Eric and Theresa

Update

2009-11-29T18:39:00.002-06:00

Hank: He was cleared after 6 weeks of rehab. He will always have arthritis in that joint, but at least we got the pebble out!

Trixie: Well...she is lucky that she is so cute.

Eric: Working on that thesis.

Theresa: Enjoying not having school work.

Hank's OCD

2009-09-26T11:58:00.003-05:00

Hank was diagnosed with OCD (not obsessive compulsive disorder). He had a couple of cartilage flaps in his hock (ankle) joint. He had his surgery this week and came back looking like this:

Grandma

2009-08-17T16:32:00.001-05:00

Sister, mom, aunt, grandma
Cousin, friend, neighbor, in-law
Gladys Manthei fit them all
Now she’s heard the final Call

Aggressive cancer
There was no answer
Left us wondering
What’s the meaning

To cause such great pain
How could He gain
From taking her up
Away from us

But that’s where we stumble
For we are not humble
It is not right
That we should lose sight

For Jesus has taught
The way that we ought
To come before Him
Confessing our sin

Our Father in heaven
YOUR kingdom come
YOUR will be done

This is true comfort
That God has the reigns
When we are troubled
He tells us to pray

Now that she’s gone
We will go on
Not by ignoring
Nor by forgetting

The only way to
See this life through
Is to know Jesus Christ
The only one who
Gave up his life
For me and for you.

Lost on Gilligan's Island trying to avoid T-Rexes and King Kong

2009-07-01T23:32:00.005-05:00

Theresa and I recently visited the island where several box office hits and other shows have been taped (Kaua'i) and here are some pictures.

We really enjoyed our time there and were never Blue (in) Hawai'i.

Us at a Luau.

Sunset on Poi'pu Beach. (yes I made it black & white...your eyes are not failing you)

The beginning of the Na Pali Coast.

Dolphins being dolphins.

A rainbow on the first day -- God welcoming us.

Doing Dishes

2009-06-21T14:24:00.005-05:00

This is how doing the dishes works in our house...Theresa gets the pots and pans and Trixie does the rest. For those of you who have eaten at our house lately -- sorry we didn't warn you.

At least we save some money this way because our "dish washer" doesn't require electricity or a water connection!

:)

Tithing

2009-06-01T13:59:00.008-05:00

ESPN's Outside the Lines show recently aired this video on televangelists and professional athletes. You can say a lot about the problems with the "prosperity gospel", but that is not the point of me posting the video. What I am interested in is the state of mind of some of the "ministers" interviewed as well as some of the athletes, as well as ESPN itself. Most impressive in this video is Evander Holyfield and the way he responds at the end of the video when the reporter is asking him, now with his 109 room house being forclosed, if he had the choice to make his mortgage payment or tithe, which he would do. Holyfield said he would tithe because it would be better for him in the long run.

It is very interesting to me that some "non-reformed" Christians understand this perhaps better than some "reformed" Christians. Granted the "paying off in the long run" part may look different in our minds, but you must admit to being a little humbled by the sincerity and frankness with the response. While prosperity gospel teaching organizations will continue to undermine Christ's true aim for how we should live and why, some of them at least have this much right on the button. God gets dibs first, period. Hearing him say that can be a tough pill to swallow when we are willing to shine that penetrating light back on ourselves.

The Porch and Patio are FINISHED!

2009-05-26T07:16:00.004-05:00

We have finally finished the porch and the patio. We want to give a big thanks to all who were involved. We still have a little clean up, but I think Trixie will miss playing on the big piles of dirt. Thanks again for all of your help!

ha

2009-05-19T17:18:00.003-05:00

In case you missed it - Ryan Church missed third base while trying to score in the Mets game the other day when Angel Pagan hit a nice triple in the 11th inning. I guess the moral of the story is members of the church can't go 'home' if they are being led (albeit from behind) by pagans. Also, this must be a hard name to deal with as a child...(and as an adult)

Manny

2009-05-10T12:23:00.001-05:00

Ok - I am pretty sure now I was duped.

Blah.

Go Rangers!!!

Baseball

2009-05-07T11:37:00.005-05:00

Another player testing positive for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), right? Not sure. Manny claims he saw a doctor for a personal health problem recently and was taking prescription medication the doctor claimed was ok. However, the league has suspended him for 50 games for violating the substance abuse policy in regards to PEDs. Unlike A-Fraud, I actually believe this guy. Not sure why, but who knows. Let's see what details come out in the coming week(s).

Here is Peter Gammon's reaction:

Flu Hooplah

2009-05-05T15:07:00.004-05:00

This is actually a post by me - Eric. I know I know, if it is a health related post it must be Theresa right? Well, this is my little way of educating everyone about the real killer (it ain't swine flu).

In fact, the CDC no longer recommends closing schools even if a student is suspected to have or is confirmed to have H1N1.

Enjoy

Favorite Block Ever

2009-04-27T20:08:00.003-05:00

Ok so many of you who are fortunate enough to have talked NBA with me understand my feelings that Jordan is and was the best ever - period. Also along those lines, some of you may have heard me talk about my favorite block ever which just happens to be by Jordan. Well, after spending sometime tonight dreaming and watching old videos I actually found a clip of it!!! It is actually a clip from Sportscenter I think - but it will do!

Oh yeah, and Jordan is playing with a sinus infection in this game...but who cares when you are the best ever and you can turn it on whenever you want???

Check it out:

Meet Trixie

2009-04-19T21:55:00.005-05:00

The shelter said that she was a shepherd mix, but I don't think she is. She is only 4 months old and is already half the size of Hank. What do you think she is?

Our World

2009-04-15T08:30:00.005-05:00

Privatization of water markets leads to strikes in Peru.

The new (old) idea to fight piracy - let these ships defend themselves! What I don't get is why this is a difficult decision. Gold miners have been doing this forEVER in nations where there is unrest and the threat of being attacked.

With the rash of home burglaries that has been going on in B/CS lately, it is nice to see one get stopped.

Public Health Week

2009-04-08T08:44:00.004-05:00

Here is a great video that depicts the improtance of Public Health. I love my job.

For Matt Lee - Can YOU Do This?

2009-04-04T22:00:00.004-05:00

This video maketh me smile.

Hopefully you too.

:)

Public Health Week

2009-04-02T14:05:00.002-05:00

Next week is Public Health Week. The Brazos County Health Department is going to offer some special and reduced fee services. Here is a listing:

$5 Private Water Well Testing
April 6-8, 2009

Free Foodhandlers Classes for the First 50 People to Sign-up
Beginning April 6, 2009

Snake Bites: Don’t Get Rattled
Presentation by Dr. Gary Gore
Tuesday, April 7 at 6:00 p.m.
Brazos County Health Department

Free Immunizations for 18 and Under
$10 Immunizations for Adults
April 6-8, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

SOLD!

2009-03-31T22:04:00.000-05:00

We found a taker for our boxes. I am ready to get my dining room back!!!

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes!

2009-03-31T19:53:00.002-05:00

We have a bunch of boxes. Please contact us if you or someone you know needs boxes. We will be glad to give them away free. Most of them have been through several moves but are in good shape. We will go recycle them in a few weeks if no one claims them. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

Nascar Strategy

2009-03-24T00:00:00.003-05:00

For you Kevin Ayers.

NASCAR Coach Reveals Winning Strategy: 'Drive Fast'

Done!

2009-03-23T09:41:00.001-05:00

Thank you to everyone that helped us during the moving process! All of our "stuff" made the 8 or so mile venture unharmed!

