Summer Break 2019

Terrie and Noah talked me into going to the waterpark in Collins last weekend. I actually had a good time and tried to keep up with ole Noah on all those crazy water slides. He wasn't scared of any of them. But there were a couple I just couldn't do, lol.

When I finally did all I could do, it was nice to relax in the sun with Terrie while we watched our little big guy team up with a couple of other guys he met to do the slides and swim.

Looks like I'm ready to renew my CDL, got my pre-trip down and scheduled to do a road test. I think Terrie may be about to start working on her RN and Noah is looking forward to spending a week with our friends in Louisiana.

Live the life you love... Love the life you live!

Live the life you love!
Love the life you live... 

I love my life, 
I love my wife...

Time is flying by but I'm enjoying the ride!

Loving my life and blessed to be in some of the best shape ever; physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Terrie and I enjoy dates and time together. A book entitled Love and Respect has really helped us see our relationship in a new light.

One of our favorite Mexican restaurants is in Ellisville. We always have fun laughing while eating chips, salsa, and queso.

Ole Noah still likes playing army down on the creek. He likes climbing trees, building a fire, playing with his friends across the road.

Morning routines and evening routines... It's just what we do, lol. The other night, I walked into the bathroom and he had already laid out my night clothes and towel. (what I usually do for him)

After dropping him at school there's nothing more touching than to see him look back one more time before he walks in to give me that little wave.

When I get home, ole Jake lets me know it's his turn. I've always been blessed to have good dogs. A few years ago, this guy came walking up the creek on Father's day and never left. It's like God knew me and Jake would be good friends.

I like walking with Terrie and Noah, and sometimes I'll make a trip with just me and the dogs.

Walking is priceless! It's one of the healthiest things to do for yourself.

Treasure Hunters!

Everyday is an adventure and on this particular day we took a "road trip" to MS to visit maw maw and do some exploring on the creek beside her house. Last week, Noah was so excited to get a real shovel and was ready to get it in the dirt.

To see the magical expressions on his face is priceless, but to have a relationship that's packed full of conversations with my little-big guy is a treasure!

Sometimes he's "indiana jones" and sometimes he's the big strong bad guy that pulls off his shirt at the airplane scene and boxes with "Indi". This past weekend, he watched one of the star wars movies and now he incorporates light sabers into all of our adventures and conversation.

But on this digging adventure, we were just a couple of construction workers building some steps into the creek bank. And yes, this was an awesome day which was worth more than a treasure chest full of gold!

Fun on the Creekbank!

Everyday with Noah is an amazing journey and here's the little-big guy doing his "thang"  catching his very first fish! Noah and I took a little road trip to MS to see my moma and while we were there he had a wonderful time exploring and investigating everything that raises a little boy's eye brows ;-)

we built a fire and piled on sticks for about two hours while hearing his little voice ask a million questions and at the same time giving me his perspective on everything. and yes.. i'm a rich rich man to have another opportunity to be on the other end of all these inquisitive questions and conversations.

there's nothing better than watching how much joy he has playing in the dirt and before we left we decided to bait a hook and try our luck at catching a fish in the creek. just after we got there on Friday afternoon, we cranked up the weed eater and cleaned up around the creekbank. noah loves pretending to weedeat. the other night i walked up to the side of his bed to see the most remarkable thing. As I adjusted his covers, he woke up just enough to instantly hold out both arms to one side and started humming like a weedeater for about 5 seconds and then he fell back asleep. now i'm still laughing everytime I think about that.

me and noah took my mom to crackerbarrel to eat lunch and afterwards we went to walmart. after a father-n-son talk about how he can't always get a truck we found our way to the lawn and garden center to get a rake for my mom. while there we found a real shovel just his size and decided to get it. he was in heaven! just before we left we decided to go back and find my mom a broom and while walking past the toy aisles he softly said to me, "DAD look at all those toys" then he said, "oh but i don't need any toys, I've got a new shovel!" then all of sudden he raised both hands and said "praise the lord!" yeah, it was priceless!

just before we left on Saturday, we got the rod-n-reel and took a piece of raw bacon with us to the creek. he was so serious while helping me get the hook baited. and as soon as i dropped the line in the water and handed him the reel, a fish made the cork dissappear and it was like a movie in slow motion as I watched him pull in his first fish!

it was an amazing weekend and i'm so glad my mom is doing better and she got to witness all of this amazement firsthand. noah loves going to maw maw's house!

My Heart's Desire

The pages of my life seem to be never-ending and that in itself is a beautiful thing! God's Grace has been constantly poured out on me and He has been not only my Lord and Savior but my dearest friend that has always loved me.

I have the most wonderful family and friends anyone could ever dream of having and for that I am the richest man in this world. Our journey is a winding road with hills and valleys which sometimes prevents us from seeing very far into our future. It's a bitter-sweet masterpiece in which I count myself blessed. There's no doubt in my mind that God uses angels to help his children find their way down this wonderful path called life.

God's Grace will always be sufficient to meet our every need but will be given on a daily basis. It's
truly a blessing for me to make the most of every day and to love and live our life each day like it's our last. One of the best ways for some of us to learn is by watching the example that others provide as they live for God.

Sometimes even the most experienced can fall out of the saddle and when that happens, only the most determined will climb back on and try it again. God has placed people in my life that has encouraged me when i needed a little nudge and i am truly grateful for those people in my life.

There's no way I could name all the people that has prayed for me and given me an outstretched hand to pick me up but God has certainly been at work in my life thru my two oldest boys, Enoch and Chris. Shortly after my world crumbled, when I lived in GA, Enoch was a rock that seemed to be strategically placed in one of God's beautiful streams of life (WinShape Retreat). He inspired me everyday as he spoke words of life and managed his team of guys who work hard to make the grounds of WinShape look so spectacular.

One day he encouraged me to confide in a friend named Terry Shank who is known by many to be one of God's chosen and a man among men. Between Enoch, Terry Shank, and the team of wonderful folks at WinShape, God placed my broken life back on the potter's wheel and began a new work in my life.

A glimpse of God's glory makes the difference between darkness and light and though I daily hear the words "Roll Tide", my definition of that phrase has a much deeper meaning than the University of Alabama.

I love talking to my oldest son Chris on Skype and seeing his face while we laugh together is a daily routine which has provided another wonderful source of encouragement and counsel. It's a beautiful thing to experience Gods miracle of restoration and to once again be able to dream and have goals.

My journey has once again been highlighted on a map in God's Word and I am no longer a broken vessel but a vessel full of the joy of God and I have once again been given the desires of my heart [Psalm 37:4].

This is my second year at the University of Alabama and just starting my third position with a new title of Manager of Area Computing Services for the Capstone College of Nursing. Though I graduated with a Master's degree Dec 2012, I continue in a class called Terrie-ology 101, recommended by two of my best friends and counselors, Terry and Theta Shank.

Terrie-ology 101 is a term for me to study my wife's likes and dislikes and to learn everything I can about how I can to not only be a good husband but to compliment her life as her best friend. She is my beautiful wife and the loving mother of our little big guy, Noah.

I am truly blessed and give God all the glory!

Leisure Time

Leisure means "free time" and for me and my house it is a wonderful thing spending free time with my family. 

The sunshine and the early signs of Spring makes everything feel so new!

Free time for me is when there's no agenda and nothing in concrete that I have to do. Sunday afternoons are classic when we're hanging out after church. Noah is so entertaining and me and Terrie love this free time..

Its just another one of our routines and it's priceless!