Napp Time

Pictures from the Lake

2010-06-02T16:55:00.002-05:00

The family – all of us – went to the Lake for the weekend. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Poppa taught D how to fish

Davis did some reflecting on his life so far

Davis ate a worm

Cousins played

Davis and Daddy played in the little pool

Juju read to Mattie and Davis

Good times at the lake

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

2010-05-23T21:06:00.009-05:00

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9: 1 – 3

Last Tuesday, the ultrasound of our second son, Michael Bryce, revealed that he will be born with a cleft lip and possibly a cleft palate. This news grieved both of us as it would any parents who anticipate a perfect, healthy child. In a couple of months, a 3-D ultrasound may reveal the full extent of the cleft, but we may not know the full extent of it until he is born in October. We are saddened that Bryce will likely have to endure several surgeries in his early months, and that he will not look like a normal little boy for the first year of his life. It will be difficult for us to watch him endure the pain of surgery and recovery at an early age. The double-takes and stares from those who see him, while expected and understandable, will break our hearts.

However, there is a much larger story being told in the life of Michael Bryce. The works of God will be displayed in his life from the day of his birth. We know that before God created the universe, He ordained this birth defect. It is his perfect plan for Bryce’s life as well as ours. Jeremiah 1 tells us that God knows us before he even forms us in the womb. Psalm 139 says that God is knitting Michael Bryce together in Susanne’s womb as you read this blog post. This truth makes it plain that God knit this cleft into his lip – with a purpose revealed in John 9 – that the works of God might be displayed in Bryce. So, while our family will be asked to endure this hardship, our hearts will choose to say, “Lord, Blessed be your name!”

In the gamut of emotions that we faced this week, and after 7 days of reflection, I find myself battling some guilt. So many others endure so much more than this. Bryce’s cleft will be repaired, and by the time he is a year old there will only remain a small scar. Most likely, there will not be any long-term impact on his life as a result of the cleft. God has placed him in a time in history that allows his lip and palate to be fixed. For this we are grateful. But the greater miracle will come on the day when God himself repairs Bryce’s sinful, wicked, God-hating heart. That is a surgery that no doctor can perform and a miracle that my mind struggles to comprehend. Through the redemptive power found only in the cross of Jesus Christ, Bryce will one day stand justified before our Holy God as an adopted son in the Kingdom. Salvation is of infinitely greater value than health or appearance. It is my fervent prayer for both of my sons that they would treasure the kingdom of heaven as Jesus taught in the parable found in Matthew 13:44. It is far more valuable than anything they will know here.

Ultimately, we are honored that God has chosen us to endure this trial. We will praise the name of Jesus and we will agree with his Word. My specific prayer is that God would one day use Bryce’s mouth to display the glory of His son to the world. And I John 5:14-15 says that I will have this request granted, because I know that it is always God’s will for Jesus to be glorified. Glory to God Forever!

Amazing Process

2009-10-20T22:06:00.003-05:00

December 2008....

October 09......

How cool is that? According to my sister, Davis will only have two cousins. Mattie is 3 months older and they already enjoy playing together. OK -- so he just lays there and looks at himself in the mirror. But Mattie enjoys playing with him! She grabs his face and his hands and makes him laugh. He poops on her mommy and drools. Big cousin Meredith loves D too....she helped Sus give him baths last week and its so funny to watch her hold him!

Famous Impersonations

2009-08-31T17:04:00.007-05:00

Practicing for his future gig as a late night television show host, Davis has begun doing impersonations. This week, he's working on classic comedians from the 30's and 40's. He does a fantastic Chaplin and a decent Marx, but we think he is at his best impersonating Oliver Hardy. See for yourself......

This is Davis

This is Oliver Hardy

I know......he's good.

The hardest part...