In Memory

2009-03-15T21:03:00.003-05:00

Grandma Sally Patscheider (far left, next to Theresa)
03/08/1925 - 03/14/2009

Bailing out a Bailouter?

2009-02-27T15:30:00.005-06:00

According to the NY Times, yes it is my favorite current newspaper, the FDIC is going to require banks to pony up more $$ in insurance deposits because they are forecasting over 86 more banks to fail this year alone (14 have done so already and over 100 total for the year are expected).
So essentially the government is giving banks money, then forcing them to give portions of it back, just so the government can then give it out again. I wonder how much of this money is getting lost through transaction costs, overhead costs and other misc. costs. Seems to me if you are going to hand out my money, at least just do it in one transaction, not a series of 3 where everyone skims something off the top. What is this, a boot-legged "charity" with high "administrative" bills?

Produce The Note

2009-02-24T16:27:00.006-06:00

While I don't condone the activity of fighting the foreclosure of a home where an individual can no longer pay the bill - regardless of whether or not they should have been approved for their loan or not - I certainly don't condone the actions of the banks to sell off loans and mortgages in the form of bonds and other bundles with reckless abandon. Should you be facing foreclosure, there is an interesting option that many people have been taking advantage of: simply ask the bank trying to foreclose your home to produce the note which you signed and they signed showing they actually have a right to your house.

On another note, if we are trying to increase accountability within the economy, how is this supposed to help? We have the people owning the mortgages without care and without anyone honestly regulating their business practices and we have people in homes that are getting free passes and their $200. Is it surprising Wachovia, the bank in question in this video, was taken over by Citi a few months later after it promptly failed?

Don't Waste Your Life?

2009-02-16T18:13:00.001-06:00

Well, the message here is a little different than the message in John Piper's "Don't Waste Your Life", but this video is equally interesting...especially for those of us in academia.

*Update

2009-02-16T13:42:00.003-06:00

Remember the story about the football evangelism of sorts I posted a while back? Well, turns out Troy Aikman, Roger Goodell and others noticed it too - check it out.

Who woulda thunk?

2009-02-12T12:58:00.006-06:00

Adam Smith gets the last laugh
By P.J. O’Rourke

Also, for those of you with particular interest in the evolutionary belief system of the world, here is an interesting chart with special reference to Darwin.

I don't wanna grow up...

2009-02-08T17:56:00.008-06:00

After a couple of days of negotiating the price of a home Theresa and I have been looking at - we have reached an agreement with the seller.
For those of you with a list of things young married couples should do, the only remaining thing now that we have full time jobs, are in the process of buying a house, etc, is to have some _______. We don't need to go there just yet...let us enjoy this step for a little while first please. :)

Golden Boy inserts Golden Foot into Golden Mouth

2009-02-05T16:37:00.003-06:00

So what does Peyton Manning do now that he lost his head football coach? Throw the blood-sugar monitor of a Type 1 Diabetic into a swimming pool...nice

BOOYA!

2009-01-26T12:01:00.007-06:00

Elihu 1 - Job 0 (God infinity)
'Check it'
- For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more; teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'? Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know. Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say: 'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.' Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men. For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God. . .Job opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge.
Job 34:31-37, 35:16.
(please note i am not advocating ripping everyone you know of sinful behavior...this is simply a short segment i really enjoy reading 'kinda' like some other passages just for the power and direct nature of the language)

Please check the link for a great event that happened a short while back.

High School Football Evangelism?

This is very very very awesome.

Re: Community Group

2009-01-16T13:09:00.004-06:00

This is what I was talking about Wednesday!

Also, check this one out:

:)

Revisiting Old Treasures

2009-01-15T15:30:00.002-06:00

What an experience to be had!
Here I was perusing articles and journals this afternoon on A&M's "library" system the only way my generation knows how, using the inter-web, when one particular book kept showing up. So naturally I attempted to find it on the web in a .pdf or other down-loadable format. As the Lord would have it, the only version of it available to me was the PRINTED version in the true "library" - you know, the one where you walk in the doors and there are actual books and periodicals around you?
So, using the knowledge ascertained via the inter-web and remembering where the elevators were thanks to having to go in there to meet Josh once or twice before I found my way to the 5th floor. Thankfully the web not only had a map of the facility so I could find the elevators, but also a map of where on the 5th floor my book would be located!
By this point I am beginning to feel a little proud of myself for thus-far accomplishing such a feat (finding a book in a library). Why, you ask, is this of any consequence at all? Well allow me to tell you: this is the first book I have checked out since the 6th grade when I used to frequent the library to win points for the "AR" program at my school! That is right, not for high school, my undergrad or even my masters had I been required to check out a book. Everything was either available electronically or it was not required for extended use so I could simply borrow another's for a couple of hours.
After searching the shelf for a few minutes and seeing many other interesting titles, I found it!!! Oh the feeling of pulling it off the shelf! What accomplishment! Job well done!
Now the dilemma -- where do I check out?
I searched around the 5th floor briefly before I figured there was no place up there for a check out station and it wouldn't make sense because what if you got your book on another floor? So I made it down stairs and figured it must be near the door. This is where the library personnel, yes even you Adam, think it is fun to play games with people. You see, near the door there are THREE different desks. I felt like those shows where you have to pick behind a door to see if you win the prize. After slowly walking around them I noticed a little sign that said "Check-Out Desk" above one of them. Whew! Embarrassment averted!
Further amazement came when the young man, (I can say that now since I am quite a dignified adult now with my book-checking-out abilities), informed me that I had until May 15 to enjoy my hard-copy. I could not believe my ears! Apparently that is one of the benefits of being on A&M's faculty. Nifty - I may try this more!
I eventually managed to make it out of the library and head back over to my office, book in hand. The feeling of pride and giddiness so radiating from my very essence, I felt the need to share it with you.
I hope this story finds you well and perhaps one day you too shall feel the victory and glory I felt by checking out a book.

Eric

A few notes:
The book I checked out today - "Jay Cooke's Gamble" by Lubetkin...it is about Jay Cooke and the financial Panic of 1873
The books I used to read when I was a top dog in the "AR" program were the Tolkien books, Redwall Series, and whichever other books could potentially give me the most points (Anne of Green Gables, Lord of the Flies, Moby Dick, etc).
The last book I read cover-to-cover was "Sea of Glory" by Nathaniel Philbrick about 6 months before Theresa and I got married on a trip to North Carolina with her mother and sister to Emerald Isle. Matt was stationed at Camp Lejune at the time.

2008 - Year In Review

2009-01-07T11:44:00.005-06:00

Enjoy!

Football fans look at this.

For those that remember my World of Warcraft story, well, here is one that goes into greater detail and has a lot in common with my story (only my "girl" didn't break up with me, fortunately).

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-21T22:16:00.002-06:00

I was playing with our new camera and took this shot. It is Christmas Card perfect! These are Hank's "Bat Ears." He is so cute.

Motorcycle Video

2008-12-18T09:56:00.002-06:00

TxDot just released a new video about motorcycle safety for drivers ed. It is fairly entertaining. Note the line: "Thats why your head swivels." (Again, another health educator moment.)

It Isn't Rocket Science

12 Ways to Health

2008-12-01T10:29:00.002-06:00

Check out this great tune! Remember to stay safe and healthy this holiday season! (The health educator is coming out again...)

12 Ways to Health

Logs of Dogs!

