Wow! Christmas is almost here. It seems that it was just yesterday when I was awed at how early retail stores put out their Christmas displays. The weather in Michigan has been "Christmasy" for almost 3 weeks now which definitely helps get one in the mood. Believe it or not all of our shopping is even done a week early too!
Sandra and I went to a Celtic Christmas concert performed by The Blair Band. It was snowing outside while they performed many tunes inside to help the audience focus on just what an amazing event this thing called Christmas is celebrating, Christ's birth. You can spin it how you want, but even the world's largest Christmas store (Bronner's) recognizes how amazing this event was.
FYI, Sandra and I will be traveling around in Kansas for the holidays so if you'd like to hook up let me know. We'll be all over the state starting on Saturday the 22nd and will head back to Michigan on New Year's Day. We would love it if we could sit down over a meal or a warm beverage and catch up.
If I don't post in the next few days, I hope you have an awesome Christmas celebration!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
Overdue update
Wow! It's been waaay too long since I've written an update on here. So without further ado:
A lot has taken place since the marathon. Sandra and I have officially take over as the leaders of our small church. (Think Sunday school class size, but actually functions as a little church). With this comes many new responsibilities but we think it will be a great learning experience.
We also traveled back to Kansas for Thanksgiving to be with both of our families and I've turned another year older!
Table 1
Table 2
The "kids" going bowling Thanksgiving night!
This past weekend, Sandra and I celebrated the holiday season by having a traditional Thanksgiving-style meal with two Chinese friends, Xiung and Bai Lu. It was our first attempt at such a meal and it turned out pretty darn good. We had a great time spending time with them and talking about cultural differences and the origins of each others' different celebrations.
Sandra looking for treasure inside Tom
The final product!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Marathoning, Detroit Style!
Last Sunday was again the Detroit marathon. It was actually the 30th running of it, but for me it was only the 2nd. Things seemed to go a lot better this time and I simply laid back and enjoyed it.
My goal this year was 3:45. Last year I ran it in 3:55:56, and crashed somewhere near mile 18 or so. I figured 10 minutes off of last year's time was a good goal. The problem with that is my training has been yucky since Labor Day. I can't begin to go into all of the details, but yeah.
I drove down to Detroit realistically just looking to improve from my inaugural run last year. The expo is always a lot of fun. The conference center is buzzing with excitement and there are a lot of sports snacks to try :) There was even a clock that was counting down the time until the gun.
Posing after waaaaaay too many energy snacks!
I must learn to go out and eat earlier the night before the race. Not only was there a race the next day, there was also a football game w/ a 1:00 kickoff so there were a lot of extra people in town that night filling up the restaurants.
What I look like before a marathon
As for the race, I went out slow. Again, my goal was 3:45. This translates to 8:35/mile. I was so doing that throughout the race. I actually started a bit slower than that and waited until after the Ambassador Bridge (from USA to Canada) to work up to my desired pace. I think this helped me out A TON!!!
At the half way mark I was 1 sec. off of my pace, which blows me away that anyone can be that close after 13 miles and change. I was stayed just ahead of the pace I wanted until somewhere in between miles 22 and 23. With about 2 miles to go I was completely tanked out and it felt like I was trying to run while Hulk Hogan was trying to grab me by gripping my hamstring and squeezing. It stunk.
Finish lines a comin' !
Somehow, despite running a pitiful last two miles my time came out to be, drum roll.............. 3:53:25. It was nowhere near my initial goal, but it satisfies my revised goal of bettering my time from last year by about 2 and 1/2 minutes.
If you click on the logo it will take you to the results page if you're interested in all of the results with splits and such. The most interesting of which is the "underwater mile" split which is taken as we run back to the USA through a very warm and humid chunnel.
What I look like after a marathon. Notice the hardware!!!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
It's about go time!
Welp, here we go. For better or for worse, this is the week for the Detroit Marathon. I can't say that I feel ready for it, but it's here as of Sunday.
For about the last month I've been fighting schedules, colds, injuries and lack of motivation. My training has been kind of poopy as it was this time last year. It seems that at least mentally, I tend to peak out with my labor day 10k. I'm not sure how to fix that though.
I've recently found out that the finish is different from previous years as it will not be in Ford Field this year. Some genius scheduled a marathon the same day as a football game. I'm not for sure why this occurred. The date is a week earlier than last year. If the organizers would have kept the same weekend, then the Lions would be at an away game which means the change wouldn't have to be made. I think the finish was awesome for both runners and spectators alike. Hmm...maybe they'll fix it from now on! Traffic and parking should be interesting thanks to the scheduling mishap.
The temperature should be a bit warmer than I want it to be, but at least it won't be as bad as the runner's had it in Chicago. Yuck! We'll see how much I've learned since last year (my first marathon). I ran it in 3:55:55 last year, and despite the past month of mediocre training, I think I should beat that. I'm hoping for somehwere in the 3:45 range. If I can stay patient at the beginning I'll be fine. Knowing ahead of time how steep the Ambassador Bridge is and that the Rocky theme song will be repetitively blared out from people's cars will help me be a bit more prepared this year. Wish me luck!
