Wanderings in the Desert

2009-09-23T12:15:00.003-05:00

A couple of days ago, Caleb was lying atop me as we watched the Cowboys game on television. He suddenly jumped up and ran to his Mom exclaiming loudly, "I lost my tooth!" He has had a couple of very loose front teeth now for several weeks, and he hasn't been willing to let anyone pull them out. That night he pushed and pulled on it with his tongue until it fell out. The little guy was so excited byt he lost tooth that he chattered on and on about it for over an hour before we could finally get him to bed. We had him place the tooth under his pillow so the tooth fairy could bring him some money for it during the night. Monday morning he awoke to find $10 in its place. I wonder where that came from? Several more are loose, so I think this may get expensive pretty quickly.

2009-02-08T01:20:00.002-06:00

Caleb's First Time In "Trouble" At School

For the first time in his short life, Caleb has gotten into trouble at school. His Mom went to pick him up Friday, and the teacher wanted to know why we didn't talk with her about the note she sent home with Caleb. That was because we didn't get the note, of course. Our sneaky five-year-old threw the note into the trash before he was picked up so we wouldn't find out about the problem. When I got home from work that night I sat down with him and asked Caleb what happened at school. He told me that he was talking too much and not paying attention in class. Then I asked him what happened to the note his teacher sent home. "Umm . . . maybe it's still in my folder," he said.

"Nope, it's not there. I looked already. So, where is it?"

"I think maybe it got left at Bello's house." Bello is what he calls his maternal grandfather (short for Abuelo).

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what happened."

"Okay, I'll call Bello and ask him to read the note to me. Do you want to tell me the truth now?"

"Umm . . I guess it maybe got accidentally thrown away."

"Accidentally?"

"Uh huh."

" Well, I think maybe it got thrown away on purpose because you didn't want to get into trouble. Is that what happened?"

"Well, maybe. Yes, that's the truth."

I'm amazed that a five year old can be so devious, but it really happened. So Caleb is "grounded" for the weekend. No television, no computer, no Nintendo, and no playing with friends. I almost feel like I'm punishing my Dad as well because he had planned to take Caleb to the movies this weekend. Oh well, there's always next weekend.

2008-09-06T15:41:00.000-05:00

This afternoon Caleb was playing in the bathtub for a few minutes before his bath. I was reading posts on the Piano World forum when he came running into the room. In all seriousness, he said, "Daddy, Daddy, guess what? I had five little rocks and I sat on one and it went up my butt." He was obviously worried about it. I explained to him that the rock couldn't have gone up his butt from just sitting on it. He wanted to know where it went, and I told him it probably went down the drain. He seemed to relax visibly after that.

2008-07-16T23:10:00.002-05:00

This afternoon we took a quick family trip over to Monahans Sandhills State Park to give Caleb the opportunity to climb and explore a few of the Sahara like dunes. Here's a quick pic of him shifting into four wheel drive in order to climb one of those dunes.

Caleb had a tough time climbing the dunes. He wanted to leave after less than an hour of exploring. Perhaps he will enjoy it more when he is a bit older.

2008-07-09T23:54:00.005-05:00

This afternoon I took Caleb to the Sibley Nature Center to walk around the nature trail, and see what we could find that was interesting. Caleb saw a rabbit, some lizards, a lot of birds, a spider, some ants, some fish, turtles, and a pair of coots.

Here is a picture of an interesting plant we came across. It is some type of cactus or succulent that was often found growing intertwined in the branches of mesquite trees. This plant appears to have fruits that are similar to a prickly pear tuna.

The next picture is of a coot that was swimming about in the little pond. The coot got out onto a fallen piece of timber, and I shot this picture.

I also took this photo of a rather dramatic sky above a large tree next to the pond.

Finally, here is a shot of a bird on some cattails that are growing in the edge of the little pond. I'm not sure what kind of bird it is, though.

Caleb had a great time, but he was very tired by the time we got through.

2008-05-12T20:43:00.002-05:00

Caleb and i went for a swim in his new pool today. We set it up on Saturday evening. He was so cute as he anticipated swimming in his new pool. It took until 2 am to fill it up, though, so he didn't get to swim Saturday. Sunday turned cool with a high in the mid 70s. The water was way too cold. Today, though, the high was 95, so we jumped in and splashed for awhile late this afternoon. It was still a bit chilly in the water, though. Caleb had a great time splashing around, and his Mom shot a few pictures. She didn't get in the water, though. Coward!

