Greg's Perspective

A Fun Day

2011-11-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

This was a great weekend and we had a wonderful Thanksgiving out at my Mom's house. It was great to have Carolyn's parents and some friends join in the day of thanks and great food. I am so thankful for our family and I especially love watching my kids play and enjoy their grandparents. Yesterday we made the most of the break from the rain and had multiple trips to the park. It has just been great to not be working and spending time together. I know it isn't over yet, but Sunday is generally a pretty busy day with all our various church activities. So, today we made the most of our relaxation and fun together.

We started today off by heading over to the Children's Museum. Carolyn usually takes the kids there while I'm at work, so it was nice to be there with them. Elisa loved playing in the clay room and Jonathan loved hitting the piles with the little hammer they had. After lunch, there were naps for everybody. Then we headed downtown.

The kids loved the tree in Pioneer Square.

After playing around the Christmas tree, we met up with our friend Becca and finished the night off with some delicious pizza at the Mellow Mushroom.

Summer Reading List

2011-08-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

Unlike some people, I didn't enter the summer with a reading plan. I sort of go with the flow and when the library says things show up from being on reserve, I read it.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

This book was everything I hoped it would be. I'm a huge Tina Fey fan and if you enjoy her style (eg. 30 Rock) you'll love this book.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Carolyn read this one a long time ago and one of my old RAs recommended it to me. I did enjoy this book while reading it, but it is so unique that it leaves me a little unsure of whether I really enjoyed it or not. Either way, very well written.

Live From New York by Shales & Miller

I didn't read all 650 pages, but I loved how it was written. The story of SNL's history is told through interviews and is simply a collection of quotes from the stars and writers of the show. It's a fascinating way to tell a history and I really enjoyed learning about the early days as well as history that I was aware of. I think it's hard to find any franchise that has produced so many big names in the entertainment industry.

Those Guys Have All the Fun by Shales & Miller

This recent release by the same guys who wrote about SNL is written in the same way. It was so fascinating. I never intended to read all 780 pages, but each chapter lead me on to the next and I read it all. From very humble beginnings to now being worth more than the NBA, NHL, and MLB combined, this book explains how a little cable network changed the world of sports into entertainment.

Love Wins by Rob Bell

When Rob Bell speaks, people listen. This book is too huge to ignore. It's really popular among the college students I work with. My favorite seminary prof said many times, you shouldn't talk about who you haven't read. I'm glad I got to read it and there were many things I appreciated about what Bell said.

Erasing Hell by Chan & Sprinkle

I think very highly of Francis Chan and I was frankly surprised he wrote a response book. This would represent the other side of the discussion Bell brought to the forefront. A couple critiques are that I got the distinct impression that this book was written with haste. It's fairly choppy and lacks a logical ark because I think they were just trying to refute things Bell brought forward. There were also a few times that I thought Chan was going too far in trying to dictate what emotion the reader should be having, but overall it was worth the time to read. The thing I most appreciate, whether I agreed with all of his conclusions or not, is that he was trying to find what scripture taught even if it was hard to hear. For more on Chan and his motivation, check out this video.

Although I didn't have a list entering the summer, here are a couple of books that I'm looking forward to:

The Voice of Matthew by Lauren Winner

Lauren Winner is easily one of my favorite authors. I want to read everything she writes and when I realized she wrote this a while ago, I got a copy right away.

The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons

This one's been out for a while and since the NBA is on lock-out, this 750 page beauty might help to ease the sadness of not being able to watch my favorite team during those long winter months.

A Great Experience

2011-07-25T21:02:00.000-07:00

It was a great two weeks in Seattle and a real pleasure to connect with these 23 amazing students and 10 outstanding staff. I'm so thankful for everyone who supported Carolyn & me to make this happen. Going into the Transition Seminar I knew that I cared a lot about MKs and their "Third Culture" nature. I also have always known that I thoroughly enjoy being with college students. What I didn't realize that this seminar is a great fit for my collective passions.

My impression of how important this seminar is has been blown out of the water. I thought it was super important, now I know it's in a higher echelon of impact. It really was a privilege to invest in the lives of some great people and support the body of Christ in this way.

To all those who prayed and supported financially, thank you. Thank you so much! I wish I could articulate better exactly how strongly I believe in this ministry and how much you've helped, but for now I want you to know I'm grateful.

Week One Highlights

2011-07-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a very busy week here at the transition seminar and it's going very well. The map above is full of post-it tags showing where in the world everyone at the seminar have lived. It's truly amazing how these students have come from so many different cultures, but have been able to connect together so well. Yesterday morning I helped guide the students through their Myers-Briggs personality types. It was a great discussion and they seemed to enjoy understanding themselves better. We've also started our small groups, which gives the students a chance to talk about their own stories with peers and talk through the main issues they'll be facing in the midst of this transition.

There have been many highlights. There has been tradition of having silly challenges each morning and we've done things like making balloon animals, had a dance off, paper airplanes, and everyone even tried learning how to juggle. We've also had some free time each day to play at least one game of basketball, soccer, or ultimate. It's a little hard to believe that we're already half way through our time, but there is a lot more good things we're going to work through and I think next week is going to be great.

It has begun...

2011-07-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we're off an running. The transition seminar is in full speed ahead with 23 students and 10 staff members. The students arrived yesterday afternoon and we've been engaged in a lot of activity today. We headed down to 7-11 for free slurpees this afternoon and we also had a great game of ultimate during free time. This is a great bunch of people I'm working with. I feel really great about the staff and all the different strengths they bring. I'm really amazed how complimentary our strengths are. The picture above is the whole staff together the night before the seminar began. Thank you all for your support and for praying, this is going to be a great two weeks with some amazing students.

Here's what's happening:

2011-07-06T15:21:00.000-07:00

I head up to Seattle on Friday to help out with something I'm pretty excited about. Here is a copy of a letter explaining what I'm going to be doing there for the next two weeks:

Dear Friends,

Happy Summer to you! I hope things are going well in your life. I'm writing this letter not only to briefly catch you up on life in the Brock family, but also to tell you about a ministry opportunity Im participating in this summer.

Carolyn and I have just completed our first year back in Portland. Elisa is now 3 1/2 years old and Jonathan is 20 months. It's amazing how much they've changed in the last year. We're still working with college students and are serving at Warner Pacific College in SE Portland. We live on campus where I work in residence life. We have stepped back into community at First Covenant Church and have really enjoyed connecting with our home group there. This summer, Carolyn & I celebrated our tenth year of marriage and took time to celebrate and rejuvenate after the busy academic year.

I have recently been asked to be a counseling staff member for a Missionary Kid Transition Seminar this summer from July 10 - 22. This opportunity will allow me to invest in the lives of students who are coming to North America to enter college that have grown up overseas as Missionary Kids (MKs). Many of you may remember how Carolyn and I spent time in Eastern Europe working with MKs several years ago by helping start a summer camp for them. It is amazing that once again I have the opportunity to invest in the lives of students who have grown up in a different culture. The first year of college is difficult for any student and is filled with major transitions. Add onto that the fact that most of these students have never attended school in the states and are coming from a completely different high school experience. The seminar provides tools to prepare students for the transition into college life in the North American context. In addition, students can find a safe place to understand, share, and live out their story as they embrace their past, understand the present, and build toward their future. During the seminar I will serve as a member of the counseling staff, teach, facilitate a small group, and be available to listen.