For about the last month I've been fighting schedules, colds, injuries and lack of motivation. My training has been kind of poopy as it was this time last year. It seems that at least mentally, I tend to peak out with my labor day 10k. I'm not sure how to fix that though.
I've recently found out that the finish is different from previous years as it will not be in Ford Field this year. Some genius scheduled a marathon the same day as a football game. I'm not for sure why this occurred. The date is a week earlier than last year. If the organizers would have kept the same weekend, then the Lions would be at an away game which means the change wouldn't have to be made. I think the finish was awesome for both runners and spectators alike. Hmm...maybe they'll fix it from now on! Traffic and parking should be interesting thanks to the scheduling mishap.
The temperature should be a bit warmer than I want it to be, but at least it won't be as bad as the runner's had it in Chicago. Yuck! We'll see how much I've learned since last year (my first marathon). I ran it in 3:55:55 last year, and despite the past month of mediocre training, I think I should beat that. I'm hoping for somehwere in the 3:45 range. If I can stay patient at the beginning I'll be fine. Knowing ahead of time how steep the Ambassador Bridge is and that the Rocky theme song will be repetitively blared out from people's cars will help me be a bit more prepared this year. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Culturally Aware
Here's something that I read that made me rather sad and laugh all at the same time. Last week I read online the Beyonce Knowles was going to Malaysia to put on a concert. "Cool!" I thought. An American pop artist is going to an Asian country to perform. Especially cool since I know several people that are from Malaysia that came to the 'States to study and to work for a few years.
Well, all of that has now changed. She is no longer going to perform in Kuala Lumpur because the officials there wanted her to be a bit more modest than she's comfortable with when it comes to her clothing atire. I thought Beyonce was a singer, not simplly eye candy for a paying audience, but maybe I was wrong. She either thinks waaaay to highly of herself and believes that somehow by not performing there she is "punishing" them somehow or maybe without flashing a whole lot of skin she's really not that stimulating to her audiences. Hmmm... I bet she's the type of person who gets upset when she travels and nobody speaks English. Either way the result is the same, no Beyonce in Malaysia. She will be performing in Indonesia instead
I'm curious, was she really not aware that Malaysia is a more socially conservative nation or did she think they would change for her? I applaud the officials in Malaysia for this one. If only somebody would censor Madonna the world would be a better place. I'm not a big censor person because I do believe in free speech and taking creative liberties, but I think it's a different creature when it comes to outdoor concerts. That's because one can be involuntarily subjected to Sting and the Police's reunion concert or have their mind numbed by Madonna...well doing it is whatever she does. Congrats Malaysia on not giving in to this diva and letting your cultural morals slip just so she can feel important and remind the world how loose our nations' morals can sometimes be.
Well, all of that has now changed. She is no longer going to perform in Kuala Lumpur because the officials there wanted her to be a bit more modest than she's comfortable with when it comes to her clothing atire. I thought Beyonce was a singer, not simplly eye candy for a paying audience, but maybe I was wrong. She either thinks waaaay to highly of herself and believes that somehow by not performing there she is "punishing" them somehow or maybe without flashing a whole lot of skin she's really not that stimulating to her audiences. Hmmm... I bet she's the type of person who gets upset when she travels and nobody speaks English. Either way the result is the same, no Beyonce in Malaysia. She will be performing in Indonesia instead
I'm curious, was she really not aware that Malaysia is a more socially conservative nation or did she think they would change for her? I applaud the officials in Malaysia for this one. If only somebody would censor Madonna the world would be a better place. I'm not a big censor person because I do believe in free speech and taking creative liberties, but I think it's a different creature when it comes to outdoor concerts. That's because one can be involuntarily subjected to Sting and the Police's reunion concert or have their mind numbed by Madonna...well doing it is whatever she does. Congrats Malaysia on not giving in to this diva and letting your cultural morals slip just so she can feel important and remind the world how loose our nations' morals can sometimes be.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Balloon Fest and car show!!!
Whah?!?! Can it be? A balloon festival and a car show all in one morning? In the same town? Is that even possible?
Yes, yes it is. Welcome to Midland, MI. Last Saturday was the local balloon festival and a car show all in one morning. Although the weather was quite frigid for mid-September we had a blast watching balloons magically take on life and fly off into the crystal blue skies to the east, all while drinking our hot cocoa :) Afterwards we went downtown where the car show was just starting to rev up. Our favorites were the vintage fire truck and Barney Fife-esque police car. As far as balloons go, it's hard to have a favorite but Sugar Bear, Garfield, the double cheeseburge and the little pirate were all fun balloons to watch. This is definitely the weekend to stay off the roads as a lot of in-town drivers are paying no attention at all to the task at hand. Rather they are looking up and watching the balloons. Yikes!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Labor Day weekend fun!
Whew! Things have so busy up here lately. I apologize for being a bad updater. I know because of us being in Michigan, this blog is sometimes the only way that some of you know that we're alive and well. Hopefully I'll get more back on track soon with regular updates about what we're doing and thinking now that summer is over. It could be that the author's brain decided to check out with all of the summer buzz. It's a distinct possibility.
