Thursday, December 13, 2012

Boxer Transfer Network

Adding to what will be a schedule for my daily life some day, I joined The Boxer Transfer Network and already am signed up as a backup for a drive in a few weeks! 
Pretty excited that Boxers witout parents have this great group of people who network together to get the pup to it's permanent home... even if that's on the other side of the country! 
And non-Boxers are not denied the same love and caring treatment given to every dog who needs a ride!Sebastian and Candace

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Take Me!

"There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout: This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me... or leave me. Accept me - or walk away! ......When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you.” ~Stacey Charter                                                                                   

Family, Life, Relationships & Death (Dated 2/2/06, date of dads death)

by Jared Cunningham on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 2:17am ·
Written by Jenny Hatt, the one and only!

"Jared and I having a night to catch up, and boy was it long overdue! Jared, you always allow me to be truly me and have the pieces that I'm missing - You take it all in and give me so much back in words of wisdom, perspective, constructive criticism, encouragement, and hope. We have shared so many moments and through the struggle to survive, we manage to reaffirm one another's decision to believe it's worth it.

It takes a village... or some qualified circus handlers weilding large needles of animal tranquilizers, and a couple Village People thrown in (to make it extra gay)... what the f@#k am I saying?

We got each other and we're family and that's what friends are for.

Keep living or die trying HARD."

My father passed away late that same day.
Jenny passed away one year ago tonight.

In her honor, I want to say to anyone who reads this, that "through the struggle to survive, we (All) manage to reaffirm one another's decision to believe it's worth it.

It's those people like my dad and Jenny, who inspire people to keep living. They both died trying hard.
JC
My Favorite picture of Jenny

Learn


Learn

by Jared Cunningham on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 10:25am ·
"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered: Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway. If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies: Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank people will try to cheat you: Be honest anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight: Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous of you: Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten by tomorrow: Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough: Give your best anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway." - Mother Teresa 

What I had to say at my brother's service Thursday night. Please remember to be thankful for those loved ones in your life!

by Jared Cunningham on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 11:16pm ·
 I have so many things I want to say but I think that the ribbons my family is wearing sums it up. These ribbons stand for organ donation and honor the heroes who choose to be a donor. My brother was one of these heroes and because of that, even in his death he will continue to do for others what he has done for many of us his whole life… he will make people feel better just by being around him. He will enable people to keep laughing the way he made us laugh. I can still hear his. And he will continue his care and concern for the whole world and all of us still living here. In essence, he will continue to be a hero, just as he was mine.
A few weeks ago one of my closest friends Teresa received the Gift of Life by receiving a kidney transplant. Since that day I have continued to say that miracles happen every day. I didn’t believe this statement before Friday the 13th but I saw with my own eyes as Teresa was wheeled back from the OR that a miracle had just happened and I had witnessed the whole thing. Miracles happen every day. Although I lost my brother exactly one week ago at this hour, many miracles happened over the next few days as they received Jason’s Gift of Life. I encourage each of you to consider being a donor. You can be someone’s miracle… someone’s hero.
A little over 6 weeks ago I found out that a close family friend of ours had passed away unexpectedly. His name was Andrew Hideg and he was 26 years old. In perfect health and loved by many, many people, he just passed away, no determined cause. The news of Andrew shocked my brother and mother as we all had remembered the day he was born. They lived right beside us that many years ago and remain friends to this day. After talking to my family it hit me that my buddy Chad had lost his brother and Patti had lost her youngest son. I was overcome with thinking about how I would deal with such a thing. The sudden loss of my brother had seemed impossible but now I saw first-hand that anything can happen when you least expect it. The next day at work I bought my brother every gift that seemed to fit him from the gift shop and a card to let him know that I would be devastated to lose my only brother. The card said:
To my brother, my friend
You can’t choose your family, So I guess I was just lucky To have a brother like you
We fussed and we teased, we had fights and we had fun and always in my heart I knew
That I would do anything for you.
We forged a bond that time cannot erase, And we share a secret smile That the world will never understand.
You can never know how proud I am to tell the world, “That’s my brother,”
But I’m even prouder to say, “That’s my friend.”
I love you more! JC
I thank God for giving me the insight to tell Jason how much he meant to me. He’s been my hero since 1975 and that will never stop being true. Only now he’s a hero to people that we will never even meet as well. We went through a lot together, good and bad and used each other to try to figure out what life was really all about. I think the following quote describes it best:
I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see.  I sought my God, but my God eluded me.  I sought my brother and I found all three. 
Not a mistake that the word Jason stands for healer; the Lord is salvation.