2008-11-26T22:46:00.005-06:00

Miss Aspen looking innocent...we know better!

Lacey closed her eyes!

Hank looking like an outdoor dog. We will get him that backyard someday.

Look Out Austin!

2008-11-19T17:58:00.004-06:00

Austin - as you prepare to chase a dream of being in the nba, just remember that there are millions of other kids out there doing the same...like this 5 year old girl.

So keep practicing!!!

Any Good Movies Out There?

2008-10-11T20:21:00.002-05:00

Theresa and I were looking for a movie tonight to go see. Here were our choices by rating at the Bryan theater:

7 rated R
6 rated PG-13
4 rated PG
0 rated G

While we are not opposed to seeing movies based on rating alone, it did frustrate me that there we are getting fewer and fewer movies to go see that don't center around sex, drugs, stupid teen crap, or some other useless junk. What happened to the movies that you could see and not feel like you immediately had to confess your sin?

Anyhow, to try to put a relaxing end to our ultra-stressful week we ended up renting a movie we knew and drinking tea from Chicken Express.

Hank

2008-09-27T00:06:00.005-05:00

Did any of you hear about the Montgomery County Animal Shelter dogs? Well, they has such an influx of dogs being dropped off due to Hurricane Ike that they were going to have to euthanize over 100 dogs on Saturday (of last week). The email included a link to photos of the dogs...that was a mistake. I was ready to leave work early and go save a dog. Well, I called and they had such a strong response that they had adopted out all the dogs except 30. They also decided not to euthanize any of them because they had freed up so much room. I breathed a sigh of relief. I had dodged yet another opportunity to pay or $450 pet deposit.

Well, Eric was talking to a coworker today and found out that she had gone and taken 15 dogs from the shelter last Friday. She still had 5 dogs and wanted him to go out to her house to take a look. Well, we went. There were 5 dogs left. Three of them were hyper, one was not fixed and one was calm and fixed. We found a match! We need a calm dog for our little bitty apartment, and we didn't want to pay to get the dog fixed.

Meet Hank. He is about 1 year old. He isn't an Ike dog because he was taken to the shelter back in June. He is calm yet still acts like a puppy. He is great!

Surprise Fish

2008-09-24T10:16:00.003-05:00

Well, when we bought our fish, we asked for two females. She warned us that it looked like one of them was pregnant. A week later we had 1 baby fish that we saved before they could eat it. Unfortunately, he didn't make it - we didn't know what we were doing.

Two nights ago I glanced at our fish tank and saw 2 little guys swimming around. Apparently, we did not get two females. This time I knew what to do, and the little guys are still going. I bought them a new tank because the filter on my old beta tank was not doing so well. Here are pictures of the new mollies in their new tank. You can actually see one of them swimming around. They are tiny!

Congratulations Eric!

2008-09-22T21:32:00.003-05:00

Eric tied for 5th in a Professional Bowling Association tournament this weekend in Austin. Go Eric!

Goodness

2008-09-10T00:31:00.006-05:00

Please respond to this post!

Genesis 1:4 - "And God saw that the light was good..."

How do you interpret the meaning of "good"? I tend to think of the biblical "good" as some sort of binary definition where it either is good or not. Meaning, things are either having sin or not. Is man inherently good or evil? Evil because of the presence of sin is what I think most of you will say. Since that is the case, why then do people contend that the definition of the "good" being used in the bible is one different than having binary properties? If we accept everything either has sin or doesn't, then we cannot have a spectrum of evilness to goodness. It is either a sin or not. It is either having evil or not.

Our blog is not regulated like peleas5. He is very capable of looking past abrasive speech or "debate" (like my own at times unfortunately due to my sinful nature). I, on the other hand, am not. Therefore please keep replies very polite and delicate if you disagree with someone. I'm not here to facilitate strong disagreements since we are not in person having a discussion.

Late Addition:

One more thing I forgot to mention is I have heard from those that contend "good", even in Genesis, is measured on a spectrum is that it can therefore be implied that God did not have a perfect creation. I wonder if this could be how some evolutionists still claim to be Christian. The biggest problem I have here is that if you allow God to not make a perfect creation, then it seems He is imperfect. (Unless you suppose He purposefully did it imperfectly.) If He made an imperfect creation without the supposition being true, our understanding of Jesus' perfection and the perfection of our trinity seems to be put in jeopardy. Lastly, I realize some of you will be learning Genesis in Sunday School this semester. That is great. This means you will be able to better answer this right?!?!?!?!?

For My Political Nutjob Friends

2008-09-05T00:34:00.001-05:00

You people that love Ron Paul missed him on Stephen Colbert tonight (Thursday night). I know it will say I posted this on Friday morning...but look at the time! Anyhow, perhaps youtube will have it if you guys want to watch.

My New Job

2008-09-02T23:03:00.008-05:00

Since I can't explain what my job is normal English, here is what the job description was for potential applicants:

Responsibilities primarily include economic modeling and data analysis support for outreach programs and applied research designed to improve public-sector, community, and business decision-making. Other duties will include responding promptly to subject matter requests on economic impact analysis from groups such as state agency personnel, commodity and trade associations, local government, county extension agents, and departmental administration. Individual and team efforts are required to plan, develop, and implement analyzes of economic impacts from changes in trade and trade policy, farm policy, value-added alternatives, or rural economic development incentives. It is expected the IMPLAN model will be used, in part, to facilitate the applied research necessary to meet unit goals in this area by providing the different levels of geographic aggregation desired by constituent groups.

Basically, it means impact analysis. So, if you wonder what I will be doing...this is the best I can give you because it all depends on what is needed.

Of course this means that Theresa and I were extremely blessed today by me receiving an offer letter after having an interview last week for the job. This is super news. I think my being fatigued is leading to a poor post, but this should help answer the questions I have fielded inadequately. Adios - Eric

Stephen Curtis Chapman

2008-08-07T14:01:00.001-05:00

Stephen Curtis Chapman will be on Larry King Live tonight at 8pm central to discuss the loss of his child earlier this summer and what his family has been doing to cope, etc. I think it is great that he is getting this type of press time to hopefully spread the gospel. If you have a chance, tune in.
Eric

Effects of an idol

2008-08-06T11:45:00.004-05:00

This is the best story I have found talking about the current Brett Favre situation. I say Brett Favre situation because it is not about the team, it is about the individual. Check it out.

I'm not saying the Packers have done everything right; nor am I saying Brett has done everything wrong. But this situation clearly shows the effects of when we create an idol(s). Fortunately for the rest of us, we don't live under this microscope of the media. However, I bet we can all learn from it and perhaps see our own idols a little clearer; whether they be job related, money related, or whatever.

I always have to check myself into right thinking about bowling. Why do I try to bowl professionally? Is it to look cool and win money? Is it because I am so great? NO! This is a big struggle for me: remembering that the chief end of man is to glorify God and fully enjoy Him forever. Bowling may be a lot of fun and I may have been given a little capacity for it, but if I don't have the right mind-set then it is all for naught. It is very easy to do well at a tournament and think I am good or great or better than others or something. Satan is always lurking. However, if I take the talent God has given to me and try to hold credit for it, I am stealing and committing blasphemy. The way I try to think of it is that the talent is God's and He just gave it to me for a bit to show how great He is. It is my job to use it in a manner that still reflects all glory and honor to Him. This is so hard for me! Maybe you guys struggle with it too in something you do. Maybe its not being a professional athlete or something. Maybe its how pretty you are or how cool your house is or how well your kids behave or something. We just have to keep remembering it is all God-given and all glory and honor should be given back to Him. (By "we" I mean me)

...just a little rant from a guy who sees himself in the mirror and doesn't always like it...

