The kids are jealous

And they should be, for their mother -- a real techno-loser -- now has an iPhone! AND. THEY. DON'T. (As they like to remind me from time to time.)

Anyway, picked it up last night at the mall, and of course my 19-year-old son, home for the weekend from college, insisted on going along because just the thought of playing with an iPhone makes him all glassy-eyed and drooly.

So, yes, we strolled into the hip, cool, sleek, hardwood-floored Apple store -- me clutching my iPhone gift card (thanks, Jim!) and Dylan almost skipping, he was so happy to be there -- and were met by a very nice (and young, of course) sales guy, who showed me how to do a few things on the iPhone-but-so-much-more and answered my lame questions ("Oh, wow, this is an iPod, too?").

Dylan -- probably the funniest person I know -- said me getting an iPhone was like a crippled person getting a treadmill, and he is so right! It took me way longer than it should have just to link it to my Facebook page (another thing that freaks Dylan out, that his mother has FB!) ... But I should be all "good to go" now, and since Hannah and I will be in Florida this week -- Monday through Saturday -- there will be plenty of "down" time for me to play with this little "hand-held computer," which is really what it is. I'm planning to take some photos with it and post them to FB. Ah, technology -- it's a beautiful thing ...

Anyway, re: my health, the toes are still a little numb, but the fingers are pretty much back to normal. It's now been SEVEN MONTHS since I finished my chemo and life is just plain wonderful!

Until next time ...
P

'Senior' spring break

Yeah, so I'm going on "spring break" this year, thanks to Hannah! Nursing school is getting progressively more stressful, and her spring break is the first week of March, so she really wants to "go somewhere."

Last month, she and four girlfriends went to Las Vegas for six days (yes, I was a nervous wreck!), but they came back alive, thank God! As an added bonus, each of them got a $320 voucher from Southwest because the airline was overbooked so the girls had to take a later flight home.

Anyway, that beautiful $320 voucher went a long way toward paying for two roundtrip tickets to -- where else? -- Venice, Fla., my "home away from home." So, Hannah and lucky me are going down to visit my Psycho Sis and her hubby for six glorious days! Woo-hooooooooo!

We're just planning to go to the beach, hang out at the pool, and take it easy (although Hannah's bringing her books to get in some study time). Hopefully, she won't mind hanging out with the "older folks" (hey, we're young at heart!) and Hannah and I will still be talking to each other on the flight home ...

But it's always nice to have a "vacay" on the horizon, sort of like a life raft that's within reach for those hectic days when you need something to look forward to ...

So, thanks, Hannah -- and Linda and Bob (again!). I owe all of you big time!

Until next time ...
P

Hannah update

So, Hannah, who had a brain tumor removed last May, had a follow-up MRI last Thursday and she is A-OK! Thanks so much for your prayers and concern, and thanks to God for watching over her!

She'll get another MRI in a year, just to make sure all is well.

But the Rosses are "livin' the dream" in 2010 -- with good health all around -- so we feel very fortunate.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone, and be sure to share the love!

Until next time ...
P

I'm still here ...

Sorry I haven't blogged lately, mom and dad, but with work and kids and laundry and (fill in the blank), life is darn busy! But you know how I've been anyway, since the whole family got together for your 63rd wedding anniversary just last weekend. Yep, 18 of us, sitting around a long table at a steak restaurant, toasting the two of you, joking, laughing -- it was great! (In the photo at right are my mother and dad with yours truly at the anniversary dinner. The other photo shows our whole group!)

You know that all of your kids -- Joe, Connie, Pat (OK -- Roger!), John, and me -- feel so blessed to still have you in our lives. It didn't really hit me how special it is to have the whole family together until the two women sitting at the table behind me starting asking questions: "How many years have they been married?" ("63." "Wow, that's amazing!") "How many kids?" ("Five. And we're all here, with the grandkids." "How wonderful!") I don't know too many people my age who still have both of their parents -- and all of their siblings -- so the Schlueter clan is blessed indeed!

The two of you are a perfect team: A dad who's not afraid to tackle a problem and find a solution, who's always there for his kids -- no matter how old they are, whose sense of humor rivals that of any stand-up comedian, and who always sees the best in his children and grandchildren. And a no-nonsense Mother who "calls it like she sees it," can figure out just about anything, always has a freshly baked (and delicious!) dessert ready when you visit, and is always smiling! Who could ask for more in a set of parents?

So, congratulations on your milestone anniversary, Walt and Pauline! We love you more than you know!

Until next time ...
P