Merry Texas, Christmas Ya'll

"Give and It Shall Be Given"

"Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." St. Luke 6:38. One of my favs in the Bible and I guess you can see why I title this blog as such. We've got so much to be thankful this year with Rhonda being transferred to another job, which she absolutely loves and also caters to her needs. God is great and greatly to be praised. I am so proud of my beautiful wife because she is such a great and giving person. She will give till there's no more and then she'll find a way. That's what I love about her most. She's so kind, gentle, humble and considerate of others' needs, it just amazes me the things she get accomplished. Last September of 2007, she started with the Student Achievement Iniative Program where she would mentor a student enrolled at WFISD. She easily connected to her mentee, Ashley and has absolutely loved every minute of it. She is really dedicated to the program and now she has three mentees and her other two are Erin and Kylie. Ashley attends McNiel Jr. High, while Erin and Kylie attend Kirby Jr. High. She was recently honored at a banquet where they bestowed upon her Outstanding Mentor with the Achievement Student Iniative Program, which is partnered with WFISD and SAFB. Hats off to Rhonda and the young people that she mentors. May God continue to bless and guide her as she relates to the young people in the school district.

With all the Christmas activities around, I couldn't pass the chance to show off some pics of Rhonda's office Christmas party. This year their party was held at the MSU's Clark Student Center. A great time was had by all and wow! the tables were so beautifully decorated. Each table was to represent a certain criteria of each department in the sqaudron where Rhonda works. Some of the tables represented their work, while others were just fabulous. We had a great time, with delicious food and laughter abound. As you can see where Rhonda was trying to draw a picture of a snowman on top of her head. (I'm so glad they didn't pick me) Oh, well, she lost; nevertheless, she had a great time performing for the gang. A lot of prizes were won and we really enjoyed the night. Capping off the night, we headed across the street to MSU Burns Fantasy of Lights. We hadn't had the opportunity to walk around the "Winter Wonderland" and since it was just a little nippy and we were already out in it, we decided to stroll through the fantasy land. The extravaganza has a lot more charisma up close. Afterwards, we headed to the house for some "Low-Fat Hot Chocolate." Yum Yum!

On Sunday, December 14, we attended "An Evening of Joy" performed by Life Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra. Wow! It was phenomenal with several different recitations, along with a variety of duets and quartets, joined by the choir throughout the night of performance. I especially enjoyed the men's quartet. Special Kudos to Life Tab and all of their choir members.

This last Sunday, we visited our home church in Vernon. I really enjoyed providing Christmas music to our church and seeing all of our old friends and meeting new ones. Our church still carries on the timeless tradition of passing out fruit bags to everyone on Sunday before Christmas. I can remember as a child sorting the fruit and candy and sacking it up. When I was a kid, we used paper bags; however, now we just use Glad Baggies, which makes it more convenient. That was a nice memory to relive. Afterwards, Dad and LaRue followed us back to Wichita where we ate at Cotton Patch Cafe. Dad and LaRue hadn't ate there yet and was so anxious to try it out. I think they really enjoyed and can't wait to come back and taste the Blackberry Cobblar. Delicious. Thanks, Dad and LaRue and all of the church folks in Vernon for such a good time.

To cap our weekend off, we celebrated Christmas with our dear friends, Jane and Loyd Austin at Cheddars and afterwards went back to our townhome and enjoyed coffee, Low-Fat Hot Chocolate and Baklava. If you haven't tried Baklava, you need to step out in faith and give it a whirl. It's a greek pastry that is just heavenly and I believe it's low-fat also. LOL.

Well, as you can see we've had a busy month with two days left till Christmas. I can't wait. Rhonda's got my presents wrapped and I'm trying to figure out what they are. The anticipation drives me crazy. Since Christmas is my favorite time of the year, I'll try to keep the activities as full as I can, because once it's over, I'll have to wait till next year. Rhonda's already told me after the 1st, the tree comes down. Oh, well, I'll enjoy the festivities while they last! LOL

On another note, I talked with John today and he's doing great. It makes me feel a little better whenever I talk with him, knowing that he's doing good.

The Last Brouhaha

This post is a little late; however, with me being enrolled at Wayland Baptist University, working @ the Post Office & Weight Watchers Intl., I just haven't had the time. I started taking pics of John and our time together since he got stationed at Tech School, SAFB. John and I really enjoyed each other, going to the movies together, visiting the "horse show" (LOL), going out to eat, our Six Flags trip, drinking Cappichinos, Chai Tea, etc, while I just stuck with the norm Low-Fat Hot Chocolate. I don't like to venture off of my comfort zone; nevertheless, he encouraged me to live a little. While driving with the top down in my convertible, he'd ask if we could put the top down and I would say, "Well, let's at least roll up the windows because I didn't want to mess up my hair", he would jokingly chide me saying, Hey, Uncle Dan, live a little. I'd say, okay, go ahead, put the windows down too. So here we are flying down Kell Freeway with my hair blowing in the breeze. Okay, I'm a little anal about my hair, but I think it runs in the family. LOL.

