Joe is back with a brand new addition... Thanks, Vanilla.
Actually, much belated thanks to all those who came to help on the addition. Things are going well, but slowly. Working full-time, being a youth pastor "part"-time, and... well all the things a busy dad does makes for slow going...
I am nearly ready for drywall (which will change the look in a hurry.) As I was ripping out the old bathroom, I decided that all the joists and EVERYTHING needed to get ripped out... That was fun. But, I got that done, the new floor put down, and the partition walls put up. I got the rest of the overhang cut down, the walls all plumbed up, the cathedral framed in, the interior walls put up, some recessed shelving put in, the new stack put in, the electrical mainly put in, proper vents up, insulation ready to go, floor leveled up, windows put in, soffit and fascia put on, gutters put on, old stool/sink/tub ripped out, old plumbing ripped out, new plumbing ready to go, 3 loads of junk dumped and burned, and probably a few other things...
Our Fall Unit at youth group has begun. We are "Diving Deeper" as a theme. We have begun the "People of" curriculum... The first week was "Passion" and the 2nd was "Problems." We have a special speaker this Wednesday, Sept 19. On September 26 we will be studying People of Prayer. (It is also the National Day of Prayer.) In Sunday School, I have concluded our summer unit on the parables of Christ (all 39 of them). Our new unit is "Heroes of the Faith." We have begun with my personal favorite, Martin Luther.
Things at UBC are still going well. One of our drivers has called it quits... Our new driver has started. I am still working at the counter and driving. I'm the only guy who drives our big boom truck, as it is too difficult for any of the other guys to figure out. The boom is great for drywall. I had a few to 3rd story windows last week. (The last was on Friday in the midst of a stiff breeze... a little tricky!)
Family life, as usual, is absolutely splendid. Jacob ("Heavy Duty") is sitting up, starting to crawl, and ready for Algebra 2. His newest thing is a superb "speed boat" impersonation. Just imagine a chunky kid with loads of spit. (or remember back to Andy as a babe!) Josiah is loving school... He is a pretty good help around the house. He really enjoys going out to our friend's to empty the junk wagons.
Pray for us in regards to this rather busy schedule... Also please pray as our house (especially the kitchen) is constantly a mess...[due to construction (me) and not Kathy!]
Much thanks again for all those who helped (or gave up their hubby for a loooong day).
It is greatly appreciated.
Joe
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Summer Days Slippin Away
Well, the calendar has turned to August. Actually, I turned the calendar to August as we don't have an automated calendar. Actually, we do... on the computer. Anyway.
Lumber yard work at UBC is going well. I am slowly being trained at our front desk, which will be the next possible promotion for me. It's hot outside. I am not a big fan of hot. (Hot being anything over 70.)
Youth group work is going well. I have just about finished developing the "People of..." curriculum. We will be integrating small groups into our weekly meetings. We also will be incorporating mentoring as well. I also plan to develop a service program (shut-ins, nursing home, widows, and those less fortunate.) I am working on a missions trip to South Dakota for next summer... Please pray for me as I develop these. The wily Devil often enlists those from our own ranks to oppose that which is best. Pray that I have the humility to realize what is opposition and what is wise advice!
Family life is going well. Josiah and I have nearly finished his fort in the backyard... We do quite a bit of fishing. Kathy and Jacob joined us for one such excursion. Kathy got to see her firstborn catch a few fish... (I also caught one. Yes, just one.) We will be celebrating 8 years of marriage on the 14th. Each day has been better than the last. (That was for my wife, who will probably read this and then edit out this parenthetical thought. Or she might not.) We have passed into the minority (the average marriage lasts slightly more than 7 years.)
With the aid of Bob Jr. and Dad, we will be doing a rather extensive remodeling project, beginning this Thursday, Lord willing and weather permitting.
Josiah will be going to pre-K within a month. After a lot of consideration and prayer, we have decided to enroll him in Benton Public School (aka, Our Back Yard.) He will have school Monday thru Thursday 8:10 until 11:15. He is very excited. (Especially for his supplies and new school shoes!) We are all excited.
Anyway, it is time for vanilla ice cream!
Lumber yard work at UBC is going well. I am slowly being trained at our front desk, which will be the next possible promotion for me. It's hot outside. I am not a big fan of hot. (Hot being anything over 70.)