I would like to invite you to prayerfully consider how you could assist this ministry. There are two meaningful ways you can help:

First, you can pray for me before, during, and after the seminar. Please pray for stamina for the long days and nights. Pray for wisdom, discernment, and flexibility as I communicate and form relationships with the other staff and transitioning MKs. If you would like to receive updates from me, check this blog. Also, pray for Carolyn as she will be acting as a single parent for the two weeks while I'm gone.
Secondly, you can invest monetarily in this ministry to MKs by contributing to help cover the living expenses of the seminar. I have been asked to raise $1,000 which will cover room & board, and programing expenses. Please email me (brockemail @ gmail . com or through blogger) if you'd like info on how to give a tax-deductible gift.

I hope you are doing well and I appreciate you taking the time to read this letter. If you'd like to stay in touch email me above or check for updates on this blog.

In Him,

Greg

10 YEARS!

2011-06-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

Does 10 years of marriage make us old? Maybe two kids does it? Either way, I couldn't be more happy to be spending life together with Carolyn. She's great, fantastic, and amazing. We had a great anniversary trip and I'm so thankful that we be partners in parenting, life and everything else.

These are all pictures from our trip to San Diego for our anniversary. And yes, that burger was amazing.

Black Jack

2011-05-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

There is a movie coming out at the Seattle International Film Festival about a group of Christian black jack players called Holly Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians. Click here to watch the trailer. I'm really looking forward to watching this movie. I don't know when the opportunity will arise, but I'm definitely interested. One reason is I went to college with a few of these guys and it also looks like a good documentary.

11 Rings

2011-05-13T14:22:00.001-07:00

One thing I love about watching NBA basketball is that it is an emotional game. The best team doesn't always win (see Dallas sweeping LA). Props to Dallas, they are way better than I gave them credit for, but the Lakers simply are a better team. There are so many x-factors like team chemistry, coaching, and preparation that affect the outcome of the game. Sheer athleticism and talent will get you a long ways, but that isn't enough (see Lakers being swept by Dallas).

With the Lakers early exit this year, Phil Jackson is planning on walking away from coaching. He is one of the greatest coaches of all time. He's won 11 rings. That's simply amazing. Bill Simmons wrote a great article that summarizes what made him a good coach, it was managing relationships.Granted Phil coached some of the greatest players to ever play the game, but that isn't a guaranty of winning and doesn't limit how impressive his resume is. Simmons points out that balancing MJ's ego with just the right about of pushing him towards teamwork is what made Jackson so successful with the Bulls. I'm the first to admit that I hate the Lakers and I couldn't stand Chicago during MJ's reign. However, I do respect what Phil did and I don't think his success will soon be replicated. If you are a basketball fan I highly recommend this article, check it out here.

A Look Back

2011-05-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since my spring break trip to San Francisco, but I wanted to put this video up about our trip. One of our outstanding students made it and I think it does a great job capturing the spirit of our trip and some of the lessons learned. Even a month later, I'm still really grateful for that week of ministry with a group of fantastic students.

Once in a Lifetime

2011-04-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to write a post about the Blazers all year. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. At the beginning of the year I couldn't openly admit what I thought this season could bring fear of being disappointed. I thought about writing halfway through the season that it was inconceivable that this team was going through this many injuries, again. I also thought about writing that the championship window has been officially slammed shut with the loss of Brandon Roy to double knee surgery. I may get back to some of those thoughts another time, but for now the video below captures an unbelievable performance at the Rose Garden that is worth watching. I'm so thankful I was able to be there with my best friend Greg.

It was game four, with Portland down to the Mavs 2-1 in the first round series. It will stand as one of my greatest memories as a Blazer fan, even though they lost the series. When the Blazers were at their lowest, down 23 points in the third quarter I said, "Wouldn't it be amazing if they came back to win? It would be something we could tell our kids about, but it'll never happen." It did. The Rose Garden was dizzyingly loud (It took two days for my voice to recover from so much yelling). The range of emotions experienced in this game were ridiculous; they went from total disappointment to complete amazement and shock at the final result. It happened so fast it was unbelievable. Everyone stayed in their seats for well over 5 minutes after the game cheering. Both teams were off the court and still everyone stood and cheered. On the concourse leaving the arena someone would yell and everyone started cheering and chanting, "Let's go Blazers!" Strangers were hugging and I don't think I've ever high-five'd so many people in my life. 45 minutes after the game and a mile from the arena people continued yelling on the streets and honking their horns. It makes me excited for the day when a championship finally is won again. For all that Roy went through this season, to lead this team in the biggest comeback in Blazers history (second largest in NBA playoff history) is a very compelling story and the video below does a great job highlighting this amazing performance.

San Francisco Update 2

2011-03-23T23:57:00.001-07:00

Yesterday our team vetured out to explore the city during the first half of the day. It turned out being a day of paradox. One strange occurance was half our team had Thai food in little Italy and the other half had pizza in Chinatown. The other thing students wrestled through was the polarized incongruence of affluence and great need in such close neighborhoods. Having spent the majority of our time in the neediest parts of the city, it was hard to reconcile the excess of the tourist traps to the hungry kids we had dinner with later that night.

Today we spent the morning helping the Salvation Army deliver meals to home bound people. All the deliveries were to single room occupancy hotels in the Tenderloin district. It was sobering to realize that our breif interaction dropping off food was the only personal contact most of these people would have today. In the afternoon we helped do some organizing and cleaning in the basement of the Outpost and some went to a local high school track meet. In the evening our group split in two once again. One group served food at the next door residential transitional housing program and soup kitchen for men while the rest of us stayed at the Outpost for the youth game night.

It was another long day and we have seen great need and are humbled by the opportunity to serve.

San Francisco Update

2011-03-22T00:42:00.002-07:00

It's been a good couple days so far in San Francisco. We're working with a ministry called Mission Outpost that is based in the SOMA (south of market) district.
We arrived Saturday night after a long and partly snowy drive from Portland. The team from Concordia University also has 12 people and arrived just after we did. On Sunday we started the morning with a prayer walk around the neighborhood and we participated in two church services. One was held here at the Outpost and the other was a called the Homeless Church. It is an outdoor church that meets in a plaza on Mission street. Both services were very different from church back home and we helped serve food and talked with people for a few hours. In order to experience some different culture on Sunday night ate dinner at an Indian restaurant that was fantastic. For many of our students it was their first experience with Indian food, so it was a great cultural encounter.
Today we spent time working at the San Francisco food bank and helped prep over 4,500 pounds of food. In the evening half of our group stayed at the Outpost to help with the youth drop in night. They played games with the neighborhood kids, basketball, had dinner together, and even got in some break-drancing. The other half of the group helped put on a Bingo night at a low-income housing building for families down the street.
Our team is definitely starting to feel the physical strain from the constant activity. There are about 3 students who have some degree of sickness, but they are all starting to feel. It's great seeing the students wrestle with the issues they are being faced with and how this experience is stretching and challenging them. The insights being shared during our nightly debriefs are really impactful and it's easy to see they're getting a lot out of it.
Tomorrow will be our day to be tourists and explore the city. In the evening we'll start two nights of lessons and games with another group of neighborhood youth. I'll try to get a few more updates in throughout week so check in later.

