I did it!!

Yeh, so I biked 12 miles today and it wasn't really that bad. A big thanks to everyone who donated to Blood:Water on my behalf. I think the final total was close to $200. It was an honor to pedal for such a worthy cause.

Here are some pictures I took from my phone.


The starting line(Look at all that spandex!)


Along the way


the green way bridge


At the end. *Yes, I know I look like Andre the Giant with a kids bike. I promise I'm not 7'2.

Biking for Africa

Hey, people! Many of you already know about me biking this next Saturday(7/12) for Blood:Water Mission. I still need donations, so if you feel inclined to give go to the following link and sponsor away.
http://www.ridewelltour.com/DONATE/SponsoraParticipant/tabid/1829/Default.aspx

Also, I am selling my mountain bike to get money to buy a nice road bike. If you're interested or have a nice road bike you'd like to trade me let me know. Below is the link to my post on Craigslist.
http://nashville.craigslist.org/bik/743343162.html

That is really all for now. Tracy is getting bigger everyday now and in three weeks we should know what we are having. I will keep you posted.

Whoa!

Today happened. This is not a dream that I will soon wake from. It happened and I will never be the same.

Our first ultra-sound revealed to us a blessed surprise: We're having twins!!!!

Yes, there are two little babies kicking around in Tracy's belly. My face hurts from smiling.

I need to go by diapers.

You will hear more.

Eight questions for my old man

Today is Father's Day and it is hot here in middle Tennessee. I forgot today that I am a Father, too. I guess its hard for me to put myself in the same category as my Dad. He is the finest man I have known. He taught me what it means to love people and he did it mostly with his mouth closed. I have learned this is the best kind of teaching, words spoken by a life of action, a silent sermon.

Recently, my Father went on a mission to learn more about his Father. He brought a video camera along and interviewed him asking eight questions in honor of his recent 80th birthday. At his birthday party he played the finished film for him and the rest of the family. It was a moving experience to say the least. I sat there humbled by the stories and the tears of my Grandpa. I felt so grateful to be a part of such a rich history of mighty men.

So, today sipping my sweet tea at lunch, flipping through the Sunday paper, I came across this article entitled "Eight questions for my old man." I immediately recognized the faces and knew the story by heart. I was humbled once again and praying over dinner I thanked God for my Dad and prayed that I would be like him in the coming years, that I would continue the legacy. Somehow, I feel that prayer is being answered everyday now and it brings me to tears to think about it.

Below is a link to the interview and parts of the video. I hope it blesses you as it has me.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/FEATURES01/806150314&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Drumroll please..

At work, before we announce the student of the week and teacher of the week, the school director asks for a drumroll. The kids(none past 3rd grade) make all kinds of noises and beat on the tables like they are giant, snare drums or massive djembe's. I can hear them now even though yesterday was my last day for the year. I can see there faces all full of anticipation. "Could it be me this time?"

I am asking the same question right now. Could it be me this time? Could it be me or should I say "us" this time, again? The answer is yes it could be and it most certainly is. Let the drumroll cease with the following announcement:

TRACY AND I ARE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!!!!!!!!!

More later I promise.

How they grow

Here are some pictures of Corban. She will be 2 in July! She brings us, so much joy.



Here she is pushing her purple bear around on her Cornpopper. Every time the bear would fall off she would say, "No, No." Sounds like her parents.



Ah, lounging in the bean bag chair. Bring me some food.



Here is Linus, I mean Corban. *Notice the toys everywhere.

Haricut and v-neck

Yep, I celebrated my birthday this past weekend. I am 29 years old!! The staggering thought is that I am now a year away from being 30. I will enter a new age bracket then and I suppose I must finally consider myself an adult. A kid at work the other day said to me while we were playing four sqaure, "You're such a kid." You better believe it. He thought he was insulting me, but I took it as a compliment. I think I just want to be a responsible kid. One that works to provide for his family, but still knows how to have fun, to make stupid jokes and to laugh a lot at nothing in particular.

I believe the ideal is to grow up and yet keep the parts about our childlike nature that are really good and worth keeping. Most of us get older and leave every bit of it behind. For example, wonder is something that most adults have thrown away. We are not excited or surprised about anything. Nothing is a big deal anymore. The sky is just the sky, the moon just a ball of fire burning off in the distance.(Or like the rest of the intelligent, adult world knows its a big rock reflecting the rays of the sun, which is a big ball of fire.) Kids, however, see more. They stare at the clouds forever picking out images. The moon is not a ball of fire(or rock), but rather a lump of cheese. This leads me to another thing high-minded adults have lost: imagination.

Adults want to read realistic novels not fantastic, fairy tales. G.K. Chesterton said that he learned real truth from the fairy tales. But modern adults don't have the time. If its not true then why bother? As an adult I say without imagination, why bother? Without wonder, why bother? If I was without the ability to enter into the non-existent I think I would go crazy. I always think that this desire really shows my desire to be connected with love, that which I have never seen. I enjoy traveling to Narnia because I long deeply for heaven. Imagination must be sacred then and leaving it behind surely must be blasphemy.

I have no clue where this has all come from. It is good to think about growing up I think. This is what birthdays are about, to have days to think about how far you've come and how far you might go. It is good to know that I am still a kid. Apparently, even kids themselves can see it. I pray that this never be lost. I aim to die a frail child, weak from the excess of laughter and play.