More Pics of Pop....

We have had such a great time going through the family pictures.  Here are some more that we would like to share here.  These are in no particular order.

  

Our love for this man will live on for the rest of our lives.  He was so special and so deeply loved.  Amazing in every way.

May 16th is the day that Shook Our World....

I had just turned into my bed for the night to settle in to get some sleep or hoping to get some sleep.  Earlier in the day of the 15th my husband, Scot, drove to Kentucky and straight to Hospice Care where his father had been taken to earlier that day.  He had been suffering since December of 2023 with health issues and we were all told that he was in the last stages of his life.  None of us knew how long the last stages of life would be for Pop but May 16th at around 12:30am was when he took his last breath on this earth.  To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that is where Pop is.  He is in no more pain and happier than he's ever been in his life.  He's there with his mom and dad and other family members that went before him.

He was the most amazing Pop I had ever known.  Our son had the best Popsie a kid could ever have.  Family is everything and Pop always put his family first.  He loved them immensely and we all knew it too.  He was so amazingly supportive of all that Tim has ever done and was doing at the time of his passing and Tim will always have that to carry with him for the rest of his life.  Tim has been amazing through the process of all that has happened since Pops passing too.  His hearts desire is to honor him to the best of his ability in his life.  Tim is such a great son and grandson.  We are beyond proud of the maturity of this kid and his love/respect for his family.  

Pop lived a great life.  He had such amazing stories that he told of all the family fun that they had had throughout the years.  He had amazing knowledge when it came to fixing just about anything but especially cars.  There wasn't much that he couldn't do mechanically.  If he didn't have a tool then he'd make one to get whatever job he had to do done.  I'm so glad that for near 17 years of married life to his son, Scot, that I got to know this incredible man.  He loved the Lord with all his heart.  His biggest desire was that all his kids and grandkids would know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  He prayed prayers to that effect at almost every family gathering for the past 8-10 years.  Now with his passing it is our hearts desire and prayer to see all of the family know the Lord too so that we will all have a big family reunion when we all get to heaven with him.  

Because of family being what they are when a family member passes Pops obit got changed many times but what I'm sharing here is a copy of the first draft which Pops kids and Nan (his wife) put together before the other family members had to put their two cents worth in when they should have left well enough alone.  The first draft was the best draft and done quite well in my opinion.

This was the image they used.

This is how the obit read:

It's hard to forget someone who gave me so much to remember.

Franklin E. Neal, age 88, of Ashland, Kentucky, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on May 16, 2024, while resting at Community Hospice.

Frank was born in the warm days of summer in Ashland, Kentucky on August 16, 1935. He was the blessing of the late Orie and Adelle Fraley Neal. Frank was a graduate of Thomas R. Brown High School and a proud Army National Guard Veteran. From an early age, Frank took an interest in cars, especially ones that went fast. He loved to race them and rebuild them. He knew cars like the back of his hand and could tell you what was wrong with them just by listening to the engine purr. Frank could just about fix anything and if he couldn’t fix it, he would just make a new one. He was handy that way. Frank valued family over everything. He saw the importance of keeping his kids close. Frank loved the east coast and spent much time there with his family. The children have fond memories of a 13-week trip in a VW Van traveling up and down the coast. Frank found joy in camping in a motor home. He had a strong faith and attended church both at home and in Florida, He was a great man with a wonderful sense of humor that he passed on to his children. Frank was Husband, Father, Popsie to his grandchildren, a only brother, and a friend. He was loved by so many and will be missed by all.

Frank leaves behind his loving wife of almost 70 years, Doris Stergeon Neal, three devoted children Elaine Brown and her husband Kevin of Flatwoods, KY, Jeff Neal and his wife Debra of Richmond, KY, and Scot Neal and his wife Lisa of Wendell, NC, Five beloved grandchildren, Mysterie, Brittany, Joshton, Corey and Timothy, five precious great-grandchildren William, Victorie, Versai, Kylie, and Norah, and one brother Mike Neal of Catlettsburg, KY.

In addition to his parents, Frank was preceded in death by one sister-in-law Sandy Neal.