Youth group work is going well. I have just about finished developing the "People of..." curriculum. We will be integrating small groups into our weekly meetings. We also will be incorporating mentoring as well. I also plan to develop a service program (shut-ins, nursing home, widows, and those less fortunate.) I am working on a missions trip to South Dakota for next summer... Please pray for me as I develop these. The wily Devil often enlists those from our own ranks to oppose that which is best. Pray that I have the humility to realize what is opposition and what is wise advice!
Family life is going well. Josiah and I have nearly finished his fort in the backyard... We do quite a bit of fishing. Kathy and Jacob joined us for one such excursion. Kathy got to see her firstborn catch a few fish... (I also caught one. Yes, just one.) We will be celebrating 8 years of marriage on the 14th. Each day has been better than the last. (That was for my wife, who will probably read this and then edit out this parenthetical thought. Or she might not.) We have passed into the minority (the average marriage lasts slightly more than 7 years.)
With the aid of Bob Jr. and Dad, we will be doing a rather extensive remodeling project, beginning this Thursday, Lord willing and weather permitting.
Josiah will be going to pre-K within a month. After a lot of consideration and prayer, we have decided to enroll him in Benton Public School (aka, Our Back Yard.) He will have school Monday thru Thursday 8:10 until 11:15. He is very excited. (Especially for his supplies and new school shoes!) We are all excited.
Anyway, it is time for vanilla ice cream!
Joe's NFL Predictions
Super Bowl: not the Raiders or Falcons. Probably Denver and Cowboys
Bears Record: 11 - 5
49ers Record: 8 - 8
Titans Record: 3 -13
Broncos Record: 11 - 5
10 Things I Think:
1. The NFC is terrible
2. Mel Kiper should play baseball. He gets 30% right (.300) and he's an all-star, borderline hall of famer.
3. Bill Walsh had more impact on the game than Parcells, Gibbs, and Ditka COMBINED.
4. Matt Schaub (or however its spelled) will be the most overdrafted Fantasy player. But he'll have great numbers every 3rd game.
5. Vince Young is... difficult to rate. He needs to get better. He probably won't. But I guess Donovan did, kind of. And Culpepper. Steve Young actually did... Vince's stats last year: More picks than TDs. Hmm. 52% completion rate. 67 QB rating... Hmm. Hmm. THIS GUY MADE THE PRO BOWL!?!?! What a joke. Still could be good, except his team is terrible. But, they have one of the top 5 coaches on their side, which will help.
6. Cardinals, the "team to surprise everybody" for the last 3 or 4 years, still won't.
7. The Lions will.
8. If you have the number one fantasy pick, grab Deshaun Foster. I'm hoping I have the number two fantasy pick.
9. Brett Favre is the QB version of Curtis Martin, only with a few more amazing plays b/c of his arm strength. Should have done more with the raw athleticism that he had. Both are compilers, but both deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, no question.
10. Marvin Harrison retires at the end of the year.
Bears Record: 11 - 5
49ers Record: 8 - 8
Titans Record: 3 -13
Broncos Record: 11 - 5
10 Things I Think:
1. The NFC is terrible
2. Mel Kiper should play baseball. He gets 30% right (.300) and he's an all-star, borderline hall of famer.
3. Bill Walsh had more impact on the game than Parcells, Gibbs, and Ditka COMBINED.
4. Matt Schaub (or however its spelled) will be the most overdrafted Fantasy player. But he'll have great numbers every 3rd game.
5. Vince Young is... difficult to rate. He needs to get better. He probably won't. But I guess Donovan did, kind of. And Culpepper. Steve Young actually did... Vince's stats last year: More picks than TDs. Hmm. 52% completion rate. 67 QB rating... Hmm. Hmm. THIS GUY MADE THE PRO BOWL!?!?! What a joke. Still could be good, except his team is terrible. But, they have one of the top 5 coaches on their side, which will help.
6. Cardinals, the "team to surprise everybody" for the last 3 or 4 years, still won't.
7. The Lions will.
8. If you have the number one fantasy pick, grab Deshaun Foster. I'm hoping I have the number two fantasy pick.
9. Brett Favre is the QB version of Curtis Martin, only with a few more amazing plays b/c of his arm strength. Should have done more with the raw athleticism that he had. Both are compilers, but both deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, no question.
