covet your prayers!

In about three hours I'm leaving for Guatemala along with a handful of other folk from our church and a handful of students from EKU. We are going down to do some work at the Prince of Peace girls home. I'm really stoked about going...I love going away on mission trips. The only bummer part of the deal is that I'll be seriously missing my family...I really struggle to leave them. So pray not only for me and our team, but for Holly and Bryan.

If I get the chance I may blog while we are there...if not, I'll see you when we get back (next Friday!)

I'm also kinda bumming because of this huge massive snow storm coming our way...and I won't be here to enjoy it!

Basement Progress Report

So far we've got two works days under our belts. And we've got some great progress, thanks to Mike and Bart...it's always good to have 'jack of all trade' buddies!

We are doing the 'media side' first...we have three walls framed up and last night we built one of the soffit's. Bryan at one point came downstairs to check out the progress...he saw all the insulation hanging out and said, "Dad it looks like a bunch of dead bodies!" The mind of a 12 year old boy...I love it!

We'll wrap up the framing on this particular side and then begin roughing the electric and plumbing. It's actually looks like a basement remodel...we've got tools everywhere, along with saw dust and lots of male grunting going on. Doing something like this yourself gives you that Tim the Tool Man feel.

Birthday Wrap Up

Holly has put several photos of Bryan's party on Saturday...what a great day! We had family on both sides who came down to celebrate. On Friday night Holly, Bryan and I went to The Pub for dinner (fish n' chips mmmm...)then onto the Fayette Mall because Bryan had a fire of sorts in his pockets and it was something green that was burning!

He bought a new skateboard deck and an itunes card...we all enjoyed just walking around for the night. It really was a great birthday celebration...the next time Bryan has a "real" birthday...he'll be getting his permit (did I just type that!!) Arrrggghhhhh!

I love our son so much...he brings joy to our lives.

Birthday Celebration Part 3

A few of Bryan's favorite's:

Favorite Food: Fillet Mignon

Favorite Band: Zao

Favorite video game: Guitar Hero 3

Favorite color: Green

Favorite TV show: Seinfeld

Favorite Movie: Napoleon Dynamite

Favorite Season: Fall

Favorite thing to do: Skateboard and Hackey Sack

Favorite vacation spot: Los Angeles

Favorite Concert you've seen live: Red (Ichthus 2007)

Favorite Holiday: Christmas

Favorite College Sports Team: THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE!

Favorite Dad n' Lad trip: Family Force Five Concert

Favorite dessert: Cheesecake

Favorite Restaurant: The Pub

Favorite story in the Bible: Moses and the Ten Plagues

Favorite store: Cosmic

Favorite car: Porsche 911

Favorite ice cream: Mint Chocolate Chip (like father, like son!)

Favorite Book: Hop on Pop

Favorite Board Game: Stratego

Starbucks

I was having some "four-bucks" this afternoon with a friend...my friend just happens to be an employee at Starbucks so I scored on his 30% discount! He was telling me that Starbucks was closing today at 5:30pm for some in-house training...and not just the Richmond store, but over 7,000 stores across America. Go here to check it out.

My friend was telling me the founder of Starbucks, Howard Schultz was taking the drivers seat again because of declining sales over the past quarter. And he wanted to simply point the focus back towards the reason he started Starbucks. One man shut down thousands of stores to simply regroup in order to be more effective and more pointed to what they are all about...and I'm sure they'll be lots of angry customers who were expecting their coffee or fraps between those hours of closing, but I think in the end it will be worth the effort and drastic halt simply to refocus.

I think the church can learn a HUGE lesson here...it's vital to stop and reevaluate where you are and where you want to go. And maybe even to make some drastic changes to refocus to what the vision is. Yep, some folks may get mad...their feathers may even get ruffled...but that's okay...in the end I wonder how much more effective we could be for the Kingdom of God?

What do you think? Honest thoughts and opinions please...

