Forever My Home

It has been several weeks (months?) since my last post.  Life has been busy.  Life has been great.  I can only hope that my handful of devoted readers and supporters are still around :)

In my formative years, I was blessed to have the opportunity to experience many different houses with my family.  My Dad had a bit of ADD when it came to housing...We moved a total of 6 times from the time I was born until I was 18, and no, my Dad was not a career military man.  Fortunately, we always stayed in the same general area of Indiana, and I only had to change schools once in 5th grade.  

I always enjoyed the experience of getting to know a new house, but one house in particular will always be my favorite.  It will forever be the house that comes to mind when I think of home.  I have more fond memories of this one particular house than any other.  Countless family events, sibling clashes, the barn with horses, the pasture, the gully, the pond, and the wide open freedom for my imagination to run wild as I acted out Indiana Jones or played the part of a ninja in the yard.  It was certainly an incredible place to grow up, and for that, I am thankful.

I love the fact that my Dad built this house with his bare hands.  In fact, family legend states that the logs for the house were delivered on the day I was born in June of 1983.  This fact, as well as the fact that Dad was the builder, made the house extra special for me. 

The house sat at the end of what I thought at the time to be the longest driveway in existence, and it only seemed longer when I started school and had to walk down to the bus.

In its original form, the house had four bedrooms and a bathroom on the top level, with the master, living room, dining room, family room, laundry room, and kitchen on the main level.  It was completely open on the inside, with two of the bedrooms upstairs overlooking the living room.  There was also an open view of the kitchen from the hallway upstairs.  The entire concept promoted togetherness.  It also allowed me to master spying on my sisters' boyfriends to insure they didn't get fresh with my sisters...

Eventually, my Dad added on a garage and four seasons room with a hot tub, as well as a patio.  Overall, the house had everything.  A wood burning stove, a wrap around porch with a view of the entire property, a treehouse with a rope swing on the pond.  On Sunday afternoons, I always looked forward to sitting on the porch with Dad as we shot snapping turtles in the pond with a .22 rifle.  Different times indeed.

There are far too many memories for me to list, but I will always remember feeling loved and safe in this house.  Our family of six spent time taking care of the two horses, one calf, and one pig we kept in the barn, but I am sure Dad probably did most of the work...My brother, Justin, and I would talk our laid back Uncle Don into playing catch with us as we sat on the roof of the house, just outside the windows on the front.  He would toss the ball up to us and wait for us to throw it or roll it back down.  We always looked forward to the times Aunt Dori and Uncle Don would come up from Alabama for a visit.

There may have also been an incident (or possibly several separate incidents) in which your's truly rode his big wheel across the front porch completely naked.  Only one such incident was confirmed on film, and I am sure the image will make an appearance during the slide show which will be shown at my and Jennifer's wedding in April.  You all now have something to look forward too...

I remember how we would watch Cosby together and eat home made pizza.  I remember how Grandma and Grandpa would come over and we would all play Rook for hours.  There were countless nights I spent at the dinner table asleep as I refused to drink my milk and was not allowed to get up until I did.  It turns out, warm milk is even worse...

The picture below is from Christmas of 1984 when I was one-and-a-half.  Apparently we managed to successfully assemble a gingerbread house.  Adrienne, the first born and Family Commander In Chief, is on the left, followed by Justin, the third born Know-it-All.  Erin, the second born Easy-Going Free-Spirit is next to him, and lastly, your's truly - the last born adorable little guy on the right. 

That wonderful picture was taken in the living room, which is pictured below.  My Aunt Dori recently came across the picture above in a keepsake box which belonged to my Mom's Mom, Nana.  It makes me smile to know that Nana treasured memories of her four grandkids in that house as much as I treasure the same memories.

It feels great to take a moment and reflect on such great memories.  I was, and continue to be, blessed with an amazing family.  I am further blessed to have the honor of marrying Jennifer and becoming part of another amazing family.  One of the most amazing things about Jennifer is the fact that she was raised with nearly identical values as I was, and that, I believe, is the basis of our connection.

As I look ahead in life and think about the future, I can only hope that I am able to provide for my family and create a home which my children can remember fondly.  I do happen to be the least handy man on Earth, so I do not believe I will be able to construct such an actual house as my Dad did.  Even if I cannot physically build my family a house, I will certainly provide for them the requisite love and faith needed to make it a home.