10. Marvin Harrison retires at the end of the year.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Chubba Bubba
I took Jacob in for his 4 month checkup last Tuesday. He's almost 20 lbs and 27 inches long! The 20 lbs didn't surprise me because I carry him around everyday and have noticed that I'm acquiring biceps now. : ) But the 27 inches long part did surprise me. Nice to see him growing so well though. Jacob is turning into such a funny baby. He loves to look right at people's faces and "talk" back to you. Joe can really make him laugh. It's a goofy Ernie-sounding laugh.
We've been enjoying our summer. I've been doing a lot of re-evaluating the last few weeks. MOPS is over and that's been a wonderful thing! I've decided to quit working Tuesdays at the library, at least for the summer. Then I can decide again in the fall if I'm ready to work a weekday again. I still work Saturday mornings, but that's not nearly so stressful as Joe is usually home and I don't have to worry about cleaning my house for a babysitter to come over! ; )
We are doing the summer reading program at our library and that's been lots of fun. I didn't realize how many books Josiah and I read together until we started charting them for prizes! Makes me feel good as a mom. : )
Our neighbor Jamie put up a decent sized inflatable pool for her 5 year old son Nathan. They don't mind us using it during the day when they're gone. That's been lots of fun on these hot afternoons.
Oh and I've done some garage-saling too. Though I don't seem to hit the jackpot like Rachel does (nerd!) but I've found a few cute things here and there. And Josiah really gets into it too. I didn't think he'd like hopping in and out of the car/stroller, but he considers it an adventure.
Well, that's our little update for now. Take care everyone!
We've been enjoying our summer. I've been doing a lot of re-evaluating the last few weeks. MOPS is over and that's been a wonderful thing! I've decided to quit working Tuesdays at the library, at least for the summer. Then I can decide again in the fall if I'm ready to work a weekday again. I still work Saturday mornings, but that's not nearly so stressful as Joe is usually home and I don't have to worry about cleaning my house for a babysitter to come over! ; )
We are doing the summer reading program at our library and that's been lots of fun. I didn't realize how many books Josiah and I read together until we started charting them for prizes! Makes me feel good as a mom. : )
Our neighbor Jamie put up a decent sized inflatable pool for her 5 year old son Nathan. They don't mind us using it during the day when they're gone. That's been lots of fun on these hot afternoons.
Oh and I've done some garage-saling too. Though I don't seem to hit the jackpot like Rachel does (nerd!) but I've found a few cute things here and there. And Josiah really gets into it too. I didn't think he'd like hopping in and out of the car/stroller, but he considers it an adventure.
Well, that's our little update for now. Take care everyone!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
A Special Day
The low hum of a box fan was all that could be heard in the modest, two-story home. Somewhere on the first floor a gray, fluffy cat was prowling about searching for a sun-lit patch of carpeting. The early morning sun was indeed just beginning to creep through the partially drawn curtains. Today was a special day.
On the second floor, a black on gray cat could be seen perched near the edge of a dresser. With a quick twitch and a soft thu-thump, the cat jumped to the floor and made its way to the edge of a bed. The cat boldly announced the beginning of the day with sharp, trilling "rowr." From the pillows, a muffled voice clumsily responded, "Copy, go downstairs." However, Copy was far too determined to wake the would-be sleeper... Soon, a steady stream of "rowrs" could be heard in the bedroom. As if in answer, a quiet voice from the adjacent room began to quietly sing. The man pulled his head from the pillows and listened groggily as the words "a wee little man was he" could be dimly heard coming through the walls. With a quick smile and shake of the head the man swung out of bed.
As he stumbled out the door towards the adjacent room, the singing abruptly stopped, then began again. The sweet singer had switched songs. Now the words "I am one of them and so are you" could be heard. The man quietly opened the door; however, the door would not be quietly opened and announced its opening with a shrill squeek.
The singing stopped once again. The singer was standing in the middle of his bed with a "friend," a blue, stuffed puppy. The singer gave the man a huge smile and said, "Is today this morning, Daddy?"
The man couldn't help but smile... and then affirm, "Yes, today is this morning, Josiah."