2009-08-30T19:36:00.003-05:00

From no new posts in 5 weeks to 2 in the same day....thank you swine flu. Here's a top 10 list of the worst parts of the swine flu:

10. Horrifically painful cough with headache and a leaky faucet for a nose

9. Getting a flu test at the doctor (they grab your brain stem through your nose)

8. Not leaving the house for 72 hours = cabin fever redrum redrum

7. Being told the flu test is negative - enjoying 4 hours of false wellness - then realizing the test was wrong

6. Counting the total milligrams of acetominaphen/tylenol/motrin that pharmacist Mike says I am allowed in 24 hours then realizing I've exceeded that total in about 18 hours

5. Missing fun outings with the Owens and Waldrons, along with church and D Group this weekend

4. Sweet Sus had to take care of two babies all weekend

3. Losing all of my taste buds (more detalied blog post on this tragedy later this week)

2. My best pick-up line, "Hey Sus, it looks like you've got the Fine Flu" just doesn't go over as well

1. Not being able to pick up, or hold, or hardly be in the same room with Davis

A Likely Story

2009-08-30T14:54:00.008-05:00

I knew this would happen.....I knew I would fade in the rapid paced world of blogging. So it's been over a month since the last post, wanna fight about it? I can summarize the last few weeks in a few quick bursts:

1. Davis is getting bigger

2. Sus is getting smaller

3. School started back

4. I got swine flu

#1 - Davis is almost 13 lbs and eats 8+ ounces of milk at each feeding. He's a big boy. His big round cheeks and triple chin are super cute.

#2 - Sus looks great. It's really amazing how beautifully designed the female body is with regards to childbirth. In 8 short weeks, Sus has reversed the 9 month process of pregnancy.

#3 - School is back in session and I'm glad to have a routine every day. I do want to get home a little earlier these days though.

#4 - I got swine flu (and you'll never convince me otherwise). I went to the doctor Friday and jokingly said "you better test me for swine flu." The nurse informs me that they don't even test for it anymore. The regular flu test and strep test both came back negative and the doc tells me its just a cold. Well the fever and cough got worse Saturday -- when it went over 102 the doc called in some Tamiflu. 12 hours later and no fever and flu is gone. Saturday night was miserable and one of those times when you truly think -- I might be OK just dying instead of feeling like this much longer.

Anyway -- all 7 of you who read this are caught up now -- here's some pictures and a funny video:

Fatherhood Rite of Passage #3

2009-07-09T20:35:00.004-05:00

I've never been a big fan of urine and feces. I mean, I understand that it's necessary and all....and I can ALMOST see the beauty in God's design from the Biological side of things. However, from a big picture point of view, urine and feces aren't way up there on my list of favorite things. Until now.

If there is a diaper to be changed in the Napp house -- I'm in! Give it to me! I love it! Seriously, it's a little odd, but I enjoy changing my little dude's nasty diapers. The messier the better. It's the competitor in me looking for a challenge I guess. You may be asking yourself, "Self, what does this have to do with rites of passage?" Well Self, here's the answer. Many times, with boys, there are inherent dangers when changing diapers. Fatherhood rite of passage #3 is getting peed on by your son.

Everyone who has changed my kids diaper has been peed on. We're not talking about a little leaky diaper or a small spot on a shirt. Imagine a firehose filled with 99 degree liquid and you'll have a better idea. The list of people Davis has peed on is long and distinguished (insert favorite Top Gun quote here). Michael and Sus - Check. Mimi and Juju - Check. Sister - Check. Aunt Mary got pooped on so....- Check. Even my sweet Grannie got soaked. Poppa is keeping D for a couple of days next week, so he may be added to the list soon.

I've got a plan for revenge. When Davis is in his early teens - say 13 or 14 - I'm going to pee on him. Your jaw just dropped.....but why? What's so wrong with it? He peed on me first! So, when he's swimming in a pool, or standing on the 18th tee box, or accepting his 8th grade diploma, he'll have the same sensation I've experienced. For a few seconds he'll be thinking, "Why is my shirt very warm and wet all of a sudden..." Then he'll now the bitter taste of revenge. Hopefully it won't scar him too deeply.

