Jeanine and her baby. I can see the family resemblance. 

Further confirmation of canine lineage. 

Maya, who is actually part Malamute, plays with Nala as only another dog can. 

Although my knee recovered sufficiently to climb Kilimanjaro, it is still not strong enough to play soccer. Sunday mornings in the fall and spring are when I escape to enjoy a couple of hours of competition and camaraderie. This morning the air was crisp with the anticipation of fall and it felt very strange to be missing my game. On the positive side, it did afford me the opportunity to attend church with the family and later in the afternoon, Jeanine guided me on a bike ride through the hidden paths of Concord. It never ceases to amaze me how many secret places there are in our town and that Jeanine seems to know them all. We finish our ride at the high school where Maya is attending a soccer clinic. 

Nico winds up for a shot on goal against a much larger Belmont defender. The game was rather one sided but Nico did have an assist on his team’s only goal. 

Maya fends off a defender as she breaks for the goal. Sadly her team suffered a 1-0 loss despite many fine chances to score. 

Amazingly, in the next frame he is still in the air. He is still recovering from a pulled quad but looked to me to be at 95% capacity. 

Kyle is one of a half dozen freshman who made the Concord Carlisle High School junior varsity soccer team. Today they beat Sudbury 2-0. Kyle made a nice back heel pass for the assist on their second goal. Here he leaps into the air for a volley. 

Another stuffed animal perishes at the hands of Nala. This dog will spend hours removing every ounce of fluff from a stuffed toy which falls prey to her attack. Heaven help us when she figures out that all the furniture and pillows are filled with the same material. 

There is no school for the kids tomorrow so Kyle invites some of his friends over to hang out. 

To all my Friends and Family:
Thank you all so much for the financial and moral support of my climb. I couldn’t have done it without you. When I was so tired and wanted to stop and give up, the thought of everyone that was supporting me kept my foot going. I thought about everyone who was supporting me the whole way up, every step that I took and especially on the last day when it was cold and dark and I was tired and in pain.I would think, just one more step, over and over and the faces of the people who were thinking of me would flash in and out of my mind and for this I thank you, because without you I couldn’t have made it! I am very grateful for all of the donations to the Free Wheelchair Mission. Now we are nearly up to $50,000 and may be starting a third container. Thank you again for everything.
Sincerely,
Nicolai

These certificates will always testify to more than just climbing a mountain. They will remind us of a time when father and son shut out the rest of the world, focused on accomplishing something wonderful, and learning about ourselves and each other. For Nicolai, that limitations of the body can be overcome with a courageous heart and determination of steel. That his bravery could be translated into an act of charity that will forever positively change the lives of thousands of people less fortunate than he. For Carl, an opportunity for the second time in his life to watch a son taking the first steps into manhood. 

The party moves inside as we enjoy sharing stories and video of our adventure with our friends. 

When we land at Logan, we are surprised that my parents have come from New York to greet us. When we arrive at home, we are surprised that half the neighborhood is waiting in front of our house to celebrate with us.