A memorial service to honor the life of Frank will be held at Neal Funeral Home, located at 2409 Center Street, Catlettsburg, on June 1, 2024 beginning at 8pm. Visitation for friends and family will be held prior to the service from 6pm to 8pm.

In lieu of flowers the family strongly wishes that donations be made to Community Hospice at 1480 Carter Ave., Ashland, KY 41101, or Saint Jude’s Childrens Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate.

Online Condolences may be sent to the family from our website at kilgorecollierfuneralhome.com or on Facebook at Neal-Kilgore & Collier Funeral Home.

Neal-Funeral Home is honored to be caring for the family of Franklin E. Neal.

It was really well written and put together by Pops brother's funeral home.  They did an amazing job with it.  

To say Pop will be missed is an understatement.  He was the patriarch of the family and we all loved him dearly.  He was the glue that bound us all together.  Things will never be the same from this point on because of missing his presence every time that we are all together.  We are thankful for all the memories that we all have and can share with one another.  He will live on in us all even though his physical body is gone.   

I am currently putting together a picture video montage for the Celebration of Life service and once it's done I will share the link here.  There won't be any music on it because the family is having the funeral home play Pops playlist over their sound system while the video plays on their tvs.  Pop loved all the music from the mid 40's to the 60's so anytime that we want to watch it at home that's the music I'll always play in the background.  

He left such a great legacy behind in his kids and grandkids.  Now if they can remember that they are his legacy and live their lives like it then that will be the absolute best way that they can honor and pay homage to such a great man.  

Here's some candid pics in no particular order for you to enjoy as well:

Pop and teenage Scot.

Pop loved Porches.

I will share more in another post later because the computer is giving some format issues.

Some Pictures from Tim's Birthday on Saturday...

Tim's birthday was so awesome.  He PR'd in his Snatch lift with an 80kg lift.  He also PR'd in his back squat with a 120kg 3x lift.  We went to Angus barn and the food was as good as everyone boasts it is.  We also went to top golf for some family fun as well.  Here are some of the pictures that I got.

We also ended the day watching the solar flare that brought us northern lights.  Tim got to see that for the first time in his life which was such a treat on his birthday.  The first photo is one that I took but I also want to share with you some of the photos that friends of mine took as well from other parts of NC.

What a great treat for Tim on his birthday!!!  It was a great way of ending a day of celebrating the birth of our son on his 16th birthday.  

Happy Mother's Day!

In my life I've been blessed enough to have had many women who have been mother figures to me.  My mom had me at the young age of 17.  She got married at that age.  Back in those days girls got married young and started their families.  Hence why she had me so young.  She was still a kid herself raising a kid.  She did the best she could considering how young she was herself.  She wasn't without flaws, like most of us moms, but she did the best that she knew how to do from what she learned from the women in her life.  She wasn't blessed enough to have had other great women in her life to be a great example to her like I had.  I'd be writing for days if I included every woman who touched my life in this post so I've just narrowed it down to 3 that I want to recognize here.  My birth mom,  my mother in law/love, and the woman that I affectionately call my spiritual mom.  She has had the most influence in my life.  

My real mom/birth mother.  She fed and clothed me.  She gave me a roof over my head.  She tried the best she could to bless me with things other kids had growing up if she could.  We were a poor family so we went without many things that other families had.  In my immediate family I was the only girl until I was 15 years old so I always had my own room up to that point.  The boys shared a room and once my sister was born we shared a room.  There was four in my immediate family but I also have 3 half sisters.  Mine isn't a perfect family but I still love them all so very much.  My mom was a saint really because at one point she was raising all 7 kids while my dad went off to work and went to the bar every night after work.  She was the one that was always there taking care of us.  She cooked and cleaned and made sure we had clean clothes to wear.  They might not have been in style clothes but they were clean.  Life may not have been easy because there was lots of drama growing up with an absentee father but I know now as a mom myself that she was doing the best that she could do for the circumstances.  The Bible says that those that honor their parents will be blessed.  I do my best to honor my mom and take care of her and help her when I can.  My growing up wasn't the best of circumstances at home because of an alcoholic father and a mother who enabled him but in more recent years I see that she enabled him to keep the peace and so he wouldn't beat her up like he did many times when he'd get angry.  She was trying to keep herself safe and us kids safe too because she didn't want him turning on us either.  Looking back it's amazing how she survived it all.  So today I honor her for doing the best she could knowing that had circumstances been different she could have been even better than she was.  I've learned a lot of life lessons from all that she went through and for that I am blessed because my life is much better because of all that I learned.