Fatherhood Rite of Passage #2

2009-07-09T20:34:00.002-05:00

The second rite of passage I've endured in Davis' 9 days of life is concurrent poopie diapers. This is when D fills up a diaper, and either immediately after changing it or before the new diaper is even velcroed shut, he fills it up again. You talk about frustration...I've just spent 3 minutes detailing his butt and junk with wipes, applied a little Boudreaux's, dabbed on some Petroleum Jelly for the circumcision, rubbed alcohol on his cord...then pppthththhpppththththewwwweeeeep! Let's do this again! Yes!

The worst so far was 3 concurrent diaper changes. I did the first two, then I handed him off to Mimi for the third. I'm planning my revenge. I figure one diaper change every two hours is fair and balanced, but for each extra diaper change he owes me an extra chore as a teenager.

A little help from the blogosphere: Is the possessive of my son's name Davis' or Davis's? I'm a Biology teacher for cryin out loud -- get off me.

Fatherhood Rite of Passage # 1

2009-07-09T20:19:00.008-05:00

I'm starting a new series on the blog of the rites of passage of being a father - as I encounter them. Davis is 6 days old. I've already been indoctrinated with 3 of these rites, these cornerstones, of parenting. The new normal for me and Susanne is starting to take root. Rite of Passage # 1 is not very surprising and is incredibly normal: lack of continuous sleep. Here's the view from the couch at 2:02 am.

Now, I really shouldn't complain. I've heard nightmare stories of people getting much less sleep than we are getting or about screaming, crying, impossible to console babies. Thankfully, for us so far, this has not been the case. Davis is sleeping at night -- just not continuously. And also not after his 11:00 feeding. He thinks 12:30 - 2:30 in the morning is wakey time. I've seen 2:00 am 7 consecutive nights now -- and I'm sure there's several more weeks of this to come. Again, it's not terrible because we do get to sleep uninterrupted for 2 to 3 hours both before and after this time. But it's still an adjustment. I'm really glad that we're both educators home for the summer, because we can steal a few hours of Napp-time (shameless blog plug) in the late morning or afternoon.

A self - photo at 2:20 am -- sorry if I look mad, I think the flash just hurt my eyes. I'm not upset that I get some alone time with my dude.

Thankfully, I've got Billy Mays (God rest his soul), the replay of ESPNs game from the night before, Food Network, and Mafia Wars / Facebook to keep me sane during the late night shift. I'm less than lucid some nights so don't be surprised if I wind up ordering an Awesome Auger, Big City Slider, or a gross of Hercules Hooks soon.

4 Generations

2009-07-07T15:54:00.003-05:00

We've had lots of visitors over the last few days. It has been awesome sharing this time with everyone. My grannie came up with mom yesterday and they spent an evening and morning with us. We had 4 generations under one roof and it was very special. My grannie is definitely the matriarch of our family and we have always been very close. I'm so glad she got to meet Davis. She is a prayer warrior and I know that her prayers availed much in his story.

The cord incident

2009-07-06T12:05:00.003-05:00

There are moments that you look forward to your entire life. For many dads, cutting the umbilical cord is a symbolic leap into fatherhood. Davis came squirming out of the womb last Friday morning, and Dr. Radbill asked if I would like to cut the cord. Of course I would! So he handed me the scissors and showed me the place between the two clamps where I should cut. Now, I've heard stories of lesser men having to cut two or three times and "gnaw" their way through the cord. Not this guy, I wanted to do it in one clean cut. So, I opened those scissors as wide as I could and, with surgical precision, I cut. POP! I don't know where all that pressure came from - but blood shot everywhere. All over my face, my shirt, there may have been some on the 15 foot ceiling. Dr. Radbill, who's been an OB for 20+ years, and our nurse Mary Lee (nurse for 35 years!) said they had NEVER seen that happen. So, I may be one of those stories that doctors and nurses tell around the coffee pot.