For Labor Day weekend we did several things. The biggest was going hiking in the UP. Sandra and I traveled the to Porcupine Mountains (aka the Porkies) and hiked around there. All in all we spent two nights and hiked about 20 miles that weekend. If I was forced to compare what I saw of the Porkies to what I've seen of Pictured Rocks (also in the UP) I would have to recommend Pictured Rocks before the Porkies. For us the Prokies were a much further drive, the trails were not as well maintained, and a good section of the trails didn't have any kind of natural water access. I'm also a bit of a sucker for the cool looking rocks and ores from which Pictured Rocks is named after. With that said, we had a great time while there and despite the 8 hr drive, it was well worth it. The first night was spend camping just far enough from Lake Superior that we wouldn't get wet. The crashing water (imagine the ocean) all night long made for some wonderful ambient noise that night.
The second night we camped just off a natural bluff that overlooked an amazing virgin forest (never before logged). It's been a long time since I've seen a night so clear and full of so many stars. We just about had the entire celestial sphere to our viewing, a feat that I would love to recreate often.
After hiking we made the long drive back home so that after a good night's sleep we could hit the road in the name of competition. While Sandra competed in the 5K competitive walk, I ran the 10k run. Click on BARC Labor Day for our results. While we did well, keep in mind we could have done even better.(Remember hiking 20 miles with 35 lbs on your back can make you sore )
Below are some of the pictures that I took while out camping. Enjoy!
For Labor Day weekend we did several things. The biggest was going hiking in the UP. Sandra and I traveled the to Porcupine Mountains (aka the Porkies) and hiked around there. All in all we spent two nights and hiked about 20 miles that weekend. If I was forced to compare what I saw of the Porkies to what I've seen of Pictured Rocks (also in the UP) I would have to recommend Pictured Rocks before the Porkies. For us the Prokies were a much further drive, the trails were not as well maintained, and a good section of the trails didn't have any kind of natural water access. I'm also a bit of a sucker for the cool looking rocks and ores from which Pictured Rocks is named after. With that said, we had a great time while there and despite the 8 hr drive, it was well worth it. The first night was spend camping just far enough from Lake Superior that we wouldn't get wet. The crashing water (imagine the ocean) all night long made for some wonderful ambient noise that night.
The second night we camped just off a natural bluff that overlooked an amazing virgin forest (never before logged). It's been a long time since I've seen a night so clear and full of so many stars. We just about had the entire celestial sphere to our viewing, a feat that I would love to recreate often.
After hiking we made the long drive back home so that after a good night's sleep we could hit the road in the name of competition. While Sandra competed in the 5K competitive walk, I ran the 10k run. Click on BARC Labor Day for our results. While we did well, keep in mind we could have done even better.(Remember hiking 20 miles with 35 lbs on your back can make you sore )
Below are some of the pictures that I took while out camping. Enjoy!
Ahh, this is the begining of our journey
The lakeshore where we took a break
Sandra is relaxing after after Day !
The first of many sunset pictures, Day 1
My favorite of the sunset pictures, Day 1
This is the view of the ridge that we camped next to after Day 2
A view from above Lake of the Clouds, Day 3!
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Clarence's new trick
While the rest of the country is sweating it out, Michigan is enjoying temps in the 80's as of late. This means that outdoor activities are a must! Lately we've gone on picnics with friends, gone swimming at the local lakes, enjoyed cookouts and have taken part in many ice cream runs :)
Also we recently helped out at a local outdoor event at the park. Through The ROCK, an organization that ministers to local youth, Sandra and I had the opportunity to give back a bit. We helped run some of the inflatable climbing equipment and helped with the offering during the concert. The concert featured artists: The Turning, Rush of Fools, and Todd Agnew. King of Kings Skateboard Ministries was also there, but we missed out on seeing them.
Our pal Clarence has also had some fun. We bought him a "U-tube" to place on top of his cage. It took him a while to figure it out, or maybe it really was us who had to figure it out. It seems that Clarence won't use it unless we put a treat at the top of it. We usually use a banana chip, one of his favs. It's pretty incredible to see. I wish I could climb verticle inclines! Anyways, watch the video and you'll see what I mean :)
Also we recently helped out at a local outdoor event at the park. Through The ROCK, an organization that ministers to local youth, Sandra and I had the opportunity to give back a bit. We helped run some of the inflatable climbing equipment and helped with the offering during the concert. The concert featured artists: The Turning, Rush of Fools, and Todd Agnew. King of Kings Skateboard Ministries was also there, but we missed out on seeing them.
Our pal Clarence has also had some fun. We bought him a "U-tube" to place on top of his cage. It took him a while to figure it out, or maybe it really was us who had to figure it out. It seems that Clarence won't use it unless we put a treat at the top of it. We usually use a banana chip, one of his favs. It's pretty incredible to see. I wish I could climb verticle inclines! Anyways, watch the video and you'll see what I mean :)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The dog days of...summer?