2008-05-05T19:31:00.001-05:00

Feeling a bit bored at work this morning, I decided to take a vacation day. The boss approved it without hesitation, and I came drove home intending to work on my recital piece for the Piano World ABF Recital. The ABF has an online recital every quarter where members are encouraged to submit recordings for the enjoyment of all. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans. Shortly after my arrival at home the phone rang. It was Caleb's preschool. He was throwing up, and I went to pick him up. I brought him home, and he has been suffering from the stomach virus all day. I know that means that I will probably have it in a couple of days from cleaning up after him.

Poor little guy is still feeling sick this evening, and spending a substantial amount of time in the bathroom. I hope he feels better soon. It really sucks when your kid is sick.

2008-05-05T19:20:00.000-05:00

I have been reading the book, Simple Genius by David Baldacci. The book was given to me by a friend who had read it and thought that I would enjoy it. I have to say that it was an enjoyable read. It is entertaining in a non-stop action sort of way if a bit on the unbelievable side. Let's just say that a couple of private investigators taking on the CIA is a somewhat remote possibility at best. I appreciate Baldacci who writes without using gutter language. It is so difficult today to find a writer who doesn't litter his books with the "F-word" and other assorted vulgarities on every page. Thanks, David B, for a fun read without unnecessary garbage. I shall read other books of Baldacci's in the future, and I can definitely recommend him to anyone who likes action novels without the bad language.

2008-04-27T21:49:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to me. Today I am 48. No special celebration, though. I just got up and went to work, then I came home, ate dinner, and relaxed for a bit. Caleb gave me a homemade card and his wallet for my birthday. Cute! He said, "you can have it because I don't want it anymore."

This morning I got a call from my sister wishing me Happy Birthday. I talked to her for a bit and then to her husband. Haven't seen them in awhile. Later my Dad and step mom stopped by work for a visit as well. Then it was home to my cranky wife and wonderful son. The in-laws stopped by for a few minutes. They brought Caleb a turtle in a box. He didn't know what to expect, and when he opened the box and saw the turtle, he jumped back pretty quickly. He decided to call the turtle Jimmy, and released it into the backyard where it can "play" with his other turtle, Timmy. All in all the day was pretty decent. After all, this is the day the Lord has made.

2007-01-28T12:04:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I was telling my wife the tragic story of a coworker whose daughter-in-law was killed in a traffic accident. She left behind three children who are now without their mother. I didn't realize Caleb was listening, but he was. "Daddy," he said, "Let's pray for those kids." One of those priceless moments when you know you've done something right. This great little boy will be four soon. I find that hard to believe. Like all parents, I suppose, it seems like only yesterday . . .

2006-04-28T20:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I was having a kind of down day, feeling a bit bored. Last night, though, my wife asked a few folks over for cake and ice cream. As they sang Happy Birthday, my 3-year-old son, Caleb, brought literal tears to my eyes with his off-key singing, "Happy Birthday, Daddy." That puts it all into perspective.

2006-04-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

We took Caleb fishing yesterday. It was his first fishing trip, and our first in years. We were hoping that he would catch a fish or two, but it was not to be. He did have fun, though. It seemed that he had more fun running around and throwing rocks into the water than he did fishing. That boy is amazingly good at casting for a three year old. He can throw his hook out quite a distance. He told me before we left that he was going to catch a fish for dinner. Maybe next time.

2006-02-23T11:05:00.000-06:00

A few days ago Caleb and I went to pick his Mom up and take her to lunch. She works next to a small lake where Caleb likes to go and feed the ducks and geese. As we pulled into the parking lot, Caleb saw the lake and exclaimed, "I feed the ducks!" I told him that we would feed the ducks after lunch. Caleb told me, "The ducks is calling me. They say, Caleb bring me some food. NOW!"

Of course, after lunch we bought some bread to feed the ducks. Caleb reached for the $3 a loaf multigrain bread, and I told him, "no. The ducks don't like that kind of bread. They like this one," as I grabbed the 79 cent store brand. We walked around the lake and fed the ducks the entire loaf of bread. Caleb then wanted to go buy more, but I convinced him that the ducks weren't hungry any more. This little guy will be 3 in just a few days. Time flies, and they're only little for such a short time. We have to remember to savor every moment.

2005-10-16T20:40:00.000-05:00

Today at work an older customer was distraught and crying. I asked how I could help. She explained that she was driving a rental car due to a wreck she had last week, and she had lost a contact lens. The customer was afraid to drive home without the contact lens for fear of having another accident. I told her not to worry, that we would make sure she got home okay.