Eric's Lullaby

2008-07-29T12:40:00.001-05:00

Eric sang this to me the other day. I thought it was blog-worthy...

Hush little baby, don't say a word
Eric's going to buy you some khaki pants
And if those khaki pants don't fit
Eric's going to buy you a membership to Aerofit.

Isn't he sweet....

Visitation & Funeral

2008-06-30T16:02:00.002-05:00

Another quote from the boards:

Visitation for Mel is this Wednesday at Hillier Funeral Home in Bryan / College Station from 6-8pm.
The funeral is at Central Baptist Church in Bryan on Thursday at 2pm.

Eric

Mel Wood 6-28-08

2008-06-28T13:45:00.002-05:00

Below is the post I have put on the web forums Mel was a part of:

Thank you to everyone that prayed for and loved Mel. Earlier today Mel had to go back into surgery because of another complication. He has since passed on. A few minutes ago Debby called to tell me the news. Please continue praying for the family during this difficult time. When arrangements are made I will let you know.
Eric Manthei

If I haven't said it yet, Debby is one of his daughters.

Update on "Update"

2008-06-25T23:58:00.003-05:00

Well, it has been an eventful while since I last posted on Mel's condition. Part of that is because it has changed so dramatically and part of that is because I have been a combination of lazy and out of town.
Nearly 2 weeks ago I went with a couple of friends of mine to bowl in a tournament in Killeen. We decided to stop by Temple on the way, added only about 20 miles to the round trip, and see Mel. Mel was doing ok I suppose. He was beginning to get some normal color back in his skin instead of the yellow he had turned. Also, he was seemingly making good progress and was on track for perhaps getting to go home after another week or so. Well, as it turns out, the next day Mel was found collapsed in the bathroom; I speculate he attempted to head there on his own. He was unconscious and immediately placed in ICU. He was put on life support for a couple of days until he could breathe and all on his own again. I'm saying these things very quickly and matter of factly and in doing so not doing justice to the scare and wonderment had throughout. Please don't misconstrue that as me saying it was an easy time for Mel or any of his family / friends. Everyone was very scared, worried, upset, fatigued, etc. As Providence would have it, this past Sunday, Mel was actually told he was ready to be put back in his own room for the normal recovery he was there for before the ICU stuff happened. Somewhere in the middle of the surprise ICU week he had to have another surgery to fix whatever caused him to collapse...fortunately that went well. A neat note is that this past Sunday the bowling alley held a benefit tournament for Mel. After all was said and done they were able to raise more than $20,000.00 for him and his family to offset the financial burden of being in a hospital, without work, etc, for so long. The Eagle had a brief article about the benefit on June 18th. As of now, Mel is back in a normal recovery room and en route to coming home for more rest and such in a week or so. Then chemotherapy...
(the article in The Eagles says prostate cancer, that is wrong, it is pancreatic cancer)

Again, I wrote this very matter-of-factly merely to catch you guys up on his condition. Your prayers can still be guided using what I said before about his family members and friends. Although, with all of the drama, I can't help but wonder if Mel has been shaken a little bit as well and just trying not to show it. Please pray the Spirit will be with them and that they will know Christ the Saviour.

Dog Training

2008-06-23T22:05:00.004-05:00

Well the girls had their dog training graduation today. This was their eighth class. Here were the highlights:

Aspen barked at every dog, like usual

Lacey ignored the Great Pyrenees because they must be too big to be dogs

The crazy campus bird-chasers decided to shoot their "guns" in the middle of long sits and downs. It was a little distracting.

Lacey got 2nd place!

Aspen got 3rd place!

Even though they placed, we are still going to do another 8 weeks. They still need a lot of work. Here are some pictures from today.

Aspen Heeling

Lacey Heeling

The girls taking a break

Need Motivation?

2008-06-17T14:14:00.004-05:00

Wanna get healthy? Here are two ways to feel a part of something and get some accountability:
http://www.presidentschallenge.org/
http://www.50millionpounds.com/

Theresa and I will be starting one of these soon. If any of you want to join us as accountability partners or for motivation, let us know.

Lucky Bandana

2008-06-09T23:19:00.002-05:00

Last week we had a 9:15pm softball game. It was virtually only players and a few wives. None of the normal kids were there. Before the game I decided I would wear a bandana over my head to the game. I have always kind of enjoyed wearing bandanas, but I never really do it consistently because I'm afraid of wearing the wrong colors and having someone mistake me for a gang member or something. Well, Theresa and I have been to Walmart, Target, and Hobby Lobby looking for bandanas I could wear without fear of anyone thinking I'm in a gang. The one I decided to wear to the game last week was particularly froofroo (spelling hammer?). I should have picked up on that since I got it from the little girls' section of Walmart. Regardless, I proudly wore it to the game, thanks to Theresa being able to fasten it safely to my head. Luckily for me, two things are true:
1) My wife is a good wife in that she doesn't mind if I look silly as long as I'm happy.
2) I'd rather someone think my bandana is froofroo and think I'm gay than think I am a gang member wearing the incorrect colors. I am a bit on the, "I don't particularly care what people think of my appearance" side of things, so since one choice was based on looks and one on safety, the type of bandanas I wear is an obvious choice.

Now to the point.

We won the game last week, 12-2. It was the first time I remember ever being on the winning side of a game with only 2 runs scored. Some of the female counterparts attributed the big W to the bandana.
This week, we won again, with me sporting the same bandana, freshly washed of course. The score this time was 6-4. Amazing that we could actually win a slow-pitch softball game with only 4 runs.
Needless to say, our success is clearly because of the bandana; at least according to a few of the females and my 'friendly' teammates who have given me 'nicknames'.

A funny part:
Tonight while Theresa was fastening it to my noggin, Miss Alexis asked her mother, "Why is Mrs. Theresa doing that? Mr. Eric looks silly!" Then after the game, Miss Alexis came to me and directly proclaimed, "You look funny Mr. Eric!" Ahh, children and their ability to say the truth! My response to Miss Alexis is that I may look funny, but at least I can tie my own shoes!!!

Mel's own words

2008-06-08T22:35:00.002-05:00

"I want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and well wishes. Jim, when i read that you hung my banner this weekend, it meant more to me than you could imagine. Being honored by SASBA was truly a great honor, and congratulations to Randy for such awesome bowling!! I am scheduled to undergo some massive surgery tomorrow to bypass a bowel that is potentially blocked and causing my juandice. They also plan to hook up a permanent outlet to use when I am strong enough to start chemo. Debby will keep everyone updated on how things are going.Once again, thank you all for being an important part of my life. I never met a person in SASBA that I didnt like, even BIG AL HAHA.
May God bless each of you and your families and may you find peace in his everlasting love,
Mel Wood"

SASBA is the Senior All Star Bowlers Association. It is essentially a regional pro tour for seniors. There is no senior regional tour for PBA members, so this is the venue for those that are not on the national senior PBA tour. The banner "Jim" hung for Mel was the one he got when he won his first SASBA. SASBA has a tradition of hanging the banners of all previous winners at each event. It is kind of a neat sight.
Debby is one of Mel and Sue's daughters. Sue is his wife.
Randy is the guy that won the most recent SASBA.