San Francisco

2011-03-18T20:52:00.001-07:00

At 7:00 AM I'll be leaving Carolyn and the kids for the week and heading to San Francisco on a spring break missions trip with Warner students. We'll being doing Urban missions and outreach. I'm not sure exactly what will be included, but there are 12 of us going and we'll be joined by a team of students from Concordia. It should be a great week and I'm excited about the opportunity to serve with students and get to know them better.

I'm pretty bummed to be leaving the family though. Leaving Carolyn for a week take care of everything on her own is hard and I just miss being with my family. They're my most favorite people in the whole world. The drive starts tomorrow and I should be back sometime late Friday night. I'll let you know how it goes next weekend.

Reading

2011-03-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

Tonight we went to Chipotle for dinner because they gave out a coupon this week that was buy one get one (click here if you'd like one for yourself). It was good, but I realized my expectations are never met with Chipotle. It's good and all, they just aren't as good as Qdoba, they overload on rice, and don't give you chips and salsa like Baja Fresh. The depth of flavor just isn't there, but it is good and we had fun. Anyway, the picture above is Elisa having a great time in Barnes & Noble. I had to return a book and even though we hung around for a while, in the end she still didn't want to leave. The girl just loves books.

Playing Outside

2011-02-24T19:54:00.000-08:00

This morning we barely made it outside in time to play in the snow before it melted. Fortunately, it snowed again this afternoon so Carolyn got them all ready again for their second dose of snow play today. I'm still hopeful that we'll have more by tomorrow morning.

Elisa's Song

2011-02-23T19:45:00.003-08:00

Sonicsgate

2011-02-22T22:13:00.000-08:00

I came across this interesting documentary about the team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics, the only Seattle pro sports team to win a championship. Sonicsgate tells the tumultuous end of the NBA in Washington state. The team is now the Thunder and went to a couple games in Oklahoma city. I am happy for OKC, they are great fans and they are super thankful for their team. It's just a lame situation how the franchise left town. In the end, I think the salt on the wound is that the Thunder own the history of the Sonics. So, if Seattle does get a basketball team again, they'll never be able to retire Gary Payton's number or display the championship trophy because OKC has the rights to the team history.

Heart Warmed

2011-02-21T13:01:00.004-08:00

In what will go down as one of the greatest moments of my life, Jonathan called me "Dada" for the first time ever last week. In a rare role reversal, I was at home while Carolyn and the kids were away. I heard them return from the grocery store and coming down our back stairs. I opened the door to see Carolyn holding Jonathan's hand as they walked down. Jonathan looked up from staring at his feet (walking downstairs can be tricky you know), pointed with his free hand and said, "Dada." It was perfect.

Very Cool

2011-01-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

I had read that Panera had nonprofit stores in other parts of the country, but I'm super excited to hear that they now have one in Portland. Click here to read the story on it.

Celebration of Creativity

2011-01-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take a moment to show some of the ways Carolyn brings creativity into our house. She has also done an amazing job facilitating Elisa & Jonathan's creativity giving them a wide variety of craft projects and activities. So, here are just a handful of things that she's done in the last couple months, somehow all done while doing a great job of taking care of our kids and being an amazing wife.

Carolyn helped Elisa make this cool sign for her Grammy. Each letter is a different painting that Elisa made.

These cupcakes were totally from scratch and delicious for Jonathan's birthday.

Elisa's cake, also delicious.

She made Elisa this really cool place mat that has a cool feature on the flip side.

It's a chalk board!

I was so happy to come home from work on my birthday to find this.

Have you not heard tell of my wife's amazing snowflake cutting ability.

She even got honorable mention for best flake at the Rice's Christmas party this year.

These fascinating boxes were filled with amazingly delicious spiced nuts for friends and coworkers.

Allowing a 3 year old to paint in her own gifts can be challenging when you want something to look good, but Carolyn has had amazing patience and allowed Elisa to actually participate.

Elisa picked out the shapes for each person and painted these salt dough ornaments all by herself.

She found this old calendar frame and turned it into a chalkboard for out kitchen.

Even as I wrote this post she's fast at work making our family new Christmas stockings for us. All in all, I'm sure a lot of husbands are proud of their wives, but I think Carolyn is quite exceptional.

Elisa's Third Birthday

2010-12-13T22:15:00.021-08:00

Elisa is three. It's amazing how much she's grown lately. I feel like she's matured so much since Jonathan was born that it just blows me away. Here she is on her birthday last year:

And today:

There is absolutely no baby left in her. She is a little girl. It's a lot of fun watching her learn and develop her personality. She loves playing pretend, reading books, and listening to music. She is such a special girl and I'm so happy to be her daddy.

Another Milestone

2010-10-10T22:17:00.002-07:00

Jonathan has reached many milestones this week. He turned one, ate his first cupcake, had his first party, and took his first steps. Well, it continued today when he ate his first Burgerville cheeseburger.

A proud moment for me, to say the least.

Birthday Party

2010-10-10T16:14:00.004-07:00

On Saturday we had Jonathan's birthday party. It was a great time with family and he enjoyed all the company. He also reached the milestone of taking his first steps during the party and just so happened to have both Grandmothers and Carolyn as witnesses.

Of course he received some wonderful gifts, but I'm guessing that most of all he's glad to finally have some masculine representation in the toy closet. There are now plenty of trucks to go around.

Of course he loved his first cupcake. All in all it was a great day and I'm so thankful to everyone who came to show him how special and loved this great little guy is.

1

2010-10-07T11:34:00.003-07:00

Today is Jonathan's first birthday. I can't believe how much I love this little man. He is so much fun to be around and it's amazing to watch him grown. I love seeing his love for his mom and sister. Anytime either of them walk into the room, he gets excited. He has always been quick to respond to people with a smile and loves being where the action is. His life has truly been a gift from God to us. To begin this celebration we had pancakes and eggs for breakfast. He was very fond of both.

Tradition

2010-09-03T22:46:00.005-07:00

One of my favorite Portland traditions is the waterfront concert by the Oregon Symphony. In my mind, going to this concert was a key experience validating that we had really moved back to Portland. We thought we would only be albe to go for the early portion and so we could get the kids to bed. However, my Mom ended up coming into town and babysitting for us, so Carolyn and I had stayed the whole time. We found Becca who had extra space so we could sit closer than we ever have before. It was as good as I remembered it being and combined with the warm weather made for a fantastic evening.

Other People's Posts

2010-09-03T21:46:00.003-07:00

Here are a couple good articles I've read from other people's blogs this last week. The first here, is one by Donald Miller about 20 somethings and the delay many seem to have in growing up. It's really interesting and I appreciate some of the challenges he puts out there.

The second one here, I found on CNN.com and is about Christians and sexuality. It's a summary of another blog (so I guess I'm summarizing a summary), but I appreciate the direction of the conversation. If you are interested in reading further about healthy biblical sexuality I highly recommend Lauren Winner's Real Sex and Lewis Smede's Sex for Christians.

Another Thing

2010-08-24T22:33:00.004-07:00

Another perk Carolyn & I were looking forward to about moving back to Portland was reconnecting with Multnomah County Library. It is second only to Queens Public Library in circulation and usually considered the busiest in the country for population served. This afternoon we took a stroll over to our local Holgate branch.