We enjoyed Tops in Blue Concert at Sheppard AFB with a picnic on the ground. Aunt Rhonda prepared us a picnic lunch and we copped a squat on the ground and enjoyed the show, along with our fried chicken and all the fixins. Aunt Rhonda always has good ideas when it comes to family time. While she was preparing our lunch, we saw the movie Chronicles of Narnia (2nd film), which by the way was outstanding. We enjoyed our time together at the water park and eating jalepeno peppers at Sonic Drive In. He joined our family at Matthew's birthday party at Johnny Carrino's and then headed over to Cheryl & Daniel's house for cake & ice cream. Yum! Yum! John enjoyed playing with their dog Cobblar, along with his friend Kevin Atkison, who also joined us and enjoyed being with our family. Kevin's a really good kid and I miss him also. He's now in Salt Lake City, UT stationed at an Air Force Base. (for the life of me, I can't think of the base's name)

I won free tickets to Gaither Homecoming; however, he didn't ante up since this really wasn't style of music. So, instead he met us at Cheddar's and enjoyed being with our family. All of us, except John went to Gaither Homecoming and had a wonderful time. We started attending Life Tabernacle later in September and I enjoyed going to Starbuck's before church and enjoyed listening to his goals and dreams he has in his life. John has lots of dreams and goals in life and I pray for his success in life wherever he goes. Our last day out was to Logan's Roadhouse where we enjoyed a wonderful steak of which he had to finish mine and didn't have a problem with it all. I don't know where he puts all the food at. LOL.

After his trip back to Luke AFB, I had a really hard time losing him. You see, even though he was stationed here, I knew he would be at our house on the weekends, or just pop in and out, where we could talk and hang out. I knew he was gonna be okay, because of his close proximity. He was hoping to get to prepare his recruiting time here at SAFB and spend Christmas with us; nevertheless, it just didn't work out. So, I had to give him up and not be able to spend Christmas with him. It just wasn't fair. I would cry and pray about it and finally God gave me a peace that everything was gonna be alright and I feel alot better now. I just spoke with him today after class and he's doing just fine. I teased him saying I had kept his phone message on my phone and when I get to missing him, I just play his voice mail. I know this blog was a little lengthly; however, it kinda helped me get through the process of John leaving SAFB and starting a new stage of his life.

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone ~ I hope you is enjoying God's blessing this wonderful day. It's the time of year when almost all of the stores are closed and one must reflect on the wonderful bountiful blessings He has provided. I have really enjoyed this week with time spent with John and spending the rest of the day with Rhonda's family. I'd like to share a scripture sent by my good friend, Jim Donica and he hits the nail on the head. Satan is scheming more and more of his time seemingly to have his time at the park; nevertheless, we know who the winner is.

During this Thanksgiving Day, we can celebrate God's goodness and thank Him for opening the door for our salvation. Jim's scripture is found in I Peter 2:9 - 11, "But you are are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness in His wonderful light." Thanks, Jim for sharing from your heart. It meant alot and is one of my favs.

On another note, Pastor Gene asked everyone at church on Tuesday night to reflect on someone that had blessed them in their life. I wasn't able to attend church; however, I noticed on his blog the request he made. The first person that came to my mind were my parents. My dad worked for the Post Office for twenty-seven years and during that time, he pastored a church and raised all of his family in church, teaching and preaching the gospel. My mother was a stay-at-home mom, raising the children in the admonition of the Lord. A while back I ran across a letter my mom had sent to her sister Dorothy when they lived in California. Just reading the letter meant so much to me. You could sense the love she felt for her God, family, and friends. I miss my mother so much; nevertheless, as time goes by, the Lord allows you to have a better feeling of her not being here. Knowing full well she is in a much better place, not feeling anymore pain and knowing she ran a good race and finished her course. I can remember as a kid, we used to deliver papers to the paper boys. My mom and I would go throughout the city and dump the bundles at the various neighborhoods for the newspaper boys to pick up. She would always tease me saying that during half of the drive, I would want to stop at McDonald's on Kemp Boulevard and have a "Wimpy Hamburger" (long story). I appreciate being taught to work at an early stage in my life. You see, I've been working all of my life and wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks, Mom for all your lessons in life you taught me. Now, Dad, let me begin: He is an awesome pastor, teacher, leader, mentor and someone to look at in life that would lead you to Christ. He wasn't ashamed to share the gospel on the job or anywhere he went. I sometimes wish I had that much ferver and determination to share the wonderful news of Jesus Christ. Everywhere I go, someone is always coming up to me asking about Dad and telling me a funny story about something that happened at the Post Office or in the church we grew up in or the church he now pastors in Vernon. You see, Dad was one of those preachers that had to work for a living. He felt God had called him to minister the gospel and in doing so, had to maintain a job in the secular world in order to make a living. To this day, I don't know how he did it. Nevertheless, he was--and is--a very strong man and endured through the test of time. He wasn't afraid to preach the gospel and allow God to change people's lives by accepting the word of truth. He preached the word unwaivering, but with love and compassion to the saints of the church. As I'm writing this, I am brought to tears thinking about all of the good times we shared as a family growing up in the church, and working in the church in Vernon. God has truly blessed us. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for sharing the gospel through the love of Jesus Christ.

Happy Birthday, Matthew!!!

