1. Elly was posing for Mommy the other day.  Looks like another child of ours isn’t camera shy.  This little girl smiles an incredible amount, and I am thankful to God for a happy baby.

2. Reagan loves to take pictures.  He’s learned how to work the camera very well, and doesn’t need any help to take this pictures or to view them afterward.  He’s also getting pretty good with the photography aspect.  He typically will choose a specific target.

3. Some random pics.  One that I would like to point to is that of Reagan fixing the computer.  Him and I took an old PC apart last night.  We both had a lot of fun and he kept asking “What is that?” questions, which I love to have.  Especially when it’s something I can actually give a good answer on.  I always find the dichotomy of this little boy amazing.  On the one hand you have a little geek in the making and on the other you have a tractor loving little farmer/trucker.

First, my children are growing up so incredibly fast.  Elly is about to turn 6 months and is just about ready to crawl.  When you put her down, she’ll quickly scoot from where you had her.  She doesn’t quite follow any straight line, but she raise up on her arms and knees and whatever else she can get on and move around.  It’s quite cute to see her circular paths of teething drool.  She’s eating more solid foods and is starting to make more distinct sounds.  In particular, I’ve noticed that she has the “da” sound down pretty good.  Lastly, she makes her daddy feel so special whenever I come home, where she will grin and grin at me.  Not to be outdone, Reagan has also been amazing me.  I’ve talked before about my geekness rubbing off, but the other day he asked if he could watch Nick Jr. on the ‘puter’.  I said yes and he took off running.  Dessa followed a moment later to turn it on, but it was already up on the screen.  She asked him how he got it and he excitedly said, “I clicked the green button (the Windows Start button) and then the E (Internet Explorer icon) and then the yellow star (the Favorites) and then Nick Jr.!”(The text link for Nick Jr.)  As a geek and a dad, I was quite proud.  His creative side also flashes out regularly.  Like the routine songs that he makes up to well carried tunes, or the other day when he climbed naked into a Target bag that he had poked two holes into the bottom.  He put his legs through the holes and his arms through the handles like overalls and said, “Look Mommy, I’m a grocery!”

I’ve passed my 1 year anniversary at work.  As of July 3rd, I have worked as an “IT Professional” for 1 year.  It has been a crazy ride, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.

I’ve started a major redesign of our church’s website.  I’m really excited about it because it is the first web design work I’ve done in a while.  I’m working out some rusty skills and learning some new ones in the process.  The result seems to be a very nice look and feel.

Barring anything unforseen, I will be attending college this Fall at Nashville State.  I’m going to get my associates in IT, then go on from there to a yet to be determined bachelors.  While I don’t think I’m going to get much use out of that 2.5 years of a biology major, at least I don’t have to take a science this time around.  Rather, I get to work on Database Programming and Programming in C++.  I can’t wait!  (I really do mean that)

Okay, much more to say, but then that’ll leave me late for work.  So, until the next time my wife makes me blog (just kidding), farewell!

Sorry, that’s what goes through my head whenever I say or hear the phrase “pulled up to the house”.

Anyway, Dessa and I pulled into our parking lot listening to a great cd by NeedtoBreath.  We had the windows down and it was in the shade.  The children were asleep.  Instead of getting out, we just stayed there.  Through one song.  Through another.  And another.  We talked some.  Listened some.  I commented on the pretty tree that’s right outside our back door and on the way the grass was nervously flittering against the wind.  We sat in music filled silence also, just letting the sound be our thoughts.

It’s moments like these that are simply beautiful to spend together.

First, when I started my job almost a year ago I had absolutely zero experience in the corporate environment.  I remember the first time that the CEO called me and asked me to come up because he had a computer problem.  I was scared out of my mind that I would mess things up.  Then I get to his office and he’s not there.  I asked my boss what to do when someone isn’t there and he said just walk in.  JUST WALK IN?!  This is the president of the company!  I can’t just walk into his office like I own the place.  He’ll walk in and say, “What are you doing in here?” Then my next stop is asking for my previous job back.  That’s just one example of the myriad of ways that I didn’t have a clue what was going on in relation to the business world.

Contrast that with yesterday and I see where I have really grown.  In a room filled with executives I didn’t really have a problem speaking up when I had a thought.  It was on my way home yesterday that I thought about how much I’ve changed while working at this job.  Things that a year ago terrified me just seem common place today.  Challenges that overwhelmed only mildly irritate.  However, don’t stop feeling too sorry for me.  I still get the overwhelming ones too :).

The second thought that came to mind is the saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I got home after 8 last night.  Lying in the floor playing with Reagan, with Elly and Dessa beside us, I was consumed with thankfulness for those three great individuals.  Even when Reagan climbed into the dirty clothes basket and wouldn’t get out to go potty. :)  This family of mine is wonderful, and I’m glad I have this blog to tell the whole world (or at least the 300 or 400 visitors I get a month) this truth!

P.S.  Reagan traded his stairs for an elevator yesterday (see last post).  Also, my sister, niece, and nephew may be coming up this weekend.  I’m excited about that.

He turns to her and says, “I have to go downstairs to get them.”  Keep in mind that we live in a one-story apartment.  So he starts running around in circles on an imaginary spiral staircase.

Dessa is about to blow a gasket at this point.  She says again, “Reagan!  Get dressed!”

Hearing his name, Reagan stops and places his hand to his ear, listening intently.

“Oh!  I hear Mommy!” he says.

He then turns around and runs in circles the other way in order to ascend his imaginary staircase and talk to mommy.

It’s a treat to watch his imagination at work.  You would be amazed how many times one or both of us have been at the end of our rope with him and he do something like this that can do nothing but make us laugh.

Speaking of that alarm clock, it has been driving me crazy.  My regular one broke a few weeks ago and I have yet to buy another one.  Instead, I downloaded a program off the Internet that is an alarm clock that you can set for each day.  It will pull from any mp3 file that you have on the PC to wake you up.  It’s actually very nice, but the problem is that I can’t remember to make sure the volume is turned up.  It plays files through Windows Media Player, so you have to make sure that the volume is up on WMP, on the Windows system volume, and on the physical dial on the speaker.  Crazy!

Last night was nice.  The family and I went to Strattons, a fifty’s style diner down the street.  I had a really good bacon cheeseburger and then we all ate ice cream cones.  It is so funny to watch Reagan trying to eat a chocolate ice cream cone.

Speaking of chocolate ice cream cones, I want to say Congratulations! to my friend Marty on *************** (I did have what happened here, but then I realized that they may want to tell some people).  I am SO VERY HAPPY for him and Amy.

Look there, y’all made me go to 6 minutes.

Final word:  Let God do his perfect work in you.  He has a specific plan for each of you and for me.  If we open up our lives for him to work, that plan will be fulfilled.  It is not about our desires or plans, but of his will.

Final final word:  Never give a 5 minute time limit to a guy who likes to ramble.  8 Minutes!!!! Excuse the typos.