Next is my mother in law/love.  What can I say,  she loves her family immensely.  She loves her grandchildren even more.  Tim has been so incredibly blessed to grow up knowing her and being loved by her.  She has been a constant in his life since the day he was born.  My husband's immediate family is a tight knit family.  Everything I have always wanted but never had growing up.  Nan (as we affectionately call her) is a great mom/Nan.  I have been so blessed to know her all these years.   Even though she's in her late 80's and showing signs of dementia and isn't quite the same as she used to be we still love her to pieces.  She and Pop are the patriarchs of the family and with their health issues we know that our time is short with them so we spend every moment we can with them honoring them for all they have been to us through the years.

Then there's Anne.  She's my spiritual/mentor mom.  She has been an absolute constant in my life.  I babysat all of her kids growing up.  I spent a lot of time with her family.  I affectionately call her Mom and her husband, Johnny, dad.  They've been there for me so much through the years.  They have lived Christ in front of me.  They showed me, through their actions, how a functioning Christian family should be.  She showed me the kind of wife/mom that I wanted to one day be through how she lived her life as a wife/mom.  I made many life decisions based on the influence she has been in my life.  My life is what it is today because of how ever-present she has been in my life.  She gave me the love and attention that I always longed for and needed in my life that my own mom just couldn't provide because she just didn't know how to be that.  Anne is an amazing woman of God.  I'm so proud to call her mom and to have her in my life to this day.  Her influence will always guide me through life.  Her love for Christ majorly impacted me as I was growing up.  My love for God is due in great part to her and to dad/Johnny.  I want to always be sure to honor them every chance that I get because without their influence in my life there is no telling where my life would have ended up.  My life is what it is today because of them.  May God always shower down blessings on them because of the example they always are to those that God has given to them to influence in this life for Him.  May this Mother's Day be especially blessed for her because she deserves all the honor that she gets on this day even though she is always so modest about it.  

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's but especially to those who have been a part of my life at some point in my life.  You are all special and deserve recognition today and everyday!  Love and hugs to you all and May God bless you with blessings overflowing on this Mother's Day and everyday!  God Bless! 

Happy Birthday Tim...

Tim you are turning the Big 16 today.  It's a milestone birthday.  I know you don't think it's a big deal but back in our day it was a huge deal because we were able to get our full drivers license.  

We know this past year has had lots of ups and downs for you but you have come out on top despite all that happened.  We could've never foreseen at this time last year that just two months later you'd be walking away from TaeKwonDo Sparring and then a few months after that away from Taekwondo altogether switching over to Olympic Weightlifting.  

You switched over to USA Weightlifting just a month after giving up sparring.  It was an unfortunate situation that forced you to make changes and you are so much better for having done it.  I can't remember a time that you were truly happy (other than when you first started TKD sparring) until now.  You are the happiest that you have ever been and your dad and I love it.  Even though you loved TKD you weren't as passionate about doing it as you are Weightlifting.  You study it, what seems to be like nonstop.  I have to keep getting your attention refocused on school because you are always watching weightlifting videos to learn more about doing the techniques better.  You never did that with TKD.  TKD made you ready for what you are doing now and for that I know you will always be grateful.  

At 16 you have accomplished so much in your life.  You've been an elite athlete since you were 8 years old.  You've won more medals and trophies than I care to count in TKD sparring/forms and now you're starting a collection of medals in Weightlifting too.  I know you don't care about the medals though.  Your eyes are on the prize of being able to represent your country in the Olympics someday.  Short term you are working hard to be able to go to Worlds and bring home some bling (as the kids call it) from that event.  Worlds is a big deal next to the Olympics and your dad and I see you working hard to be able to represent at both and bring home some bling.  Your goal is to go to your first Worlds next year as a last year youth.  You would love to be a multi-time Worlds medalist/Champion by the time you are eligible for the Olympics and we love supporting your goals.

