Emily Knutty with the first GBL Entry

Entry for Emily:

1.  October 25th, 2013 @ 10:25pm

2.  October 26th, 2013 @ 5:40pm

3.  7lbs. 14 oz.

4.  21 inches

5.  Blue

Name=no entry other than Mersh-Mersh...we're working on it (plus, we're much more interested in hearing others' suggestions)

Entry for Maddie:

1.  November 10th, 2013 @ 6:25am
2.  November 11th, 2013 @ 4:13pm
3.  8 lbs. 1 oz.
4.  23 inches
5.  Blue

Name=Joshua or Caroline (permission to commit to a gender as soon as the news is available?)

And yes, Official GBL rules allow the parents-to-be submit entries.

It's time for another Great Baby Lottery!

The stenzelblog Great Baby Lottery (GBL) is officially accepting entries! Please note that this is an extra-special GBL as we have two (2) mothers-to-be (M2B), Emily and Maddie. Congratulations to both M2Bs!

Unlike previous GBLs, modern medical technology (alas!) has taken some of the mystery out of our contest. Ultrasounds reveal baby genders to insiders attending such examinations, and many obstetricians now schedule the date of delivery. As such, valid entries for this tandem GBL shall include guesses regarding each of the following five (5) unknown variables:

1. Date and time for onset of labor pains leading without interruption to delivery (using Gregorian calendar and 24-hour clock entries, please).
2. Time of birth (using 24-hour clock entries, please).
3. Weight of child (using Avoirdupois pounds and ounces entries, please).
4. Height of child (using inches entries, please).
5. Eye color (using only either brown or blue, please).

As an added benefit to the parents-to-be (P2B), please include a name for the baby-to-be (B2B) with each entry. Please note that entries must include the name of the M2B, data for all five (5) parameters listed above, plus a B2B name, to be considered valid.

Please note that each entry is a covenant with the eventual winner in the form of a pledge such that each entrant shall provide the eventual winner with $5 for each entry submitted by an adult and $2 for each entry submitted by a child. All entries shall be submitted by email to genesis@visi.com. There is no limit to the number of entries any person, canine, or Aye Aye may submit; no feline or other animal species submissions, please.

Tune in regularly to stenzelblog for official GBL updates and announcements, and as always, enter early; enter often.

Happy Father's Day

One father remembers another...

When I was in pre-med at Mankato I was already having a problem with weight gain. When having breakfast with Paul and Mary Ann at his house on weekends, I would nibble on one piece of toast and butter and take tiny bites of a slice of braunschweiger. Paul, on the other hand, would regularly consume around a 3,000 calorie breakfast and never gain a pound.

Paul always said that when the time came, he would prefer to die in his house. I recall one day while he was still in his house, Dr. Mills and he having quite a long discussion about how he hoped that he would not havea lot of pain from the pancreatic cancer. Dr. Mills said that he could not promise it, and the matter was not discussed again.

When Aunt Mabel could no longer care for him at his house, it was necessary to move him to the Winnebago hospital. He made no fuss about it, and spent a lot of hours each day listening to baseball.

In the early evening of the day that Paul passed away Mary Ann ann I were called to the hospital by the nurse, who happened to be Dale Ripley's wife.

Paul was very nervous and soon developed an audible rattle in his chest. The nurse and I attempted to suction his lungs to no avail. This was very frightening to Paul. Early in the evening Ray Hansen arrived, and, with tears in his eyes, said that he could not bear to stay and watch,and so left.

As time wore on Mary Ann and I were both very tired. I decided to give Paul some morphine so that he could rest better, and then we left for Paul's house to get some sleep. We regret to this day that we did so,for at about 10 or 11pm Mrs. Ripley called us to tell that Paul had peacefully passed away.

For the wake, we did not have his body sent to the church, but rather had him placed in the room at the house where Paul had sent so many hours reading his paper after the movies were done.

As the body was taken to the the Delavan cemetery, I thought to myself that this was his last trip to Delavan - a trip that he almost daily made to check on his crops and farm.

At the cemetery after after the gun salute I was so overcome that I wandered off by myself weeping, unable to stay at the gravesite with the rest of the family and mourners. I loved Paul more than he probably knew.

Happy Anniversary!

Married.

It's.....

...someone's birthday....