Funniest part of this story - Sus made me change shirts when she started pushing. I had on an old Texas Tech basketball T-shirt, and she wanted me to put on a Lacoste shirt that mom gave me for my birthday. I informed her that I thought this was a silly idea, but she wanted me to "look nice" for the pics and videos after the birth. So, I had a little bit of an "I told you so" mentality after it got covered in bloody umbilical madness. Mimi did get all of the blood out with some peroxide so all is well. If you listen right as the grandparents come in on the video a few posts down, the first thing I say to my mom is "I'm gonna need a new Lacoste shirt." But they all ignore me and I'm pretty sure they are learning about this story right now along with you.

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-06T10:01:00.004-05:00

We made it home with our little man Sunday afternoon. Here's a quick shout out to the wonderful nursing staff at Brookwood -- we were amazed at your patience, generosity, and sweet spirit. We are eternally grateful.

This is a picture post -- I'll type up a longer post with some stories this afternoon or this evening.

Davis likes the paci

Our oldest "little man" checking out our newest "little man"

Chillin in the bouncy - I would love an adult version of one of these. Sorry I forgot to flip this pic, just turn your head sideways.

The ride home

Davis videos

2009-07-04T14:52:00.005-05:00

We're still in the hospital and should be going home tomorrow. Sus and Davis are both doing great. I'll have some time at home next week to share a few fun stories from yesterday, including the umbilical cord explosion that almost took an eye out. Here's two videos of the first shampoo on his thick head of hair (where did he get the hairy gene from???) and meeting the grandparents.

There are plenty of pics on our facebook pages for your viewing pleasure.

Setting the scene

2009-07-03T03:27:00.002-05:00

Juju and pop made it around 3 am -- after circumnavigating the entire hospital and staring at each other through a glass exterior door that had a magnetic lock, we finally met in the parking deck and I got them back to see Sus. She's trying to rest and get a little sleep now. Lots of labor ahead! Pop is snoring in the waiting room - Juju and I are watching TV and waiting on Mimi and Poppa to get here. Looks like it'll be an all-nighter for me. I'm not sleepy (but pop is.....and he's still snoring)

It's Go Time

2009-07-03T02:31:00.001-05:00

We're at the hospital and things will start getting a little crazy in the next several hours. I'll post pics and thoughts as soon as things are settled and I get a chance.

Hurry up and wait

2009-06-24T15:10:00.003-05:00

We're in the final week -- although it feels like we've been here for a month. Sus went to the doctor on Monday and she had progressed with the dilation and effacement.....that's as far as I'm going with that. If you don't understand, ask your wife or your mom.

Every time Sus calls me on the phone I answer with, "Is it time?" Of course, I've been doing that since April. Mimi and Poppa are coming up tomorrow to be ambulance drivers while I'm coaching our last two play days for the summer. Juju's bags are packed and she's waiting on the call to rush up I-65. The due date is next Tuesday, June 30th - and if he's not here before Tuesday, July 7th we will induce labor. So - no matter what - he'll be here in 12 days. Keep praying for a safe and healthy delivery.

I'll be updating the blog live from Brookwood hospital so stay tuned.

Ace's Favorite Things

2009-06-11T16:46:00.004-05:00

I know what I'm getting Ace for Christmas. Dude took a corn cob from the compost pile and has played with it and eaten it all day. Here's a couple of videos of him with his new favorite toy:

The Final Countdown - 4 weeks

2009-06-02T22:17:00.003-05:00

It's June 2nd....this is the month. The due date is exactly 4 weeks from today. Davis will be here this month. We've done everything physically possible in the house to prepare for his arrival. The nursery is prepped, we have diapers, we have enough clothes for 3 babies - it's time to hurry up and wait. I've always dealt with anticipation by making bizarre countdowns in my mind. I think things like "Only 4 more Sundays until the due date" or "By the team Team Camp finishes up, we'll only be two weeks away." I even get caught up in weird thoughts like "I bet I can finish all three of these books before he's born....then I can read these two in the hospital....then this one will be good for July when we get home." I'm a very analytical dude, which is great when I'm teaching or coaching I guess. But I wish sometimes I could just be that guy who's relaxed, rolls with the punches, and doesn't have to have every gear in his head constantly turning. But that's not me. That's not how I was made. So if I did two blog entries a week until he starts breathing air.....oh, enough already.

