I sure miss all three of them…sure wish John weren’t gone for a year, and sure wish I lived closer to Dad and Armour.

Those of you who live close to family?  I guess it might be easy to take it for granted, but I would seriously cherish that gift, if I were you.

You know…I love this blog. It’s a great way to “announce” to friends and family when I have mundane … (or in this case…monumental) …details to share….

Anyhoo…

Just a little taste of what I owe ya -

some detail on the event of the year for the Craigs -

Yepper.

Arms got married.

And he’s happier than ever.

Which means that Tanya Pino CRAIG is my new favorite relative.

Love. You. Two.

This picture was taken at Armour’s wedding to Tanya, June 12th, a short week ago.

Armour’s buddies (two couldn’t make it) came in for his big day – and it was great to see them – all are responsible, caring, terrific men I’m proud to know.

Armour had two men speak for him that day – Dad, and Todd Carpenter.  During his toast to the couple, Todd mentioned how the bonds of that close group of guys in high school (the Posse) had formed him into the man he is today.  He made those of us who know him, cry.  It was a tribute to true friendship.

At the end, he said that Dad had a lot to do with that transformation too – during the weekly poker games at the Craig house with a bunch of teenaged boys.  Goes to show that the smallest things have influence.

“We learned a lot of Life Lessons around that poker table, Mr. Craig, “ he said.

So here’s to great friends traveling long distances for one of their own, poker, and my dad, Jim Craig. 

Thanks to all the wonderful men in my life who are father figures to me – among them Pete Conway, Bill Prohs, Bill Silkman, Rusty Sachs, Loren Mallory, John Oleson, Morris Thomason, Bill Marty, Bro. Jim Henry, Bunny Beeson and Pete Ballantine.

But mostly, props have to go to my dad.  He’s a mentor to so many, including me.