This is a little late posting; however, I wanted to share some pics from Matthew's thirtenth birthday celebration. Matthew is one of our many nephews and we think he is just a great all around kid. He loves sports, swimming, computer games and such like.

We all went to Johnny Carino's Italian Eatery and enjoyed the afternoon with Matthew and his parents, Cheryl and Daniel Nix, along his sister, Alexis, Matthew's paternal grandmother, Shirline Wagoner, Matthew's maternal grandparents, Linda and Archie Kennedy, John Prince, Kevin Atkerson and of course, my darling wife, Rhonda and myself. We had a great time as you can see in the pictures. See if you can guess who the family clown is in our family?

Afterwards, we all gathered at Cheryl and Daniel's house for birthday cake and ice cream. One of my fav's. Matthew received all kinds of gifts, including the best of all: money, money, money, MONEY...., a football, computer games and all the other neat stuff that thirteen years olds get. We love you very much, Matthew and hope you had a wonderful 13th birthday. Many Happy Returns......

Race for the Cure 2008

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We just finished Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure 2008, in Wichita Falls and John won 1st Place in his age group. He sprinted down the finish line in just 19.42 minutes. Wow! How phenomenal!!! And get this, he made it fourth runner overall across the finish line. While I was running, he was heading back and I cheered him on to victory. Man! He was flying down the street! This was a 5K run in downtown Wichita Falls. Rhonda volunteered registering runners on Thursday night and then was at the Registration Booth at 6:00 AM on Saturday morning. I also ran the 5K; however, I didn't make it quite that fast. I ran it in 30.14 minutes, which I was very proud of since this was my 2nd Race for the Cure. Last year, I made it in 43.49; however, I power walked it last year, but wanted to run it this year. During the course of the run, the organizers had each mile marked with volunteers cheering you on to the next mile marker. Throughout the race, the volunteers were cheering us on and providing water to guard against dehydration. We are really proud of John's efforts and special kudos to him. Afterwards, we celebrated his victory with breakfast at Cracker Barrel! Yum! Yum! The waitress shamed him into at least wearing his pink award the time he took to finish the race. He conceded and proudly wore it the next few minutes.

By this time, Rhonda was getting a little tired, so she went home and took a nap and John and I drove over to Burk to visit Mom Prince and Rachel. Mom had promised some of her famous "Coconut Cake" and I just couldn't resist the temptation. The cake was delicious. After visiting awhile, we drove back to the city and did a little shopping, washed my car and went to see the movie "Fireproof". This was by far the BEST movie I had seen in quite awhile. This is an excellent movie without any reservations. It made me cry and John really enjoyed it also. Since it was kinda late in the afternoon, we picked up some chicken and fish at Popeye's and took it home to my beautiful bride. John had plans to hang out with his friends and Rhonda and I enjoyed the evening together.

Sunday was a busy day with John and I visiting Life Tabernacle and enjoyed the service. As soon as church was over, John needed to do a little shopping at the mall, so I helped him pick out a few clothes and enjoyed the day together.

In closing, I would like to quote Hebrews 12:1: "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us......

A Day Full of Love, Laughter & Surprises

Thank's everyone for helping me celebrate my 52nd birthday! I had a great weekend and oh, yes, my "Danny Day" turned into a "Danny Weekend". To start my weekend off, I ran 2.4 miles and came back, showered and Rhonda had her scrumptious pancakes ready for me. Wow! They are delicious! Thankfully, she only makes me two; nevertheless, I would love to have more, but know I can't with my Weight Watcher plan in tack. Realizing her HHR was dirty, I hurriedly washed it so I could make it to the mall and do a little shopping, get a haircut and pick John up for the afternoon. After picking John up, we both did a little shopping and grabbed us a bite to eat and went back to our town home to pick Rhonda up for the rest of the afternoon. Rhonda and I saw "Eagle Eye" and should you want to see a really good movie, I definitely would suggest seeing this movie; however, upon viewing it you probably will not want to answer your cell phone again. Big Brother is always watching and hearing you and you will be self conscious to the fact. Afterwards, we headed to my favorite restaurant, On the Border, where all the gang was there to celebrate with me. You see, it's so nice to celebrate your birthday with family and friends. Thanks everyone for joining me in the celebration. It was good to have Dad & Mom LaRue, along with Rachel, John, Mom Prince and of course, my lovely bride, Rhonda. Our server really put on a good show when he made "Guacamole Live" and by Mom Prince's taste buds, she concluded the guacamole was the best she had eaten. After dinner, Rhonda gave into my idea of looking at cars (my favorite pastime) and we, or should I say I enjoyed drooling over the various makes and models. To cap our weekend off, John and I visited Life Tabernacle and really enjoyed the service. Bro. Greg Henry was ministering in a revival service and preached an outstanding Bible Study. This was our third Sunday and it was good be back home again. Afterwards, Rhonda, John and I ate at Mazzios and I had to really careful with my menu items. You see, I had a staff meeting at Weight Watchers at 2:00 PM and the staff has to weigh in at each staff meeting. The rule is we cannot be over 2 pounds of our goal weight. Thankfully, I was right on target. The salad is what saved me. Ha! Ha! So, you see I really did have a "Danny Weekend" and thanks Rhonda for giving me such a good time. LOL!