Gliding...oh it takes me away

2009-05-19T09:33:00.003-05:00

When I found out we were buying a glider, I imagined one of those bing-winged contraptions that people jump off of mountains while suspended below by cheap aluminum poles. I was not excited because I've never enjoyed the thought of plummeting thousands of feet to my death. I'd much rather be caught off guard by my demise; not fall for 2 or 3 minutes anticipating the impact. I already know that I'll die from decapitation, but that's a blog for another day.

Anyway, back to the kind of glider we're buying (pictured below) -- it is apparently one of the most important decisions a young, expecting couple makes. I know this because we've looked at more pictures and models than I believed possible. We've compared prices, appearance, ratings by ambiguous baby safety entities -- we even asked a few infants at our church if they enjoyed their gliding experience as newborns. They mostly just drooled and asked for Kool-Aid as a response.

Nonetheless, may I introduce you to the "Glider Rocker and Ottoman 37779CB from Shermag." You may be asking yourself, "Why did they choose the Glider Rocker and Ottoman 3779CB from Shermag?" Well I'll tell you my friends. Amenities. It all comes down to which Glider Rocker and Ottoman has the most perks. Let me tell you a few of the amenities that this model claims to have:

1) "Special Pockets" - I plan on using these to store snacks, my paddleball, and my copy of Fathering for Dummies

2) "Many years of gliding pleasure" - Davis may find it awkward that I'm still rocking him at 14 years old, but I want to get my money's worth

3) "Multi-purpose brake system" - I know that I really enjoy a good rocking session, and sometimes I get carried away. For those times when I get over 83 rocks per minute I can immediately hit the brakes

4) "Worry-free gliding" - Yes! You can tell from the opening of this blog that I had a little anxiety about gliding. Now, the company guarantees that I can glide worry free!

If you think I'm making this up, check out the website and look under features.

http://nursery-furniture.babycatalog.com/shermag-glider-rockers-and-ottomans/37779cb.html

You Can Stand Under My Umbrella

2009-05-08T10:30:00.003-05:00

Showers! We (and by "We" I mean Davis and Susanne) had our first baby shower at my school this morning. It kicks off Showerfest 2009 with tour stops in Chelsea, Wilmer and Saraland. We like to avoid the major metropolitan areas and stick to the up and coming areas that surround the aforementioned cities. It's just how we roll.

The ladies at my school put together a great breakfast this morning in the media center -- for those of you living in the 80's and 90's, this used to be called a "Library." We got loads of gifts. Outfits, tubs, burp cloths, toys, books, and a gift card or two -- they were very generous. Several of Mimi's "dear friends" are throwing a shower in Wilmer tomorrow morning -- followed by the ladies of NoMo in Saraland. I'm excited about seeing our good friends the Owens and eating a meal on the causeway. If you grew up around fresh seafood, you just can't get that stuff if you don't live on the coast. So, I make sure to hit up a causeway restaurant anytime I'm down there. There will be pictures galore when we return so check back on Sunday or Monday.

You don't have to live like a refugee

2009-04-29T22:00:00.004-05:00

I went to Ft Walton for a coaches clinic that I attend every April. While on this trip with my baby-mama,the Baumbaughs and my boy Nate, I witnessed a shocking event that may be occurring in your neighborhood. Krispy Kreme doughnuts -- yes, Hot ones -- are being thrown away. We went to the local Krispy Kreme is Destin one night, and I became entranced with the assembly line flipping, frying, and covering doughnuts in glorious glaze. Workers used little wooden sticks to remove the cooling doughnuts and place them in boxes as people ordered them. But every 2 or 3 minutes, no one would be manning that station -- and doughnuts were falling off the end of the conveyor belt into a trash can. A Trash Can! To be thrown away! Perfectly edible doughnuts becoming the victims of secret neglect. I was outraged. I offered to sit indian style at the end of the conveyor belt and hold my mouth open to rescue these cast-aways. The manager looked at me oddly and did not respond.