It would be poignant for those who treated you so bad at the end of your TKD journey to have to see you doing so well and still accomplishing your dreams of winning at Worlds/Olympics.  It would be the icing on the cake for you to show them all that you still got to where you were wanting to go even though it wasn't through the avenue that you first thought it would be.  We know you have no ill will against them at all but it would be so God to bring you out on top when others meant to harm you and keep him from accomplishing your dreams.  What others mean for evil God will turn around for your good and we know that you will give God all the glory and honor when it happens.  

For you to be turning 16 today feels surreal because it seems like yesterday that you were a baby in my arms.  We have made it our goal to cherish every moment with you and this blog serves as proof of that for sure.  You are such an amazing young man and so mature for your age.  When you were young we celebrated with parties inviting your little friends but in more recent years we've just celebrated together as a family.  This year we are taking you to Angus Barn to celebrate this milestone birthday.  This is a steak house that you have always wanted to go eat at.  I lucked out in getting a reservation on your birthday at such short notice.  It was the last spot available too.  Can't wait to share pictures with you all later of us at Angus Barn.  

Happy Birthday Tim and I pray that you have the happiest birthday ever!  We are so proud of you.  We love you to the moon and beyond!

My Bible...

I love my bible.  I love studying from it.  It's the NIV Life Application Bible.  It's one of the first ones that I bought for myself when I was much younger.  It has my maiden name embossed on the front of it.  It's still my go to out of all the versions that I have.  I've done tons of highlighting and note writing in it over the years.  It's well worn and well loved.  I look forward to passing it on to our son someday.  It will be something that he can treasure for the rest of his life with my handwriting in it and the wisdom that I have gleaned from God's Word.  

What's next after Youth Nationals?

If his coach can work it out the next big thing for Tim after Nationals will be the American Open Weightlifting Finals.  It will be another big stage where he can gain more experience.  Right now it's all about experience and making gains for Tim and his coach.  Their main focus is on 2025 and making it a banner year for Tim as a last year Youth.

Goals...

This couldn't be more true.  Tim has been an elite athlete for so long but he has goals with more solid plans now than he ever has before.  His coach is putting into place plans that will get him to his goals as well.  He looks forward to every moment of his training and when he has challenges he comes home thinks through them and figures out just where he needs to make corrections and last night was one of those nights where he kept going over in his mind where he missed it so he could fix it.  He's just wired that way.  It's how God made him.  He's pretty sure he's figured out where he went wrong last night and he will talk it over with his coach tonight.  I love the coach relationship that he has now.  It's so much better than any coach relationship that he's ever had and he's had several coaches back when he was doing TKD.  Glad those days are behind us and he is going in a direction that is so much more beneficial for him.  A total change in a new direction and he's a brand new person and better in so many ways.  He's driven by his goals and plans.

MAKE GOALS BUT MAKE PLANS BECAUSE GOALS WITHOUT PLANS ARE JUST WISHES!!!

Just a Few Shorts Days...

Tim turns 16 in just a few short days.  It doesn't seem as important nowadays like it was when Scot and I were 16.  Either way we are looking forward to celebrating this milestone moment with our boy at Angus Barn.  A steak house that Tim has wanted to go to for years but couldn't because he had to stay in a weight division for sparring.  We are so glad that he's not doing that sport anymore and doing a sport where he can eat.  

It's been a year full of changes but it's been really good and might I say even great.  We love where we are as a family and where Tim is at at this point in time in his life.  Such an amazing young man with such an amazing future.

Pop and Mikes Visit...

We got word that Pop's visit with his brother Mike went so incredibly well yesterday and that they are going to make a point of getting them together more often since it was so good for them.  We love those two guys so very much.  Getting old just plain sucks.  I wish that we could have our loved ones with us always but unfortunately we can't.  What we can do though is make the end of their lives the best days of their life.  Yesterday was definitely one of those best day moments.  Here's a pic of them together.