Birthday Celebration Part 2

Okay in honor of Bryan's leap day birthday celebration I thought I'd do a *LIVE* interview with him. He's sitting right next to me as I type...we just got done with dinner, so here we go:

me: So Bryan how was dinner tonight?
BP: It was good...I had taco soup and PBJ sandwich

me: Do you remember when you were born?
BP: actually I remember being in mom's belly.

me: If you could have one thing for your birthday this Friday...what would it be?
BP: a Pearl fiberglass drum set with a double bass.

me: How much does that cost?
BP: about $700 bucks

me: You're not getting that...

me: What's been your favorite birthday memory?
BP: When I was ten I got a trampoline...and I've gotten lots of mileage from it so far!

me: How do you feel about being born on a Leap Year?
BP: It's pretty cool...it's out of the ordinary from other friends and their birthdays.

me: How do you feel about turning 12 or in all reality, 3?
BP: No more kids menus...
me: dang!

me: Who do you like in this years Presidential Election?
BP: I don't know because I can't really vote...but if I could vote it would be for my cat Sparks...she's a republican.

me: Favorite birthday cake?
BP: My checkerboard Vans cake. (Holly is mad because he didn't pick her spider cake!)

me: If you could have any one special guest to make an appearance at your party on Saturday, who would it be?
BP: Jamie Thomas who is sponsored by Zero skateboarding

me: If you could have any band to play "Happy Birthday" to you, who would it be?
BP: MxPx (a good punk band!)

me: Love ya B...happy almost b-day.
BP: yeah buddy!

Let the Day of Birth Celebration Begin!

Okay...this Friday, FEBRUARY 29th is Bryan's birTHday...yep, he's a leap day baby who will officially be THREE (which means he's 12...leap year every 4 years...this is the 3rd leap year since his birth...therefore 4 x 3=12)

The biggest question that gets asked when people learn about his leap day of birth is when do we celebrate on non-leap years? Usually Feb. 28 or March 1, whichever is closest to a weekend so we can have a party. But this year it's the real deal!

So I thought for this entire week I'd post something about Bryan each day leading up to the weekend par-ty!

Bryan has a great interest in skateboarding...his cousin Aaron has been a great influence on him with the art of "boarding." This past December Bryan used some of his Christmas bucks to buy a real-deal skateboard...board, trucks, bearings and wheels. We ordered it together over the internet/phone...for about two weeks it was pure torture on Bryan having to come home from school in anticipation that the "long cardboard" box would arrive by UPS.

Finally the day came...and he's been riding since. Over these past few months he's been practicing downstairs in the basement (too cold outside!). We can hear the popping of the board as he works on perfecting the Ollie.

Last night as Holly and I were upstairs with some friends, Bryan walks up and when I first see him, he's working some very sad eyes. I then look down to see his board split in two! "My boy broke his first board!" is what I wanted shout out...I think that's one of those 'guy things'.

After contemplating about what happened, I think Bryan thought that is was a cool thing to break his first board...sorta like a badge of honor. We're going to hang the two pieces up on his wall...and I'd say he'll purchase another board after scoring some birthday bucks this weekend. Here's the pics to prove it!

Basement Finishing 101

We've been in our new home for one year and two months now. Really loving the house...loving the view...a very homey home. Something that's new to us as home owners is that we have a basement. Right now it is unfinished, but that's soon changing!

I've been making plans for the past several weeks now to begin to finish the basement...most of it is already framed up, insulated...but that's about it. Instead of hiring it all out we've decided to to the work ourselves, along with some very good and educated buds. We can save some serious cash by doing it ourselves and I'm really looking forward to getting started.

I have some knowledge in doing this, but not enough to venture out totally alone. So I've become a DIY Network nut, watching how-to video's, reading articles and books, even looking to You Tube...you'd be amazed what wisdom can be found on You Tube! Try it...search "Finishing Basements" and see how many pop up!

So again, I have some great buddies who have offered their brawn and brains...I'll keep you posted with pics. Below is the before...one side is going to be a media room and the other side will be a game room of sorts. We want downstairs to be a place where Bryan can bring buddies to hangout...and a place of ministry to our youth and college students...and it will be a great man cave!

Wish us well with this project...

Family Force Five

This past Sunday night Holly and I took Bryan and one of his buddies to the Family Force Five concert in Lawrenceburg. This was a late Christmas gift to Bryan...and it was worth the wait.

There were three opening acts that were just okay...pretty loud and difficult to make out lyrics...again they were okay. Holly and I sat in the lounge area while these were going on.