I did do some good while in this store. There was one poor specimen that had suffered some unfortunate incident during its creation. Two circles of delight had fallen on top of each other in the fryer and morphed together into a grotesque anti-doughnut reminiscient of Venom or Bad Superman from Superman II. I offered to find this refugee a home, and this time the manager complied. She gave it to me free of charge -- I think it was a bribe to get me to leave...which I did.

If you are as outraged as I am about these forgotten and refugee doughnuts, do something today! Don't stand idly by while this travesty of justice continues.

I like doughnuts.

Celebrate

2009-04-28T22:41:00.007-05:00

So the last Willow Tree angel was a gift from me to Sus. I got her the angel named "Celebrate" when she was about 28 weeks pregnant. Davis Reed (I call him "D" most of the time) will be here in late June. We are thankful and praise God from whom all blessings flow. Here's a picture of all of the angels arranged on D's dresser. They tell quite a story....

Here are some pictures of Sus and me (who looks more pregnant?). This one is from Easter in Wilmer - somewhere around 29 weeks.

And here she is back at home with a shirt that I bought for her (around 30 weeks)

Season of Drought

2009-04-21T10:04:00.007-05:00

The 8-week doctor visit with our first baby was nerve racking. We've had several friends go through miscarriages both early and late in their pregnancies, so we were certainly aware of this possibility. When the doctor performed the ultrasound, there was no heartbeat.......and ours stopped briefly too. He told us that it might be too early to see the baby, everything could be just fine. Susanne needed to return every two days to have her blood taken so they could check her hormone levels. On her next visit, her "numbers" had not increased as they should. The doctor told her that the baby was not alive -- she had miscarried. We grieved for our child. But we grieved as people with hope...people who will bear fruit in a drought. Most people think that their children are perfect - well, I know that our first child is perfectly made and brought praise to his/her heavenly father during that brief life. Our son or daughter is still praising...still worshipping. I can't wait to join in!

Several months earlier, our friend Beth miscarried in the second trimester of a pregnancy. She was an amazing testimony of God's grace through grief. Weeks after losing her daughter, she lead our church in worship singing "You give and take away - still my heart will choose to say, Lord Blessed Be Your Name." She and her husband modeled the verse below as their leaves remained green and they bore much fruit in their drought. Beth was a great encourager to Susanne. She gave us the Willow Tree angel pictured here....it is named "Remember."

Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and will not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. BLESSED is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust IS the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17: 5-8

Deo Volente

2009-04-20T18:19:00.004-05:00

In February of 2008, Susanne told me that she was pregnant. We couldn't contain our excitement. Even though all we had was a positive on a home pregnancy test...we just had to tell everyone. So many people had been praying for us and we wanted them to share in our joy. Grandparents, and even great- grandparents, were moved to tears when we told them the great news. Other family and friends at work were thrilled -- after almost 6 years of infertility we were pregnant. We started making plans and thinking of names....would it be a boy or a girl????

Susanne's parents gave us a gift -- the Willow Tree sculpture that is pictured here. It was a time of great joy and excitement.

Come now you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

James 4: 13 - 15

A New Hope

2009-04-19T21:46:00.004-05:00

In 2003, Susanne and I started trying to have a baby. The early part of this journey was filled with anticipation and excitement. It would be easy right? Getting pregnant is the natural progression after you've been married a few years. After a year of trying, frustration and doubt began to creep in -- but we decided to live with Hope and know that God would be faithful to provide all that he promised us. Now God never promised us a child, but he did promise that He would be our comforter through any difficult times. He also promised that He would be ALL that we needed Him to be through Jesus Christ.

Right around the end of that first year, our friend Jennifer got pregnant. Showing great compasssion towards our difficulty to conceive, she gave us a Willow Tree angel. It is named "The Angel of Wishing" by the company that manufactured it, but we renamed it "Hope" -- and it is a symbol of our trust in God through 7 years of infertility.