Cindy, a young lady from the store, agreed to drive the rental car to the lady's home. I followed in my vehicle to take Cindy back to the store. We arrive at her home in one of the more beautiful old neighborhoods in town, and helped her get her groceries into the house. As we left, the customer thanked us and hugged us, but I could tell she was still having a difficult time. I told her I was sure the rest of the day would be better and said g0odbye. As we left I noticed her name beside the mailbox next to her door. She is something of a local celebrity who had several books published in the 1970s and 1980s.

On the way back to work, Cindy told me that she didn't ever want to get old. Of course, we both agreed that there is no alternative. This episode made me think about life and aging. I came to the conclusion that men are the lucky ones in this matter. We nearly always die first, thus we rarely have to face our final years feeble and alone. Of course, the flipside is that the women we love and leave behind often are faced with spending their final years alone.

Morbid? Yes, but it's something we must all face. Life can be difficult, but most of us find the courage and faith to persevere to the end. I think that in many ways women are stronger than men in this regard. Women seem to do better alone that men do in their later years. I pray that when the time comes that my wife must face those final years alone, she will have good health and independence and the faith to carry on until the end.

2005-05-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

I had a fairly major automobile accident this evening on my way home from work. A woman in a full-sized van pulled across the street in front of me. I was doing about 45 mph, and I slammed the brakes on, but couldn't avoid the collision. Wow, both airbags deployed, shattering the windshield and filling the car with smoke. I thought for a time that the vehicle was on fire. I stopped, and put the gear lever in Park, but the car continued rolling forward when I let off the brake. For a moment I couldn't think how to stop the car. Then, of course, I switched off the ignition.

After I stopped the car, I went to the van to see if they were okay. Thankfully, the driver and her three daughters were all unhurt. No injuries except for burns and "road rash" on my arms from the airbag. One of the paramedics told me that the airbag frequently causes severe injury in relatively "minor" accidents. This didn't seem all that minor to me, but I guess any accident that everyone walks away from is relatively minor.

The other driver kept apologizing and saying she didn't see me. I could tell she felt really bad about the wreck. I told her that as long as everyone was okay, we had nothing to worry about. Her husband was following her on his Harley. When I discovered that fact, I nearly had an emotional breakdown thinking about what might have happened had I hit the motorcycle rather than the huge van. The lady told me that she had been praying that her husband would be okay on the bike as they returned home to a small town about 100 miles away. Scary stuff.

The police officer wrote the other driver two tickets for failure to yield right of way and for driving without insurance. She repeatedly apologized, and I told her everything was going to be alright. As I left after the wrecker took my vehicle, she apologized again and told me she would pray that I wouldn't be in pain from my (very minor) injuries. I am so thankful to God that the no one was injured. My car is probably totalled, but we are all thankful to be uninjured.

2005-05-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to stay away from political posts, but I simply cannot resist tonight. Not that it matters, no one is reading this anyway. I see the Congress is passing legislation that will require states to verify that a person is a legal resident prior to issuing them a driver's license. I see little to disagree with in this legislation on the face of it. Having said that, though, I must say that I do not believe it will make us any safer than we are now. The 9-11 terrorists were in this country legally. They were not illegal aliens.

Secondly, this provision will be quite expensive for the states to comply with, requiring massive new investments in technology and manpower. While I'm on the subject of national security, isn't it time to repeal the Patriot Act? That horrendously expensive monstrosity was foisted upon us during a time of national crisis when the Congress needed to make it appear that they were doing something useful to protect the people. All they managed to accomplish is to spend billions of dollars for no good reason and to infringe upon the rights guaranteed us in the Constitution. Whatever happened to the idea that Republicans are for smaller and less intrusive government?

2005-04-05T20:47:00.000-05:00

Randolph Franklin Dial has been
captured. A year or so ago I decided to look up the artist I knew as Randolph Franklin on the internet. I was shocked to discover that he was a convicted murderer. I had sold this man's work in a shop my family owned about twenty years ago. I have photos of him in my albums from those days. He visited in my grandmother's home and she cooked dinner for him. He was an amazingly talented artist, and unknown to us at the time, a murderer.

Dial escaped from prison in Oklahoma eleven years ago. The wife of the warden where he was incarcerated disappeared with him. It was presumed that he had kidnapped her. Now they've been found in a small town in east Texas where they were living in a mobile home and raising chickens. Dial is a talented artist & sculptor who once taught art at Instituto Allende in San Miguel, Guanajauto, Mexico. Since learning of his escape I always assumed that if he were ever caught it would be in Mexico as he speaks fluent Spanish and is familiar with Mexico. He was captured, though, right here in Texas.

