Golf Getaway

A few weeks ago, six golfers set out to tackle three days of some serious golf playing at Dale Hollow State Park. We played 18, 36 & 18. We ate like HOGS each night while watching the NBA playoffs and playing cards. Could it get any better than that? Oh yea, we stayed on a friends houseboat that was...(click)real nice!

It was the first time that I had swung a club this season. So I was a wee bit rusty throughout the week. Had some really, really good holes! (Even eagled one of the par 5's) and there were some really, really, ugly, nasty, 'want to make you quit playing golf' holes.

We had a great time...laughed a lot...ribbed one another...did not talk about church stuff (amen!)...relaxed...rested...etc. etc.

Here are a few pics!

Sammy Cat

Here he is...the newest edition to the Prosser household. He's a 10-month old short hair cat from parts unknown...give it up for SAMMY CAT.

After Sparks died about a month ago we were very bummed...still a little different without that old cat around. So a few weeks ago we went out and decided forget waiting, let's get a new cat. So we went to Petsmart and adopted Sammy.

He's been a good cat...still getting used to us and vice-versa! He has a few odd habits and tendencies:
-He's jumpy about EVERYTHING! You go to pet him and flips out. But he's getting better!
-He sleeps in odd places...on top of the cabinets in the kitchen...that's pretty high up, but that's where he goes.
-He has his days and nights mixed up...still.
-He's lighting fast!!

Now we aren't trying to replace Sparks...no way that could ever be done. But Sammy has been a good addition for us and Bryan.

Drywall City Baby

This morning the drywall guys got started. Watching these three men hang drywall was like a work of art! It was pretty obvious they've done this a time or two. Tomorrow morning they'll start with the mud/sanding...we should be painting sometime next week.

The Inspection

The Electrical Inspector came by this morning...passed with flying colors. Hoo-rah. Dry wall fellas start in the morning!

Birthday Gift from Holly Bird

If you have followed my blog at all you may know that I am completely crazy about my wife Holly-Bird. I am such a RICH man because of her...and I'm not talking "money rich!"

She has managed to surprise me so many times throughout the course of our almost 15 years of marriage. Well...she did it again with her b-day gift to me...

Here's where I'm going Tuesday, September 16th...

My Gift from my Holly

I've got two tickets for the Tuesday practice round...we will spend all day there! She asked who I was going to take along with me...I said, "That's a no-brainer...YOU!"

Thanks Bird...REALLY, REALLY looking forward to the day with you!

Basement Progress Report Part 3?

Da Basement is getting closer and closer to completion. Here's what's happened since the last report.
-All framing is finished
-Lights, Plugs, Switches, etc. all wired (and working)
-Bathroom plumbing is roughed in...
-HVAC work is complete

Tomorrow sometime the electrical inspector will come by and check out our handy work. I'm a little nervous about him coming...not sure why...maybe it's just one of those "someone checking your work out things."

A H-U-G-E thanks to my good friend Mike McMahan. He has been the brains behind all of this...I've just been a grunt guy. Although I have learned how to wire plugs, lights, etc. My framing skills have improved a couple of notches. We've had a really good time working on this together. Not only have almost finished a basement...we've solved many problems of the world with our conversations.

A couple other KUDOS to some co-laborers and good buddies: Bart Bowman & Steve Hagan are framing / wiring experts! My neighbor Darryl across the street has helped with our entire bathroom...sweating pipes, setting tubs, etc. Thanks Fellas!

One half of the basement will be a media room. There's an office area as you first enter into the basement. Then there's the rec room...it will be themed with nothing but Louisville Cardinal stuff! We're looking for a pool table too!

The next step after the inspection tomorrow is drywall. I've hired this out...don't really want to mess with drywall...afraid I'd really screw it up! Drywall should be ready to paint by next Monday or Tuesday. After that it's all gravy stuff (paint, trim, move furniture, hang lights, etc.)