So, not much to report on here in Michigan. I'm still waiting for summer to show up though. Today's weather is overcast and 73. While that might sound good to some in the SW, I admit it's a bit depressing to me. You see. I love summer. It's my favorite time of year. Not just b/c of the weather, but also b/c of the lazier attitudes people have. Things just seem to be a bit more relaxed during the warmer months and I like it! I love doing outdoor type things. I love to go swimming at the lakes and having picnics and going to ball games and outdoor concerts and camping and so on. Please summer, show up!
I have an interview tomorrow so hopefully that will go well. I may be a bit out of my league for this job position, but we'll see. I also sent in my application to a couple of more schools who had late openings. Let's pray that something comes up!
Well, it's about time to go for a run. I haven't completely decided if I'll be running the Detroit Marathon again this year, but I'm still training just in case I go for it. This week holds 26 miles Monday through Friday topped off with a 16-miler for desert on Saturday morning. Whoopee!!!
I have an interview tomorrow so hopefully that will go well. I may be a bit out of my league for this job position, but we'll see. I also sent in my application to a couple of more schools who had late openings. Let's pray that something comes up!
Well, it's about time to go for a run. I haven't completely decided if I'll be running the Detroit Marathon again this year, but I'm still training just in case I go for it. This week holds 26 miles Monday through Friday topped off with a 16-miler for desert on Saturday morning. Whoopee!!!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Painful decisions (long)
Well, despite being offered a great job in Lawrence, KS we have decided to stay put here in Michigan. I can honestly say that this was the toughest decision that I've ever had to make before. How did this situation come about?
It all started two weeks ago. I received a phone call from a school in Lawrence saying that they had a job opening and asked if I would be interested. Of course I said yes! My first real contact was a phone interview w/ the head principal. Everything went well and he asked if I could come down for a 2nd interview. So we planned to that the following Friday (July 6th) In the meantime, I interviewed for a school district near Midland, but got turned down. In my head I'm now thinking we might be leaving for Lawrence.
Fast forward to Friday: The interview went well and I got a lot of questions answered. They then offered me the job. Great! I thought. Now what?
I flew home to my wife Sandra and we talked it over. After crunching the numbers in our budget, I was quickly reminded that teachers don't make a whole lot and with grad school freshly completed we didn't have a whole lot of breathing space as far as affordable living conditions go. So, back to the bargaining table. I asked the school about coaching positions and they said yes. Great! Now we will have a little bit more money per month but a large question mark was still where we would live. We would have 3 weeks to look for a home, Sandra to quit her job, for us to say all of out goodbyes, and to pack up and move back to Kansas knowing full well that our budget was about to be cut in half....and then the kicker.
I was supposed to give them my answer yesterday afternoon. I was already to call and say yes with many mixed emotions about leaving our many, loved Michigan friends. Together, Sandra and I have made Michigan our "home" since it is the only place that we have lived together as one. Before I called, I myself received a call and was told that I now have an interview for a position 30 miles down the road next Wednesday. But Lawrence needed to know TODAY! God has interesting timing.
Maybe this new position will work out. Maybe it won't, but to say goodbye to people we love w/ the option of staying and being employed was overwhelming me. I just couldn't do it. So, now Sandra and I have a game plan. For those who care (and you must if you've been reading this long) I'm interviewing for the position in Clare, MI. If I get it wonderful things happen! If I don't get it, then I'll work where I can, preferably in the local school district as a para-pro or something. In the meantime, Sandra has one more year of work left, and then I've promised that she never has to work again if she doesn't want to. In other words, she'll probably have one more year left at Dow Corning and then she'll call it quits. This way we can afford a better housing situation in the future and get a good jump start on retirement savings Why? B/c we really want to start our own family soon, but under the best possible situation.
If the Clare job doesn't work out, then we'll start this whole bi-state job searching thing again :( But we'll probably be a bit less picky next time around with it knowing that it's my time to bring home the bacon, and Sandra will be done with her job one way or another. At least then we'll have a bit more saved up for housing.
Keep praying for us as I'm feeling physically ill after all of the worrying that has taken place on this emotional roller coaster. Thanks all!
It all started two weeks ago. I received a phone call from a school in Lawrence saying that they had a job opening and asked if I would be interested. Of course I said yes! My first real contact was a phone interview w/ the head principal. Everything went well and he asked if I could come down for a 2nd interview. So we planned to that the following Friday (July 6th) In the meantime, I interviewed for a school district near Midland, but got turned down. In my head I'm now thinking we might be leaving for Lawrence.
Fast forward to Friday: The interview went well and I got a lot of questions answered. They then offered me the job. Great! I thought. Now what?
I flew home to my wife Sandra and we talked it over. After crunching the numbers in our budget, I was quickly reminded that teachers don't make a whole lot and with grad school freshly completed we didn't have a whole lot of breathing space as far as affordable living conditions go. So, back to the bargaining table. I asked the school about coaching positions and they said yes. Great! Now we will have a little bit more money per month but a large question mark was still where we would live. We would have 3 weeks to look for a home, Sandra to quit her job, for us to say all of out goodbyes, and to pack up and move back to Kansas knowing full well that our budget was about to be cut in half....and then the kicker.
