We are in the thick of the political thunderstorms. What a difficult world to live in- filled with rhetoric, unkept promises, self-serving motives, and corruption. But this is not true in all cases- some candidates are honest, hard-working, sincere individuals who want to represent us. And we have the responsibiliy to bring good men and women to office. I am thankful for those politicians who strive to do the right things. I have known Mark Hutchison for many years. He is a good man who will represent us well as a Nevada senator. 

I am grateful to live in a time where there are such amazing advancements in the world. I understand the importance of not letting technology itself become one of our modern day idols. But used with wisdom, the advancing edge of technology can enrich our lives and add some fun pleasures along the way. I love the new panorama feature in the iPhone. A simple thing for sure, but now it is so easy to produce a panorma that one can learn to see the world from a whole new perspective. 

At the Shepherd Eye Center, we have a wonderful staff which comprises a large number of employees. I have often been pleasantly surprised to feel a sense of family and friendship among the group. There are many I could have included in this photo but Jeanie and Debbie are fine representatives of the great group that keeps our office functional each day.

Tonight I give a shout of gratitude for my wonderful family, the Millers and the Bakers. I feel very blessed to be part of these great family lines. The Miller clan, shown below, recently gathered for the celebration of my father’s 80th birthday. There is something special about family relationships. Even when we don’t see each other often, there is warmth, familiarity and love that endures and is easily rekindled. 

One of our favorite family portraits is hanging on our upstairs wall. It is a black and white version of a family “line-up” taken at a Marie Callenders restaurant many years ago. Recently, we found ourselves at the same restaurant in Southern California. We gathered all the players that were available and did our best to recreate the mood. I am thankful for fun family memories. Check out the two images below.