If you are wondering my relationship to Mel, he was my coach growing up and pro-shop guy. He taught me how to work on people's bowling equipment and do repairs as well as lots of other information about the sport, how to attack different lane conditions, how to select the right balls, layouts, surfaces, etc. I still use him as a source for all of my bowling inquiries. In high school, while my parents were in league, I would help sell things and work in there for fun. It was funny when I would sell a ball, bag or some shoes to an adult, when I was just a punk kid. Now I'm a punk adult. Some things never change.

So this is the guy you have been praying for. Since you see his own words and perhaps understand the situation better, you hopefully have a good idea of what to pray for.

Eric

P.S. While Mel seems to be handling things well, some of his family members are not. Please especially pray for them.

Update on "Concern"

2008-06-03T22:11:00.002-05:00

This is a continuation/edit of the "Concern" post. Well, it turns out the diagnosis is pancreatic cancer (spelling). So now we wait until sometime very soon (hopefully this week) Mel goes in for a biopsy in Temple to see how far it has spread and what the situation is. Please continue to pray for him and all those affected by this situation.

Happy Birthday Theresa

2008-06-03T00:53:00.003-05:00

Here is a picture of Theresa on an adventure with me and my cousin Becca in 2005 in Bastrop.

She is pretty daring!!!
Happy Birthday Theresa!

10,000 Steps

2008-06-02T23:36:00.002-05:00

There is a physical activity program that encourages people to get 10,000 steps in one day. I (Theresa) signed up to participate through my work. I will give occassional updates on how I am doing (your welcome Kyle;))

Day 1: 7,434 (this is even with dog training! I am going to have to walk the long way to the bathroom at work)

Everyone should join me!!! Buy a cheap pedometer and keep track of how you are doing.

Sneaky Theresa

2008-06-01T21:28:00.003-05:00

Most of you know I worked at a pizza place in some capacity over the course of 3-4 years where we made everything ourselves except for our dough mix which came in bags and we just had to combine water and put it in the mixer then portion it out, etc. Well, you might assume that I would be the one to make the best pizza dough / sauce in the house because of that on-the-job learnin'. However, Theresa made some homemade pizzas tonight while I watched the A&M softball team win their game vs. Florida. My only help was in making sure the dough had risen appropriately and would be manageable when she was getting tense about it. Other than that, our dinner preparations were typical american preparations where the husband is watching the tube in the living room while the wife is on the phone with her sister and making dinner at the same time.
Anyhow, the point is, her dough and sauce were amazingly better than any of the ones I have made in the past. She refused to admit it though, which I thought was very polite...she must have been paying attention to the sermon today when Wade brought up humility. In any event, I kind of laughed at myself for getting smacked down with better sauce / crust by a novice. It seems silly she would need my assurance that the dough is workable and that the other ingredients will be good when she makes it taste better.
As an aside it is possible my vision is clouded by the thought that every meal she makes is my favorite meal. This would be because to me they are considered gifts from God. Afterall, Theresa is a gift of God so anything she does for me with love must be a gift from God; kapeesh?(spelling ninepoundhammer?)

Concern

2008-05-28T14:06:00.002-05:00

A family friend of mine since I was very young and can remember found out today he has a tumor on his pancreas...pardon the spelling. Friday he has some tests to take where he has to drink that weird fluid that colors your insides so they can see them on the screen. Then they are going to send him to Temple another day for a biopsy and whatever else they do. As I am not the family medical knowledge tank, I can't explain much else. All I can say is he has lost lots of weight and can't really eat without it coming back to haunt him. The outlook is uncertain right now without knowing if it is just a bump they can get out, or it could be cancer that will spread, or it could be cancer that has already spread. Prayers are good as is God.

Mountaineers from the Mountains

2008-05-23T00:14:00.002-05:00

I know its a little late, but I wanted to wait a little bit before I posted about this in case our friends from West Virginia were irritated with their previous neighbors. For those of you that missed it, the Democratic Election was in WV last week. Following the election, which Clinton won by a crazy 40% margin, some people were asked what they thought of the candidates. I have two things to note, one serious and one in jest:
1) There are still many whites that don't consider blacks equal.
2) "In exit polls, one in five white voters said race played a role their decision – and more than 80 percent of those supported Clinton," so my question is for the 20% of whites who claimed racism and didn't vote for Clinton...did you mis-check the correct box?

There you have it. Racism is real even if we can't see it in our daily lives. Regardless of your political stance, as a Christian this is a huge problem that we must always be aware of in our own sinful hearts and our assumptions we make of strangers we meet. To me it seems there are only two distinct groups of people: the elect and the nonelect. Color of skin is certainly not one of them.

P.S. Since I've mostly written political thoughts on the democratic race lately you may be thinking I am a democrat. Well, I can tell you one thing about me: I hold no allegiance to either party. Rather, I take things issue by issue because I have problems with both parties that cause me to not feel comfortable enough to claim one. Just wait ye republicans, I shall give you some interesting thoughts when there is a little more news on them as November approaches.

SCC

2008-05-22T16:24:00.006-05:00

While SSC doesn't have the same ring or meaning as CCR, Stephen Curtis Chapman's family has had a tragic accident. For more, visit http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/. Thanks to Brian for alerting me. (em)

Oh To Be A Hippy

2008-05-19T13:13:00.003-05:00

Lately I've been participating in a discussion over certain issues we hold dear to our hearts. Most of the issues boil down to the legitimacy of the Bible. Some of the discussions have been:
Person A: "2 Timothy 3:16-17"
Person B: Paul wrote that before the New Testament was compiled, so how can we include in it the New Testament?

All I can think of right now is how it would feel to be a hippy. "Peace and love man, yeahhhhh. *exhale"

Last night I was in this discussion to the point that I got a headache. This morning I was irritated by the responses over night. Now I'm just confused by the desire of some to dismantle the idea that the Bible is the Word of God.

A Lesson From The Democratic Campaigns?

2008-05-14T22:12:00.004-05:00

As many of you know, and for those of you that don't, an 11 year old boy from McAndrews, Kentucky recently sold all of his video games, his bike, and other random things from his closet in order to donate the money to Hillary's campaign at a rally held by Bill. He was able to amass a sum over 400 bucks! Not bad for an 11 year old. Apparently his mother thought the money was being raised for their family vacation. Needless to say, the parents gladly let the child go through with this and accompanied him to the rally on Friday in order to present his money to Bill in person; even receiving an autographed picture of Bill and Hillary for it!
(here is the story http://http://dailymail.com/News/election08/200805120073?page=1&build=cache)
So some of you might be thinking, Eric, this is sad. Or perhaps you are thinking, Eric, you're a nerd and a doofus. Well, here's what I am thinking...
Here is a kid who is a perfect example for us.
He has become so entrenched in politics and his opinion of right and wrong he is willing to sell all of his "toys" and sell anything else he can find that he doesn't need in order to help the cause he is in love with. Are we that way with our love for Jesus? Are we so trusting in Christ that we are willing to rid ourselves of the "toys" we hold dear as security blankets, you know, for the "just in case"? Do we have things in our lives we hold onto that we don't really use, don't really like, or are otherwise holding onto for no apparent reason; knowing that we could give them to Goodwill or sell them and use the money to glorify God? Or maybe we spend lavishly on things that are not that important Monday through Saturday, but come Sunday we are saying, "Well, 10% is biblical, so $300 (or $15000 depending on your income) is good enough". Are we just crossing checklists when it comes to our relationships and responsibilities to the church and God or are we so looking forward to giving of ourselves that we are like this young boy, searching through his closet for more ways to give?
This is SUCH A HUGE issue for me. You have no idea the ways of my heart. Sin twists me up so bad when I start lusting for new things or when I can't part ways with old ones. Instead of trips to McDonald's for $1 large Dr. Peppers 3-4 times a week I should be saving this money or giving it to a worthy cause.
To think this issue is only about money would be wrong. In our fallen world we are taught to be selfish with our time, thoughts, and...well everything! We must be weary, friends, of the sin associated with idle minds, bodies, and resources. Everything we have is a gift from God. Please remember that.