Happy Birthday to you!

Today is my handsome husbands birthday! This is also my first time to post on the blog, the first vice presidential canidate debates and I am sure a lot more first for somebody somewhere. Today we had to work and Danny had class, so we will be celebrating with a family dinner Saturday at Danny's favorite restaurant--On the Border. My mother, neice Rachel, nephew John, Danny's neice Cheryl, her husband and two children and my father-in-law and his wife are expected to attend. Before the dinner Danny will get a "Danny Day," although if you ask me it's always a "Danny Day" around here. :>) Sorry, that is an inside joke for Danny. His friends at work got him a tower of balloons that were too big for his Mustang to carry, so I picked them up after I got off work and took them home for him. They make an impressive sight sitting on the hearth of our fireplace. Someone even made him a Weight Watchers approved cake. Danny's "Danny Day" will start with breakfast in bed--either French Toast or Pancakes--his choice, a movie--his choice and then his family dinner. He already received his present from me--tickets to the Gaither Homecoming at the MPEC. The real present is that I agreed to go with him without a fuss and I even suggested it--I'm not a big fan, but he is. I am sure that he will want to do something on Sunday, as well. Then on the 12th we are going to the State Fair at Dallas with some friends. All in all, I think it will be a nice birthday. Happy Birthday Honey! I love you!

Six Flags Trip with John

John and I and one of his friends just returned from another trip to Six Flags. This was my first with John, since I had previously been with my niece, Rachel. This trip turned out to be fantastic, since the weather was a lot cooler and the crowd wasn't so hectic. We left around 9ish, stopped by the local Burger King and McDonald's, grabbed a bite to eat, filled up with gas and to the Credit Union for some $$$$$ and we're on our way. Had a really good time enjoying John and his friend's company and camaraderie. We stopped at Decatur as usual; however, this time we checked out the local Wal*Mart so John could pick up some sunglasses and me a drink at the McDonald's. He found a really inexpensive pair and we laughed the rest of the way down there, since he bought "Power Rangers" sunglasses; nevertheless, it didn't bother him since they only cost him $4.00 and it fit the occasion.

Upon arriving at Six Flags, we had to park in "the back forty", since we got there around 12ish. You see, we had a back log of traffic entering Interstate 35 to Fort Worth. It never ceases to amaze me whatever time you travel to Fort Worth, you are always backlogged at that intersection. I really think the Highway Department needs to work on traffic flow at that interval.

Upon showing our Season Pass, we journeyed through the gate to the Flash Pass Office. I have never had the Flash Pass before and it was so nice. We got to show the pass and get ahead of the line at all of the really rough rides. John's first to get me on was "The Titan". I was scared out of my mind; however, John and Jessica just laughed and screamed the whole time. All I could do was "hold on for dear life." I do believe that was the scariest of rides I have ever ridden. You see, my beautiful bride, Rhonda just can't handle those rides anymore, so the first chance I get to go to Six Flags with someone who likes it as well as me, I'm ready to go. Rhonda likes "Christmas in the Park." It's such a beautiful time to visit the park, with the weather cooler and such great lights and activities going on.

From the Titan over to the Texas Giant, one of the world's largest wooden roller coasters. It jars you to death; nevertheless, it's not as scary as the Titan. After we got off, Jessica's back was really hurting, so she sat the next one out. I believe we reserved Batman to be our next adventurous ride. That's a really neat ride, because it is so tight, all you can do is scream and yell. It's keeps you in your seat, flying through the air, backwards and frontwards. The next ride I sat out which was "Batman." The last time I rode it, I really hurt my back on it and didn't want to chance it. So, I reserved us a spot at "Johnny Rockets Hamburgers" where John and Jessica joined me later for hamburgers and fries. The best onion rings are at Johnny Rockets and to top them off, I had a really great Vanilla shake.

To make a long story short, we really had a great time and I hope that John and Jessica enjoyed my company as I did theirs.

Happy 28th Wedding Anniversary!!!!!!!

Happy 28th Wedding Anniversary to my lovely bride, "Rhonda". My best friend, soulmate, lover, confidante, and the list goes on and on. We just celebrated over the weekend and had a wonderful time. Basically, we just stayed around the homefront and enjoyed each other. Nothing fancy or spectalar, just each other. Normally, we go out and paint the town "red"; however, we felt to do something a little different and really had a great time. You see, you don't really have to do anything special to celebrate your anniversary when you are really in love. Not that I'm against celebrating in a special way; nevertheless, it just didn't work out this year. I just wanted to say Happy Anniversary to the love of my life and hope we have many more years together.

P.S. For those who don't know it, our dog Sassie was laid to rest two years ago. I found this sweet picture and wanted to share with everyone. She was a great little dog and we have missed her terribly. I think I found it the hardest thing to handle upon losing her; nevertheless, it's kinda nice to have a reflection with her.