As you can see, Jonathan is super excited about being there.

Elisa is enjoying a digital reading of Cat in the Hat. I just love the headphones on her little head.

Not in Arkansas Anymore

2010-08-23T18:46:00.002-07:00

Every once in a while I realize how different it is now that we're not living in Arkansas any longer. While driving down 39th (a four lane road) I was surrounded by Outbacks all going the same direction. I love our Subaru and there were a few in Siloam Springs, but on this particular day I was surrounded. There was one in front of me, two beside me, and one behind me. The funny thing was, they were all similar in body style. Our is a 98 and they were all in that same generation. Definitely a first for me.

Searching No More

2010-08-22T21:13:00.003-07:00

This is old news now, but for the record - I have a job! I'm the Area Coordinator at Warner Pacific College here in Portland. In my last post I was hoping to have a job by August 1, but I had one just 5 days after that. It's been a whirlwind since then. We moved into our on-campus apartment two weeks ago today and of the 14 days since then I've been gone for 7 of them.

The PAs (Peer Assistants) moved onto campus the same day I did and I've been joining in getting them trained and ready for the year. This last week I spent backpacking through the Mt. Adams wilderness with the campus student leaders. It was a great time and I'll try to get some pictures when people pass them along to me. Just think incredible post card scenery and you'll get the idea.

I am so thankful to be a part of another quality Christian College. It's such a relief to be able to keep doing something I am passionate about. To top it all off, we aren't simply living in Portland as was our goal, we're living on the same street as my best friend Greg.

Still Searching

2010-07-21T09:32:00.002-07:00

The clock is ticking and I'm still unemployed. Yesterday morning I heard back from Concordia and it turns out I'm not the guy for them. There was an internal candidate and I'm thankful they gave me a shot at it. I will keep applying and doing what I can, but please join me in praying that I will get a job before August 1.

Too Close

2010-07-19T13:34:00.002-07:00

On Thursday afternoon I was on my way into Portland for an interview and just before getting to Scappoose I saw this Explorer in mid air coming towards me. It happened on a four lane highway and when I first saw the Explorer, it was in the turning lane and I was in the lane closest to it. I thought for sure it was going to land right on top of me. When I replay it in my mind I can see it all happening in slow motion. I can still see little details, like how it would be suspended in mid air in between each of it's rolls, how the bumper was starting to come off, and seeing the oil filter go flying underneath my car. I was hit with a few pieces of debris and there were a number of bangs from stuff bouncing around underneath my car. The strangest thing was that fluid from the explorer's engine sprayed all over the length of my car. When I saw that I knew I really was I close as I thought I had been. It was a little after 3 when it happened and there was a lot of traffic so I couldn't just veer off to the right to avoid him. I slowed way down, but there were other cars all around me and fortunately I was just far enough away. I ended up learning later that a Ford Explorer is 16 times more likely than a typical family car to kill occupants of another vehicle in a crash.

Like everyone else, I pulled off to the shoulder and tried to call 911. I couldn't get through so I ran to one of the cars to see if the driver was okay. I was the first one to the white car and the woman was alive, but certainly not okay. I think she was one of the people with serious injuries. I made sure she had a pulse and then waited until the ambulance arrived before I left (it felt like it took forever). I've never seen such a violent accident that close. There were four cars involved and at least two of them had their wheels ripped off and every single one had air bags deployed. Here is an article about the accident if you'd like to check it out. I hope everyone will end up being okay eventually.

When I showed up for the interview about 45 minutes later, I was still shaking a little bit. The lesson of the day for me was how quickly life can change. Things you have absolutely no control of, like the frequent roll over rate of SUVs, can completely change your life in an instant. Three of those cars were just driving along perfectly safely and responsibly. It only took one little Honda Civic to set off a chain reaction that happened so fast that they couldn't avoid it. I'm very grateful and thankful that I was spared from being the fifth car in this accident.

The Search Continues

2010-07-18T20:14:00.003-07:00

Last week was quite eventful on the job search front. I already mentioned in my last post that I had a second interview at Concordia on Wednesday for an advising position (I was 1 of 2). That interview went great and after 3 hours I had another interview for a different position. Since I was on campus they invited me to lunch with residence life folks to interview for another job I had applied for. Thursday I got the call that I didn't get the advising job and half an hour later I was invited back to campus for a second interview for the res life job.

As I drove into Portland Thursday afternoon I was only a few feet away from being involved in a major car accident, but that is another post all together. Thursday night I hung out with the staff, toured the campus, ate dinner at Kennedy school, and met with some students. It was great and I'm really excited about joining the team at Concordia. On Friday I found out I'm one of two (again) and was invited back, although this time with Carolyn. On Monday afternoon we'll be heading in and I'm excited for Carolyn to meet everyone and see the campus. I love working with college students and this position is a really good fit for us. I'm very excited and hopeful, but I've definitely realized again how very little control I have. I can only do my best, pray, and wait.

Good Things

2010-07-13T22:53:00.003-07:00

I've mentioned this before, but I've had so many "It's worth it" moments this summer. The picture above is one of those moments. Elisa having a tea party with my Mom and Gramma. My Gramma always had tea parties and is a favorite memory of her from childhood. I'm so happy that Elisa can have those experiences with her too.

In other news, I had an interview at Concordia University in Portland yesterday for a job that I'm really excited about. Tomorrow I have a second interview that will last a bit longer and will be there most of the morning. I'm really hopeful and think this advising position would be a good fit for me. I'm trying not to get too far ahead of myself, but I am really hopeful that by the end of the week I might have a job.

Celebrating Brain Freezes

2010-07-10T10:18:00.002-07:00

This month is the Slurpee's 44th birthday and to celebrate 7-11 is giving them out for free tomorrow. Don't drink it too fast or you'll end up with sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (the scientific term for a brain freeze).

My Beautiful Wife

2010-07-09T07:56:00.001-07:00

I am so thankful for this woman for so many reasons. She is a beautiful woman of God. She is smart and has taught me the value of reading a book. She is an amazing mother and constantly amazes me with her wisdom and patience. I really appreciate her willingness to try new things and be creative. She is the first person I want to talk over a new idea with and the last person I want to see at the end of the day. Life with Carolyn has made me a better man and I'm amazed that I get to married to her. Happy Birthday Carolyn, I'm so happy to share today with you!

Life

2010-07-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

Where to begin? We've been back in the NW for about a month now. We really have enjoyed being with our families. There have been many times when I've seen Elisa playing with her grandparents and thought to myself, "This is why we did it." It's been stressful being in such a state of transition with searching for a home and job, but I'm really happy to be back in the NW.

After a drought of 4 1/2 straight weeks full of NO's from the job prospects, I'm finally starting to see some action. I had two interviews last week, two this week, and one scheduled for next week. It's also been encouraging to have some student development job postings in the last few weeks. I'm hopeful that I'll have an offer soon.

My Little Guy

2010-05-16T18:56:00.004-07:00

Jonathan has reached a milestone. He has teeth! Two little ones right in the middle on the bottom have poked through. He's drooling like mad, but I think he's pretty relieved to have them through. The picture above is from this morning before heading off to church. Elisa brought him the flowers that we had sitting on the porch.