2005-04-01T23:09:00.000-06:00

Today the U. S. Council on Calendars & Time announced that due to Daylight Savings Time the United States has become out of sync with the rest of the world's calendars by 36 hours and 15 minutes. Therefore, President Bush has announced that April 6 is being cancelled this year. The day following April 5 is now to be called April 7. Furthermore, May 3 is being shortened. May 4 will now begin at what would have been 11:45 am on May 3.

A number of companies and government entities have protested the move claiming that it will turn their schedules upside down. "This is the dumbest decision ever," stated the Midland, Texas School Superintendant. "Beginning May 4 children will be forced to attend school in the dark. This will definitely be a safety concern."

Parents have called upon the school board to begin classes at 8:00 pm rather than the usual 8:00 am because of the switch. The school board is said to be considering the move. I certainly hope they get this ironed out before May 3.

2005-03-19T19:13:00.000-06:00

Today I had an employee who called in sick. That's not all that unusual except for one thing. This guy couldn't come to work because he had glued his lips together with Superglue. As excuses for missing work this one ranks right up there with the young lady a couple of years ago who fell out of her pickup and ran over herself. I would have sworn that neither of these accomplishments were possible, but evidently I would have been wrong.

2005-03-12T21:00:00.000-06:00

We had Caleb's second birthday party today. Caleb and eleven other youngsters enjoyed about three hours together. We had purchased one of those inflatable jumpers for his birthday rather than renting one. For the cost of renting one three times we were able to purchase one. We should be able to use it a number of times over the next few years. At first Caleb was afraid of the jumper, but after he watched other kids having fun in it he wanted in too. The party was a success, and everyone had a grand time. Tonight we are cleaning up and trying to assemble the Power Wheels pickup given to Caleb by his abuelo y abuela (grandparents for those who don't understand a bit of español.)

2005-03-11T18:48:00.000-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!

Today is Caleb's second birthday. It's difficult to believe the little guy is already two. Mommy went to work today. I took the day off along with tomorrow for his party. Caleb had a stomach virus a couple days ago. Yesterday, Mommy came down with it. Today, it's Daddy's turn. I took Caleb to the park after lunch to see the ducks and turtles in the pond. Then we picked up his Spiderman cupcakes. After we got home I started feeling...well, let's just say that it involves spending an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom.

I'm not certain what we will do about his party tomorrow yet. I sure would hate to make all his little friends sick, and this virus seems to be VERY contagious. Happy Birthday anyway, big boy. Daddy loves you more than the world.

I saw an episode of Monk today that made me cry and think about how much I love this boy. I know, it's just a stupid TV show about a paranoid obsessive-compulsive detective, but it really hit home. Monk was taking care of a 2 year old from an orphanage for a few days, and he had decided to adopt the boy since he realized that he loved the child very much. Monk's psychiatrist told him he was in no condition to take care of a child since he could barely care for himself. That was so sad. The show had a happy ending, though. A nice young couple adopted the boy and took him home. I guess it just brought back a lot of memories of the struggle we went through trying to have children. I don't ordinarily watch much television, preferring to read instead, but this episode was extremely well done. Reminded me to thank the Lord for the blessings He's bestowed.

2005-03-01T20:46:00.000-06:00

Well, I haven't posted in months. I guess I became bored with blogging or something. Caleb is about to celebrate his second birthday. It's difficult to believe that he is almost two. My goodness, the boy is smart. The other evening he and I took a walk around the neighborhood. Caleb pointed up at the full moon that was visible in the late afternoon sky. "Up in the sky," he said with a look of fear and surprise on his face.

"That's the moon." I said.

"Moon," he replied. He seems way too smart for a two-year-old. Of course, every parent probably thinks his child is the smartest.

2004-06-02T02:55:00.000-05:00

Mom left us yesterday afternoon at about 3 p.m. She had taken a dramatic turn for the worse Monday. Her home care nurse advised hospitalization. Yesterday morning her doctor told us she had a matter of hours to live. She passed into the next life peacefully with her family at her side. I feel her absence deeply, of course, and it will probably get worse before it gets better. She was the kindest, gentlest soul I have known. She taught us a faith, a gentleness, and kindness that I pray we will never forget. All of her nurses said she was one of the kindest, sweetest patients they had dealt with.

Mom is in the arms of those who've gone before. She is no longer in pain, and she no longer has to fear the ravages of her diseases. The Lord was kind to her. He took her more quickly than we believed and shortened her pain and suffering on this Earth. I pray He will allow us to live the rest of our lives according to her example. No one could have had a better parent than she was.