So then Family Force Five came out and rocked the house. They are a very ecliptic band from Atlanta, GA. And talk about LOUD...it was stinking LOUD. Holly thought she wouldn't be able to enjoy them because of how loud it was, but I told her that because she knew the lyrics she would enjoy it all the more no matter how loud it was...I think it's that way for any group you see live. Knowing the lyrics before hand helps!

And the fact that Hollybird knew the lyrics of FFF makes her a super-hippy chick-kind of a gal! I love the blue picture of her...here are some others too.

Indiana Jones

I am STOKED beyond being STOKED about the new Indiana Jones flick. Go here to check out the official website...turn your speakers up and just listen to the musical trademark of Indiana Jones...it will make you all warm and fuzzy inside as you anticipate May 22!

Perfect North Skiing

This past weekend I took a bus load of our college students skiing to Perfect North in Indiana. Great time and great weather!

I've been skiing for years, but this was the first time I've skied since my knee surgery (go here to check that out!). Bryan came along as well...so this in a since was a "Dad n Lad" day + a bus load of students. We decided that we would try to snowboard together. We went and passed "Snowboarding School" (no pomp and circumstance), and for the next two hours I tried to put my schooling into practice. Urgghhh!! I couldn't get it...I really struggled. I mean I could go straight down a hill, but that's it...not very good at turning or stopping! Bryan on the other hand was a bit of a natural...he's been learning to skateboard so I think that gave him the upper hand.

So after attempting for four hours to snowboard...I exercised my 'flex option' and got me some skies strapped on to my feet and dang if I didn't feel so much more comfortable and in control!

We had a good time laughing and rolling around it snow...I even took a few pics with my phone camera.

30 Years of memories and a new home

Last weekend Holly, Bryan and I went up to the 'Ville to help my mom move. Mom retired about a year ago and decided to sell her house and move. She along with my sister and her family built a beautiful home together in Taylorsville. Above the garage is what we are calling mom's penthouse...and it's a very cozy pad! Fireplace, huge deck that wraps around the back, kitchen, living room, etc. again, a very warm new home. She's even getting a flat panel TV to go over the fireplace (my mom is very hip!).

But helping mom move out of her "old home" was bittersweet. We moved there in 1978...it was a brand-spanking-new house. I'll never forget the first time seeing our new home...I was ten at the time...my sister Lisa and I were debating who would get the front bedroom (she won!).

There have been so many memories that were made in that house...here are a few off the top of my head:
-I prayed to invite Christ to be Lord of my life in our family room (mom guided me through this!)
-Sleepover galores with friends and family
-Sleepovers Lisa had with her friends that I had a crush on...
-Family dinners...
-High School Graduation party
-Kissing Jill Wells in the driveway after the graduation party
-Sometimes "lively" arguments with my dad
-Thanksgiving at our house (HUGE tradition!)
-Where Holly met my family for the first time and our dog Sheba peed on her.
-A few family pets (Fudgie and our beloved Sheba)
-Thinking I was cool by trying to turn my room into a disco while playing my Saturday Night Fever ALBUM!!! Dang what's an album??
-Trying to learn how to break dance in my room my sophomore year (in front on my mirror...trying to learn 'the wave')
-My grandma using my room in her beginning stages of cancer...faintly remember that.
-Learning to mow the grass on my own...I think it took me like 4 hours to do.
-Hitting tennis balls off of our neighbors wall (I did this for hours!)
-Getting into fights with neighborhood friends...particularly with Todd Bratcher (dang I wonder what he's doing these days?)
-Riding bikes on dirt trails all over our neighborhood
-I remember the first time we took Bryan to mom and dad's...
-Lots of heart to heart conversations with mom and dad
-Many naps on the hammock under the deck...the worlds best hammock!
-Dad making some of the hottest fires in the buck stove! On those cold winter days it was awesome...sometimes it was too hot.
-Announcing our engagement to mom and dad
-Christmas was always great in our home...
-I remember the last conversation I had with my dad before he died...I had dropped Bryan off to stay with them for the weekend. Dad and I talked in the hallway, he was sitting on the stairs, we talked, what seemed to be, about everything...even death and heaven. I left and headed back to Richmond...when I got back my sister called me to tell me dad had died. Good and bad day all rolled up in one.

I know I'm missing some really big things, but these were the things off the cuff. Mom closed on the house yesterday and is moved into her new place. I'm glad that she is where she is...I have great peace of mind that Jim and Lisa are right next door.