Pop (Frank) and his brother Mike Neal.

Barbells and Sprinkles Spring Open 5/4/2024 Meet Results....

Tim did an amazing job.  He had another Meet experience going up against someone in his weight division and beat him outright in both Snatch and C&J.  Tim came away from the day with 68kgSnatch/90kgC&J/158kgTotal.  In pounds that's 149.9#Snatch/198.4#C&J/348.3#Total.  He had a great time.  They didn't give the youth any medals at this Meet.  Tim didn't care about the medal but there were other youth there that it would have been good to give out medals to encourage them.  After all they need to be lifting up this next generation of lifters and encouraging them as much as possible.  It was a well put together Meet though and Tim and his teammate had a great time.  They were there to get more experience and they did.  Here are some pics that I got of Tim lifting.

68kg Snatch

Progression of C&J lift starting with this pic.

90kg C&J

Barbell's and Sprinkles Meet...

 

Tim is excitedly getting ready for this Meet today.  He laughs at the name of the place every time it's mentioned.  We don't pick the names though.  We just go to compete and gain experience.  Tim loves what he doing and he's gaining more ground in this sport every day.  We will post results of the Meet later.  

Transformation...

I love butterflies.  I always have.  Watching caterpillars go from cute fuzziness to the cocoon to a butterfly is something everyone should experience watching at some point in their lives.  When Tim was around 5 or 6 years old we ordered a butterfly kit.  We got to watch the larvae turn into caterpillars and caterpillars turn into butterflies.  It shows us just how uniquely intrigue they are and it also shows us how uniquely intrigue we are as well.  If God can make something so incredibly beautiful like a butterfly how much more incredibly beautiful are we to Him?!?!  

I love the saying in the picture above.  Our past is a part of our transformation just like the butterflies past is a part of its transformation.  Transformation is a beautiful thing.  It may not be fun going through it but when it's done it's beautiful.  

A week from tomorrow Tim will be 16.  Looking back at his beginnings to now all I can think is WOW what a transformation!!!  He has transformed into such an amazing young man who loves life and loves his family.  He's so grateful for all the support that he has from those he loves in his life and there's nothing that he wouldn't do for any of them.  We named him Timothy after Timothy in the Bible.  Timothy in the Bible represents the kind of man that we have desired for our son to grow up to be and he is growing up to be quite a man.  We couldn't be more proud of the transformation that has taken place in him especially this last year.  With all he's gone through God has brought him through it all.  He came through and on the other side a much better and stronger Tim.  He knows what he wants and doesn't want out of life and he's moving full speed ahead into all that God has for him on the journey that he's on now.  He's so transformed from what he was and yet God is still transforming him.  God's not done with him yet.  It is so exciting to get to have a front row seat to see how God transforms our son in the days, weeks, months and years to come.  May he grow to be all that God wants him to be.  May he never waver in trusting God for everything in his life.  May God always be his first thought.  And may he always allow his past to transform him into all that God wants him to be just as the butterfly allows his past to transform him.  Looking ahead always and not behind!  Moving forward with God!  Always hold on to God for everything!  

#familyiseverything

Loyalty....

 

100% True!!!  Through the years I have seen this first hand more times than I care to even admit I have but I have.  Having people in your life who are only loyal to their need of you and when they don't need you they drop you sucks.  Our own son had to experience this last year.  We all did as a family with people that were supposed to be our friends but as soon as things shifted in our lives they dropped us because their need of us was no longer there.  

There are tons of folks today that are fickle.  Nothing even close to the sort of folks we grew up with back in the day that always had your back and didn't just use you and drop you just because you shifted in what you were going to be doing with your life.  As long as folks today have need of you they are your best friend but as soon as that need is gone so is the friendship.  We didn't have to be going the same direction in life for our friends to stay our friends when we were growing up.  I still have friendships with folks I grew up with.  We all were taught what being a real friend is all about and we took that seriously not flippantly.  

