busy is good...

i'm really enjoying my work and still learning things everyday. i couldn't have asked God for a better work environment. i have six graduate students that work with me in our technical support; zach, randy, morgan, latasha, hannah, and katy.

i got here about 20 minutes early and cleaned up my desk a little before starting on the work tickets. after taking care of a few tickets, i picked back up on a project we started last week, re-imaging laptops. we have about 30 macbooks that have dual operating systems. i'm installing 4 at a time and it takes about 30-40 minutes for that process to complete. i'm using a software called deploystudio which creates an image of one machine and then allows me to copy that image onto other laptops.

here's one of noah's projects, he loves going to school (daycare) and playing with all the other kids (working on his organizational and management skills). they call me every morning on their way to school and he tells me all kinds of stuff. he tells me about seeing the big trucks and school buses. he'll talk to me and say, "look dad.." expecting me to be able to see what he sees. it's a beautiful thing!

then before we get off the phone, he'll tell me, "have a GOOOOD day!" then he'll say, "I LOVE YOU DAD". he's really good at enphasizing his words. the only thing greater than hearing him talk is seeing him talk.

God has given me joy unspeakable!

Life is moving fast...

there have been times in the past when it seems like time stood still, it seemed like i would never get out of the rut my life fell into, but then God says, "let me show you what I can do". almost overnight, my life has been launched into a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat series of events that makes each day go by so fast.

i wake up every morning about 10 minutes before my phone alarm goes off. i have two alarms set on my phone, one at 6am and another at 7am, but my goal is to never have to hear them. i turn off my 6am alarm before it goes off, then i gradually wake up and get up before 7am and turn that one off too.

i pick up something to eat on my way to work and usually get to the office around 7:30 or 7:45. i like getting there early and opening up my office and the websuite office where the graduate students work which is next door to my office.

i get started by checking my email, then our helpdesk work orders. for the past couple of days i've converting videos into podcasts. a couple of projects i'm currently working on: converting a couple of vhs videos to streaming video/digital format video which will start out as a wmv file. then i'll convert the wmv file to a w4v file before finally creating a podcast. i also have another project where the instructor has a video and also some powerpoint slides that i'll merge together so that you can see the video of the instructor while at the same time your watching the powerpoint slides. that's called pip, picture in picture.

miss eating in the dining hall at WinShape, and i think about it everyday that i find myself making choices what i'm gonna eat for lunch. yesterday, i got a barbeque sandwich at a restraunt called Dreamland.. a lot of times i'll go pick up a personal pan pizza at pizza hut, its good, fast, and close to my office. can't wait to get in my apartment so that i can start eating healthier and at home.

after lunch, it seems like time flies by and it's 5 o'clock before i know it. i usually pick up something to eat and come back to my office and watch something on netflix. can't believe i've finished the last episode of 24,  so the last couple of shows i've watched was Jerry Mcguire and the chronicles of Indiana Jones.

i'm still reading the Bible and just finished the book of Phillipians. i'm praying everyday and everynight to keep following God so that i can be with my family all the time. it's great to be closer to them and i know in my heart that God has a plan for them to be with me.

next friday is my moving in day and i'm also planning on taking ken's trailer back to him on saturday and picking up my car.

New things...

learning lots of new things... i've been spending a lot of time using a mac. i'm supporting software called "blackboard", webct, D2L access, camtasia, vegas, handbrake, tegrity, mediasite, and teamviewer remote assistance. also getting familiar with browsers other than IE called firefox, safari, and google chrome. its really cool to be submerged into an online learning environment.

i work with 6 graduate students that are all excellent at IT support, i also have two great supervisors that are easy to learn from. there are about 10 course designers that i also work with that build some amazing learning courses along with the instructors. so i'm learning new things everyday.

i was approved to get my apartment and will be moving in on July 1. i have applied to the university of alabama to get my master's degree in interactive technology. they only accept so many students each semester and are reviewing applications next week.

finished watching Jerry McGuire again and it made me tear up and laugh. i love the little boy in the movie and it made me miss my little noah. i can't wait until i can be with him all of the time. we had so much fun this past father's day weekend. we went swimming and he was so amazing! he is learning to talk so good now and says some of the funniest things. he is soOOoo cute!!!

God is healing me on another level

ok, i've been searching for an apartment and after looking at several, i've decided to get the one i looked at last night. the apartment complex is called "The French Quarters" and it's a gated community with a pool and fitness center. the apartments are still new and i'm only the 3rd person that will be living in my apartment. really nice appliances with 900 sq feet of living space. it's only a block from a nice park with a playground and less than a mile from where i work. it's kinda tucked away on 8th Ave off of 15th Street. i will be moving in the last week of july so i'm really excited to have my own kitchen where i can start cooking again!

lovin' my new job and God has again placed me in the midst of a great group of coworkers. i can feel the prayers and support from my friends that are lifting me up to the Lord and i am so thankful. i'm happier than i have been in a long long time.

i opened a new bank account at the Alabama Credit Union and they have a program that will help me clean up and repair my credit. God is starting to heal me on another level. when i was in Georgia, God healed me emotionally, and now i know God is going to heal me financially! i'm getting closer and closer to being with my beautiful terrie and my amazing little noah...

apartment hunting...

going today to look at a studio apartment on the upside of Ttown in an area called Northport. i've read some good reviews and some friends in my department have told me that it's one of the more conservative family areas that frowns on the loud college crowd atmosphere.

rather get a house instead of paying rent but it is what it is and i'll have to do whatever i have to do until i can do better. i know God has plans for my life and i'm not afraid of anything. no axiety and the only thing that overwhelms me is the Peace of God.

Getting my feet on the ground!

Ok this is my 3rd week at the University of Alabama and one of the coolest things is that i'm getting to wear jeans and tennis shoes, Yayeee! i dress up on occasion when i've got a meeting but for the most part its really laid back. love working with the graduate students that work with our support team. they've been really patient with me and teaching me a TON of new stuff dealing with online support for the students and instructors.

moved the rest of my stuff this past weekend and got to spend a few days with enoch. he really helped me out so much with taking my car to the place in talking rock, ga. i'm getting a new transmission put in it and i'll have a '96 Honda Accord, wow, sure will be nice to get some good gas mileage and air condition!

love love love being closer to my terrie and my noah!!! talk to them everyday, they call in the mornings and we text throughout the day, then we talk when i get off and before we go to bed. God has really blessed me and terrie with our relationship. it's growing stronger everyday and we enjoy each other's conversation and company.

she's doing well at school and has been accepted into the nursing program where she is currently going to college. i've applied to go into the Graduate program here at the University and get a Master's degree in Interactive Technology. I will start this fall and the University will pay for my schooling.

i have insurance now and planning on going to the dentist and the optometrist. the university provides free family counseling and the credit union provides free financial counseling. i've enrolled in both programs and looking forward to God moving me to the next step in my healing.

i've just finished reading I Corinthians and God is walking with me everyday. i feel better about myself than i have in a long time.