I gotta say...I've really enjoyed taking this project on myself. It's been a bit time consuming, but it's been a nice change of pace working on something and seeing immediate results. It's gratifying!

I'll keep ya posted! Anybody want to help paint?

B-Day Follow Up

Sunday was a good day...40th birthday and all. I thought we were going to meet my sis and her family in Frankfort after church on Sunday, but they surprised me by coming down to us and we had a big ole cookout & just hung out the whole afternoon.

I love my family...I love that we enjoy spending time with each other. Here's few pics...

Happy Birthday??

Is it really a "Happy" Birthday when you are turning 40? I'm not sure why, but the idea of turning 40 is kinda bothering me just a bit. I know, I know it's just a number...or it's not about the age only how you feel...it's a number that measures where you are in life...hmmmm...am I missing any others?

Here is just a few minutes I'll officially turn the big 40. After church tomorrow we are going to Frankfort to meet my sis and her family at Carino's. I'm looking forward to being with my family and celebrating...it's just a number right? I shouldn't make it a real big deal, right?

Oh check this out! My birthday gift from Hollybird...2 practice round tickets to the PGA Ryder Cup on September 16th. I AM STOKED! What an awesome gift! And I'm taking my beautiful bride with me. She told me I could take anybody I wanted...easy decision there! Love you Bird...

Please don't anyone call me old tomorrow or any days after that! Bring on the next 40...now that's really hard to imagine.

Up's & Down's

As you can see I haven't been a very good blogger lately. I've been in a little bit bit of a funk with an array of life happenings. Now I typically am one who tries to live out life to its fullest...even in those moments of struggles and doubts, in the moments when life is just "golden"...in those moments of uncertainty...you get the picture?

I've had some struggles of late:
-Questioning God about life and death
-Parenting my beautiful son Bryan
-The church and trust

Those are the big three! I could speak to each of them at great length. In the midst of some of the confusion of them all I can see God at work. It's odd to watch, but I can really see God chipping away and sculpting a great piece of art in the end. I guess it's that waiting for the end that's tough to do...is there really an end? I'm sure there is, but who knows what it will look like then. And I'm wanting to find joy in the middle of the struggle...and I am!

I've been able to find some good rest the past few weeks. I went on a three day golf outing with some buds last week...great time (I'll post some other time!) This week at FBC is Family Home Week. That means no nightly meetings this whole week, and no services tonight...we encourage folks to spend time with their family, so that's what I'm doing. We love family home week.

Lot's of updates to give you...
1. Basement / Looking good and almost ready for drywall
2. The Big 40 is coming this Sunday...my birfday
3. Holly's big birthday present to me
4. We got a new cat

Whewww...

Been awhile since I last posted...it's been an overwhelmingly past few weeks. I'll get back into "blogging" mode here soon. God is faithful and true...enough said!

Sparks the Cat

Sad day today...our cat Sparks died. This was the first "real" family pet that we've had. Bryan had a hamster once, even a fish a time or two. But this cat was part of our family for almost 7 years.

It was pretty unexpected...Bryan was home with her this morning, Holly was headed to the grocery and I was coming back from a deacon's retreat. Apparently Sparks had coughed a little while, kinda like all cats do when they get a hair ball...but then Bryan said she just fell over and died. Pretty traumatic stuff for Bryan being here by himself. He called Holly and she came home immediately. They called me as we were already headed home from the retreat.

I got home...we all shed some tears...we then took Sparks and buried her in the back yard.

I know some may read this and think, "oh it was just a cat!" But you would then be wrong...because she was part of our family. There's something very therapeutic about pets...Sparks was able to make us smile and laugh...then there were those times when she would just curl up to you and sleep.

Dang I'm going to miss that cat. Please pray for Bryan...pretty tough stuff for our little guy...for that matter pray for all of us, it's been a tough day.

Stupid Lawn Mower

Today I took a half day off...I'm helping lead a deacons retreat this weekend as well as a funeral so I'm exercising a 1/2 flex day.