I was supposed to give them my answer yesterday afternoon. I was already to call and say yes with many mixed emotions about leaving our many, loved Michigan friends. Together, Sandra and I have made Michigan our "home" since it is the only place that we have lived together as one. Before I called, I myself received a call and was told that I now have an interview for a position 30 miles down the road next Wednesday. But Lawrence needed to know TODAY! God has interesting timing.
Maybe this new position will work out. Maybe it won't, but to say goodbye to people we love w/ the option of staying and being employed was overwhelming me. I just couldn't do it. So, now Sandra and I have a game plan. For those who care (and you must if you've been reading this long) I'm interviewing for the position in Clare, MI. If I get it wonderful things happen! If I don't get it, then I'll work where I can, preferably in the local school district as a para-pro or something. In the meantime, Sandra has one more year of work left, and then I've promised that she never has to work again if she doesn't want to. In other words, she'll probably have one more year left at Dow Corning and then she'll call it quits. This way we can afford a better housing situation in the future and get a good jump start on retirement savings Why? B/c we really want to start our own family soon, but under the best possible situation.
If the Clare job doesn't work out, then we'll start this whole bi-state job searching thing again :( But we'll probably be a bit less picky next time around with it knowing that it's my time to bring home the bacon, and Sandra will be done with her job one way or another. At least then we'll have a bit more saved up for housing.
Keep praying for us as I'm feeling physically ill after all of the worrying that has taken place on this emotional roller coaster. Thanks all!
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
The finished product!
So a week or so we decided that we would "turn Amish" and make our own strawberry jam. Let me tell you this stuff is delicious! We were hoping to find a place where we could pay a small fee and simply pick our own strawberries, but that proved a bit harder than we had originally thought. We'll have to get a bit more serious when it comes time for blackberries :)
Speaking of finshed products, Sandra's hair was finally long enough to get it cut for Locks of Love. She had over 11 inches cut off this past weekend! While it's a big change, I think she looks even cuter than before :p Of course, we have before and after pictures.
The Bay City firworks are tonight which I have been anticipating for about a week now. They put on quite a kickin' show for a small Michigan town. Maybe I'll try to get some poor quality video of this event from my camera so you can get a taste of it.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Camping and the good Doctor
This week we were blessed with a visit from our good friend Ryan. Him and I went backpacking through the Pictured Rocks area up in the U.P. Afterwards we got a chance to hang out and chat and I showed him the local sights. We even saw the General Lee for sale in Frankenmuth!
With the previous post I totally forgot to mention the concert that Sandra and I had the chance to go to. We got to see the legendary Dr. John, who is possibly my favorite artist. For those who are not very jazz/blues educated, Dr. John is a pianist and singer whose music could be described as psychedelic/blues/voodoo jazz. Exactly. All I can say is listen to him and you'll know what I mean. If you've ever seen the movie Blues Brothers 2000, he sings the song about the voodoo queen down in LA. He also plays with the All-Star band led by Paul Shaffer. While you may not want him to have a big influence on your kids' lives, his music is simply amazing. We both had a blast as he puts on quite a show!
For anyone who has been following my recent job search, I have an interview up here for a chemistry teaching position. Finally! The market is extremely tough and the economy is pretty crummy, so I am very thankful just knowing that I have an interview (although interviews don't pay bills). We will see what Father has in store for us soon!
With the previous post I totally forgot to mention the concert that Sandra and I had the chance to go to. We got to see the legendary Dr. John, who is possibly my favorite artist. For those who are not very jazz/blues educated, Dr. John is a pianist and singer whose music could be described as psychedelic/blues/voodoo jazz. Exactly. All I can say is listen to him and you'll know what I mean. If you've ever seen the movie Blues Brothers 2000, he sings the song about the voodoo queen down in LA. He also plays with the All-Star band led by Paul Shaffer. While you may not want him to have a big influence on your kids' lives, his music is simply amazing. We both had a blast as he puts on quite a show!
For anyone who has been following my recent job search, I have an interview up here for a chemistry teaching position. Finally! The market is extremely tough and the economy is pretty crummy, so I am very thankful just knowing that I have an interview (although interviews don't pay bills). We will see what Father has in store for us soon!
Monday, June 18, 2007
What we've been up to
Whew! It's summer time and Sandra and I have been taking full advantage of the the weather to get out and do things with friends and family. Where do I start?
I guess the first thing is visiting family and friends back in Kansas for Memorial Weekend. This is one of my favorite holidays of the year as not only is it a time for barbecue and festivals, but it's also a time of remembrance for those who have served in the armed forces and have now passed on. Each year I try to go and visit my little town's celebration of this holiday. Below is a picture of what this looks like!
On our way back from Kansas we decided to adventurous and we detoured to see the birth place of John Wayne.
Finally, this past weekend was our Anniversary celebration. We decided to celebrate by going to our first ever NASCAR race. Our friend Kevin K. was there along with some of his family. This was simply awesome! We loved the entire experience!!! He had great seats and it ranks very highly among some of the other events that I've gotten to see live. Most events are better on t.v. but I think I would say that NASCAR is much better live. This way you can actually feel the cars when they go by. We had great seats as evidenced by the pictures. Maybe someday I'll have a real camcorder to take cool video with!
Lined up and ready to go!
Some pit-stop action!