Back in school

I should've posted this about three weeks ago; however, I have been so busy I just didn't' have time. Our fall semester has begun at Wayland Baptist University and I'm enrolled in Geology and New Testament classes. Really great subjects and I just love my professors. I've had my Bible professor previously teaching Old Testament and was really lucky to get him again. He's really a great guy and enjoys his classes and students. You can really tell when a professor loves their job. My Geology professor is so neat. Her name is Liz Read. Really cool lady! She just cracks us up all the time in class. I think I'm gonna do really well this semester and I'm enjoying it this time. So many times, when you go to class, the classes are not your cup of tea or you and the professor just don't click. That makes it really hard and kinda leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

In both of my classes, I've had my friend Christi in class with me (she's the lady who rescued me awhile back when I ran out of gas on Southwest Parkway) and really a great person. So, it's really cool if I have a problem or dilemma with some homework, I can always depend on her to help me find the answer or show me where to look. You see, when you go back to college at my age, it makes it more difficult to study and find all the hot spots to look for regarding homework. I really appreciate Christi and her friendship this last year. She's a really great lady with a wonderful daughter and husband who support her through her education. She's planning on excelling in education.

Well, I better close this post for now, because I've got homework waiting on me and I don't want to be left "holding the bag." Ha! Ha!

Politics

I found this article on The Holleys blog and wanted to share with everyone! Thought it was very interesting!

A trip to Six Flags over Texas

Rachel (my niece) and I just returned from a trip to Six Flags over Texas on Labor Day. You see, I thought Labor Day would be the perfect time to visit this amusement park and oh, how wrong I was. We arrived there at 10:10 AM and noticed none of the rides were running. So, I called Six Flags and asked their hours of operation, which were 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM. Wow! We could've slept in another hour, so we meandered to the mall and looked around at Barnes and Noble and journeyed back to the park around elevenish. Now, the park had really started to get backed up; however, I thought that maybe everyone was just like us and was returning back after arriving earlier. After finding us a parking place (in back fourty), I thought, wow, I wished I would've paid for premier parking (basically close to the park). Nevertheless, we enjoyed our long trek to the park, looking all the time for the tram to come and pick us up. Finally, entering the gates, the lines seemed extremely long and afterwards getting inside the park, I believe everyone else in D/FW had the same thought as I did. Little did I know that Labor Day was the day that Season Pass holders could bring a friend free and boy did they ever do that. The park was so crowded, even the restaurants and snack stands had a long waiting ling. Rachel likes nothing more than lemonade and seemed like everywhere we went, all the stands were out of lemonade. To make a long story short, you can tell we got very little rides and took forever to try to satisfy our thirst, so around 4:00, I asked Rachel if she was ready as I was and of course, she said yes. I think that was the worst experience I had ever had at the park, since Six Flags is one of my favorites. Hopefully, the next time I visit, the park will be managed better.

Happy Birthday, John

This Sunday, August 24 is our nephew, John Prince's birthday! Aunt Rhonda and I hope you have a very special day and receive all the happiness that God has in store for you on this very special day. We're very excited to have you at Sheppard AFB Tech School and very proud of what you have become. I just know that great things are in store for you just up the road. We'll be taking John out on Sunday to celebrate his great day and enjoying the day with him. We didn't get to see him last weekend since they were not allowed to leave their dorm. So, we're really excited to see you and enjoy your birthday with you. Many Happy Returns, John!

July Happenings!

Happy Belated July 4th ~ I'm just a little late wishing everyone Happy July 4th; however, I've been just a little busy this summer. Having returned from our vacation, I've had a hard time adjusting back to the work routine.

We had a GREAT 4th of July, celebrating with our nephew, John Prince. John is stationed at Sheppard AFB at Tech School and am really glad he's stationed so close to home. I started the day by picking him up at Conner Hall and was so excited to see him in his uniform. I told him he how tall he looked in that uniform and very handsome indeed. We did a little shopping with him at the Base Exchange and since I had never been at the BX, I found it pretty fascinating. Basically, it was just like a Wal*Mart (not near as huge), but pretty much the same. Just lower prices for the GI's and their families. We then went to the mini mall and had lunch and headed for the Base Water park. We had a blast at the Water Park, enjoying each other's company and catching up on some needed R & R. Rhonda stayed at home, since she was going to meet us later that day for the 4th of July celebration at the base. She was preparing us a picnic lunch for the afternoon and needed the extra time to prepare for our picnic lunch.

I am so proud of John and all the accomplishments he has made for himself. With God at his side, he has matured into such a nice and polite young man. He'll be stationed at SAFB through the end of November, where he'll be stationed at Luke AFB, AZ, just outside of Phoenix. Another hot and dry community.

Afterwards, John and I went to see The Chronicles of Narnia. Wow! If you haven't seen this movie, I urge you to see it. At first, I didn't think I was gonna like it; nevertheless, it turned out awesome. So much correlation to the Bible. After the movie, we met Rhonda and enjoyed our time together munching on Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Rolls and yummy cookies. As always, she out did herself preparing for her men in her life. For entertainment, SAFB sponsored Tops in Blue to perform for everyone and they were fantastic. If you ever get a chance to see Tops in Blue perform, please do so. You won't regret it. After the performance, the fireworks display began, along with a backdrop of patriotic music. Such a nice ending to our July 4th holiday, I put the top down in my Mustang and took John back to his dorm. Looking at the beautiful stars and God's handiwork makes you so proud to be an American and thankful for the freedom that God has bestowed upon our lives. Thank you Lord for our family, friends and above all: God in our lives. Our July 4th holiday was nearly over and I felt it was one of the best we had enjoyed in a long time. The only sad thing about the 4th of July, it kinda reminds me of Christmas. So much preparation for one day, and afterwards, it's back to the old routine of work and stuff.