"THEN TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY! IT'S YOUR SPECIAL DAY, DADDY!"
The Daddy couldn't help but to agree. This day, like every other day, truly was... special.
On the second floor, a black on gray cat could be seen perched near the edge of a dresser. With a quick twitch and a soft thu-thump, the cat jumped to the floor and made its way to the edge of a bed. The cat boldly announced the beginning of the day with sharp, trilling "rowr." From the pillows, a muffled voice clumsily responded, "Copy, go downstairs." However, Copy was far too determined to wake the would-be sleeper... Soon, a steady stream of "rowrs" could be heard in the bedroom. As if in answer, a quiet voice from the adjacent room began to quietly sing. The man pulled his head from the pillows and listened groggily as the words "a wee little man was he" could be dimly heard coming through the walls. With a quick smile and shake of the head the man swung out of bed.
As he stumbled out the door towards the adjacent room, the singing abruptly stopped, then began again. The sweet singer had switched songs. Now the words "I am one of them and so are you" could be heard. The man quietly opened the door; however, the door would not be quietly opened and announced its opening with a shrill squeek.
The singing stopped once again. The singer was standing in the middle of his bed with a "friend," a blue, stuffed puppy. The singer gave the man a huge smile and said, "Is today this morning, Daddy?"
The man couldn't help but smile... and then affirm, "Yes, today is this morning, Josiah."
"THEN TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY! IT'S YOUR SPECIAL DAY, DADDY!"
The Daddy couldn't help but to agree. This day, like every other day, truly was... special.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Joe Gets Another New Job
Yes, I move through my jobs rather quickly... Actually, I am still employed at UBC in Platteville. However, I have recently been added to the pastoral staff at our Free Methodist Church in Pville. This is a paid, part-time position. I am very excited about working directly w/ youth again...
One of my duties is to develop the curriculum for grades 7 - 12, both Sunday School and Youth Group. I have looked and looked at various publishers but have yet to find anything worth purchasing.... Does anyone know of (or have) any publisher they would recommend. I was a bit surprised to find that Regular Baptist Press (despite being Babdist, heh, heh) had the most variety. However, quantity does not mean quality (except, of course, regarding Super Bowls and Joe's dominance in that regard).
As of right now, I am planning to write the curriculum myself... but why reinvent the wheel? (Unless I guess, you come up with a better wheel. I mean, I'm all for the Amish, but rubber is superior to steel in the wheel business. Or something. Whatever. This is actually how my thoughts progress, which should give everyone some insight on why I struggle at stopping things from spewing from my brain through my mouth. Spew is a fun word. Try it sometime. Spew. Spew. Spewing. To spew. Spewed. Spew, spew, spew... )
I plan to start with a Sunday School unit on the parables. I'm thinking that Youth Group nights I may start with People of _____. (Power, Passion, Prayer, Problems, Things that Don't Start with P, etc.)
For those not familiar with the Free Methodist Church, read our shorter discipline. If you are strapped with time, just check out the official FMC website. I don't know what it is but Google or Yahoo should help.
One of my duties is to develop the curriculum for grades 7 - 12, both Sunday School and Youth Group. I have looked and looked at various publishers but have yet to find anything worth purchasing.... Does anyone know of (or have) any publisher they would recommend. I was a bit surprised to find that Regular Baptist Press (despite being Babdist, heh, heh) had the most variety. However, quantity does not mean quality (except, of course, regarding Super Bowls and Joe's dominance in that regard).
As of right now, I am planning to write the curriculum myself... but why reinvent the wheel? (Unless I guess, you come up with a better wheel. I mean, I'm all for the Amish, but rubber is superior to steel in the wheel business. Or something. Whatever. This is actually how my thoughts progress, which should give everyone some insight on why I struggle at stopping things from spewing from my brain through my mouth. Spew is a fun word. Try it sometime. Spew. Spew. Spewing. To spew. Spewed. Spew, spew, spew... )
I plan to start with a Sunday School unit on the parables. I'm thinking that Youth Group nights I may start with People of _____. (Power, Passion, Prayer, Problems, Things that Don't Start with P, etc.)
For those not familiar with the Free Methodist Church, read our shorter discipline. If you are strapped with time, just check out the official FMC website. I don't know what it is but Google or Yahoo should help.
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