Little Rex

Little Rex

Little Rex “Wake up. Be awesome!” Heather Dietel How high can you jump? That’s not a question we usually ask ourselves, but I found out just that, when I was twelve years old. My Aunt Janice offered to pay my cousin and me to paint her barn. We jumped at the...
Can I Drive the Car?

Can I Drive the Car?

Can I Drive the Car? “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person. He believed in me.” Jim Valvano “Dad… can I drive the car?” Those are frightening words in any language. They grow up too fast. When my twin daughters were...
She’s Got My Baby!

She’s Got My Baby!

She’s Got My Baby! “When you’re the only pea in the pod, your parents are likely to get you confused with the Hope Diamond.” Russell Baker When our firstborn, John, was seven months old, I won a ten-day trip to Paris and Monaco based on my...
Artful Negotiation

Artful Negotiation

Artful Negotiation “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter — ’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Mark Twain “Can you do any better?” The first time I heard...
The Check

The Check

The Check “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Carl W. Buehner I don’t know when this started, but I know it went on for a lifetime. My dad, Harry, and his brother, John, were close. They pulled pranks...