Florida Happenings!

It's been a little while since I posted from returning on our trip from the Emerald Coast. Having returned, I've been really busy at work and just didn't have time to write a few things down. Wow! We really enjoyed ourselves in Destin, Florida. The white sand beaches are as beautiful as described in the brochure and if you ever get a chance to vacation at the Emerald Coast, I would definitely refer it. Destin had changed quite a bit since we were there awhile back; however, the beaches were just as beautiful. Condos everywhere, taking the breathtaking from view from Old Highway 98. I don't know why these beautiful coastal towns allows developers to build skyscrapers on the beach, other than the all American need for dollars. Nevertheless, the view is breathtaking and the food was great. Since it rained the first few days upon arrival, we shopped at Destin Commons and made various tours of the town. Relaxing a lot and enjoying the wonderful seafood. By the time we were leaving, I think I burned Rhonda out on seafood. I asked her where she wanted to eat and she stated, "anything, as long as it's not seafood." So, I compromised and went to Hard Rock Cafe and I had a fish sandwich, while she had a veggie burger. We try to go a Hard Rock Cafe whenever on vacation, not because of the music, but I think it's kind of neat. I am not a fan of rock music; however, I love music and I think the ambiance it kind of cool. While at the Fisherman's Wharf restaurant, we were sitting on the beach side and noticed some fisherman bringing a large fish. Quickly catching our attention, Rhonda noticed it was a shark. Later, I asked how much it weighed and they informed me it weighed more than 600 pounds, because their scale only went to 600 pounds. Wow! A very large shark. I'm glad I didn't meet that one while on the beach. The sharks swim within 5 - 10 miles of the beach as informed by the locals. That's kind of scary. Our next night we ate at AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar. That was a really cool restaurant. More laid back than the Fisherman's Wharf. Really loud restaurant right on the pier. After supper we went on the pier and enjoyed watching the seagulls find their food and enjoy their supper. The weather was absolutely beautiful and I think I could really get used to the surroundings. Meanwhile, I'm back in Wichita Falls and don't think I want to chance the hurricanes. I'll take my chances with our ferocious tornadoes.

Vacationing in the Emerald Coast

I'm all excited tonight, because tomorrow my beautiful bride and I travel to the beautiful Emerald Coast of Florida. The "Emerald" in the name "Emerald Coast" comes from the distinctive, irresistible shade of green seen on the Gulf of Mexico waters. We'll be spending the night in Baton Rouge, LA and hopefully enjoy some great seafood while there. Sunday, we should arrive in Destin, Florida where the white sand beaches are beautiful. We'll be laying at the beach and having a great time enjoying the sunsets while there. Fort Walton Beach is just around the corner and the largest Air Force Base is also located within a few miles. Eglin AFB is the largest AFB in the country. That should be amazing to see. We might even get to see some lighthouses; however, I'm not sure the lighthouses are near this area. There is plenty of recreational things to do while visiting the Emerald Coast; nevertheless, we'll probably just sit back, relax and enjoy the wonders of God's beautiful handiwork. I once read there are three very important things to take on vacation that doesn't fit in a suitcase: a sense of adventure, an open mind and a sense of humor. With all three things in mind, we should be able to have a great time. I've got to go to bed since we're getting up at 4:00 AM to pack and try to leave by 8:00 AM. Keep us in your prayers for traveling mercies.

June Happenings!

June has been a very busy month for Rhonda and me. With Father's Day at the beginning, we celebrated with my family at Logan's Roadhouse (one of my favorites) and also my families. They always serve us well with such kindness and love. We like the big room (I think they call it the barn). This area has such great space and wonderful ambiance, complimented by a beautiful stone fireplace. We got to enjoy my sister, Cora and her husband, Ronnie this time, along with my brother Archie and his beautiful wife, Linda, along with one of their daughters, Cheryl and her great family, and of course Dad and Mom LaRue. It was just a wonderful day and I appreciate my dad so much for all of his leadership in the church and guidance throughout my life. Dad - you're the greatest! Rhonda surprised me with tickets to Gaither Homecoming, convening this October in Wichita Falls. Wow! Can you believe Gaither's are coming to Wichita Falls? We're moving right on up with the big dogs! Ha! Ha! Our church has reserved a section and should really be good seats. I can't wait! We heard the Gaither's at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City last year and they were marvelous! We were on the sixth row and had great seats. It was such a fun trip.

We're trying to pack everything up for our vacation. We'll be leaving for Destin, Florida (the Sunshine State) and can hardly wait. Destin is such a beautiful area with The Emerald Coast and such white sand beaches. We've always travelled through this area; however, we were never able to stop and visit. The waves are calling me right now. Just two more days and we'll off and away. Can't wait! Everyone's been teasing me at work this week, counting down the number of days till my vacation, so I had to throw that in.

