Fast and Furious

Well, here I am again. I feel like I keep falling behind on this blog. I wish I could write more but I just don’t seem to find the time.
I bought a new (new to me anyway) laptop from a friend after she replaced hers and I figured I’d be able to keep up more. I’ve got a wireless card with it but I don’t have WiFi yet so this week I mostly spent trying to hack into secure sights around Chicago and Milwaukee. I was not successful. Ben told me to look for a red X painted on the corner of a house, which is supposed to indicate free wireless in the area. The Chicago police were not happy with me driving around the downtown neighborhoods with my big truck looking for red X’s. I tried to explain but they really thought I was looking for some other things that usually come in red. Big Misunderstanding.
My daughter bought a car. The same daughter who does not have her drivers license yet despite being 20 years old. But she bought a car. It’s sitting in my driveway as we speak. (Are we speaking? Well, you know what I mean.) Meanwhile, I park my vehicle on the street since hers is without tags at this point. She bought a little Geo Metro. It’s bright yellow. Curiously, it’s the same color as the golf cart that my neighbor is trying to sell. Maybe she should have bought the golf cart, except that it was more expensive than the car.
I lucked out on this last trip north. Racine, WI got hit with 70 mph hour winds and the truck stop where I usually park had two trucks get blown over while they were parked. The International dealer lost their big sign to the wind and it crashed on top of two brand new trucks. I was running about 3 hours late due to traffic in MI and so it was over by the time I got there. Thank You! Thank You! How would you like to be taking a nap and realize that your room has just turned on its side? That’d ruin your day.
Hana called last night while I was in Chicago getting my backhaul loaded and told me she was taking my wife to the ER. The pain in her knees had just gotten too bad and she couldn’t take it anymore. I’m 400 miles away, my wife is crying in pain, my daughter is crying in frustration and fear, and the 6 yr old is crying cause he doesn’t want to go somewhere else for the night. I was frustrated because there was nothing I could do from where I was except talk Hana through the whole ordeal. And next is a night of driving to Indianapolis to unload at 9 am. They drugged Sheila with some pretty good stuff, dilaudid; believe me, very good stuff, and she slept all night and all day. I was up all night anyway so I did her stressing for her. I’m home now and she is much better. She just pushes herself too hard, past the point that her knees can handle at this point. Good news though is that she believes that she has found doc to do the replacement surgery. Maybe in August.
Good news. Hana and Sheila went shopping Saturday while I stayed home with the kids. Hana bought about a hundred bucks worth of clothes at a clothing store and then they went to Wal-Mart. Whilethey were in Wallie world allof Hana’s new clothers were stolen out of the car. She was so mad. Said she felt violated. I believe it. Well, the police called yesterday and said they caught the females who stole the clothes when they tried to return them to the store for a refund. Hana will get all her new clothes back on Sunday. And this after Sheila took her shopping again already to replace them. She deserved more clothes anyway so all is well.

One of those days

Today, actually this last week, has been one of those days. How can that be? Busy busy busy. Ben graduated Saturday. Had the baccalaureate (and don't even ask if that's spelled right) service on Friday. My dad drove up from Arkansas for the graduation. Had an open house for Ben on Sunday so everybody could stop by, congratulate him and give him cards and money. I left for my run Sunday evening and have been running all day today. Plus the windows weren't built Friday when I am supposed to load my truck so I had to work from 5 to 12 on Saturday to get it all done along with most of the other guys in the shop. Rough week. And to top it off Saturday was my 23rd anniversary. We said "Happy Anniversary" mostly in passing as we ran hither and yon. I figured I better leave for work Sunday evening so I could get some rest.

Time for bed. See ya all.

Baby Dedication

I sat in worship this morning as three families brought new babies forward to dedicate them to the Lord. Pastor held them and presented these infants before us to the Lord and he asked that the parents commit to raising these children in the way the Lord has planned for them. He then asked us as a congregation to commit to helping and teaching these children the ways of the Lord and to protect them by walking with the Lord in our own lives. We were asked to walk holy in order not to cause these young ones to stray and to give them an example that they can follow as they seek God in their lives.

I have never really paid that much attention to the impact my own life has on those around me outside of my own family. Sitting there this morning and committing to God and these parents that I would walk with the Lord in order not to cause their children to stray brought home some things to me. Can my own actions come between a child and God? Can I cause another to struggle in their walk with the Lord by my own behavior? I don't like to think of that responsibility but I believe it to be true. I, as an adult, influence the lives of the people around me whether I like it or not, and whether that be for good or for evil. An awesome responsibility and one that I am not real thrilled to carry. But I carry it whether I like it or not. By the grace of God I will do my best.

For Julie and Ann

Ben, Isaac, Grace, Caley, and Hana

Caley and Isaac

Ben, the 18 yr old gaming genius. Off to college in July. YEAH!!!

Caley, Trina's daughter and Hana, our 20 yr old rebel.

Isaac, our 10 year old getting ready to go into the zoo.

Preston, our six year old foster son.

Trina and her girls on Mother's Day; Leah, Grace and Caley

Long Night

My son, Ben, is graduating from high school this year and the only thing he asked for for graduation was for us to allow him to use the house for an all-night video game party. We said sure and ran for the hills. Well, last night was the party and actually it's still going on. There were a couple of adults who work with the youth group who stayed the night while Sheila and I went on to bed. I got up this morning about 6 and they were still going fairly strong for the most part except that the host of the party was asleep on the couch as was his little brother. He rearranged the living room and had six TVs with video game systems all attached. (This pic was taken about 11:30 this morning as the party was winding down.) There were kids playing Halo, Halo 2, Guitar Hero 2, House of the Dead, Gears of War, Risk and some watching movies. Actually I was surprised nobody woke me up with the noise. I had forewarned them all that the party did not go outside. Ben had a couple teens from school that he invited that offered to bring some beer and pot. Ben said they could if they wanted but when they got here he would call the police on them himself. "You can do that in your house if you want but not at my house", he told them. I was pretty proud of him. Overall it seemed like it was a fairly fun night for them. Actually, I played a little Guitar Hero myself and seemed to hold my own for a while. Maybe, just maybe, I'll go back to bed. Oh yeah, my in-laws are coming today from Virginia. Yeah, I'll go back to bed.

Kids

I was at Wendy's with Preston, our six year old foster son, and we were standing at the counter waiting for our food. There was an employee sitting at a nearby table taking his break drinking a coke. Preston stared at him for a minute or so and then said to me, "Daddy, is that man invisible?"

I said, "Can you see him?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then I guess he's not invisible."

"Oh."

The young man grinned a little and said, "Sometimes I sure wish I was."

I've felt that way myself.

Although probably not for the same reasons.