Last But Not Least

Well, another year is winding down and 2007 will quickly become 2008.

Amen to that.

Thanks to everyone who stops by to read this blog. Hopefully it has added something to your life in some way.

First of all, thanks be to God for another year of life and for all of the blessings you have poured into our lives in 2007. This year, I feel as though God was directly involved in our lives. New house. New Job. New Baby. New friends. New small group through our church. 2007 will definitely be a year to remember.

For 2008, my resolution is to grow closer to God. To listen to Him more intentionally. To have a healthier prayer life. To give Him more control over things I still try to overcome myself. Also, I hope to be a good father and husband to my girls and for our family and friends to have another year of good health.

Personally, what do you want to remember from 2007? How did God bless your life this past year? Also, what do you hope to accomplish in 2008? I'll enjoy reading your comments!

To everyone, have a safe New Year celebration and I will talk to you again next year.

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Lemon Update

After spending a few hours on the phone, I made a little progress with our vehicle situation. Like I figured, no one was really willing to help us out. The overall sentiment was, "Sorry Buddy, you're out of luck."

I called The Ohio Attorney General (office of Consumer Complaints), the Suzuki Corporation themselves, a second party government agency (CLDS) affiliated with Suzuki, and the dealership where the vehicle was sent after manufacture.

The OAG, Suzuki, and CLDS said that because it was bought as a used vehicle (which I think needs to be drastically changed) I was stuck with what I have. So basically, Suzuki was saying, "Yes, we made a bad product...but, good luck with that."

Sweet huh?

We made some progress with the dealership however. Fred Martin (never go there) was willing to take our car as a trade-in. Luckily, the car is worth as much as we owe, so we would basically be breaking even. The only catch? We have to buy a car from their lot (so, of course they were willing to work with us). The sad thing is, Fred Martin will probably turn around and sell this lemon to some other poor soul. Rather disturbing if you ask me...

Anyways, we will be keeping our eyes out for a vehicle that we like at Fred Martin and hopefully (soon), we will get this problem off our hands!

Our Car...The Lemon

We currently have the car from...cough, cough (excuse my language) Hell. Whatever you do, never buy a Suzuki.

Meg and I currently own a 2004 Suzuki Verona. As you can see from the picture...it looks pretty darn nice. Sunroof. Leather. Loaded. That fancy wood-paneled stuff. However, looks can be very deceiving.

We have owned the car for 18 months. Meg drives 10 miles a day. The car stays in the garage and is in a parking deck during the day. So, it is not like we treat it like a beater. During those 18 months, we have "invested" about $2,000 in repairs. Here are a few of the problems (too many to recall from memory) that we have had:

~ suspension problem that took over a month to fix
~ Throttle Body (3x)
~ Intake Manifold
~ Fuel Injection Sensor
~ Wiring Malfunction
~ Check Engine Light has come on over a dozen times.

This month alone, the car has been in the shop for 19 days and counting. This time, the "service" department cannot get the check engine light to turn off. Pretty sweet huh?

We are currently taking several roads to find a cure to this problem. I have a letter to submit to Suzuki along with the repair orders we have accumulated. Also, we are going to seek help from the Better Business Bureau about a possible Lemon Law infraction.

Please pray for us about this situation and that it will no longer hurt us emotionally and financially. God has a funny way of teaching us lessons, but I am still trying to figure this one out.

Baby's First Christmas

Well, we wrapped up our first Christmas with the little one. Kayley was passed around like a hot potato at all of our stops this Christmas. It was kind of nice not having to worry about her for a good part of the day. She, not surprisingly, stole the show at each stop.

This time of year is one of my favorite. I love spending time with our families, and with the new baby, it was extra special this year. Our Christmas begins on Christmas Eve when we spend the afternoon with Meg's parents. This usually involves hanging out and occasionally some finger foods. Then, we head over to my Grandparents house (mom's parents) for food and presents. Since everyone is older now, we do not exchange gifts with everyone, but my Grandparents still buy for everyone and then we have a White Elephant exchange (which is always fun).

On Christmas, we wake up and spend the morning at home. Meg makes french toast (for me) and pancakes (for her). Around noon, we head over to Meg's parents for lunch and presents. As the evening approaches, we then go to my Grandparent's house (dad's parents) and have dinner and open presents. As the grandchildren have gotten older, my grandparents have given money for Christmas. When we were kids, the living room looked like a Christmas display at Macy's. Presents stacked high. Decorations both old and new. It was something that will stay with me forever. This year, my grandparents got to buy presents for Kayley. You could see they enjoyed that again.

Christmas (not to sound cliche) is the most wonderful time of the year. The traditions are magical. The time spent with family is priceless and the season is filled with love and memories.

Now that I have become a Christian, Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning for me. I cannot explain the love I have for my Savior. This Christmas I took the time to reflect what that means to me personally. The Christmas traditions are great, but the real meaning of Christmas should be brought to life. If we forget that, Christmas will become just another novelty. How can people argue to take Christ out of Christmas? That makes absolutely no sense. That's like taking the Yankees out of New York. Or, expecting a car to run with no engine. Or, Thanksgiving without football (juvenile analogies I know). You can't have one without the other. Without Christ in Christmas, there would be no holiday. A "winter holiday" for the heck of it means absolutely nothing.