I thank you all for loving my brother and the support many of you have offered over the past week. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to adjust to a world without our Jason.
And I thank you for a house full of people I love

My favorites

2011 walk for pkd


I have decided for my 7th year to join the annual Central Ohio Walk for PKD right here in Columbus Ohio to help raise funds for Polycystic Kidney Disease patient education and research…

I think it's impossible to know who I am without knowing that I live with PKD. I have lost my grandfather, father and cousin to PKD while my cousin's son, his grandmother Aunt Phyliis (who has been on dialysis for 13 years) and I remain alive with the disease and it's effects. Please let this year be the year that we rally to fight this disease so that 12.5 million other people on this earth (and the countless family and support members that they are surrounded by) can STOP PKD!
Please join me in this fight. The end line is near!

Jared C.
PKD Foundation Central Ohio Chapter Coordinator
Friend, Co-worker, son, brother, grand-son and advocate
Can't help but reflect upon my father, a true Ohio Veteran dedicated to doing things right. All you gotta do is Stand Out! Miss and love you though

Donate Life!


Jason was an organ donor and his wishes were carried out upon losing him. In that, a 57 year old woman received his liver and is doing well. A 71 year old woman received his left kidney and is recovering at home. A 62 year old gentleman received his right kidney and no longer is on dialysis. And a 27 year old man received his lungs! Jason is a hero of donation!
Donate Life!

Aarons weekend


It was "Aaron's Weekend" again. He had 2 big seizures and as I jumped in with mom to keep him from hurting himself I had the vision of seeing you come out of a deep sleep to jump after him like you did for so many years. You were the quickest to protect him! He laid his head on my shoulder after it was over and put his right hand in mine.... very comforting for me but doesn't take the place of his Dad to Aaron. Wanted you to be there so badly that I felt like looking for you! 
So things calmed down in time for grandma to show up. I pulled out a picture I had made of you to send to Grant for the Wall of Heroes and she broke apart. She still can't feel its real that you're gone... a 91 year old grandma shouldn't ever lose one of her own! 
So, I just had to tell you that we're trying to carry on the same Aaron schedule but you will never be replaced in the ritual. I need your help with all of these changes cause you were the expert at making us all feel that things were ok. IT'S NOT OK so help us out. We do nothing but think of you and continue to love you. I'm pretty sure you're actually with us during these times. We still need you. Always will.

Aaron and Uncle Jared lost without our dad / brother

Horoscope


For the week of Aug 01, 2011
Your personal life may be complicated by work and other responsibilities for most of the weekend. However, handling these obligations with total commitment can make you more attractive in a non-social setting. A lunar shift into risk-taking Sagittarius and your 7th House of Partners on Sunday supplies a spirit of adventure and openness, stretching your boundaries in playful ways.me

Thursday, Aug 4, 2011 -- Although something might have gone awry in a relationship recently, it simply may be due to a breakdown in communication. Unfortunately, a disagreement could arise if the other person cannot understand your point of view. You could even be accused of being negative because you want to talk about an uncomfortable subject. Fortunately, there's no need for complete resolution now; bring up your thoughts and then let them go. You can return to the discussion when your partner is ready to engage in the conversation.

Your Personal Number of the Day
8: You've got truckloads of energy, drive and determination at your disposal today. It's an excellent time for doing business, signing contracts, and anything related to legal affairs. An additional bonus: a recent conflict may finally be healed.

The Star: You are consciously on the way home in a spiritual sense.



