2013 Race for the Cure

Raceday this year was a mad sprint to the finish.  April is the toughest month at work and it made for some wild days leading up to the event but it was all worth it.  ​This year's race was more than interesting with the amount of staff and committee turnover but in the end we pulled it all together. I was chair of operations for the second straight year.  It's a position that I feel more and more comfortable with but still keeps me on my toes. 

The weather this year did not cooperate at all.  This is the craziest spring I can remember.  It rained both setup days and on raceday. Luckily we avoided lightning, tornadoes, and ​snow.  I never dreamed snow would be a possibility but since we just had 2 days of snow the week AFTER THE RACE I thought I'd mention it. 

I went through three sets of clothes on Friday but Saturday came without a hiccup. Unless you count every outlet used by sponsors being attached to wet GFI's that constantly tripped a hiccup.  In that case we had a few hiccups.  Jenna is already making her comments about me "retiring" from active race service.  I just nod and tell her she's probably right but we have plenty of time to discuss it (and for me to change her mind).

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Our Green Belt

Noah graduated to green belt yesterday.  Even cooler, he graduated to the Junior class.  We are excited for him to move up with the big kids.  Mainly because Jenna and I are tired of participation success. Noah's ready to be in the world where everyone keeps score and he advances on merit. We are so proud of him.  This cycle was difficult because we were gone a lot and he missed a lot of classes but he was still a rockstar on his form and sparring.  Of course, Jenna's favorite is his freestyle where he really demonstrates he has a talent for martial arts.​

Here's a picture of him with the primary instructor, Mr. O'Connor.  Noah really likes Mr. O'Connor and always wants to impress him. It's nice to have your kid genuinely respect an elder and teacher.  Noah is just a good kid and we are very proud of him.​

Crystal Bridges with Magga

Magga was able to come up for the weekend at the last minute.  Her visit was short but enjoyable. I feel obligated to say the highlight was going to check out the Norman Rockwell exhibit at Crystal Bridges.  Noah liked it way more than I thought he would.  We messed up lunch though and didn't know we'd have to wait in line and be stuck so blood sugars got a little low and we had a cranky little kid cut the day short.  ​The actual highlight was Saturday night at bedtime when Noah told Magga all about the girls in his class and got himself tickled and embarrassed.  Mom and I couldn't stop laughing at him as he just kept blushing.  He wanted to tell her so bad but it was just so hard to tell on himself.

Dolphin Swim in Cozumel

When we ported in Cozumel we did a dolphin swim.  We were only able to touch the dolphins since Noah and Campbell were too young to actually swim with them.  The kids were able to make shake his fins, let him swim out of the water to their hand, give him a kiss, get a kiss back, and then pat him several times.  Our dolphins name was Daniel and he was awesome.  ​

We had a slight SNAFU booking it, by messing up time zones (Mexico doesn't observe DST) so the adults were a little stressed since we basically had to beg the people to let us go early. The kids didn't know it though so they were carefree and enjoying an awesome experience. Also, Melissa was able to take the pictures from a zoom lens but went to check on a taxi and missed the two big kids interacting with the dolphin but we still got some great shots.

Pretty pretty princess

The first morning on the boat Campbell went to the Princess meet and greet.  I'm sure it was called something more clever than that but I can't remember. We checked Noah into the Oceaneer Lab to make Flubber and off we went to join our starstruck princess.​

Galveston

Galveston has changed a lot in the 16 years since I was there.  The beach was much prettier than I remembered and the boardwalk was packed with people and resorts. When we took the shuttle to the boat the next morning we saw the Galveston I remembered with the refineries and rigs.  Nice to see these things can coexist with each other.  ​

The Disney Magic

We got back to land yesterday and we still have our sea legs. There will be plenty of time to put lots of pictures and videos up but I wanted to briefly put a picture of us all in front of the boat.  This was taken in Cozumel right after getting off the boat. I like this picture because 1. we are fresh and 2. you can see the insanely blue water.  Loved every bit of Cozumel.​

Definitely my son...