More folks today could use a good dose of old school teaching on how to be real friends with folks.  Having real relationships in your life are more important than fickle fly by night ones.  No matter the ups and downs of life be on the look out for those that are true and real and not fake to your face and use or abuse you.  Sometimes they are like a wolf in sheeps clothing and are hard to spot but if you watch carefully you'll be able to see the wolf behind the sheep mask they wear.  Plus pay close attention to what others may say or what their body language may say and you'll be able to tell.  Walk carefully as you navigate those would be friends and look to God to show you who they really are.  

Yes we got hurt but had we been looking at things with our God eyes we would have been able to see the ugly people they really were and that they were only out for themselves and didn't care who else got hurt along the way.  I'm sure they are still using people and those folks are none the wiser because they believe the lies that are being told to them.  They are buying into it and being used like we were and they too will get hurt in the end and there's nothing we can do to stop it.  Folks won't have ears to hear if they already believe lies as truth.  It's just how it is.  We just have to not be that person and walk on and move forward despite it all.  

We also have to be on our guard because the devil moves around like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour and he uses would be friends to do his dirty work so be VERY CAREFUL who you consider your friend(s)!!!  You'd be surprised how many folks really aren't your friends and are just using you and when they are done using you they will toss you aside like a bag of trash.  If it can happen to us it can happen to anyone.  BE ON YOUR GUARD!!!    

Surround Yourself...

We tell Tim this saying a lot.  We share it with him every time that we see it on social media too.  The people that we surround our lives with are important to our growth as a person.  You surround yourself with winners and you will be a winner.  You surround yourself with those that love God and you will grow in your walk with God.  You surround yourself with people that push you in a forward direction then you will continue to move forward and up the ladder to success.  They will help you raise your game whether it be in sports or work or life.  Don't just run with people to be running with a pack but make sure that you are attaching yourself to those who are going somewhere in life and are making a difference.  Make sure that you aren't a problem on society but that you are helping be part of the solution to making society a better place for everyone.  One wrong choice in life can crush your life.  Keeping your eyes on the prize always!  Making choices that lead to advancement!  That's what really matters!  Leave a legacy for your loved ones!  Make them proud!!!

Switching to Creapure....

Creatine is a great supplement for weightlifters.  Tim has been on it for a while now but not this brand.  Now that there is a brand that is associated with USA Weightlifting that they are endorsing Tim can't wait to order some.  

Creapure® is the brand name for pure creatine monohydrate produced by Alzchem Trostberg GmbH in Germany. We guarantee high-quality products, such as Creapure®, which is exclusively produced at our specially-designed production facility in Trostberg.

Creapure® is the most widely studied form of creatine and is proven to be safe and effective. When purchasing Creapure® supplements, you can be assured that you are using one of the best and most reliable products on the market.

Creapure® is vegan and exclusively manufactured by chemical synthesis. Raw materials and intermediates are not derived from animal or herbal products resulting in no traces that may have originated from animal or herbal byproducts.

Creatine – the body’s own dietary supplement

Creatine, which occurs naturally in the body, plays a crucial role in the body’s energy metabolism. If energy is needed, ATP (adenosine triphosphate = energy currency of the cell) is converted to ADP (adenosine diphosphate). Eventually, the body turns ADP back into ATP using energy derived from food, but this takes time, and muscle cells can store only enough ATP to allow a few seconds of high-intensity work. Therefore, creatine supplementation is substantial to ensure high levels of phosphocreatine.

Everybody needs creatine every day

Adults have around 80–130 g of creatine in their bodies. Every day about 1–2 % of this creatine is broken down and excreted, so it has to be replenished. The human body naturally produces some creatine. Intake of significant amounts of creatine from food is only possible by eating meat and meat products. However, cooking and food preparation can result in creatine loss in food. Given your daily requirement of creatine, consumption of meat and synthesis of creatine by your own body may only provide maintenance levels of creatine. The body’s need for creatine to maximize your creatine levels may be significantly greater and that is why a Creapure® creatine supplement may be right for you.

How much do I need?

Take 3–5 grams of Creapure® creatine monohydrate daily to replace what your body uses every day. You can personalize the rate within the range provided based on your size, muscle mass and activity level. Creapure® can be used at any time of day, but you may benefit from taking the product immediately after exercise or in the morning. A loading phase is not required.