The plan was to come home...and cut the grass. BUT my lawn mower wouldn't turn over...urghhhhhh!! I think it's bad spark plug, I hope...so Holly is picking one up on her way home thus saving me a trip to the hardware store.

I don't mind cutting grass, actually I enjoy it...I typically do some serious thinking about life...that seems to be the place where I get creative in my thinking. I've had lots of sermons and talks stem from cutting the grass.

Stupid Lawn Mower...

Prayers please!

After my last post I hate to follow it up with this one...if you have read papers the past few days you've seen where there has been some troubles with Vietnam adoptions. Apparently there has been corruption involved within some adoption agencies...at this point lots of unknowns. Here's the story.

So we ask that you pray for us...pray for us as we go through this process of waiting to see what's next...pray for patience...pray that things will get settled...pray for our next steps.

God is bigger than all of this!

Good news! Good news!

As many know, we are in the adoption process, have been since last October. Not wanting to repeat everything that my lovely wife has already said...actually she says it a whole lot better here at here blog...Bird's Words. Check it out!

Every step that gets us closer to bringing home Ellie...the more STOKED I get. Keep on praying, we really are hoping she is here by the end of the year (if not sooner!)

A blast from the past...

I was meeting with one of our yutes yesterday at Starbucks...what a great place to "hangout". We were getting ready to leave and he said the ole phrase, "Let's make like a fetus and head out!"

For some reason that reminded me of Biff from 'Back to the Future' of course Andy had no idea who Biff was or even the movies. So here are some of Biff's all time favorite lines for us to reminiscence:

-"Since you're new here, I'm gonna cut you a break... today. So, why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?"

-"That's about as stupid as a door on a submarine!" (Biff's sidekick says, 'a screen door Biff, a screen door.')

-"Who are you callin' "butthead", Butthead?"

-"I can't believe you'd loan me your car without telling me it had a blind spot. I could've been killed!"

Any other Biff lines that you can remember? Let's hear them!!

Ahhhhhhhh....

I took this picture last Spring...makes me feel relaxed...I think we need to do this more often. Stop and enjoy some scenery this week!

Deadliest Catch

I love this show! Been a fan since it first came on...I'm amazed at their drive and ambition...I'm amazed at their ability to work non-stop 12-14 hour days...all for the love of the crab and ultimately the MONEY! They considered this the worlds deadliest job...after watching it, I believe it.

Anybody else a fan? Whose your favorite captain and boat? I'm a fan of Sig Hansen and the Northwestern. Here's the web site

Basement Update

Okay here's the scoop on the basement:

-99% of the framing is finished...
-Next step is some electrical and plumbing stuff...
-The we get the electrical and plumbing stuff inspected...
-DRYWALL CITY is the next stop...

Brown County Get-away!

What a weekend! Friday after school let out we picked up Bryan and took off to Louisville to drop him off at his nana's (Holly's mom). After the drop-off, the exchange...we got out of Dodge!

Brown County here we come! Where's Brown Co.? It's in Nashville...Indiana. I've always described it as a "mini-Gatlinburg"...a very 'crafty type' town (see pics below). We stayed at the Twin Oaks Lodge which is a Bed & Breakfast tucked away in the woods of Indiana. Friday it was 75 degrees and comfortable...Sunday afternoon it was 36 DEGREES!!! urghhhhh!!

Holly and I enjoyed the peace and quiet...we enjoyed walking around Brown County...we enjoyed several intense games of Scrabble...even a game of Yahtzee...we enjoyed sleeping in...we enjoyed time with each other.

Fellas who read this blog...TAKE YOUR WIFE OUT OF TOWN AND GET AWAY FOR A BREAK FROM EVERYTHING EXCEPT ONE ANOTHER! I highly recommend it!

This is just funny!

I saw this on Marko's blog the other day...I think I'll go out and buy some GI Joe action figures and find a dead animal somewhere and of course take a picture!