P.S. if this doesn't make sense don't worry...these are just a little scope into my brain and what I'm struggling with right now so if nothing else is clear in this post, please pray for me to be less selfish!
P.P.S. don't expect an autographed picture of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit like the kid got of his heros...be happy with an undeserved salvation and that knowing the act of righteous giving of yourself makes you like a picture of Jesus to those to whom you give...

Theresa

2008-05-13T20:22:00.002-05:00

Over the last 24 hours Theresa has lost around 5lbs; which to put into perspective for the rest of us is around 4-5% of her total body weight. She has some kind of stomach issue where she can't keep fluids or solids down. She is seemingly getting a little better, so we are hopeful. Apparently a couple of people at work last week had similar problems. According to them it only lasted around a day so she should be better tomorrow. Anyhow, if you are reading this blog then you obviously have enough time to pray for her to get well and me to care for her properly, so please do so!
Eric

Petless

2008-05-07T20:12:00.003-05:00

Well, we have lost both of our pets in two days. Gordy, the hamster, died last night. He was old. Flash, the fish, died this evening. He was old, too. Here is a picture of Gordy. He is actually hanging out with Eric's cousin Becca in this picture. He was a cutie!

New Job

2008-05-03T15:56:00.002-05:00

Now that my finals are OVER, I can actually post about my new job. I went to Fort Worth in April for the American Alliance for Physical Education, Health, Recreation, and Dance national convention. While I was there, my internship supervisor emailed me because there was a job posting at the Brazos County Health Department for a health educator. I screamed and danced and then downloaded the application and filled it out. My wonderful sister-in-law, Kristina, faxed the application for me since I was still in Fort Worth on a Thursday night. Well, I got a call the next Friday to schedule an interview for Monday. I was a basketcase that whole weekend (and the next week after the interview). I went to the interview on Monday and was offered the job the next Friday. Now, I have never quit a job before, so I was feeling really bad about leaving Scott & White. I learned a lot at Scott & White (good and bad), but it is time for me to move on. I don't want to stay there forever, and this new job is exactly what I want. I have always wanted to do health education in a community setting. There is nothing that say "community" more that county health department.

Being in the world not of the world according to Sinclair Ferguson

2008-04-30T09:23:00.003-05:00

"We are often told not to be negative (notice the negative!). But this is bad counsel for those who would follow Christ. In his kingdom, being positive implies also being negative. Belonging to his kingdom means rejecting all the claims and the characteristics of this world's kingdoms. It means having a feeling of not belonging because you are 'strangers [aliens] in the world' (1 Peter 1:1)." (From The Sermon on the Mount, Kingdom Life in a Fallen World.)

When I was reading a week or so ago I stopped on this page because I felt he had just said something so profound that I had to mull it over for a while. Maybe this quote won't strike you how it did me, but it is certainly a good point either way.

Eric

Funny Music

2008-04-16T16:54:00.003-05:00

Ok. Last November Theresa sent me an email containing a link to youtube. If it had not been from her, I probably would not have clicked it because some of my friends are a bit sketchy. Anyhow, after cleaning out my inbox today and finally stumbling on it again, I decided to post it here. I know many of you are former band nerds, choir geeks or orchestra snobs, so here you go. I also seem to remember a particular brew-known talking about it a while back at the retreat. For the mothers, he says damn and ass each once and tells someone he will see them in hell. Anyhow, enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM

Waiting for the Franklins

2008-04-15T22:53:00.003-05:00

So I was piddling around thinking of all the wonderful things to say as we await the Franklins' news. Lo and behold, (I used that phrase for you ninepoundhammer), I found something to keep me busy other than my homework! Anyhow, I stumbled across a couple of jokes that I used to enjoy long ago that I had forgotten. Perhaps these will help you one day when you are lacking any thought processes in your brain at all:
1) Two ropes walk into a bar. The bartender says to the rope "Hey! we don't serve ropes in here" so one of the ropes left. The other rope frayed up his hair and tied himself in a knot. The bartender said to the rope "Are you a rope?" and the rope said "Nope, I'm afraid not".

2) Why was the Tomato blushing? Because he saw the salad dressing.

Ok, that's about all I got. Back to homework and answering Theresa every so often when she asks, "have they posted yet?"

March 30th

2008-03-31T09:23:00.002-05:00

Funny how certain dates throughout the year may have a special meaning for you. For me, I'll never forget March 30th because it was that day 4 years ago I was sworn into the Air Force on my way to basic training. Theresa and I had just started dating about 4-5 months prior and there I was off to the military. You could say that wasn't the best of situations for either of us; being apart without me being able to write or call until I had "earned" that right. Something to realize is before I left we pretty much talked to each other all day - every day except while one of us was at work or in class. This was a shocker. Well as Providence would have it I would be diagnosed with Asthma while in basic training and last a mere 22 days. If you have never had an induced asthma attack in a hospital where they then want you to do breathing tests you can't do even when you aren't having an attack you don't know what you are missing. So after 2.5 weeks I was sent to the crazy people squadron. 319...the place where all the run aways, drug test failures, liars, suicidal people and oh yeah, sick people were. What did I do all day everyday during that time? I scrubbed the same stairwell each day with a little hand brush thing then would go and sweep the outside covered areas near the building. The cool thing about this time was since I was "normal" I got to do some neat things like paint an office near the sergeants' meeting room. While we were in there they told us they were not our training sergeants anymore but they were our bosses. So we got to talk to them like normal people, with the obvious courtesies of their higher ranks. We didn't have to adhere to the obnoxious basic training rules, just normal Air Force rules. They even ordered us delivery pizza and gave us each 2 hours in the local mini store. It was nice to be in the crazy squadron and not be crazy, comparatively speaking of course. Oh yeah, while at that mini mall trip, I stuffed my face with junk food and Dr. Pepper for the first time in 3 weeks or so. The next day, I pooped 12 times before lunch! Twas not fun. Luckily I could escape to the restroom without any of the sergeants knowing so they didn't know I was sick. If that was the case my exit papers would have been stalled and I would not have been able to get out as quickly. There were some people who were in 319 waiting for their exit papers to go through and it took many months even over a year in a couple of cases (usually the guys with legal problems like the druggies). The military has a certain way of if you make it mad, they might accidentally move your papers to the bottom. Anyhow, my papers only took a little over a week to process and April 20th I was told I was going home the next day. So April 21st came and there I was back in Bryan. I'm leaving out many fun details, but this is the main idea of what life was like, and why March 30th has a different meaning for me and Theresa. It marks first of many days where two people 3 hours away cried themselves to sleep and one of them prayed every night something would happen that would force me to get discharged and I simply just prayed that I wouldn't die the next day. Luckily, I didn't go crazy and got discharged happily and got to keep my income I had made; unlike the druggies and liars who got to pay the military back! The night I was to return home Theresa and a couple we had come to hang out with once a week or so to play games or eat or whatever were going to be meeting at McAlister's for supper. I called her from the airport and asked if they could push it back to 7 so I could make it. Of course they obliged.

