April Hiatus Explained + Support my Bro in his Marathon!

So April turned out to be one epic fail as far as my "12 Gifts" charity project was concerned. It's been a whirlwind few weeks for me, with an unexpected medical roadblock. Hence, this little side project (among others) has had to be placed on the back burner. 

Tomorrow, I undergo surgery for this medical issue. It's non-life threatening - a straightforward outpatient procedure. Nonetheless, it's certainly a reminder that I need to take care of myself first and foremost. If I'm not well, I can't possibly be in a position to help others.

 My game plan is to put this 12 Gifts project on hold through the end of May. I'll resume in June and simply double up on charities for 2 months to get back on track.

 As a side note, my amazing brother Jeff is running in the 2012 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon this weekend as part of the American Cancer Society DetermiNation team. Meet Jeff (or, Heffe, as we in the fam affectionately dubbed him):

(He's breaking it down at my sister's wedding. And he'll probably punch me in the face for sharing this photo.)

I donated toward his fundraising campaign several weeks ago. His goal of $1,000 is only 70% met. If you have an extra $10 or $20 to spare, I'd immensely appreciate a donation to Jeff's cause.