I would like to thank Hospice of Midland for their kindness and care in her last days. That has to be a very emotionally difficult job. I don't believe I could perform it with my sanity intact. They treated Mom with kindness and with skill. I would also like to thank the ministers and members of her church family, St. Luke's United Methodist of Midland, Texas, for their kindness during her final years. Finally, but not least, thanks to Brother Bob Porterfield of West Kentucky Baptist Church of Midland who has blessed so many over the years with his words of comfort and his prayers. He has been there for as long as I can remember whenever some one is in hospital locally. His activities have stirred up a good deal of petty jealousy from some of the other local clergy who I suppose fear that he is trying to take people away from their churches. That has never been his intention. Brother Bob just wants to comfort everyone in need regardless of their church affiliation. Surely this is a man to whom the Lord will one day say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."

2004-05-22T00:16:00.000-05:00

Mom's cardiologist has told us that he considers her to be terminal. The aortic valve calcification will only become worse, he says. He says she would not survive valve replacement surgery. She is home now under the care of hospice. I was doing some research on aortic stenosis, and basically confirmed her doctor's estimate of no more than 1 to 2 years survival. I did find that the University of Maryland is doing a new less invasive valve replacement through a tiny incision between the ribs. We are planning to ask her cardiologist about this procedure during her follow up visit on Tuesday.

This morning I awakened before my alarm. I was praying for Mom when I felt compelled to look at the internet. I got out of bed, and turned on my computer. I went to the site of our local newspaper which I look at almost every day. I was surprised to find an article about a local surgeon who is doing the same procedure. This is encouraging. I will ask her doc on Tuesday since I plan to accompany her for her visit. I am definitely not giving up hope yet.

2004-05-22T00:10:00.000-05:00

Things can happen quickly. On the 13th we signed a contract for the sale of our current home and found an apartment to live in until the new house is ready. I drove by the new place today. The rough plumbing is done, the footings are poured, and the rebar, wire mesh, and forms are ready for the slab to be poured. I'm sure it's a matter of perception, but the house looks awfully small. I think it is because it's outdoors. Inside twenty feet seems like a large room, but outdoors twenty feet is nothing. The new house is substantially larger than our current one, but appears smaller to me at this point.

2004-05-08T00:16:00.000-05:00

Tuesday a bulldozer leveled and cleaned off our lot in preparation for the start of construction on our new home. They also set up the temporary electric pole and meter for construction. This is the first real sign that construction will soon begin. We are still scheduled for May 12 as the start date. We have yet to sell our current home. I sure hope some one comes along soon to buy it from us. Perhaps the new business opening in town next month which will employ over 500 people will heat up the housing market a bit for us.

On the family front, my Mom suffered a mild heart attack on Tuesday and is currently hospitalized. An angiogram today revealed severe blockage in 2 arteries. The doctor deemed them inoperable due to the high risk of causing further damage while trying to place a stent in the arteries. He believes her condition can be improved some with medication including blood thinners. Her cardiologist says that many people live for "years" in that condition. She does have another serious problem, though. Her aortic valve is somewhat calcified and doesn't close completely. The doc says it's not critical, but may become so in the years to come. Offer up a prayer for her if you would, please.

2004-04-26T11:29:00.000-05:00

Friday we went to pick out everything for our new house. What a challenge. Picking out bricks, tiles, carpet, cabinets, countertops, appliances, doors, windows, fireplace design, even doorknobs and grass. I never realized that building a new house would be so exhausting. That is over, though, and construction is slated to begin on May 12. We are told that construction will take 75 to 90 days from pouring the foundation to closing day. That sounds pretty fast. I guess the fact that this builder orders all the framing components pre-assembled speeds up construction time considerably. The builder's in-house architect told us the wall frames and roof trusses are delivered already assembled, and that they just set them up and attach them to each other. He told us that since we modified the windows in a couple of the rooms that we shouldn't panic when the walls are first set up because they will be the way they appear on the original plan, and will then be modified to fit our specifications. I suppose that this construction method is why this particular builder is about 20% less expensive than the other builders in town for comparable houses.

We've walked through a number of their homes during various phases of construction, and we've been quite pleased with the quality and appearance of the homes. I hope everything will go smoothly and quickly during the construction of our new home. Now, if we could just sell the house we're in now so we won't be faced with double payments. If you're interested in a nice 3 bedroom 2-1/2 bath condo in Odessa, Texas let us know.

