Feast Fever...

...is very real.

Sept. 11

I was going to post the new professional pics of the kids, but Blogger is being uncooperative.

Oh, and HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS? (The offense, anyway.)

Just got my days for the Feast confirmed. Since I'm a temp I will not be getting paid, but hey, c'est la vie. I think my folks are gonna come over to see Nyla receive the blessing of the little children. I should probably inform them that our services are a wee bit different than what they're accustomed to. They'll probably think that services are letting out right after the sermonette and song. Maybe I'll have a little fun and not tell them that sermons are in the 1-hour-plus range. Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Ain't I a stinker?

I was going to post some of my reflections on this day of remembrance, but I think I'll save that for a later time.

I don't like firewalls

I guess I'm going to have to make a decision pretty soon - either go by my PC at school more often, or switch over to Wordpress. I apologize to all one of you who hangs on my every written word. I will do better.

I've recently begun listening to and reading Dave Ramsey's material. He dispenses financial information and is a firm believer in the proverb that states "the borrower is servant to the lender". He absolutely detests debt of any kind. I brought his book "Total Money Makeover" to give to my brother Monday (he was up for the FSU game); lo and behold, lil bro had a set of Dave's Financial Peace CDs. Great minds, eh? I'm going to try to implement Dave's ideas to get out of debt and gain control of our finances. So, if we turn down any invitations to hit a restaurant in the near future, don't be offended. It's me, not you. *floating the idea of a weekly church potluck*

And FSU did it to me again. If they had simply rolled over and played dead, I could've gone to bed at a reasonable hour and not been struggling so hard at work Tuesday. But no, they had to go and make the game semi-close, FORCING me to watch until the bitter, bitter end.

I just found out my oldest son weighs 254 lbs. I think piggy-back rides are now out of the question.

Best. Photoshop. Ever.

I just wish it was bigger. Image courtesy of www.deadspin.com.

Brief convo

Conversation with Nick on our way home from church Saturday...

Nick: "Dad, if I'm good, will you take me to the movies?"

Me: "Sure, Nick. Just when do you think you'll be good?"

N: "I don't know. Maybe Monday."

Me: "Monday? Why not tomorrow?"

N: (Anticipating seeing his cousins on his weekly Sunday trip to Grandma's) "Well, you know how I get when I see my cousins."

The M.R.S. and I exchange that's-your-son looks.

8/8/07

Me & my olive plants.

Oh how I have missed thee, Blogger

One of my wife’s relatives is a former U.S. Marshal, and still maintains a lot of government contacts, particularly in the Federal Law Enforcement arena. He was home over the weekend, and we got to talkin’ about what I do, which led to him strongly encouraging me to apply for a forensic chemistry job with a federal agency (I don’t want to say which agency). He has some contacts with the directors of some of the laboratories and that could be the foot-in-the-door I need. I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet, but I’m filing that reference away for possible future use. From what I hear, Fed jobs have great benefits. Is increasing concern about benefits a sign of aging?

After a wonderful post-fast meal prepared by a certain awkward-hipped young man in our congregation (along with help from the girls Burdette), me and the fam were leisurely driving home and decided to take the scenic route home (Hwy 93 instead of 123) when I was stopped by those who protect and serve; Liberty, South Carolina’s finest. At 12:15 a.m. Fifteen minutes after my driver’s license expired. Going 47 in a 35. The officers were quite polite, and let me go with a warning. Prayer works.

The driver’s license situation was rectified as soon as the DMV opened up this morning.

8/5/07

August 13 picnic

I hear we're having a church picnic 8/12 with the possibility of a softball game breaking out. Does that give me enough time to reap any benefits from "The Cream" and "The Clear"? After all, the rumor is "Chicks dig the long ball"...

Blogger is blocked at work...

... or I'd update more often.

I interview Tuesday for a full-time chemist position instead of this temporary one I hold. If I get it, that would mean I'd have a four-day work week at the company and have 2 full days to get work done here at school, plus evenings. And I'd get benefits. So far they've accommodated my desire to observe the Sabbath, and they've given every indication that they would continue to do so. I guess I shouldn't screw this up.

Jalen and I had a nice long lunch Wednesday, and we both got to unload a bunch of feelings that had been kept inside. Without going into detail, things are looking up as far as our relationship is concerned. I'm eager to put these past two years behind us and move ahead... I was shocked by how deep his voice sounded when he answered the phone. My first-born is no longer a little boy.

The more I work in Greenville, the more I like the city. If I moved to the Woodruff road area and kept the same job, I'd never have to leave my neighborhood. EVERYTHING I could possible need is in the vicinity. If the county ever decides to open their new crime lab, I could probably be persuaded to stick around.

My favorite picture from the trip home - mother & daughter.

Waddya think?