On a Rainy Day

2010-05-15T18:50:00.001-07:00

You sometimes need to walk in the puddles:

It's a long story...

2010-05-08T12:10:00.003-07:00

...but I'll keep it short. Two weeks ago I flew to Seattle to interview for a Residence Director job at Seattle Pacific University. On Tuesday they offered me the job. On Friday I turned it down.

I've never turned down a job before and this definitely feels weird. The hardest part was it would've been a good decision to either take it or not. In the end there were enough red flags and things that weren't a good fit to make us realize how to choose. The downside of turning it down is obvious, I still don't have a job. The upside is we're moving forward with plans to move to Portland and I've got two months to secure an income. I'm still working through the end of May and we'll be moving the second week of June.

For a while now Carolyn has said we need to start packing when students leave. Well, today they left and we are officially in packing season. We always leave here during the summer and I'm having to remind myself that we are actually leaving forever. This won't be our typical summer vacation, but I'm excited and hopeful about what's ahead.

J. Alvin Day

2010-04-15T20:10:00.005-07:00

We had a big J. Alvin celebration day on Tuesday in which all the residents wore their new red "J. Alvin MAN" shirts. We had a cook out on the quad (a little pinata Sponge Bob included) and topped the evening off with a concert in the Atrium. It was a great time and the weather was perfect.

J. Alvin men use their fists, not bats.

I'm going to miss living here. It's a great place to be.

The guys surprised me with a banner of love and a killer cake for us.

Notice that little hand reaching for the frosting?

Jonathan couldn't quite make it to the end of the party.

Big News

2010-04-11T18:24:00.001-07:00

Jonathan rolled over for the first time today! He rolled back to front and then got really upset he was on his tummy (he doesn't enjoy tummy time very much).

Triathlon

2010-04-10T18:03:00.001-07:00

The first ever JBU Triathlon event was a smashing success. We had 100 people (75 athletes & 25 volunteers) and raised over $2,000 for The Genesis House. The weather was perfect and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. The logistics ran pretty well and no one got hit by a car, so I was happy. Leading up to the event the car scenario was my worst fear and I had hopes of getting 50 people to run. Having 100 people was way beyond my expectations.

At the finish area lots of people said they were looking forward to next year and asking if we'd do it again. I really wanted to reassure them it would happen, but because I won't be at JBU (and neither will the other main person who helped me) I could only say, "I hope so." Another surprising stat was that we had more triathletes than people running the 5K. Carolyn ended up running the triathlon and had a pretty good time too. It's especially amazing considering she hadn't ridden her bike or swam since before she was pregnant with Jonathan before this week.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T20:48:00.001-07:00

JBU Triathlon

2010-04-02T21:55:00.003-07:00

One week from today, JBU will host it's first Triathlon on campus. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time about this. I had been thinking about trying trying to put this together since September and now it's hard to believe it's really happening. It's turned into quite the event now. It'll be a 300 meter swim, 12 mile bike, and 5k run. At the same time as the tri there will also be a fun run/walk. The whole thing is a fundraiser for the local homeless ministry, Genesis House. I'm really excited about the potential of this event and how many people will participate. This week I just have to make sure that all the logistics come together and pray that it doesn't rain.

Quote of the Day

2010-03-13T20:19:00.002-08:00

"It's okay Jonathan. We're almost home buddy." - Elisa, as said to a fussing Jonathan on the way home from the store.

Another Roll Developed

2010-03-07T15:15:00.003-08:00

I think my family is super cute.

Its great being married to such a great wife who loves me and our children so well.

The picture below is the J. Alvin RAs from our retreat to Grand Lake, OK last weekend.

Moving

2010-03-06T20:23:00.004-08:00

It's been a great four years here in Arkansas and we have loved being at JBU, but this is it. We've made it official and we're going to be moving back to the Pacific NW with or without a job this June. I'm hoping to get a job at a Christian University to continue working in Student Development somewhere in Oregon or Washington.

I will officially be unemployed at the end of May and we will most likely move sometime in mid-June. It's amazing how fast these 4 years have gone. We're looking forward to Jonathan & Elisa to be able to spend time with the Grandparents on a regular basis. It's definitely nerve wracking to quit a job I like without anything to replace it, but we feel like this is the right time to move back. Please join us in prayer as I search for a new job and for the transition.

Traded

2010-02-16T08:38:00.002-08:00

News broke today that the Blazers are trading Steve Blake & Travis Outlaw to the Clippers for Marcus Camby. This trade makes a lot of sense and shows that the Blazers management have made reaching the playoffs a priority. Camby will fill the part of the significant gap left by Oden & Pryzbilla and should provide some decent shot-blocking defense and rebounding.

It's hard to see Blake & Outlaw go, but with their expiring contracts it was unlikely either of them would be around next year anyway. Blake leaving does put more pressure on Bayless to become a quality and consistent leader of the second unit. I feel good about this trade because it doesn't mortage Portland's future simply to make the playoffs for this year (no major pieces of the puzzle were given up). It gives this young team a fighting chance to make the playoffs and in turn gets them experience so they are better prepared for a champioinship run in the next couple years.

A-Team 2.0

2010-02-12T21:05:00.002-08:00

Believe it or not, there is a new A-Team movie coming out in June. I just saw the trailer and I'm excited (You can watch it here). Two years ago I wrote a post telling about my history with this classic TV show here. There are a couple decent actors in it (Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper) and other names you've heard of (Jessica Biel). My expectations aren't that high, but I can guaranty that I'll watch it. I'm too big a fan of the original not to give this one a try. I'm just hoping Mr. T will make a cameo.

Sharing

2010-02-11T18:11:00.003-08:00

Here are a few random pics off the cell phone from the last few weeks.

Fountain in downtown Tallahassee. In the building behind this fountain sits a wonderful New Orlean's style restaurant named Harry's, where I had one of the best meals I've had in a long time. I wish Carolyn would've been there to share the goodness of the creamy basalmic feta dressing.

Main entrance of FSU.

Is it wrong for a father to pray for his son to be a fan of his favorite team?

Green Shipping

2010-02-10T18:33:00.002-08:00

Today, I received a calendar I ordered off Amazon:

The calendar has a sticker that says, "ECO Friendly." It was delivered in a 1,500 square inch box full of paper.

Weekend, what weekend?

2010-02-07T17:45:00.002-08:00

It is great to be home, but between church and the J. Alvin super bowl party today I don't really feel like I've been "home" yet. The presentation went really well. It took a lot of time to prepare, but I'm really happy with how it went. We didn't get the best time slot to lead our session, but I'm glad to get the experience. We were the first session on Saturday morning and we brought Krispy Kreme for everyone to help get them ready for dialogue. Elisa got sick the day after I left with a fever. The fever is gone now, but she is still on edge and pretty emotional. She starts crying and freaking out really easily and quickly. I'm hoping she sleeps long and well tonight so that she causes less stress for Carolyn going into another long work week.

Reservations

2010-02-03T20:50:00.002-08:00

Greetings from Tallahassee! I'm in town for the conference I wrote about a few months ago here. As I was renting our car tonight I was reminded of this Seinfeld clip:

Our car rental went fine and we got our car, but our hotel overbooked and we couldn't stay there. We had to go to a different hotel. They are taking care of us and it will get worked out, but it makes me laugh.