We are a tight knit family and I wouldn't trade any of these memories for nothing...we've got many more to make, it will now be done in a new place and home.

this freaks me out just watching the video

I consider myself somewhat of a risk taker in life. I'm all about trying new things and being adventurous...Holly and I have even bungee jumped off a 50' platform...but this here is NUTS! This is a bungee jump off of the Macau Tower in China...

Another step...a BIG step!

My family has been on a new journey in life...may know that we are in the process of adopting a little girl from Vietnam. Today we are having the first part of our home study...so we've been gathering paperwork, getting doctors notes, getting things notarized...which leads us to today’s visit.

The thought of a little girl running around our home has been beyond exhilarating…it’s been hard to visualize, but every “next step” that we take, the more exciting it becomes as things begin to come in to fruition.

Last weekend Bryan and I had some ‘dad and lad’ time playing Halo 3 online…we played for hours! Holly has asked a couple of times, “Are you going to have some ‘daddy/daughter dates.’ That’s an easy one…oh yea! But I’m sure the make up of our ‘play dates’ will be different. Any words of wisdom from dad’s who have daughters??

We covet your prayers as our journey continues…we’ll keep ya posted.

I cannot wait for this!

I've been a HUGE U2 fan since highschool...I saw them live at Rupp Areana back in 1987. This has been hyped up for the past several months...I cannot wait...I'll be there!

U23D

This is my kind of dancing!

In rebuttal to Holly's post about me dancing like Carlton from the Fresh Prince...I give you this!

Can't believe what my wife said about me!

My wife, who is a newbie blogger wrote this one about me...I think I'm more of a Michael Jackson / Patrick Swayze dancer!

BUSY week & American Idol

Ever have one of those weeks where at the beginning you have it all mapped out...you have your "to-do" list for each day, each tasks is very important?? The the week begins and your list of "to-do's" is never touched?? That was this week! A very good week, but busy with other things than my list. Oh well...the list will carry over to next week!

A new note...

Anybody watching American Idol?? Of course my favorite time of the show are the auditions, which usually go for a few weeks. We laughed HARD Tuesday and Wednesday...here's my absolute favorite so far!

Divine appointments?

Today is Friday and it's my 'day off'...after I dropped Bryan off at school I had to get the van checked out for some minor repairs. I was in the waiting area sipping on some coffee and reading a Consumer Report mag, when this elder man walked in. He of course was there getting his truck fixed (duh it's a garage!)...and we started up a conversation.

This man's name is Ronnie and he told me all kinds of stories about his life...he told me about a car that he had bought 10 years ago and then turned around and sold it (this was a very detailed story, that I just got cracked up about how long it took to tell it, but it was interesting!) I leaned about his life when he joined the army and where he served, why he left, he shared about injuries, his marriages, his children, his politics, social security, etc. He kept using the phrase how "it's all messed up...it's all going to hell." Again, he was very open and honest about his feelings about everything...

At one point he started talking about the church and pastors...he said something like, "they're all hypocrites...people saying one thing and doing another...just burns me up!" (I didn't offer what I do or where I work!) He did retract and said some pastors were okay! (Wheww!)

He summed up his life by saying, "Someone must be watching over me up there...in all I've been through I'm still here!" And that's when I felt a door opened up to let him know that "someone" was watching and wants to know him and have a life changing relationship with him.. I didn't break out a big ole' KJV bible and start thumping...but I shared Jesus with him. He mentioned he went to church on Sunday nights with his wife, but being a Christian wasn't for him. Yet, he kept on using phrases like, "I pray all the time" or "this is what I think the Bible says."

When the van was ready and fixed our conversation began to come to a close. I don't know if Ronnie gave his life to Christ after I left...I encouraged him to keep going to church with his wife, learning about who and what this incredible God is all about.

I made me a new friend today because our van needed some repairs...divine appointment?? I don't know...I like to think that all conversations that we have with people are divine appointments, or at least have the potential to be so. Please don't hear this as boasting...I give God all the glory for this opportunity today, it charges me to always be ready to give a reason for the hope that lies within me.

Pray for Ronnie...that his eyes would be open to God!

This is just cool...

I understand this guy stood for NINE hours in making this video!