God is such a great God, having just read on Kenny & Karen's post that Kolton went home from the hospital. His surgery was great and we will continue praying for Kolton's continued healing power to flow within him. We love you, Kolton.

I'll close for now and keep you posted on our trip.

Have a great day in the Lord!

A Night At the Bass

To Rhonda's surprise, I was able to get tickets to see Wynonna Judd at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. Wow! It was great! Traveling to Fort Worth in my wife's new HHR, I used On Star to navigate our journey to the Bass. First, we would eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Dos Gringos. Fantastic! Great Mexican food, so if you really want a great lunch or dinner, drop by Dos Gringos on University Drive in Fort Worth and you won't be disappointed. The chips are awesome! Arriving at the Bass, I dropped my beautiful bride off at the door and parked her car. Catching up with her in the lobby, we picked up our tickets and easily found our seat. This hall is awesome! If you haven't had a chance to see anyone perform at this wonderful hall, please take some time off and head to Fort Worth. You won't be disappointed.

As we were listening to the symphony first, I was so amazed at the sound in the Bass. We were in the fifth balcony and heard every musical instrument great! Makes up for the stuff you put up with at work to be able to enjoy the finer things of life. After the intermission, Wynonna came on stage! And wow! She can sing! Not only, country, but jazz, rock, christian, etc. Her range was phenomenal. She is so inspiring, innovative, and imaginative. After her performance of "I can only Imagine," the whole house was in tears. She really is an awesome person, with such a down home feeling.

After the concert ended, we meandered around the hall, checking things out and taking pics. Finally, we finally ended up outside the hall and noticed a long line starting outside on the sidewalk. I told Rhonda, they must be waiting for Wynona to exit, so, naturally we waited. After about 10 minutes, Wynonna came out and she was so friendly with everyone. She probably took around fifty shots of photographs with her fans. And, yes, Rhonda was able to get a snapshot with her. Really made her day.

After the concert, we headed to the mall for some shopping and afterwards to TGI Friday's for some appetizers and dessert. This was a wonderful experience and a really awesome day. Just the two of us, enjoying each other. Life just can't get any better!!!

Rhonda's New HHR

Well, Rhonda's '92 Cady finally hit the dust. To her dismay, we had to finally look for something else. She loved that car, with the boulevard ride and great handling, just didn't want to give it up; however, she knew it was time. I had looking for awhile; nevertheless, she had to be happy with her new car. So off in the car lots we go. First to Archer City and found a really good deal on a brand new '08 HHR; however, just didn't quite cut the mustard. So, here we travel down the Texas roads to Henrietta. I thought we would surely find the best deal at Four Stars; nevertheless, to my dismay we were off again to another dealership. I thought well, we'll try Wichita Falls Herb Easley Chevrolet. Again, no deal. Well, what should we do? I thought maybe, Dallas/Fort Worth; however, it was just too late in the day for that trip and we really needed a new car. Voila! I would try Aubrey Chevrolet in Lawton. We found the perfect HHR for her. The just perfect Cardinal red HHR with all the bells and whistles! And the deal was perfect. Better than we had found anywhere else. They treated us great and Rhonda was very excited. This was her first brand new car. We had other brand new cars; however, since I had to drive from Vernon to Wichita Falls to work, it made more cents for me to have the newer car. So, you can see how my beautiful bride was so excited. Off in the wild blue yonder in Rhonda's HHR!! Wow!

Graduaton Day 2008!!!!!

The day has finally arrived and I was awarded the Associate of Applied Science Degree from Wayland Baptist University! Yeah! I can hardly believe part of this chapter in my life is closed. Having begun my pursuit of a degree just thirty-three years, I finally received my Associate's Degree. (I'll continue pursuing my Bachelor's) You see, I began this conquest in 1975; however, while working nights at the Main Post Office, I couldn't seem to the keep up the pace. During my early years at the Post Office, I worked tons of overtime and failed to see the need for my degree. I thought I had a good job and that was enough. I'm so thankful I realized a job wasn't the only thing I needed to be successful. You see, a degree doesn't do anything; however, it assist a person to open doors that might have possibly been kept shut. As Dr. Orr put it, as soon as we receive our degree, pause 5 seconds and begin to work on something else. Manhind has to continually educate themselves and keep the mind in tact.

Wayland put on the ritz big time today, with a luncheon starting off the day, with my family joining me in the celebration. Dad and Mom LaRue, Cora, Archie and of course my beautiful bride cheering me by the waysides. Rhonda - I couldn't have made it without your love and support through this whole endeavor. She's been a God send to me throughout my whole life. You will never know how much I appreciate and love you. You are the best!!!! And to my family, I appreciate all of your support and prayers throughout these last few years. To my nephews, Mac and Daniel for all their guidance and direction regarding my computer classes. Man, I couldn't have pulled it off without your technical support. Hats off to everyone involved!! And to top that, my Supervisor out of the Fort Worth Post Office came and celebrated with me at the graduation, along with my former Supervisor at the Annex. You don't know how much that meant to me. Along, with postal friends, Jane and Loyd Reeves was at my graduation. These wonderful friends called afterwards and took us out to dinner. What a way to top off a beautiful day! Thanks, Jane and Loyd; you're the greatest!!!