Back in the Saddle

2009-04-03T13:31:00.005-05:00

I'm an uncle for the 2nd time -- Mattie Cole was born on March 24th. I scurried down to Mobile to meet her -- 7 hours of driving and 1 1/2 hours of visiting made for a long but reflective night. Juju took this picture. It elicits many an "Awwww" from the girls that see it. Guys say things like "Cool" or "That's Nice." It's one of my favorite pictures that I've ever been in...it's the wallpaper on my school computer. Welcome to existence Mattie....you're awesome!

Mattie at 2 weeks old - we're sharing a nap. OK - I posed as if I was asleep because Susanne said it would make a better picture. Just keepin' it real......

Spring Break (Part 2)

2009-03-20T16:55:00.003-05:00

This is all I need for the rest of the weekend. High Def CBS on the TV, a laptop with the other 3 games streaming, and my giant bracket board that JuJu gave me several years back. This is the spring break I've been anticipating for close to a year. Non-stop NCAA tourny (with a little NIT thrown in for good measure - War Eagle)

Spring Break (Part 1)

2009-03-18T16:59:00.004-05:00

Ahhhh.....Spring Break. Time to hit the beach, put a Jimmy Buffett playlist on the iPod, and drink something with an umbrella in it. You know - relaxation and recuperation....chilling out....mental and physical vacation.

OR

you could do what I've been doing so far during spring break. The honey-do list was long and distinguished (threw that in for those of you who can quote Top Gun with me). But, in Sus's defense, she is growing the first-born son of our family. So she's probably entitled to a few requests. I've primed and painted (two-coats each) the nursery. She snuck a carolina blue in on me so I hope Coach K doesn't visit soon. I also attacked the yard with a vengeance. The weeds took over quickly -- but they will die soon. I'll have pictures up later tonight of the nursery for those of you (JuJu and Mimi) who are interested in that sort of thing.

Spring Break Part 2 starts tomorrow .... come back and check out the action

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-03-11T08:21:00.004-05:00

There will be a significant number of posts over the next 3 weeks concerning my unhealthy obsession with March Madness. Big-Boy conference tournaments begin TV coverage today at 11 am with the Big East, then Thursday through Sunday is a smorgasbord of awesomeness. If you call me and I don't answer the phone -- try again on Tuesday, April 7th.

This picture is Christian Laettner celebrating after hitting the famous shot against Kentucky in the '92 regional final at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. This shot was a landmark in most hoops fans lives, and I'm sure I'm just one of many who has replayed the turn-around 17 footer in his driveway. I'm 30 years old and I still occassionaly practice that shot when I'm in the gym with no one else watching who might say "Look at that fat old loser pretending to be Christian Laettner...and who is that dude with his hands on his head crying like Thomas Hill?"

Walks, Talks and Quacks like a Duck

2009-03-10T13:57:00.003-05:00

The University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa is certainly walking, talking and quacking like a big, huge cheater these days. But I'm sure they haven't done anything wrong...........

Kevin Scarbinsky article in BHam News: http://blog.al.com/kevin-scarbinsky/2009/03/some_good_news_for_alabama.html

Finebaum article: http://www.al.com/sports/press-register/pfinebaum.ssf

Where did you think you were going?

2009-03-09T08:22:00.004-05:00

In the gospels, Jesus makes the following statement: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." This is a pretty well known verse in the Christian faith; my question to believers (via my pastor yesterday) is where did you think you were going with that cross? Crosses are instruments of death. You are carrying that cross to your death.

Figuratively, this is easier to comprehend. I've got to "die to myself" and be willing to do things God's way instead of my way. There must be a "less of me" and "more of Him" mentality. When a believer is willing to sacrifice their own desires and replace them with the desires of the Father, then you are taking up your cross.