Quotes of the Day

2008-03-18T18:48:00.002-05:00

Here are a few good quotes I read today from Chapter 11 of When I Don't Desire God by John Piper

"The deepest foundation of our joy, as justified sinners, is that Christ died for our sins and thus revealed the smiling face of God for all who believe." - All I can say is "Praise be to God!!!"

"He identifies one of the great causes of our blindness (to everyday blessings) as self-absoprtion... How much happier you would be if you only knew that these people cared nothing about you!" - So true, how much do we miss because we are wondering how we look to everyone else.

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." -Psalm 19:1

Adventures

2008-03-08T13:03:00.000-06:00

Should you desire to learn of an epic expedition that took place right here in our very own Bryan / College Station look at http://www.xanga.com/pelleas5 and read the post on bicycle adventures. Your heart will be gripped and your breath will be stolen as you read about how Josh and Eric narrowly prevailed a certain demise at the hands of a path of poo and a creek of doo(m).

IT SNOWED!!!!

2008-03-07T19:10:00.000-06:00

It actually snowed this morning in College Station, Texas!!!! This was my first time ever to see snow falling from the sky. I have seen it on the ground but never falling. Here are my pictures to prove it:

Eric's new Bike

2008-03-06T20:08:00.000-06:00

Eric got a new bike. This is a much nicer bike than the $50 Target bike he had before (but it isn't too hard to get nicer than that!) Thanks to Josh and the Newton brothers for helping him pick it out. Well, here are some picture with Eric and his new bike (and a green balloon because our neighbors were having a dinner party).

hmm

2008-03-04T10:56:00.000-06:00

Soooooooooooooooo...
you ever get that feeling inside your head where you tell yourself, "Fine! I'll do it!"?
That's where I was this past week on two fronts.
One:
I uninstalled and cancelled World of Warcraft. This was not an easy task...just ask Theresa.
Two:
I grabbed my trombone and music and started playing again.

I don't want to get into a lot of the insides of these issues right now, but when you guys are reading the prayers or confessions of sin at church about "talents wasted, time wasted", etc...yeah...I might know something about that.

I must say, it is refreshing to finally not be stubborn with God about a couple of issues he has been talking to me about for a long time. The 2nd came a lot easier than the first...again ask Theresa sometime. It is amazing how I can admit how He is sovereign and omnipotent, yet I still try to do things my way and justify them somehow.

Anyhow, the point of this post is just to remind you guys of one thing...
Don't be dumb and try to fool God or ignore Him...
He doesn't go away! (which is an amazing blessing!)

Eric

Smelling like a Pineapple

2008-02-22T19:07:00.000-06:00

Years ago my mother gave me a set of Bath and Body Works Iced Pineapple lotion, body splash, and shower gel for my birthday. I loved this scent!!! Unfortunately, it was only a summer scent and it disappeared shortly after that.

Fast forward to today: I have been using yucky boy bar soap because I ran out of my supply of shower gel from the semi-annual sell, so I decided to use the last of a gift card and pay full price for some shower gel ($9.50!!!!). Well, I just finished three bottles of Honeysuckle (which I love!), so I decided to try something else. We were perusing through the Pomegranate, Sweet Pea, and Cherry Blossom. Then lo and behold, they have Fresh Pineapple! I nearly screamed in excitement. I can smell like a pineapple again!

Well, this may seem silly, but this scent brings back good memories. My mom had put the set of Iced Pineapple on the end of my bed, so I awoke to my new and exciting present. It was exactly what I wanted that year. It was a big girl present. My mom has always known how to make me feel special. (Well, I am still not sure how to take the fire extinguisher she gave me for Christmas!)

Read it!

2008-02-08T07:10:00.001-06:00

If you have not read When I Don't Desire God by John Piper, READ IT! Amazing. Totally changing my life from the view of passive to active Chrsitianity. This is a great book for those who wish their spiritual life is better but don't know what to do about it. Piper spells it out plainly. Go to www.desiringgod.org to get the book!

Fight for Joy!

Praise God!

2008-02-07T06:41:00.000-06:00

Matt is Back!!!

He got back Monday night. Very exciting.

Football

2008-02-03T23:32:00.000-06:00

Well, this is Eric again. I was happy to see the Giants win. Yes, I'll say it again. I was happy to see the Giants win. Some of you may think wow, this guy is happy the Giants, the division rival of the Cowboys, the team that beat the Cowboys in the 2nd round of the playoffs, etc etc; he is happy they won? Indeed. I like the storylines. I'm irritated with the Patriots' egos on the defensive side of the ball. I appreciate Plaxico Burress...A LOT. Eli...well he is Eli. It is nice to see the little brother win it all. The best comment during the game by the commentators is a from a conversation between Eli and Payton...
Eli asks: Do you have any advice for me before the big game?
Payton replies: I think you are past advice from me.

This is great. I am happy people will be off his back. He is his own player. Payton would never have escaped the pass rush on the game winning drive like Eli did on that miracle of a third down play. That was amazing. Tony Romo-esque.

For me picking who I wanted to win was more of picking the lesser of two evils. Sure the Giants defensive line irritates me...particularly one of their more vocal guys...But overall, I'm glad Tom Brady will no longer be Mr. Perfect and people will quit having their man-crushes on him. Eli and his boys deserve their credit for being the ones to slay the beast.

Flash Update

2008-01-30T06:58:00.000-06:00

Flash is doing much better. His eye is still a bit larger than normal, but it looks much better. The antibiotic really seemed to help. The box I bought had 8 packets made for 10 gallon tanks. Flash's tank isn't even a gallon, so I only used half of one packet. If anyone has a fish emergency, I can make house calls!! (Except if you are not in the Bryan-College Station area, Helen!)

Popeye

2008-01-26T18:58:00.000-06:00

We actually bought an antibiotic for our Betta because he has a disease called Pop eye. If it is caused by tuberculosis, it will get better, but he will die :(. Hopefully, it is only caused by a bacterial infection and the antibiotic will make him all better. Eric thought it was silly but has had an unusual affinity for Flash since he attacked a moth about a month ago. This picture is not actually of Flash, but it is a fish with Pop eye. Flash is much more handsome than this fish, even with his HUGE eye.

Arkansas Pictures

2008-01-06T19:10:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures from our Anniversary trip to Queen Wilhelmina in Arkansas. We has a lot of fun and I recommend it to people who like to hike around a lot.

Here is Eric on one of our hikes. It snowed a few days before we got there. It was really pretty, yet slippery.

Here is the crazy twisty road we had to go up to get to the top of the mountain where the lodge is located.

Here is a picture of us at one of the outlooks. This was pretty much the view from our room in the lodge.

My snowman!!!

Eric likes this picture. Notice how small the trees are on top of the mountain. They called them "dwarf oaks."

This is Eric kicking a snowman. Don't worry, the snowman was already down.

Look at all the snow!

We hiked about 3 miles one way on a 100+ mile trail. Instead of hiking all the way back on the trail, we walked on the road. It took us about 2 miles and 30 minutes. The lodge is actually on top of that mountain in the distance and Eric is "running" towards it.

Our 1 Year Anniversary!

2007-12-30T17:35:00.000-06:00

R.I.P.