Snow Art

2010-02-02T21:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a highlight of the snow art found around campus this week:

Pic of the Day

2010-01-30T19:57:00.003-08:00

Although we haven't weighed him in two months, we think he weighs as much now (3 mo.) as Elisa did at a year.

Elisa Singing

2010-01-30T17:53:00.002-08:00

A few of Elisa's favorite songs to sing: Baby it's Cold Outside, Jesus Loves Me, and ABCs.

Midseason Grades

2010-01-17T15:29:00.003-08:00

Here is my assessment of the Blazers at the mid-way point of the season. Keep in mind that this is subjective and mid-season grades are really relative to my expectations at the start of the season. Here you go:

The MVPNBR award (most valuable player not named Brandon Roy) goes to Martell Webster. He lead the league in 3's this month and has really stepped up his game this year.

Roy: A- He is carrying this team and not letting down any expectations for a two time all-star. It would be a solid A if not for the injury concerns.

Aldridge: C. He's not stepping it up. Besides aches & pains, is he having big contract let down?

Miller: B- It would be a C- if not for the month of January.

Webster: A- Rough start to the season, but for how long he was out he has adjusted nicely. Can't wait to see what he can do in the coming years if his play can stay consistent.

Bayless: C+ He's just too inconsistent. I get nervous every time he touches the ball. He's shown flashes of brilliance (starting in place of Roy), but I'm not convinced he isn't just reckless with some luck. He has yet to have a stand out game against a solid defensive opponent (Except San Antonio who was having an off night.

Blake: C- He's just not been in this season yet. I'd like his flaming bag pass numbers go down and his shooting percentage to stay up.

Howard: A. This guy has stepped up big time. He could have been taking it easy coasting through these twilight years at the end. Instead he's working his tale off and coming in clutch. Did anyone predict Portland fans would be buying Juwan Howard jerseys at the beginning of the year?

Cunningham: C. Portland brass had high hopes for him coming in. He's handled the surprise of playing time well, but it's too soon to tell what he'll become. He's very athletic and it would be great if he could play a little more physical.

Pendergraph: A- He has amazed everyone with the role he's taken on this team (you'll find him in the middle of the pre-game circle getting everyone worked into a frenzy). He plays with such intensity and is carrying Joel's spirit of toughness.

Fernandez: C. Didn't get into a rhythm before he got injured and will need some time before getting back into the full swing.

The rest of the injured guys & Patty don't get grades since they're out of the picture all together right now. One comment on Joel & Greg though; it's just bad luck. The Blazers have to plan their future around LA & Roy. The lesson of this season is that anything they get from Oden is gravy and will help tremendously, but he just can't be relied on.

Coaches grades:

McMillan: A. Solid grade for handling a freakish year and keeping this group together. Also, extra credit for getting onto the court and sacrificing his Achilles for the sake of the team.

Monty Williams: A+ He stepped up huge on the east coast trip without Nate and got the team to stop navel gazing. The job offers are going to start coming in for him to get a top dog spot with another team any day now. This is a healthy sign for the Blazers. Good coaches reproduce good coaches (think Bill Parcells).

A Nice Break

2010-01-13T21:45:00.004-08:00

We had a great time in the Northwest. Traveling went well both directions. On the flight home last Friday, Elisa didn't sleep at all until the very last minute, literally. As we were landing I turned to her and said, "Look, we're landing! See how the ground is getting closer?" Then I looked over at Carolyn across the aisle and less than a minute later turned back to Elisa and she was out in a deep sleep. I ended up carrying her still in her car seat off the plane:

Upon arriving we found Siloam Springs to be in a deep freeze. The high temp last Friday, the day we got back, was 12. The picture below is of the fountains downtown by the library where Carolyn works.

The freeze is over by the way. Today it was 54.

A Special Day

2009-12-13T20:45:00.005-08:00

Today was Elisa's second birthday. We woke up in the morning and opened a few presents then had a delicious breakfast of waffles and smoothies.

Elisa has grown so much in the last couple months it's been amazing. She is becoming so much fun to play with and watch grow. I'm so thankful for my little 2 year old girl.

This has been a joyful two years of being her Daddy.

Fear of Failure

2009-12-09T13:21:00.003-08:00

Back in October I was challenged to submit a presentation proposal at an upcoming conference I wanted to attend. The conference is the Institute on College Student Values and it takes place at Florida State University in Tallahassee in early February. When I heard about the conference I knew I wanted to go, but it would be a little expensive. My boss encouraged me to make a presentation proposal to see if it could offset the cost. Patrick, one of the other RDs from JBU and I submitted a session titled "Assessing Student Values Gained Through Residential Living." After waiting what seemed like a really long month and a half we finally got word that our proposal was accepted!

Putting myself out there to be rejected really made me nervous because it's not a very big conference and this is something I've never done before. Multiple times while Patrick and I were planning I almost said it wasn't worth it and thought about quiting. My insecurity was getting to me and making me think it wasn't worth the effort. I'm really thankful we went for it. We also got a scholarship from ACSD (Student Development organization we're members of) to offset the cost. Now the hard work of preparation begins.

Tip of the Day

2009-12-05T14:47:00.001-08:00

If you buy a new pair of running shoes, you shouldn't run 5 miles the first time you wear them.... you'll get blisters.

Generation Gap

2009-12-03T20:46:00.003-08:00

While having lunch with a student today mentioned that old video game, Skate or Die:

He had no idea what I was talking about.

Elisa's Pie

2009-11-26T20:17:00.000-08:00

Working Out

2009-11-11T06:43:00.003-08:00

Elisa likes doing push ups.

You can't hear it very well (a little the first time), but each time she does a push up she gives this little grunt breath that is really funny.

Another Milestone

2009-11-06T19:07:00.001-08:00

Elisa used a spork for the first time tonight. She makes me so proud.

Pictures)

2009-11-02T18:32:00.003-08:00

Elisa was really cute in her tigger outfit for Halloween. We went downtown with the crowds on Friday afternoon. She loved seeing all the other kids and watching them walk around. However, we had an unfortunate turn of events with our camera. After taking a picture I set it on the stroller and as we started walking again it feel off. It doesn't take pictures anymore. So, they will be fewer and further between for now. Fortunately we still have our old film camera and will be able to continue documenting the growth of Jonathan and Elisa, it'll just be a little less convenient for right now. Any recommendations on digital cameras (I'm hoping to replace before Christmas)?

Opening Night

2009-10-27T13:54:00.005-07:00

It's been a long off-season and tonight the Blazers are back in action after reaching the playoffs for the first time in 5 years last year. They had 54 wins in 08-09 and they are going have less this year because of a tougher schedule, even though they will be a better team. Portland is no longer emerging, youth isn't an excuse anymore and the championship window is open. The expectation is that they will make a run at winning the Western Conference since they are the best team in the West to challenge the LA Lakers.

The key to the season is going to be chemistry. They have the depth (their second unit could start for 1/3 of the teams in the league), coach, and foundational pieces (Roy, Oden, & Aldridge - photo above) to make a deep run in the playoffs. It all depends on if the team put personal accomplishments aside for the good of the whole (click here for more).

