Gustav, Schmustav...

I come to you live from our home-away-from-home in Friendswood, TX. We've considered buying season tix to Friendswood Mustangs football games this Fall...but then we remembered that we're not going to have to be heading out here nearly as frequently in the future. (can I get a "ya-hooooo!" from the crowd? Thanks!)

Much better on the pain front today. Slept pretty well last night. I'd like to say that took care of all sleep needs for this day, but...it didn't. A power nap was required earlier this afternoon.

Regrettably, the meds plus the entire ordeal made me have to go to sleep in the midst of the 2nd half of the Bama-Clemson game we were watching on TV Sunday night. Luckily, the total thrashing/domination was long secured before I crashed. What's that? Why, no, it wasn't the top 10 Clemson winning...they were the ones getting beat like a tied-up goat...a favorite stat from the game: top-ranking duo of RBs in the country pre-season: zero yards net rushing for the evening. Nary a positive rushing yard. *huge grin* (Rooooooooooooll...Tide! Roll!...*grins again*) Regrettably, I was not able to welcome the Fedora era in person @ USM. Luckily, I'll be able to make future games. Regrettably, James had to welcome the Nutt era in to Vaught-Hemingway stadium without me. Luckily, (a) we got our picture made w/ Coach Nutt back in the summer in Coach N's office, which was very cool, and (b) I'll be able to make future games there. Regrettably, this trip means that I was not manning the effects board at PCS' 1st home game Friday night. Luckily, I'll be there loud & proud for the rest of the games. (Um...*searches*...luckily, there will be other MSU games, let's just say...*clears throat*...and I'm hoping to be there too)

So, yeah...it is that wonderful time of year when my calendar is dominated by football. We watched college football for hours Saturday--is this a great country, or what? It's also that not-so-wonderful season called "hurricane season." We've spent hours watching the weather channel today, trying to figure how to get from here to H'burg with a Cat 3 storm rolling ashore between us...We still have no idea at present, btw. But the plan is to roll out of here tomorrow morning, under the theory that Gustav will be far enough inland for us to navigate the roads. We do have an alternate route planned through the woods of LA in order to try to avoid the traffic heading back to S. LA & S. MS. We'll see. (I, of course, cannot drive yet; prayers for Lisa are most welcome! A dear friend told his wife before, "your job is just to sit there and look pretty..." I'll have trouble with both parts--just sitting there and with looking pretty. Oh well...)

Oh, yeah, there's also this:

I AM CANCER FREE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2008!!!

From "stage IV metastic melanoma" in May to "cancer-free" in August is quite the amazing transition. God has chosen to answer our prayers--and yours--in miraculous ways using amazing medical technology and its practitioners.

So, Gustav, while a huge problem, pales to pasty-white in comparison in the collective Madaris psyche. We ain't skeered! (OK, maybe a little...but we ain't very skeered...)

Thanks for continuing to pray us home! Y'all didn't know when you said "I'll pray for you" what all that would mean, did you? Who knew "safe travel through a killer hurricane's aftermath" would go alongside "2nd lung surgery recovery"? *smile* Again, I tell you, we're ready for exhiliratingly normal routine for a while!

Hope Gustav is treating all of you midsouth'ers well. Thanks for all you've done for us!

In His glorious grip,
Mike