So, until next year...keep Christ first and remember why we were put on this earth. Find your "something."

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Merry Christmas

Before cartoons became politically correct. Inspiring and Thoughtful.

Merry Christmas everyone. May God bless you and yours this holiday season.

In My Daughter's Eyes

In my daughter's eyes

I see you dreaming
Of thoughts so real and new
Glimpses of love
Lost in a greyish-blue

I see you studying
The outline of my face
Our eyes meet
My heartbeat quickens pace

In my daughter's eyes
I see answered prayers and teddy bears
Pink sun dresses with SpaghettiO messes
I see tea time for two and trips to the zoo
Long-braided hair and dolls dressed with care
I see pony tails and bedtime fairy tales
With butterfly kisses and naptime wishes

In my daughter's eyes

I see you exploring
The amazement of light
Colors so vibrant
Keeping eyes open such a fight

I see you wondering
What else is in store
Dependent on two
Loved each day even more

In my daughter's eyes
I see answered prayers and teddy bears
Pink sun dresses with SpaghettiO messes
I see tea time for two and trips to the zoo
Long-braided hair and dolls dressed with care
I see pony tails and bedtime fairy tales
With butterfly kisses and naptime wishes

In my daughter's eyes

RMK 2007

Christmas Gifts

It's official, I am currently on Christmas break!

My break this year runs from December 21 to January 7. Not too shabby. The kids were VERY wound up and exploded out the doors when the school day ended. I'm not sure who was more elated, them or myself :D

Anyways, one of the perks about being a middle school teacher is that the students still buy/make their teachers gifts. Here is how I faired this year:

~ a pink fleece blanket for Kayley
~ two tiny stuffed animals for Kayley
~ chocolate nutted pretzel rods
~ homemade hard candy
~ $25 to 91 Oven
~ $75 to Babies R' Us
~ $10 to Office Max
~ $10 to Best Buy
~ $10 to Starbucks
~ $5 to Panera
~ $5 to Handel's Ice Cream
~ aspen almonds
~ Pat O'Brien's coffee
~ cookies from a classroom cookie exchange
~ hot cocoa mix, mug, and Heggy's chocolates
~ candy dish with candies
~ Homemade rasberry jam
~ assortments of homemade goodies
~ a notepad

Not too bad from a 6th grade class of 118 students. I love my job :)

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Hoover Track and Field

I'm Baaaaack!

Today I was hired as an assistant track coach for the middle school track team at Hoover (grades 7 & 8). I'm excited to be back in the sport that I have loved for many years now. It will be fun to be around the sport again.

To me, and I have played just about every organized sport, track is by far the most competitive sport around. It is pure talent against pure talent. There are not many variables to compare athletes against. You are either faster than the others, jump further than the others, throw further than the others, or run further faster than the others. Track is amazing.

I'll actually be coaching the shot put and discus. I know, out of my comfort zone. But, it will be a good learning experience since I would one day like to be a head coach. Plus, it is a foot in the door and something that I am very passionate about. The high school coach said he would hook me up with some tutorial videos. Coaching on the middle school level is all technique anyway. It should be a good time :)

I have some studying ahead of me!

Tasty Treat

With the stress that follows having a newborn, some people crave food that gives them a quick "pick-me-up." Chocolate has always been a good friend of mine. If you leave a bowl full of M&M's on the coffee table, it will be gone by the conclusion of that evening. So, when I was standing in line today at the grocery store...I just couldn't resist my favorite candy bar:

Cadbury's Caramello with its milk chocolate and creamy caramel :)


What is your favorite candy bar?

Grossology

Before my own child, who is 6 days old, I had never changed a diaper before.

Who can blame me?

Anyways, I haven't gagged, lost my cookies, or passed out when it comes to diaper changing...yet (I have a gag reflex that is easily triggered).

Funny story though...,

Yesterday I was changing Kayley's diaper (Meg and I take turns doing this chore) and I opened it to find a squeaky-clean diaper. In my mind, I gave a silent cheer for my luck...

Celebrated to soon...

As soon as I lifted her legs to put the diaper back underneath her behind, I got something along the lines of 1/2 passing of gas and 1/2 dropping the deuce (also known as a "shart").

I panicked under-pressure and yelled for the wife.

Hey, I'm still learning here!

Introducing Jesus Christ...

I put this back on my blog at the request of Meg's Dad. This is a very moving video clip of how Steve Harvey would introduce Christ. What if you had the opportunity to introduce Jesus Christ? How would you do it and what would you say?

(12 days until Christmas!)

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The "New" Sleeping Pill

Ahh yes, the pacifier.

Lately, I have been torn between using this widely used calming gadget. For one, I didn't want to except defeat.

So I compromised with myself (hey, sleep is a powerful thing).