This is my new beautiful neice (and Nyla's future partner-in-crime). Pretty much everyone in my family thinks she looks like me, but I don't see it. Do you?

Lunes

People are getting married, people are going to camp, people are finding Devil's claw in the cupboards... Me? Just finding out we make a product called Horny Goat Weed (!?). I'm afraid to ask what it's supposed to do for you.

PS: I'm also getting too big for my clothes. I had to wear a pair of my son's khakis to church this past Sabbath. I could barely button mine. *sigh*

Back from the metro...

Just returned from seeing the folks down in the booming metropolis of Clio, SC. I enjoyed being home again. Time seems to slow down whenever I'm there. I never feel hurried, and you never see anyone walking fast or appearing hurried. Of course, there aren't any jobs or supermarkets there, but no place is perfect. I saw a once BEAUTIFUL woman I knew whom all the boys used to idolize back in the day. Now, she has been visibly ravaged by excessive crack use. I literally felt my mouth drop open when I realized who she was. (No, I didn't do this to her face!) It's disheartening to see someone who was once so beautiful and full of vigor look like they're 20 years older than they actually are. Twenty HARD years.

I finally got to see my 5-month old neice who everyone says looks like me! I would post a picture now of the two of us, but I can't upload pix to this computer (the new job). I'll swing by my campus office and upload pix and let you decide. I personally don't see any of me in her, but everyone else seems to. Go figure. She's a cutie though. And heavy.

Is it football season yet?

EDIT: It's official: We reserved our villa @ Myrtle Beach Sunday.

Snippet

As Sweet Southern Summa told you, an elite group of adventurers went (fake)rock climbing this past weekend. I am now over the soreness in my lats, but I probably re-aggravated my as-yet-undiagnosed shoulder injury. It was still fun though. Nick has pretty much forced me to guarantee him a return trip. He did pretty well, scaling a couple of walls. He was so proud of himself.





I'll leave you guys with a picture of my younger brother-in-law. Why does it make me think of John Deere?

Joining the Snagglepuss brigade

Nick lost 3 teeth last week. I think Noah "helped" him lose one.

Typing with a kid in one arm is hard. Here's a picture Nick took today. Yes, she's getting a little color.



Is it just me, or have the boys watched too much Star Wars?

Blurb

I'm not dead. I've been working since last Monday for a major manufacturer of nutraceuticals and dietary supplements. I'm working as a chemist doing quality control. For the past week I've ground umpteen tablets and ruptured a gazillion softgels to determine their Vitamin C content blah blah blah. It's paying the bills for now. I'll post more later about what's been going on with me. Ciao.

PS: Night at the Museum is a pretty good movie.

PPS: Nyla and M.R.S. are doing well.

PPS: We just registered for Myrtle Beach.

Princess

My Parents

Hear ye hear ye!

She's here! The little princess arrived @ 1:52 pm yesterday. She's so tiny and precious! Her weight was 7 lb, 6 oz, and she was 19" long. I'm at a public library in Greenville posting this, and their computers have restrictions that prevent me from uploading any pictures. She has a head full of hair (and she poops a lot). I've already learned that changing girl diapers is a little trickier than changing boys' diapers. And in case you were wondering, yes, I am already wrapped around her finger. Gotta run.

She's almost here!

The M.R.S. is either having the baby this weekend or they're inducing her Monday (probably in the morning).

How much more childproofing do I have to do?

Right before bed sometime in the wee hours of the morning (I fell asleep AGAIN on the couch), I went into the bathroom to check things out. I accidentally knocked the M.R.S.' toothbrush out of the holder onto the floor. When I picked it up, I noticed there was something green on the toothbrush. Curious, I looked around and saw the same viscous green substance on MY toothbrush. Really curious by this time, I then remembered that we don't have any green toothpaste. After doing a little detective work I found out what the green substance was:



*Sigh* Back to the Godly Parenting drawing board.

Update: I just talked to the M.R.S. The dog has returned to its vomit.

Well, I do need a job.

My fellowship funding has come to an end. I've been retooling the old resume this past week and putting it out there for the world to see. To date, I've applied to a local environmental testing lab, a microbiology lab at a pharmaceutical company, a part-time QC lab tech position, and a forensics position. I'm in the process of applying for an adjunct position at our local technical college. (Desiree and I colleagues, perhaps?) Let's see what happens.

I was just offered the opportunity to sell insurance to small businesses locally. I initially told the guy no, then reconsidered. I'm gonna sleep on it tonight and give him a call back tomorrow. I'm really hoping that this 3rd shift job in a Greenville micro lab calls me. It would be a boost in salary, and I could still come in here and get my personal lab work done.

No baby yet. We go to the doc Thursday, and we'll see if we can nail down Monday as the day he'll induce labor. Last Thursday they did an ultrasound, and estimated "little" Nyla was ~ 7 lbs. 10 oz. I don't think I can wait much longer.