At the end of the season, everyone will be disappointed if there is another first round playoff exit. With the championship window open they only have a few (3-4) years to make it all the way. Teams climbing the ladder only get 1 or 2 shots at winning it all. This year will be a good test to see if they can go deep into the playoffs and whether they will really be contenders. It will be fun to watch and I can't wait for that championship parade..... soon, very soon.

A Good Weekend

2009-10-25T21:54:00.004-07:00

Elisa picking out her pumpkin.

We went to the Farmers Market in Fayetteville on Saturday morning.

Elisa kept picking up this tomato and I'd ask her to put it back. This process was repeated about six times before the guy said she could have it. She liked eating as much as she enjoyed holding it.

At one point I looked at Elisa in the stroller and her bunny was gone. She had dropped him somewhere. We started walking back retracing our steps and found him sitting right here waiting and enjoying the view.

Nike's 10K

2009-10-24T20:52:00.002-07:00

Today was The Human Race 10k. This was the second year of this event and the whole idea seemed cool to me. Joining with a million other people around the world, all running on the same day at the same distance. Participants use Nike+ iPod kits and digitally upload their run times to Nike's website to verify completion. I recognize that the whole endeavor is a marketing scheme for Nike, but it was motivating for me to keep running. That's one big accountability group.

Shockingly, Siloam Springs wasn't one the 3 locations in the US that had organized races, so I had to run alone. Although most of the run went well I fell into a hole with about 2 miles from the end. There was a family standing in the trail blocking the path. A whole package kind of family: Grandma, Mom, Dad, Dog, 2 kids and they were all just standing there looking at the leaves. Since I was coming up behind them I figured I would just run by on the side in the grass. On my second step off the trail my right foot fell into a really deep skinny hole that was completely covered by leaves (I don't know how my shoe even fit into it since the opening wasn't that big). I'm really thankful and surprised that I didn't break my foot since the hole was deep enough that it came to 6 inches under my knee. I've never fallen while running before and it happened so quick. I was just running along then all of the sudden my leg disappeared and I was on the ground. All in all it was just a lot of fun to be apart of something on a global scale (99 countries were represented) while living in good ol' Siloam Springs.

In Depth Analysis

2009-10-20T09:21:00.002-07:00

The following is Elisa's commentary on Football while watching a highlight on ESPN:

"Ball!

running

FALL DOWN!"

Milestone

2009-10-16T14:32:00.002-07:00

Today, Elisa put her shoes on completely by herself. Then after her nap she did it again. They aren't just slip ons either, they have a Velcro strap. I don't know if it's just because there is a new baby here, but she has seemed so much bigger this week. Definitely a little girl now.

Weight

2009-10-14T19:08:00.003-07:00

Today was Jonathan's one week check up. No worries about getting back to birth weight. He gained six ounces. He's weighing in at 9 pounds 10 ounces.

Health Care

2009-10-14T17:46:00.002-07:00

Throughout the national debate about health care reform I've had mixed feeling about the whole thing. Having read a number articles from various newspapers and magazines have all been about the same. I've been craving a more nuanced view on the whole subject. I found it while perusing the November edition of Popular Mechanics.

I found the following interview with Dean Kamen. He is the inventor responsible for the Segway and a mobile dialysis machine to name a few. Here is the segment of the interview pertaining to healthcare (click here for the full article):

PM: What’s your opinion of the debate over healthcare?

DK: I’m very worried that the entire debate is misguided. I mean the whole supposition: “We have a crisis in healthcare.” Our healthcare system is developing incredible devices to improve the quality of people’s lives. We’re developing pharmaceuticals that alleviate the need for surgery. We’re making the surgeries that are necessary ever less invasive. If we have a crisis, it’s the embarrassment of riches.

PM: But how about rising costs and concerns about healthcare being rationed?

DK: Each side of this debate has created the boogeyman and monsters like “We don’t want to let this program come into existence because that will mean rationing.” Well, I hate to tell you the news, but as soon as medicine started being able to do incredible things that are very expensive, we started rationing. The reason 100 years ago everyone could afford their healthcare is because healthcare was a doctor giving you some elixir and telling you, you’ll be fine.Of course we ration today.

PM: So what’s the answer?

DK: The way to ration less is to make more good technical solutions. Diabetes alone, if you include all of the long-term, insidious consequences, is responsible for about 30 percent of the federal reimbursement for healthcare. But what if tomorrow we could wipe out diabetes? I’m sure in 1920 if you asked actuaries to say what percentage of our GDP are we going to spend taking care of people with polio, they’d say: “They’ll sit in iron-lung machines their whole lives with three people watching over them. We can’t support them all.” But what did it actually cost to deal with polio? Oh, $2 apiece. We gave them the Salk vaccine.

If you want to sit here today and project forward these horrific costs of treating everybody and you want to assume we are not going to make therapies and cures better, simpler and cheaper, well, you know what? We might actually get to that being the situation—if we stop investing in technology, if we stop believing that the future ought to be better than the past. I think this debate shows a fundamental lack of vision, a lack of understanding of what’s possible.

Jonathan Gregory Brock

2009-10-09T14:31:00.004-07:00

His name is Jonathan Gregory...It came right down to the final hour of being in the hospital, but Carolyn & I came to a decision we both really like. Jonathan means God has given or gracious. We've been home for about 24 hours now. It's fun watching Elisa's fascination with the baby and it's great getting everybody rested again. Carolyn seems to be doing great and was able to get some decent, albeit short, sleep last night.

For the record, it was much harder to pick a name for a boy name than for a girl.

First Look

2009-10-07T20:59:00.002-07:00

It's a Boy!

2009-10-07T14:03:00.002-07:00

Our son was born this afternoon at 3:00. He is healthy and Carolyn did great. He weighed in at 9 pounds 4 ounces & 20 inches long. Everyone is happy and healthy. I'm picking up Elisa to go meet him right now. His name is still undecided......

Check back for pictures soon.

The Time Has Finally Come

2009-10-06T20:14:00.003-07:00

Although the wait hasn't felt nearly as long this time (to me...I can't say the same for Carolyn), our second child should be here sometime tomorrow. Carolyn & I are heading into the hospital early in the morning to be induced.

We've had a good week, especially since my Mom got here on Sunday night. She got here later than planned because she was selected for a more intense search through security and missed her flight. When Elisa woke up in the morning to find her in the living room she got really excited. She has been in a great mood and loves playing with Grammy. Carolyn & I are thankful that Elisa can sleep in her own bed and be at home with Grammy to take care of her while we are in the hospital.

I'll post pictures and news as soon as I get a chance. Please appreciate your prayers as we go through labor and the adjustment to a family of four.

October 7th

2009-10-02T15:41:00.003-07:00

Unless he comes naturally, Carolyn & I will head to the hospital early Wednesday morning or her to be induced. The Dr. said he expects Carolyn to go into labor before then, but we should have a baby by Wednesday night if not.

For the Record

2009-09-30T20:47:00.001-07:00

No baby today. Carolyn's 2 for 2 with 'em coming late.

Sunny Day

2009-09-29T18:20:00.002-07:00

This week the weather has been fantastic, mid to upper 70s and nothing but sunshine. To make the most of it we went for a little walk across campus this afternoon. Here are a few pictures of our adventures.