The pacifier will ONLY be used at night. As a last resort against the looming sleep bug that is biting me more frequently now. During the day, no such luck (sorry Kayley...and us). She'll have to learn to tough it out even though that may mean she has to cry her eyes out for a little bit.

Hopefully this will delay a trip to the orthodontist for a few years...$$$

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Summing It Up...

"Did you know that in his life Christ fulfilled 332 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament? What are the mathematical possibilities of all these prophecies being fulfilled in the life of one man?

1/840,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

(That’s ninety-seven zeroes!) Amazing!"

~Max Lucado~

Kayley Morgan

At 12:31 p.m. on December 8, 2007, Megan and I welcomed Kayley Morgan into the world. She weighed 7 lbs. 1 oz. and was 19 1/4 inches long.

We were at the hospital from Friday until Tuesday afternoon. Ugh!

Megan was induced about a week and a half early because of pregnancy induced hypertension (high blood pressure). After 19 hours...yes, 19 hours...of labor, the doctors decided to move to Plan B...c-section.

On the way to the surgical room, the father-to-be has to stay outside in the lobby (alone) while the doctors prep the mom-to-be for surgery.

Worst 15 minutes of my life.

I had so many thoughts and emotions during those 15 minutes that it really felt like 15 hours. Knowing that in a matter of minutes...the unknown would be known. My life would be changed forever. Would she/he be healthy? Would I be a good father? What the heck have I done? Was this a mistake? Up to this point, I wondered what NOW would feel like. Truthfully, it scared the living daylights out of me.

Megan and I had been banking on a boy from the get go. Everyone on my side of the family are boys and so we thought that wouldn't change now. However, we REALLY wanted a little girl. When the doctor said, "it's a little girl," I couldn't believe my ears. Immediately, she had me wrapped around her finger.

Although there are a lot of worries and unknowns, I love holding her in my arms and watching her sleep. She has the cutest little face I have ever seen (father's bias). To think, this is the same little girl that will wake us up with the excitement of Christmas at 6:00 in the morning. The same little girl that will get on the school bus for the first time. The same little girl that will think her dad is totally uncool at some point. The same little girl who will be asked to prom. The same little girl who will graduate high school and go off to college. The same little girl that will meet and marry her own love. The same little girl that will have her own family someday. The same little girl that will always be my little girl.

Always.

I'm sure I will have many, many more posts that express the emotions, laughter, and some venting that is sure to come. I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and support as we have moved along with this process. Friends and family are the best resources when it comes to this stage in our lives.

And lastly, thank you God for allowing me to witness the miracle of life. To be the father of something so precious to You. Thank you for the love that I feel when I look into her eyes. Thank you for a healthy baby girl and for answering a multitude of prayers from numerous people. It is in Your strength that I continue on.

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Rose-Colored Glasses

An acquaintance of mine, a self-proclaimed atheist, once said to me, "I do what is good for human beings because it is the right thing to do, not because God told me it was the right thing to do."

I found this to be a very intriguing comment...

Through candid conversations, it seemed to me as though this acquaintance thought of me as nothing more than a proverbial puppet. A "Jesus Freak" who has no intellectual control because of my foolish belief in an unknown being.

To them, being an atheist was intellectually freeing. They were open-minded. I was closed-minded. However, I believe it to be a reversal of philosophy. Don't you have to be open-minded to believe in something that takes a leap of faith?

The following is a quote by C.S. Lewis that simply states how I feel as a Christian.

"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but by it I see everything else."

Becoming a Christian has opened my eyes to the world around me, not closed them. Becoming a Christian has made me love more deeply, not less. Becoming a Christian has given me compassion, not taken it away. Becoming a Christian has made me realize that each day is not my own, not mine and mine alone. Becoming a Christian has put my trust in a higher being, not in myself. Becoming a Christian has given me hope in tomorrow, not in today.

I am a human being that believes in Christianity, but also a Christian that believes in humanity.

So simply stated, but so hard for some people to grasp.

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Christmas With a Capital "C"...

Funny (but meaningful) song by a band called Go Fish Guys. In my own life, I am trying to spread Christmas cheer anywhere I go. Whenever someone says Happy Holidays, I have tried to respond by simply saying, "Merry Christmas to you too."

Isn't it amazing that people are trying to take Christ out of Christmas? It makes absolutely no sense. Without Christmas, there would be no holiday season. Christmas, and everything that comes along with it (good or bad), was meant to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Help me spread a little Christmas magic for the next 21 days...

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Political Campaign Ad

This is just sheer brilliance. Mike Huckabee is slowly growing on me. He had a great showing in the last debate and this commercial is marketing genius for an age demographic that commonly doesn't care to vote.

God Wears Scarlet and Grey!

#9 Oklahoma 38 #1 Missouri 17

Pittsburgh 13 #2 West Virginia

Absolute craziness. What an unbelievable end to the college football regular season. What's that I hear?...

OH-IO

OH-IO

OH-IO

Onto the National Championship!