He is Risen!!!

He is risen! Hallejujah! I haven't written on my blog lately, so I thought I would post something regarding the beautiful Easter season! Just the other day, I was eating lunch at McDonald's (my very fav fast food), and ran into an old friend of mine, Mark Brewer. Mark is the Constable in Wichita County and a wonderful young man filled with the Spirit. We've been friends around twenty years and once in while, I'll see him out and about. It's times like this that we are able to catch up on a few things. I became acquainted with him several years ago, while working in Claims & Inquiry at the Main Post Office. Mark would come to my office to obtain address searches regarding his clients whom he had to serve. We kinda hit off and have been friends ever since. We began to talk about old times and catch upon our families and various things. Mark informed me that he spoke with a friend of his who had just returned from Jerusalem. His friend informed him that he visited the tomb where Jesus was buried; however, the tomb was empty. Mark and I already knew that Jesus' tomb was empty; nevertheless, it made me more aware than ever that Jesus' tomb was empty. Isn't that great how Jesus came to this earth as a baby boy, dwelt among men, lived and walked this earth and died for our sins, but then he rose again to give us Eternal Life. I'm so thankful God is alive and well and living in the hearts of men. Hallejujah, He's Alive! Let's share the good news of Jesus Christ everywhere we go, sharing the risen Saviour's news! Hallejujah!

This Easter Sunday, we traveled to Vernon to be with my dad and LaRue and all of our friends at our home church. It was so good to see everyone and know that the Lord is working miracles in the church in Vernon. Dad and LaRue - keep up the good work!

Happy New Year!

Here's wishing each and everyone of you a Happy New Year!

Rhonda and I celebrated by going out to eat at my favorite restaurants, On the Border, and had a excellent dinner. The food was was wonderful, along with everything else. On the Border in Wichita Falls is one of the best Mexican Restaurants anywhere. Their management, along with staff serve excellent Mexican cuisine and serve it with style. If you are wanting great Mexican food, along with fantastic service, I highly recommend On the Border in Sikes Senter Mall. We closed out the new year with a movie at the new Cinemark Theatre. Rhonda had wanted to go The National Treasure (2nd sequel) and I gave in. I'm so glad I did. The movie was fantastic. It kept you on the edge of your seat the whole night.

The first was very quiet at our home; however, Rhonda made her usual Fried Chicken (yum, yum), along with Rice and gravy, black eyed-peas (of course), along with Lemon Meringue Pie. Whenever we have Lemon Meringue Pie, it reminds me of my mother. She made the most delicious Lemon Meringue Pie anywhere. We only have it once in awhile, being the pie has so many calories and I can't afford that many, since I'm on Weight Watchers. Everything was just great. We had a wonderful New Years' Day.

On the 3rd of January, everything changed. We woke up to sleeting outside, so both of us left a little early in order to get to work on time. On my way out the door, I slipped and fell on the sidewalk and walked back in to tell my wife, to please be careful; very slick and dangerous. We didn't want her falling on it, being she has just recovered from foot surgery and didn't need any other problems. She definitely stated she would be careful and even suggested she take her cane (the one she had after her surgery) to give her move support. I said, great! Very carefully, I made it to work and begin to lay out everything I wanted to get done for the day. About 9:15 AM, the phone rang and it was my worst nightmare come true. Rhonda was on the phone, stating she was in a car accident. I immediately asked, "Are you okay?" and she stated, she was. I asked her where she was at and she told me at Loop 11 overpass. I told her I would get there as soon as possible. I immediately called my boss, Billy Hall who graciously understood and told me to be careful. The ice seamed to be worse at this time and while I drove down Henry Grace Freeway, I began to notice Highway 287 South being backed up. More accidents!!!! As I drove further, Highway 287 North was being backed up, so I thought I would travel down Seymour Highway. About that time, Rhonda was on the phone, stating the ambulance was on the way and wanted me to meet her at United Regional Hospital. Arriving at the Emergency Room, I frantically waited for my wife, not knowing exactly how bad she was hurt. Finally, she arrived and I was able to see her. Upon my first glance, I said, Oh, no! She had a neck brace on; however, she explained to me it was just for protection. The nursing staff was wonderful as we waited and finally they were able to get some X-Rays. After a few hours (remember 119 accidents in all that day), the doctor came in and said everything looked really good. A sigh of relief!!! Cars can be repaired; however, our lives are very precious to us. We are so thankful that God had His hand upon Rhonda's life and spared her from a more serious accident. She is just a little bruised up and more than likely she will have Chiropractic care and return to normal. Isn't God great! He provided a way and the angels were in place that day. We would like to thank the wonderful Air Force pilots who so graciously stopped at the scene and placed all the torn fender's in the trunk. As bad as it was that day, someone else could hit the torn pieces and slid back into Rhonda's car, causing more damage and harm. Also, thanks to all of the staff at United Regional Hospital Emergency Room. They were gracious and so kind.

Having said all that, we do serve a great God! Hopefully, the remainder of the year will not be as nerve wracking.