2004-04-13T16:24:00.000-05:00

I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I just finished reading this news item about Daniel Amaya, a local Marine Corporal who was killed in action in Iraq. Daniel's family were interviewed in the article. They speak of how proud they are of their son, and of how much they will miss him. Nowhere in the article do they blame the government or the president for their son's death. As I type this I am holding my sleeping 13 month old in my arms. The words and the tragedy strike too close to home. I do not know this family personally, but they are typical of the people in this city. I salute them and pray for their comfort. Most of all, I say Thank You to their son for his sacrifice for the freedom of others. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

2004-04-04T22:55:00.000-05:00

Early this morning we were awakened by a flash and a mighty roaring and shaking. Lightning had struck somewhere very close. The house shook, and a car alarm blared. I went downstairs to make certain that it wasn't one of our cars. It wasn't. I thought no more about it, and we went back to sleep. When the sun came up I noticed that there were firetrucks in the alley at the end of our block. Upon further examination, I saw firemen going in and out through a hole in the roof of the apartment building at the end of our block. Yes, lightning had struck very nearby indeed. Such a close call leads one to count his blessings. What if the lightning had struck our townhome rather than a building a couple of hundred yards to the west?

Live each day as though it were your last, the Bible says. The reality of that came a bit closer today than I would have preferred.

2004-03-24T07:13:00.000-06:00

The dust has begun to settle on the job front. Thankfully, I am still employed. The announcement came on Monday. The same day my wife called the builder we've had on hold for some time and asked them to begin construction on our future home. We still haven't heard back regarding our counteroffer on our current house, but I am hoping for the best. The builder called back yesterday and told us they could begin construction on May 12. Construction should take about 90 days, so we should be moving in sometime in August. If this house sells in the meantime, we will have to rent an apartment or something for a couple of months until the new place is ready. Moving twice won't be fun, but I think we can manage with very little for a couple of months and put the rest in storage near the new house.

Having never built a new house before, I don't really know what to expect. I've heard horror stories from several people about what happened to their construction projects. A coworker who sidelines as a painter hastold me about construction errors he's had to repair before he could paint new homes. However, we have walked through several homes in various stages of construction by this builder. We've seen everything from homes that were just being framed to those that were almost completed, and I have to say that I didn't see any obvious problems. This guy has been building homes in our city for 38 years. He claims that many craftsmen have been working for him for over 25 years. Maybe that's why the work seems to go so smoothly on his projects. About 80% of the subdivision we'll be moving to was built by the same company. Several homes are under construction, and there is only 1 lot left in the subdivision that's unsold. Work is beginning on a new subdivision adjoining ours to the west, and 2 new subdivisions are under construction to the east of us. One of those is a gated subdivision of rather expensive homes. I think the area is going to be one where property values will rise faster than average in our city because of all the new homes in the area.

2004-03-18T22:59:00.000-06:00

I had to be out of the house much of the day today because realtors were showing it virtually all day, so I took Caleb to the park again. I walked around the pond carrying him. I stopped at one point and put him down to watch some ducks and a goose. He was okay until the goose started moving towards him. Then he reached for me and said, "no, no." We walked farther around the pond, and encountered some people who were walking dogs. Everytime Caleb saw a dog he would say, "kitty cat, kitty cat." Since we have only a cat, he thinks everything cute and furry is a kitty cat right now. I enjoyed my day off with my son today. I have to work tomorrow, and Saturday is his birthday party. I wonder how that will turn out.

2004-03-18T22:45:00.000-06:00

We have had our home for sale for about six months now. We had it sold twice, but the deals fell through because both potential buyers could only qualify for FHA loans, and FHA doesn't finance condos unless they were registered with FHA by the original developer at the time of construction and approved by FHA. Ours, of course, wasn't. The contract with our realtor is due to expire at the end of this month. We noticed the first time the contract end was nearing that suddenly they started to show the house more often. The same thing is occurring this time as well. The contract was renewed with the listing agent on January 1. The standard contract duration is 3 months. The realtors seemed to show the house quite alot at the beginning of the contract period. Then they went for about a month almost without showing the house at all. Now suddenly in March they are showing it frequently again.

Today was a frenzy of showings. The last couple must have liked the house quite a bit. The wife saw the house this morning, and this evening she came back with her husband. I had to leave the house while it was being shown. That is what the realtors ask you to do. The showing was set for 6:30 pm. I went shopping for some pants with my son, and we went back home about 7:30. Well, we started to, but the people were still here. So, we circled around the area several times until they left. It was nearly 8 pm by the time we could return home. I don't know for certain, but I assume they are interested or they wouldn't have spent so much time looking at the home.