Not that I needed a DNA test, but lets face it; the boy looks like his momma. Lately Noah has needing convincing he can read.  "But I don't know every word..." He never believes I don't know every word either.  A couple of days back he got into a little trouble and he was told he was limited to very few activities.  One was to read a book. ​

So he grabbed a Geronimo Stilton book his Magga gave him and started to read.  Then he read some more.  He read in the car while we ran errands.  He read at the table.  He went in the other room to read while we watched TV.  He finished the book the next day before bedtime.  When we got to Texarkana this afternoon, I took him to Books-a-Million and he picked out 3 new chapter books (all Geronimo Stilton of course).​

Tonight he and I are crashing together.  I told him it was 8:30 and he needed to get some rest.  "....bbbbuuuuuttttttt Daaaad! I'm at a really good part.  Do I have to go to bed?"​

Date Night and The Giant Waffle

My girl and I had a date night last night. In case the picture confuses you, in our home Jenna is the "whoa-man!"

We had grand plans of dinner and the Lady Gymbacks gymnastics meet against Alabama. Before exiting the Interstate at the University I started asking her what she wanted to eat. I was scared when she said no to everything I asked including McDonald's. Finally she said she wanted a "Biiiiig Waffle."  So off to Waffle House we went.  When the waiter came over that's exactly how she ordered.  Her arms made a huge circle, her eyes were super wide, and she said "I want a biiiiiig Waffle."  It was classic.  I was a little nervous when a normal size waffle came to the table but she looked at me wide-eyed and proclaimed.  "It's giant!"

The gymnastics was fun.  It held her attention for 40-45 minute before she couldn't stay in her seat anymore.  You can never tell how big of an impact you have on your kids when they are with you.  That night Jenna got a blow by blow detail of what she saw, but  the real payoff for me was Sunday morning.  I went to drop her off at Sunday School and she marched right in holding my hand.  It took her 5 minutes (holding my hand the entire time) to tell her Sunday School teacher everything "me and my Daddy" did on "our date night."  

It's a good thing moments like that aren't everyday or we'd have 10 kids.​

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Hello, World!

Thinking of my Papaw tonight

It's funny the things in life that remind you of a person even when you never experienced that "thing" with them.

I'm sure my grandfather had many things he loved in this world.  The same way I love baseball, Pearl Jam, and learning new things.  Unfortunately we never had the relationship where we shared things outside of the usual grandfather/grandson relationship. I remember him telling me when he thought I was screwing up breaking up with my high school girlfriend.  I was right on that one.  I remember him telling me not to trust my stepfather.  He was right on that one.  But outside of a few of these moments here and there when we were alone we were just a grandfather and his grandson. 

There are a few things I know about my Papaw without us having an "official" conversation about them.  I know he loved his daughters.  I know he loved his wife.  I know he loved me. Above all I know he loved the Lord. Another love he had though that we shared was the love of the river.

I remember putting his boat into the Ouachita River and trying to find the right fishing spot.  I remember seeing a sturgeon jump 10 feet from the water about 25 yards in front of our boat and snapping my head back and seeing his smile and that little glimmer in his eye that he couldn't believe it either.  I remember camping beside the river with Jeff and I cringing at the sound of him eating sardines.  I remember crossing the ferry over the river with him getting out and just staring at the water like there was an answer there to a question only he knew.  I remember a lot here and there.

I remember my Papaw and I miss him.

He's been gone too long now but sometimes something happens and I think of him.  I'm sure we all have moments in time where something out of the ordinary makes us think of someone we want one more conversation with. I have one thing that always, without fail, makes me think of my grandfather. It's a song.  It's a song that I honestly don't think he would like.  But I like it and it always makes me think of him. 

The song has multiple layers about a man finding the welcoming arms of his savior after a lifetime of breaking his own body and spirit.  What I love is the beginning where he looks into the river, cold and black. Here he sees himself as he sees himself but it ends with the the man begging the water to rise and take his reflection away. Then he's left with the way God sees him which was the point of the song all along.  As always with good music, your mileage may vary.

I love the song.  I love my Papaw.  The two are forever intwined in my mind. Maybe he loves this song too.  I intend to ask him when I see him again.

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds perform "The Maker" (Live at Radio City Hall)