wandered into our neighborhood recently and didn’t leave.  He looks like he’s made of black velvet, of course, I had to name him after the King.  This Elvis is a totally cool cat, and while we may never solve the mystery of where he came from, it looks like he’s ours for good now. 

    By the way, I found it really weird that just a few months after we had to put down one black cat, another one dropped out of nowhere and claimed us.  Anyone else have anything like this happen?

THIS JUST IN…

    Just got this photo of my niece, Anna, who is apparently after my job.

I’ll bet she’s even cuter in hi-def.

Have a great day!

Trish