Betty (my wife) asked me what we would do if we sold the house, and I lost my job. I don't know. I'm supposed to learn whether I will still have a job on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. The time is growing close. If the house sells before then, we will have to do some soul searching as to whether we want to accept the contract or reject it. We could easily afford this house if I have to take a lower paying job somewhere, but the new one we want to build would be quite a bit more expensive. I think if we get a good offer, we will just take it on faith that the Lord knows what He's doing. If the house sells, and I am let go we could always purchase an older less expensive home.

2004-03-16T15:53:00.000-06:00

I took Caleb to a local park that includes a large pond with ducks, geese, other birds, numerous outdoor sculptures, a hike/bike trail, and a manmade waterfall. Thought he would enjoy seeing the ducks, but he seemed to be afraid of them and of the water. I took him to the waterfall thiking perhaps he would enjoy that. Caleb did like the waterfall from a distance, but when I sat him on a rock beside the water he became frightened. I guess he is still too young to enjoy things like that. I am now typing with one hand as Caleb is asleep in my left arm. I want to take him places when I'm not working, but it seems that, at least for now, Caleb prefers to stay home.

2004-03-11T23:22:00.000-06:00

Tonight we had a family gathering for Caleb's first birthday. His real party is Saturday the 20th with a barbecue and a few other kids and their parents. We gave Caleb a small cake of his own to play in and get messy with. He wanted the cake, but he started screaming because he didn't want his hands to be dirty. Later we let him play with a fork, and he tried to feed cake to all of us. I really enjoyed his birthday, and I'm looking forward to his party. I posted a few birthday pics of Caleb on his picture page.

2004-03-11T17:48:00.000-06:00

I consider that I am, politically speaking, a conservative independent. I am a member of no political party nor have I ever contributed financially to any party beyond the $3 of my annual taxes that go towards presidential campaign finance. As a fiscal conservative I am not particularly pleased with President Bush's performance thus far. I cannot in good conscience vote for Kerry, though, so Bush will undoubtedly get my vote. There is more at stake in this country than just fiscal responsibility, and the Democratic party is on the wrong side of most issues from where I stand.

It has become increasingly difficult for me to vote for Democrats in recent years. I can vote for Democrats in local races where they will not be beholden to the national party heirarchy, but when it comes to national politics at the congressional and presidential level I find that I cannot. The reason is clear. The leadership of the Democratic party has drifted so far out in left field that they are beyond the pale. I fear that if I vote for a Democrat for congress or for president he will toe the party line rather than fully represent his contituents. When the pressure is on most politicians can't or won't alienate their party leadership.

I may not agree with everything espoused by the Republican leadership either, but I find their views to be less reprehensible on the whole than those of the Democrats. Sadly, I don't see much on the horizon in the way of presidential candidates in either party. We need another Ronald Reagan or John Kennedy, but I see only Gerald Fords in our immediate future. We need leaders who emphasize what's right about America while still striving to improve on its shortcomings.

The presidency is as much an inspirational and moral leadership position as it is a political office. We need some one who talks about how good this country is rather than one who emphasizes our problems. George W. Bush is better at this than John Kerry, but, sadly, he is no Ronald Reagan.

2004-03-11T01:45:00.000-06:00

Today is my son's first birthday. I feel priveleged and honored that God has allowed me to become a father after years of trying. I pray that I can be the kind of father I should be to my son.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALEB!

I Love You,

Daddy

2004-03-11T01:17:00.000-06:00

I was talking with a coworker about homosexual marriage. Does it hurt me, he asked, if homosexuals are permitted to marry? The easy answer is no, it doesn't. While homosexuality is clearly a sin, so is abortion as birth control and any number of other quite legal activities. On that level it would seem that homosexual marriage should be legalized.

However, one may look at the issue from another angle. If homosexual marriage becomes the law of the land, how long will it be before churches are sued and forced by the courts to perform homosexual marriages? Sounds impossible, does it? Until recently I would have agreed. In light of the California supreme court's recent ruling that Catholic charities must include birth control coverage in their employee health benefit package, though, I think there is a real possibility that such a ruling could take place. This type of infringement of our freedom of religion is, I fear, destined to become more common, not less so. For this reason I believe thinking Christians must oppose the legalization of Homosexual marriage.

2004-03-05T22:38:00.000-06:00

Why do I want a blog? I'm asking myself that question. I don't really know the answer. Perhaps it's out of some narcissistic desire to see my thoughts in print. I hope not, but that may be the case. I had another blog for over a year that I called An Ill Wind. For a time I posted daily or even two or three times a day, but gradually my interest waned. The same thing may happen here, or possibly I will be able to sustain my interest this time. We must face the fact that most blogs aren't updated very frequently and that most don't enjoy a great deal of longevity.