The Boss

Bully Suicide

Only God has the power to judge us.... so why does the bullying keep happening... when will we stop receiving news that yet another child or adult alike have committed suicide due to preferring to no longer be here with us? 
Make no mistake, suicide isn't just a death that is grieved and forgotten. It Destroys people, friends and family that are still here Permanently!
We each have a responsibility to each other on this planet... so be sure if you suspect someone may be in trouble.... say something! You might save yourself!

I am Moved

I must confess that after recent times in my life and the life of my family members, my heart was torn out to the point that I became unmovable. Stuck. Lost. Unable to lift my head at times, let alone join the rest of society. Only recent
ly did I even notice exactly how bad my soul was ripped and that I needed to focus FAST on getting back up. Getting back up without the help of those that have always been there to push. 
Mom said "Don't forget that this isn't all on your schedule... it's on God's... " so I started listening, watching and Trying to pay attention to a different schedule and order in my life. I followed my intuition and it guided me straight to someone who filled in the missing pieces which were leaving me unable to figure this all out. 
So, I found myself listening to a 13 year old girl who seemed to look through my eyes and see the hurt and pain Deep within. She told me exactly what was going on and what I needed to do and gave me a clear path to start my journey back up to being present in the moment. A 13 year old Angel that saved my life... who also spoke directly about how I had just changed her life by sharing my struggles. 
I needed a spark to continue My Life fully by letting go of those that are no longer a physical part of my future though they will remain close along the way. I'm going to do this thing called life and I'm going to listen... and I'm going to continue to share in hopes that my words may impact even one person the way Ashley has affected mine. As she said: "It only takes saving one person to make it worth it." 
It's definitely worth it.
I am Moved

Saturday, November 10, 2012

You're Never Over

Nothing to speak of beyond the sunshine of yesterday that somehow turned my smile (if it was there) into a deep frown. By the time I made it back to our house... I was a mess. You see grandma, our Queen, ain't feeling right, ain't being treated right and is in pain. I came in the house barely fighting back the tears cause the one thing grandma wants to do is come see you. How can I possibly explain that I know exactly how she feels... even jealous that regardless of how things end up, she'll get to see you before I do. 
It's a good thing you left me a living Angel to live right across the street! I have come to rely on showing up at her door in times of crisis. It's been almost 18 months since I looked in your eyes on my porch yet Crisis still explains how it feels to let my guard down enough for the pain inside to come marching out, forcing me to the ground. I can't breathe. But I hear you in my head, sometimes down the hall, sometimes down in our room and always in mom's room. And because I am still connected to you, as this song states clearly.... 
You're never over while I'm still on the stage. 
So I have no problem passing Pearl back to you. Be gentle... she breaks easily. Well, until she can finally hug you, stop missing you, wipe away all her pain and finally grieve for you no more. Whenever any of this happens, talk to my granny about letting me know you got her so I can rest easy. Feel our moms heart and all the people who miss and love you who have prayers coming your way and help us find God's strength to carry on minus so many important people. I guess I'll eventually learn what patience is.... but for now... and forever... You're never over.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Jonathan James Kots

Just wow. The thought of this man feeling like there is no other option than commit suicide BAFFLES MY MIND! You truly can Never tell what is really going on in someone else's world... and therefore we should always check our loved ones per
sonal level of safety so that we can discontinue the loss felt on this planet due to suicide. 
I have learned in what has felt like a very short time that one second, it is possible to feel like you are busting your ass to be sure that someone you love Infinitely is enjoying life to it's fullest and then 1/2 a second later... they are gone. Just gone. Nothing you can do about it besides search for answers that will never be there. That look in those eyes will never be here again.
PLEASE ignore the politics long enough to ask anyone you care about if they are really ok and in no present danger. People ask me all the time and it'ss because of being asked, I know that I am loved and SAFE. Nothing to say excepts thanks for asking. 
God Bless Jonathan's friends and family on this day. Nothing but love and respect headed your way!
Jonathan James Kotz - Age 18
Photo: Jonathan James Kotz - Age 18