2007-12-11T07:07:00.000-06:00

My worst nightmare happened this morning...my blow dryer died. For most of you that don't know, I blow dry my hair every morning. This is like my life line being cut. Anyways, I want to post a memoir of my blow dryer.

I received this blow dryer from Matt Kelling at Project Graduation about 5 1/2 years ago. They had drawings for free stuff, and he got a blow dryer with some shampoo and conditioner. I told him I would give him all the money I had in my pockets for it. I had something like $15 and he gave me the blow dryer. Since then I have used it pretty much everyday. There were a few months in there I styled my hair differently (aka. pony tails), but other than that I was pretty faithful to it. So Rest in Peace my little blow dryer.

Prayer Request: I need to find another super duper blow dryer (although, it will never fill the gap left behind.) And, I hope this is not a premonition for my final!

Quick Update

2007-12-10T22:50:00.000-06:00

Here is a quick update on what is going on:

Theresa: One more final on Tuesday...and then FREEDOM...until next semester. I think I am going to read a book for FUN!

Eric: One more final on Tuesday and then off on a week long bowling trip in Las Vegas. This is why I will have time to read a book.

Helen: GRADUATES on Saturday. WOOHOO! and her husband, Matt, will be returning from Iraq in February! She is going to have a pretty exciting couple fo months. Well...they will actually be pretty hard since she has nothing to do but sit and wait for Matt...but she is pretty excited about doing that, too. If anybody has an entertainment for her let me know (aka baby sitting, cleaning house, walking dogs, etc.) She is super sweet and will be staying with me while Eric is gone. Maybe she will get bored enough to clean my apartment?!?

Oh, Christmas Tree!

2007-11-30T17:06:00.000-06:00

We got our first Christmas Tree today! We decided to get a tree today because it might start raining tomorrow. We don't really like wet trees ;) Thank you for the maroon and white ornaments mom, they look great!

Why I am Content (In a stressed sort of way)

2007-11-17T17:13:00.000-06:00

Eric is finally starting to feel better (Thank you for the prayers.)
I made pop-overs and they were good.
I am listening to the rain outside my window
There is chicken baking in the oven

And the most important reason

I may have a TON to do and only one week to do it, but my God who loves me made the world in one week...and I don't have nearly that much on my to-do list.

Theresa

2007-11-15T23:03:00.000-06:00

I think this is post # 2 for me, Eric. Theresa has many deadlines approaching way faster than she can seemingly find time to meet. With me getting sick and her having to take care of me this week it has really put her in a bind. Please pray for her mind to be at ease and to be able to get everything she is required to do for school done on time. I'm not always able to help as much as I would like, and right now I know I can't. I couldn't even wash the dishes this week because I would have gotten my disease all over them. She has definitely done a great job of taking care of me...like usual...now we need some help for her to be able to write these papers, prepare for exams, etc. She is an amazing girl in case you didn't know. I thank God everyday for putting us together. Thanks to those who have been praying for my healing. I would ask that you still consider Theresa and myself, but now ask for her to have the mental clarity and relaxed mind necessary to accomplish the tasks in front of her at school. I can't believe she works 40 hours a week, takes care of a baby like me, and keeps a 4.0 as a full time graduate student. Wow I love her.

The Flu Blues

2007-11-13T19:42:00.000-06:00

Bad News: Eric has the flu. This is a very sad state of affairs.

Good News: I already got my flu shot. Whoop!

You should get your flu shot, too!

Arkansas Here we Come!

2007-11-08T20:20:00.000-06:00

Eric and I get to take a little vacation over the Christmas Break. We FINALLY decided where we are going to go. ARKANSAS! Very exciting. Apparently Arkansas puts a lot more money in their state parks than Texas does (which isn't very hard!) They have cool cabins and lodges in several of their state parks. We are a little late to reserve a cabin, so we are going to stay in a lodge. We had a choice between a lodge in the middle of a lake or a lodge up in the mountains. We choose the lodge in the mountains. YEAH!!! Here is the website if you want to be jealous! http://www.queenwilhelmina.com/

Still Craziness

2007-11-02T13:30:00.001-05:00

Life is still pretty crazy for us. I am finding that it is hard work working full time and carrying a full load at school. I am really going to have to get down and dirty in school over these next few weeks. Everything is due the Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

I have finally stored up enough PTO time to take off of work! We get to go away for a few days over the school break. We are having the hardest time deciding were to go. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We have 4.5days to get there, do something, and get back. Any suggestions?

Joke of the Day:
What does a monkey say when it sees a good-lookin' girl?

Bab-boon, Bab-boon, Bab-boon, Bab-boon

My Memory of Pat

2007-10-17T19:19:00.000-05:00

A sweet lady from my church died in a car accident last night. Since I grew up in this church, I have many fond memories of her. The theme through out all of them, and what I will always remember her for, are her hugs and kisses. I always enjoyed getting a hug from her followed by a kiss on the cheek. (The funny part is that I always had lipstick on my cheek after her kisses. I thought of it as a love token from Pat. I will forever miss those kisses.)

Grandpa's Joke - He sure is a funny man!

2007-10-16T22:09:00.000-05:00

What does the Lone Range say when he take out the trash?

To-da-dump, to-da-dump, To-da-dump, dump, dump (ascending)

To-da-dump, To-da-dump, To-da-dump, dump dump (descending).

UPDATE

2007-10-13T20:40:00.000-05:00

Eric's give-away shirt total: 57!!!

The amazing thing is that he still has 2 drawers full of shirts.

Just Because

2007-10-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

I ran across these pictures of my pups. The white one is Aspen and the Aussie is Lacey. I love these crazy girls. This was their first time at the lake. Now we can't keep them out of water.

Cleaning House

2007-10-13T11:19:00.000-05:00

Every Saturday morning I watch at least one episode of Clean Sweep on TLC. I love this show. I love the feeling of getting rid of a bunch of unused clutter. Well, this morning I made Eric watch the show with me and then I piled all of his shirts on the bed and made him sort them into keep and give away piles. Sadly, it wasn't quite as exciting as the show, but it was very productive. I am very proud of my husband for humoring me. (I did say he could buy 1 new shirt for every 5 shirts he gets rid of. Marriage is about compromise!)

Here are a few pictures to show his good work:

Here is the give-away pile.

He still has some work to do...

On a side note: I have gained some weight since I got married, so I don't fit in almost anything that I had before the wedding. (I can still wear the things with elastic.) Well, we saved up enough money for me to go buy some more clothes, so I cleaned out my drawers, too. Here is my pile of clothes I am giving away. It is sad to see my skinny clothes leave, but there is no hope of ever fitting in them again...

Windows=Happiness

2007-10-04T18:35:00.001-05:00

I have decided that windows equal happiness. I work in an office without a window. There is no way to know if it is raining, sunny, snowing. I am not getting any vitamin D or UV rays. I think tomorrow I might bring a chainsaw and make a sky light. Do you think I need to get that approved by administration first?

Answer to Prayer

2007-09-19T22:20:00.000-05:00

Eric was offered a research assitantship on campus. He will be working on a water conservation project in Lubbock. He will be starting on October 1. There are about one thousand prayers that have been answered with this job. Praise God for his provision for his people. This means that Eric will be able to spend evenings at home with ME!!!! Well, when I am not in class... Anyways, this is an amazing thing. It won't immediately alleviate all of our trials, but it sure does cross quite a few off our list! Thanks for everybody's prayers. They are greatly appreciated.

Happy Birthday

2007-09-18T21:30:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!!! I LOVE YOU BUNCHES!!