I guess the first thing is visiting family and friends back in Kansas for Memorial Weekend. This is one of my favorite holidays of the year as not only is it a time for barbecue and festivals, but it's also a time of remembrance for those who have served in the armed forces and have now passed on. Each year I try to go and visit my little town's celebration of this holiday. Below is a picture of what this looks like!
We also went to watch the Lenni-Lenape pow-wow that weeken.d What a fun event this is! While I'm only a portion Deleware Indian, it's still a great time to watch a culture get together and celebrate.
On our way back from Kansas we decided to adventurous and we detoured to see the birth place of John Wayne.
Finally, this past weekend was our Anniversary celebration. We decided to celebrate by going to our first ever NASCAR race. Our friend Kevin K. was there along with some of his family. This was simply awesome! We loved the entire experience!!! He had great seats and it ranks very highly among some of the other events that I've gotten to see live. Most events are better on t.v. but I think I would say that NASCAR is much better live. This way you can actually feel the cars when they go by. We had great seats as evidenced by the pictures. Maybe someday I'll have a real camcorder to take cool video with!
Lined up and ready to go!
Not how you win a race :(
Sandy on our way out from the speedway :D
Some pit-stop action!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Kansas the 3rd
We're leaving to back to Kansas in about an hour or so. This will be the 3rd time in past 5 weeks that we've been in Kansas. This time, we're going down to Caney, KS to visit my family. It should be lots of fun as it is Memorial weekend and that means actual things to do while in Caney!
Afterwards I'll be doing an interview in Tonganoxie, KS for a chemistry position. We'll see what happens. It would be great if someone in Michigan would step it up a bit before we end up having to leave. We love it up here and love our church family so very much. We would hate to leave them.
This is the part where trusting that Father is indeed working for those who wait upon Him becomes so important. Whatever He has planned for us, it will be good.
So I need to start packing, clean Clarence's cage, and head South to the land of Sonic. Mmm...slushies!!!
Afterwards I'll be doing an interview in Tonganoxie, KS for a chemistry position. We'll see what happens. It would be great if someone in Michigan would step it up a bit before we end up having to leave. We love it up here and love our church family so very much. We would hate to leave them.
This is the part where trusting that Father is indeed working for those who wait upon Him becomes so important. Whatever He has planned for us, it will be good.
So I need to start packing, clean Clarence's cage, and head South to the land of Sonic. Mmm...slushies!!!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Celebrations, a farewell, and the job search
It's been entirely w-a-a-a-a-y too long since I've last updated. I must apologize for those out there who try to use this vehicle to stay up to date with us, things have been crazy busy lately. With that, an update!
The first round of celebrating came with Pam's senior recital on piano (Pam is Sandy's sister) She did a great job with her performance and received many laughs with her last piece which sported a mix of outtakes from an exercise infomercial. It was great! Pam is done with the academic part of her schooling and will next embark on the wild and exciting ride called student teaching in the fall.
The second round of celebrating was done the following week when I graduated ...again. This time with a Master's!!! All of the pictures and such are regarding this event. Hopefully this will mean more than just an extra line added to my resume :)
In between the two celebrations came a sad farewell. Bev Morton (Sandy's grandfather) passed away at the age of 91. While it was very sad to see him go, we know that his earthly pain has ended. I will forever be thankful for the ease of which he accepted me into the family and they way he took a real interest in what I was doing.
And now comes the job search. There are a few possibilities here in Michigan, but none of them are looking very real strong right now. Obviously that could easily change by simply being granted an interview, but for now we are also looking into schools that are in Kansas. Our target areas are Wichita, Manhattan, and the greater Kansas City area. We really love our church here in Midland so it would take an awesome set up to pull us away. Right now I'm just trying to apply to everything I see and waiting on God to show where to go. To paraphrase Isa 64:4- God works for those who wait on Him. I believe that this is the lesson that I'm currently in the midst of learning, how to wait well. Ps 62 is a beautiful chapter about David waiting on God and trusting in Him to work for us. He says in God alone does my heart silently wait. This is definitely true for us as we wait and see where God leads us.
We would still like to go overseas someday if it is His will and we want to be obedient to His calling so that as we make our plans He can direct our steps. More to come soon!
The first round of celebrating came with Pam's senior recital on piano (Pam is Sandy's sister) She did a great job with her performance and received many laughs with her last piece which sported a mix of outtakes from an exercise infomercial. It was great! Pam is done with the academic part of her schooling and will next embark on the wild and exciting ride called student teaching in the fall.
The second round of celebrating was done the following week when I graduated ...again. This time with a Master's!!! All of the pictures and such are regarding this event. Hopefully this will mean more than just an extra line added to my resume :)
In between the two celebrations came a sad farewell. Bev Morton (Sandy's grandfather) passed away at the age of 91. While it was very sad to see him go, we know that his earthly pain has ended. I will forever be thankful for the ease of which he accepted me into the family and they way he took a real interest in what I was doing.