Who benefits?

Creatine isn’t just for Bodybuilders and Fitness Athletes. It is the perfect supplement for all sports that require repeated bursts of maximum power – such as Soccer, Basketball, Football, Baseball, Hockey, Swimming, Track and Field, and many more. To consistently perform at your highest level, you need a sufficient amount of creatine in your body.  

As we age, we can also benefit from taking Creapure®. In combination with moderate resistance training, Creapure® helps to stop the age related loss of muscle mass, strength and improves mental activity.

Did you know several scientific studies indicate that creatine has even more beneficial effects, which have been shown in the following categories: Brain function, sleep (better quality of sleep and decreased sleep demand), antioxidative property, bone health.

Vegetarians and Vegans show lower muscle creatine stores compared to people who eat meat.

Why choose Creapure®

• Creapure® is on the Cologne List® and is tested for banned substances regularly. By using only products of the Cologne List®, athletes reduce the risk of unintentionally becoming the victims of doping.
• Creapure® is vegan and kosher as well as halal certified.
• Creapure® production uses Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a management system, widely used to identify, assess and control health risks in food production.
• Alzchem Trostberg GmbH, the producer of Creapure®, is certified for these ISO-Norms: Quality management: ISO 9001, Enviromental management: ISO 14001, Energy management: ISO 50001

• The production of Creapure® is IFS FOOD certified, a quality standard recognized by the “Global Food Safety Initiative”

  
  

  Here's the link for where I got all of this information: https://www.creapure.com/en/creapure/what-creapure

Our Boy Tucker...

We've had Tucker on the same dog food since he was a puppy.  We chose it because of his allergy to too much chicken in some of the dog foods.  His last batch had unprocessed bones in it and made him really bad sick.  Almost $400 later in vet bills and special dog food to get him lined out we are now on a journey to find him a new dog food.  We think we've found the one that we will go with.  It's called Taste of the Wild.  It can only be gotten on Chewy.  It's one that my sister in law uses on her picky dog and Tucker seems to love it.  We are just glad that we figured out what was making him sick and that he is feeling much better now.

We are going to give this new food a few days to be sure that this is the one we will be switching to.  You hate to have to switch them when you have found something they love but I don't know that I will ever trust the brand we were using again.  We were using Nature's Recipe and for 6/7 years it has been an awesome food but after all we've been through I'm hesitant on letting him eat it anymore.  Crossing fingers🤞that he will keep loving this food.  

Pop Walking...

The last time we remember Pop walking was at Christmas and yesterday he walked for the first time since that time.  I was so exciting to see on video.  I have a couple of pics that I will share here though of him with his walker.  One is of him walking and the other is after he sat down from his walk.

This was a huge accomplishment for Pop after all he's been through these last months.  We love seeing him doing so much better.  We want to have him with us as long as we can.  We love him so much.

Nationals Prep....

We haven't updated in a bit on Tim's weightlifting.  He's been furociously getting ready for Nationals in June.  His coach has been fine tuning his form so that he can do his absolute best lifts at that event.  Tim has been listening and tweaking as much as he can.  He is so excited to be attending his first Nationals Weightliftting event.  He's looking forward to many more to come too.  Tim will be getting his feet wet, so to speak, with this event.  If he medals great and if he doesn't that's great too because he's had a banner time of it already with just starting in August to where he is now.  He's totally floored his coach with how far he's come in such a short time.  He's never seen an athlete do that before but we told him that was the elite athlete in our son coming out.  Tim has no quit in him.  Plus he absolutely loves this sport.  The photo below was not taken by me but by the gyms photographer.  He gets such great shots of Tim.  I zoomed in on it to show off Tim.  That's Dylan next to him.  Tim and Dylan get along great.  Of course Tim gets along great with everyone there though.  

This was of Tim warming up for his lifts.

Great Conversations...

Scot and Tim really enjoyed their last moments before we headed home from Kentucky with Pop sitting out on his sisters deck with him on Sunday.

Time spent with family is irreplaceable.  We had such a great visit with them.  Pop was more like himself than he's been in a long while.  We love seeing him doing so much better.