But literally, what about dying for the faith? Are you willing to forfeit your very breath if that is what is required of you? Maybe not in an "End of the Spear" kind of way, but what about a willingness to be used of God in ANY manner that he sees fit? What about being in a place in your faith where you are perfectly OK with a cancer diagnosis if that is a method for God's glory to go public. A crippling disease? The death of a child or spouse? These are things that abhor us; because we are consumed with ourselves (our loss, our grief - both very real things). Is the glorifcation of God more important than my comfort and health? I believe that for followers of Christ, circumstances are never tragic (except the death of a non-believer). Allowing circumstances to prevent us from worshipping our creator is the only tragedy.

I know this opens a HUGE theological debate: I don't think that God gives people cancer in ALL cases (but I'm not going to claim that he NEVER does either). We live in a fallen creation where death and other suffering is inevitable. I certainly don't have all of the answers or a full understanding of these things -- but I'm seeking both. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

(South)Eastbound and Down

2009-03-06T22:59:00.001-06:00

The wifey and I will be going to AU Saturday for the SOLD OUT game against LSU. Hopefully I'll get in...there were some vague email correspondences between me and the basketball office today concerning the high school coaches pass list. I'll be taking a copy of said email and I'll assume it carries legal weight on the matter.

It will be a lot of fun to attend a meaningful and exciting men's basketball game at Auburn. I really loved the 98 and 99 seasons when BEMC was regularly packed and the quality of basketball was high. Hopefully this game won't be disappointing. If we win -- we should be squarely on the bubble. Certainly we won't become the first SEC team EVER to win 10 conference games and be left out of the tournament.

I Love the Ladies!

2009-03-06T11:22:00.001-06:00

So I'm pretty fired up about watching women's basketball today. Weird, right? The fam went to see the AU / UGA women's game a few weekends ago...and I've been following the team since the start of the conference schedule. I've watched more women's basketball in the last 6 weeks than the rest of my life combined (not counting watching Sister run the baseline of a 1-3-1 for 3 years). So, I'll be sneaking a peek at the AU / Ole Miss game that starts at noon today in the SEC women's tourny.

Bama fans will say that it's sad that we Auburn faithful only have women's basketball to be fired up about. I say to you - go fret over your "major violations" headlines and deal with the fact that little brother has been whooping big brother's tail in pretty much everything over the last decade. Thanks for making the Iron Bowl a rivalry again.

Nonetheless - War Eagle ladies - bring it home this weekend.

Farewell beard - We barely knew ye

2009-03-05T15:47:00.000-06:00

I've made a valiant attempt at being bearded over the last 5 or 6 weeks. I grew it out -- then trimmed it down --then grew it out again. Today I say farewell to the "man-beard" as my players call it. But like Tom Hanks said in the movie Dragnet, "Kids, it'll grow back." Just not until next February.

I am going to go very European and keep the chin hair for tonight's soccer game against Erwin.

The Michael Scott Factor

2009-03-05T09:42:00.000-06:00

Michael Scott has had a permanent influence on our culture. While reviewing for exams this week the following interchange occured (names changed so I don't get sued):

Me: I'll give you some example questions from tomorrow's exam. Johnny, you can answer the first one. Jimmy, you're on deck and Tommy's in the hole.
Student: That's what she said

Now - the predicament for a teacher is to laugh or to scold. Outwardly, I told the kid that his comment was inappropriate and offensive....inwardly, laughing and relativley impressed with his wit and timing.
Needless to say - I gave him a high five after class

In the game

2009-03-05T09:27:00.000-06:00

I'm in the game..for better or for worse. I'm anxious to see if this is something I enjoy and keep up with - or if this is one of those blogs that has months between posts. We'll see. Either way, I'm very late in the game when it comes to having a blog. With the not so distant emergence of young "D" - Mimi and Juju will need to see pictures and have updates on poops and feedings and my ability to father a child. But this isn't going to be a blog about the kiddo. It's going to be a blog about whatever I feel like writing on it whenever I feel like writing on it. Topics should include: Auburn athletics - amusing stories from a 9th grade classroom - the family and in-laws and uncomfortable or humorous stories that arise therein - varied and various other topics.

Again - we'll see if this takes.......