And now comes the job search. There are a few possibilities here in Michigan, but none of them are looking very real strong right now. Obviously that could easily change by simply being granted an interview, but for now we are also looking into schools that are in Kansas. Our target areas are Wichita, Manhattan, and the greater Kansas City area. We really love our church here in Midland so it would take an awesome set up to pull us away. Right now I'm just trying to apply to everything I see and waiting on God to show where to go. To paraphrase Isa 64:4- God works for those who wait on Him. I believe that this is the lesson that I'm currently in the midst of learning, how to wait well. Ps 62 is a beautiful chapter about David waiting on God and trusting in Him to work for us. He says in God alone does my heart silently wait. This is definitely true for us as we wait and see where God leads us.
We would still like to go overseas someday if it is His will and we want to be obedient to His calling so that as we make our plans He can direct our steps. More to come soon!
My cake...via Sandy
Mmm...icing
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Happy Birthday Sandy!
Yesterday we celebrated Sandra's birthday. She turned...another year younger :)
It was a surprise party that had a few of our friends over to our apartment for dinner and games. Overall, it was a great end to birthday week.
We also celebrated the passover this past Sunday. Our small church, think Sunday school class, held a Seder dinner. It was the first time that I have had the pleasure of celebrating this is such a fashion. It was very cool to see all of the symbolism that was in place for this meal to remind us of a few of the great and wondrous works that our mighty God has performed. Again, a very cool experience.
School is winding down on the calender, which means the assignments are just cranking up. Hopefully I will come through with flying colors. I would hate for my last semester to be the exception. I'm also trying to find a job at the same time. This is not easy in Michigan, but apparently is very easy if you are in Kansas. I already have an interview in Kansas, but have heard nothing from Michigan. I've only seen one opening thus far, but hopefully there will be a few more before not too long!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Ball Time!
Today marks Clarence's first adventure outside of his Palace. While not yet quite free, he got to romp around the apartment in his big rollin' ball! It was lots of fun for all of us :)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Hi! My name is Clarence!
That's what he would say if he could talk. Clarence is our new little pet. He is a golden hampster about 4 inches long or so. He's been very active ever since we brought him home and so far he has been adjusting well. Since we live in an apartment, Clarence is about as big of a pet as we could get w/o having to pay a crazy expensive deposit. There should be lots of fun pictures of our little guy in the future. Here are some of the first ones :)
Friday, March 02, 2007
Stanley too!
A lot has happened since my last little post. Sandra and I went to see Brian Regan live in East Lansing. He's the best comedian ever and totally cracked us up! Laughter is always such great medicine and we got more than our fair share last Thursday.
Sandra and I, along with our good friends the Whitings, went to church last Sunday at a little Spanish church in Saginaw. We were hoping to go to a Korean church, but figuring out what time their services started was difficult, so we went to the Spanish church instead. The service was in both Spanish and English, and had the cutest little congregation you've ever seen.
When we first got there we were asked by the pastor if any of us were musicians. (hmm....) Of course I told I played a little here and there. Apparently this was the wrong answer, because later in the service when worship time came, the pastor asked me to play some songs. Nuts! Now, I love music. I like to play. The problem that I have is that since I play multiple instruments, I like so many different songs, and I never perform. This results in me never really having any music memorized. When people say "Hey, play something for us" I'm always at a loss. So, the pastor welcomed me up front and handed me his guitar. Gulp! On my way up I spotted a music stand and I started thinking up a plan. If there's some music there then maybe I can play the chords and he could sing them in Spanish. No such luck. All that was there were words, no chords, notes, or tabs. So.....I don't speak Spanish, I have no music, I don't have anything memorized, there are people looking at me while smiling, and I have a guitar in my hand. It was brutal on my nerves, but I'm here to tell the story so it must not have been too bad!
Last and not least, to refer to the title, Stanley too, we are attempting to grow a grapefruit tree from a seed. As you can see he's doing quite well considering we're in Michigan where the sun forgets to shine. The name of our little plant is just that...Stanley too! A picture of our sturdy little sapling is below. I'm not for sure what we'll do with him when he's bigger, but for now we'll simply enjoy his company :)
Sandra and I, along with our good friends the Whitings, went to church last Sunday at a little Spanish church in Saginaw. We were hoping to go to a Korean church, but figuring out what time their services started was difficult, so we went to the Spanish church instead. The service was in both Spanish and English, and had the cutest little congregation you've ever seen.
When we first got there we were asked by the pastor if any of us were musicians. (hmm....) Of course I told I played a little here and there. Apparently this was the wrong answer, because later in the service when worship time came, the pastor asked me to play some songs. Nuts! Now, I love music. I like to play. The problem that I have is that since I play multiple instruments, I like so many different songs, and I never perform. This results in me never really having any music memorized. When people say "Hey, play something for us" I'm always at a loss. So, the pastor welcomed me up front and handed me his guitar. Gulp! On my way up I spotted a music stand and I started thinking up a plan. If there's some music there then maybe I can play the chords and he could sing them in Spanish. No such luck. All that was there were words, no chords, notes, or tabs. So.....I don't speak Spanish, I have no music, I don't have anything memorized, there are people looking at me while smiling, and I have a guitar in my hand. It was brutal on my nerves, but I'm here to tell the story so it must not have been too bad!