I used to think of myself as a writer. I wrote a number of short stories, won a few awards in college, and published a single short story in a long forgotten anthology. I began a novel which quickly became too weird for me. It seemed to take on a mind of its own. I abandoned the project when it became simply too creepy. My second attempt at novel writing fared not much better. I began what I still think could be a viable novel some years ago, wrote about 100 pages, rewrote those same 100 pages a dozen times, and sort of lost interest. Perhaps one day I will finish it, but probably not.

Probably very few people will read this blog other than friends and family. I am not a celebrity by any stretch of the imagination. My thoughts will never change the world, and maybe that's the beauty of blogging. It allows us the opportunity to perform self psychoanalysis. It's certainly less expensive than a shrink.

2004-03-05T22:19:00.000-06:00

Caleb is going through a phase where he loves to turn things off and on. He doesn't care what; lights, the television, computers, what have you. At times this can be rather frustrating. For instance, my wife enjoys certain soap operas. Caleb seems to enjoy turning the TV off while she's enjoying an especially riveting part of one. It's almost as though he knows when the effect will be the greatest.

The last few days he has been crawling under my wife's desk and turning off her surge supressor, shutting down her computer. Since the router is also connected to that supressor, I lose my internet connection when he does that too. Just now, he turned it off for the third or fourth time tonight. I love my son, but I wish he would get over his fascination with switches . . . soon.

2004-03-04T08:40:00.000-06:00

The company I work for is in the midst of a reorganization and downsizing of management. Those of us at the lower levels of management have had to reapply for jobs. At the end of this month it is conceivable that I may be unemployed. Although I believe I am highly qualified for one of the new positions, so are many others. At first I found this worrying and frightening as most anyone would. Upon prayer and reflection, I realize that I've done enerything I can. The rest is in God's hands, and I will accept the outcome either way. Those of us who are let go will receive a fairly generous severance package of one week's pay for every year of service. In my case that is 18 years. We would also, of course, be paid for all unused vacation time. I have 2 weeks and 3 days. Thus, I will receive almost 5 months pay if I'm let go. That should give me plenty of time to find another job. In addition, our health insurance would continue to be paid by the company for six months.

Some of my colleagues feel that after years of loyal service we are owed continued employment by the company. That is flawed thinking. The board and upper level management have a duty to maximize returns to the shareholders. If they fail to do so, they will be replaced. Now, I'm not trying to justify their actions or to accept blindly that upper management will make the right choices every time. In my opinion many of their choices have been poor ones. The results of this reorganization remain to be seen. I am doubtful of its success, but I am willing to wait and see the results. In time the consquences of this decision will become clear. Perhaps the company will prosper because of this decision; perhaps it will suffer. Of course I own some stock, but not a lot. I feel that investing one's retirement fund primarily in the stock of one's employer is a critical mistake. Should the company fail, that person has lost not only his job, but his savings as well.

I am at peace with the results of this reorganization however it falls. My wife is more concerned than I, but it is in God's hands, and all things work for good to them that love the Lord. Sometimes it doesn't seem that way to us, but our view is limited, whereas God sees the big picture. We have to trust His wisdom.

2004-03-03T22:05:00.000-06:00

A coworker gave me a pirated copy of Adobe Premiere and Adobe Photoshop. I rushed home to install them on my PC. After I did so, I played around with Photoshop for awhile. The next day as I was praying, I realized that using pirated software is stealing. I know, "everybody does it," but that doesn't make it right. While I don't believe that any software is worth the prices Adobe charges for these two, the Bible says "Thou shalt not steal." I have, of course, unistalled the two programs. I don't want to judge those who are using illegal copies of software, but I realized that it is the wrong thing to do, and I won't repeat my error in judgement.

2004-03-02T22:06:00.000-06:00

Tonight I decided to create a new blog. I shut down my old one, An Ill Wind because i had lost interest and needed the space on the server for my son's photos. I am the father of Caleb, husband of Betty. I consider myself to be a political conservative and a Christian. Maybe something I write here will be useful to some one. Maybe not.

Caleb is now almost one year old (March 11). He is walking and jabbering alot. My son loves his kitty cat, and kitty cat is one of his favorite words. For some reason he also says "ducken, ducken, ducken" quite alot. Caleb is obviously a smart boy. You can see his pictures via my home page at Dennis & Betty.

Caleb's first birthday party will be held on March 20. Come on over and join us. At this moment he is trying to eat the door to the linen closet. This morning I was sitting at my computer when I heard splash, slpash, splash. I found Caleb slapping the water in the toilet and laughing. Of course, I had to wash his hands because they are always in his mouth.

More later,

Dennis