Not For Sale

2009-09-24T17:58:00.003-07:00

Last year I read Not for Sale with my book club. It's a great book about the global slave trade. I had no idea the extent of how bad things really are. The book looks at various parts of the globe and tells what's happening and how people are trying to help, even in America. Here is a quote from the book:

Human trafficking generates $31 billion annually and enslaves 27 million people around the globe, half of them children under the age of eighteen.....Go behind the facade in any major town or city in the world today and you are likely to find a thriving commerce in human beings. You may even find slavery in your own backyard.

It's easy to think that human trafficking only takes place in other parts of the world, but it really is all over the states too. Last year KGW news ran a series about sex slavery taking place in Portland (click here for a link to my previous post about it). I highly recommend this book as a good way to educate yourself on a major issue that can't be ignored anymore.

Final Countdown

2009-09-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

One week until the due date.

Female Perspective

2009-09-23T19:12:00.003-07:00

I wanted to follow up my last post of J. Alvin's intro video with the female counterpart. The women's only residence hall on campus is named Mayfield. Here is their RA intro video (I love how stereotypical and antithetical they are):

Quality

2009-08-31T09:24:00.002-07:00

From the first day I walked onto campus I knew JBU was a quality school and that I would privileged to be a part of the educational team. Well, it seems that other people are starting to recognize JBU's quality as well. We were just named the #2 school of 96 in the southern region. Click here for the press release about it.

In other news, JBU has a new logo. Read all about it here.

RA Intro

2009-08-25T15:21:00.003-07:00

As is tradition here at JBU, the RA teams made videos to introduce themselves to the new students. Here is J. Alvin's entry this year (It was very well received):

New Leaf

2009-08-16T13:54:00.003-07:00

This year I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm keeping my work email inbox empty. For years (ever since I started using email) I've been that guy who has hundreds of emails in his inbox. I never sort them out or delete them. All those messages just sit there, all read, but just wasting away yearning for a home with more meaning than simply "in."

I've found that this method of "organization" sometimes leads to messages without a response and tasks that are left undone. This year to prevent this slipping through the cracks scenario I'm keeping a clean inbox. I'm one week clean so far.

How long before I get my first pin?

Best Ever

2009-08-13T11:43:00.004-07:00

I came across this article from Dime magazine on the 1992 Dream Team (the one and only). Probably the most talented basketball team ever to play together. At the end of the article there is a YouTube video of highlights from the team. Many of them feature Clyde and there is even a shot of the former Blazer Arvidas Sabonas getting dunked on by David Robinson.

Dinner & A Movie

2009-08-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

Last week Carolyn & I had a first in our relationship. After being married or dating for almost 12 years w finally went to dinner and a movie for a date last week. It was fun.

Traveling

2009-07-28T22:29:00.004-07:00

Just a quick note to say we're back home in Arkansas. We arrived after a long day of travel to a seemingly brand new apartment. A wall was removed that separated the living room & dining room/kitchen. It's nice and spacious. Now we can actually fit the people we host and we'll have more natural light throughout the day. Initial impression is very positive.

Elisa did well traveling, although she didn't sleep at all on the plane. I think today was the longest day of her life without naps. We arrived at Seatac at 11 am and she didn't fall asleep until we got to the car in Tulsa at 11 pm. She never melted down on the plane, she was as squirmy as could be. It was as if she was fighting off any chance of sleep by simply staying in perpetual motion. We made it though and are glad to be back in our own beds.

4th of July

2009-07-05T23:52:00.003-07:00

We had a great time with Carolyn's family this weekend. It started off by going to the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge which had great trails that Elisa could run around on without getting into trouble. It made it easy for all of us to enjoy the wildlife and beauty.

John, Kristine (Brother-in-law & his wife), & I started the fourth out by running in a local 5K. We had a great time and all finished within a minute of each other. It was good for me to run with people who are faster than I am, makes it easier to set a new PR. Saturday evening we hung out and had a cook-out, of course. My Mom came up for the day, which made it really nice to have the combined families together. Tonight I showed the Olson's one of my favorite movies, Lars & the Real Girl (Link to previous post about it). It was great to watch it again. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it. I'll even let you borrow it if you like.

Elisa with her "Friendship Pagoda" that Uncle John & Aunt Kristine bought for her. She wasn't unhappy, just bitting her lip.

Summer so Far

2009-06-30T13:58:00.002-07:00

It's been a great summer in the NW so far. We've seen all our family, went to the beach, and got away for our anniversary. I think the highlight so far for me was going to Seattle for a few days with Carolyn. We left Elisa with the grandparents and enjoyed being in a city by ourselves. It was a lot of fun just checking out places and doing things we hadn't done before. We rode the water taxi, enjoyed eating out, and checked out the Seattle Central Library. The library was even more impressive from the inside than it is on the outside.

Click here for a link to some pictures of the summer so far.

Together Again

2009-06-05T20:13:00.003-07:00

It's so nice to have Carolyn home again. She had a fairly humorous reuniting with Elisa at the airport that you can read about here. My week at home with Elisa was a lot of fun and I'm really glad that Carolyn had a good vacation. I think the hardest thing to deal with while Carolyn was gone was putting up with the, "I bet you can't wait for Carolyn to get home" comments. The ones that implied because I was male I'd have a harder time with my own child than my wife would. It wasn't greatly offended or anything, I just don't like the stereotype that mothers are the only good caretakers of children. Anyway....

All in all it was a good week with Elisa, but the last two days with Carolyn home have been fantastic. Yesterday we went Geocaching, which we hadn't done in almost a year. Today we went to the city water park and Elisa loved it. She cried the whole way out to the car because she didn't want to leave. The poor girl was shivering and shaking like crazy since the water isn't heated (no need for heaters in Arkansas summers) and it was still cold because the park just opened last week. We fly out to Portland on Tuesday for our summer vacation. We kind of have a lot to do before we'll be ready to leave.

Pic of the Day

2009-06-02T15:04:00.001-07:00

Elisa & I having lunch at Subway.

Pic of the Day

2009-06-01T12:48:00.003-07:00

Look Mom, Daddy lets me get messy too!

This was Elisa eating lunch today. She kept putting applesauce in her hair and went straight into the tub after it was all over.

Pic of the Day

2009-05-31T19:36:00.001-07:00

Elisa with her friend Caroline from our home group.

Pic of the Day

2009-05-30T12:40:00.002-07:00

Lately when Elisa wakes up from her nap she doesn't want to get out of bed right away.

She likes playing in her crib for a while before I take her out.

Pic of the Day

2009-05-29T15:41:00.003-07:00

I'm going to try and post a picture a day while Carolyn is away so she doesn't feel too left out from all the fun Elisa & I are having.

Home Alone

2009-05-29T15:38:00.002-07:00

This morning, Elisa & I dropped Carolyn off at the airport so she could go on vacation in Phoenix for a week. We had bought this plane ticket so Carolyn & Elisa didn't have to be home along while I went to a conference, but my conference got canceled. It turned into the perfect opportunity for Carolyn to get a vacation. So, Leesi & I are home alone. I think we'll manage.

Making Pancakes

2009-05-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight Carolyn enlisted Elisa's help while making pancakes for dinner. Needless to say Elisa had a great time.