Last and not least, to refer to the title, Stanley too, we are attempting to grow a grapefruit tree from a seed. As you can see he's doing quite well considering we're in Michigan where the sun forgets to shine. The name of our little plant is just that...Stanley too! A picture of our sturdy little sapling is below. I'm not for sure what we'll do with him when he's bigger, but for now we'll simply enjoy his company :)
Stanley too!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Mediocrity
This is what I've been fighting off this week. Routines are good and all, but mine has been rather blah lately. It would be great if things would pick up a bit. School is school. I'm thinking part of this blah feeling that I have is that it's senioritis all over again. You know the feeling, when you've put in your time and it's just a matter of finishing before you're done. Well, that's me. I'm 5 weeks into my last semester and I'm bored with it already. I'm taking 2 classes from SVSU this semester and then an independent study from CMU. None of the material is new or exciting to me right now. It's just more of the same.
The weather hasn't helped either. Wait let me check. Nope, cold as usual. It's 10:00 and 2 degrees above zero. Whopee! That means another day on the treadmill for me and being the outdoor enthusiast that I am I REALLY don't like treadmills.
I guess the next big thing on the horizon for us is going to Lansing next Thursday night to see comic Brian Regan. I'm not into comics, but Brian is the exception. He's great and I'm looking forward to seeing him live. I'm also greatly looking forward to catching up with a wonderful friend. I know our time will be short lived, but it will be refreshing to see her again. (see you soon Kells!)
That about sums up this week. Except for one thing. NASCAR starts Sunday.! Letting your roots show every once in a while is a good thing... I thnk.
The weather hasn't helped either. Wait let me check. Nope, cold as usual. It's 10:00 and 2 degrees above zero. Whopee! That means another day on the treadmill for me and being the outdoor enthusiast that I am I REALLY don't like treadmills.
I guess the next big thing on the horizon for us is going to Lansing next Thursday night to see comic Brian Regan. I'm not into comics, but Brian is the exception. He's great and I'm looking forward to seeing him live. I'm also greatly looking forward to catching up with a wonderful friend. I know our time will be short lived, but it will be refreshing to see her again. (see you soon Kells!)
That about sums up this week. Except for one thing. NASCAR starts Sunday.! Letting your roots show every once in a while is a good thing... I thnk.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Forest was right
A movie quote from the 90's that I have heard waaay too often from the movie Forest Gump, no it's not RUN FORREST! Although I have heard that all too often as well. The quote is, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your going to get."
This is proven true time and time again, but what does that box look like? Is your box filled with chocolates that all look the same as each other or is there a variety of Valentine's chocolates that look eerily like last year's gift? We are all of God's creation, and if you are a true believer in Christ, your box of chocolates are beautiful and often times varied. True, some of life's situations are difficult and they don't look very pretty at first glance, but to God they are beautiful and they glorify Him. So as Christians, let's not live out our lives like a box of cordial cherries (yum!) where everyday looks the same. Live out each day for what it really is, an exciting and beautiful gift and don't miss out on His blessings!
Kudos to Amanda for the beautiful box of chocolates, such an inspiring gift :)
A beautiful box of chocolates!
The most beautiful one = one beautiful day or event.
This is proven true time and time again, but what does that box look like? Is your box filled with chocolates that all look the same as each other or is there a variety of Valentine's chocolates that look eerily like last year's gift? We are all of God's creation, and if you are a true believer in Christ, your box of chocolates are beautiful and often times varied. True, some of life's situations are difficult and they don't look very pretty at first glance, but to God they are beautiful and they glorify Him. So as Christians, let's not live out our lives like a box of cordial cherries (yum!) where everyday looks the same. Live out each day for what it really is, an exciting and beautiful gift and don't miss out on His blessings!
Kudos to Amanda for the beautiful box of chocolates, such an inspiring gift :)
A beautiful box of chocolates! The most beautiful one = one beautiful day or event. Wednesday, January 10, 2007
All is well
At lest weather wise it is. It has finally gotten cold here, and althoug we haven't gotten a lot of snow yet, we are expected to get some soon :)
Sandra and I had a great time over Christmas break. We went to Kansas where we are both from to visit our families and many, many of our friends. While we were constantly on the move and tired out, it was great to visit friends in K.C., Pittsburg, Caney, Coffeyville, Independence, Manhattan, and Topeka. Sadly there is never enough time to visit everyone on the list, especially since some people were simply not home at the time :( Maybe next time!!!
Sandra is now back to work and I will be starting classes again next week. This should be my last semester of my Master's degree.
For your entertainment, here is a video of nephew Elijah playing with the gift we gave him for Christmas :)
Sandra and I had a great time over Christmas break. We went to Kansas where we are both from to visit our families and many, many of our friends. While we were constantly on the move and tired out, it was great to visit friends in K.C., Pittsburg, Caney, Coffeyville, Independence, Manhattan, and Topeka. Sadly there is never enough time to visit everyone on the list, especially since some people were simply not home at the time :( Maybe next time!!!
Sandra is now back to work and I will be starting classes again next week. This should be my last semester of my Master's degree.
For your entertainment, here is a video of nephew Elijah playing with the gift we gave him for Christmas :)
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