I will always remember the log house, and all the love my family shared for so many years there.

Vows...

As my upcoming nuptials are quickly approaching, I have been thinking a lot about vows.  Jennifer and I have discussed on multiple occasions whether or not we will write our own, or recite the traditional Christian vows...We have not yet decided either way.

Knowing that we could very well end up writing our own, I have been kicking around some ideas of what I could possibly write.  I must have typed and deleted a page of words at least ten times by now.

How does one put such love and commitment into words?  It is clear that Jennifer and I are in love.  It is clear that we both love each other.  We are both aware that there is a considerable difference between being in love and loving someone.

Photo Credit: Linnealiz Photography

We both are in this for the long run, no matter what comes our way.  We will never give up on our marriage, and the big "D" will not even be a word in the vocabulary of our relationship.

We are both aware that our marriage will require love, even when being in love is not easy.  Hard work, commitment, and a conscious decision to wake up every day and choose to love each other will be the cornerstone of our marriage.  All of this is a given as far as we are concerned.  We have discussed it, and we are on the same page.  But how am I supposed to convey this to her in front of God and all our family and friends?  Even if I can come up with the words to say, how am I to say them without turning into a sobbing mess?

At the end of the day, I know it will all work out.  If it comes down to it and we decide to write our own vows, I know that I will be inspired and will be able to eloquently state how much she means to me and how I will be devoted to her for the remainder of our lives.  I know that I will be able to commit to her and promise her my love, and that I will not take her for granted.  I am aware that God has blessed me with her as a gift, and it is up to me to care for and treasure her for the gift and blessing she is.  I will lead her and our family in life, and in Faith.

All of these promises, I have no problem making.  I just need to find a way to write and say them...As for the sobbing mess, I cannot make any guarantees.  I could very well lose it the minute I see her coming down the aisle.

Imitation = Flattery...

Halloween: The one day a year when people can dress up and pretend to be something crazy and nobody will think twice about it.  The possibilities are endless, limited only by one's imagination!

Personally, I have never really gotten into the Halloween spirit.  I say it is because the day coincides with my Mother and Grandmother's birthday, but I cannot blame my lack of enthusiasm for the "holiday" purely on this.  I just do not really care for it.

Regardless, I do enjoy seeing others dress up, especially at work.  It is always the die hard Halloween enthusiasts which dress up and come to work, so the costumes are usually pretty good.  Today, there was one particular costume that I thought was absolutely great.

It appears that my wardrobe has caused me to be well known around my office.  Who knew that green or "barn door red" pants, sweater vests, blazers, neck ties, and driver's caps attract attention?  I guess the peacockin' around the office has indeed drawn attention to me - although, I must admit I would rather be known for my work ethic and ability to perform difficult tasks (after all, I do not think my wardrobe will get me a promotion).

Any way, one of my coworkers decided to come to the office in a "Bryan" costume, which consisted of purple pants, a sweater vest, and a drivers cap:

For the record - I do not own purple pants...Side Note: I did once purchase a pair of lounge pants which I believed to be blue while in the store, but ended up being purple when I got them home.  As a result, I will forever be known as "Plum Boy" by my brother-in-law, Rick.  Caveat Emptor (thank you, one semester of Law School) when shopping under fluorescent lighting in a bargain warehouse...

Back to the costumed coworker...At first I was not sure whether to be insulted, or flattered...What does it say about my wardrobe when it inspires a Halloween costume?  I began to rethink my life choices, but only for a split second.  I then realized how absolutely hilarious it was that a coworker actually thought about it enough and chose to dress up as me!  Imitation is the greatest form of flattery indeed.  

I will not be discourage by the imitation which occurred today.  I will not sacrifice my sense of style.  It is who I am, like it or not.  At the end of the day, I guess it feels pretty good to be inspirational to others!

Happy Birthday Mom and Grandma!

"Wooo" FAIL

I have yet to have anything funny or entertaining happen in my life over the past week, so much like J. Peterman, I am going to borrow from Cosmo's entertaining life.  That's right, this week, I am going to steal a story from my Sister.  It is a little gem that cannot go unpublished...

Imagine, if you will, several 32 to 39 year old moms taking a girls weekend to Nashville, TN for a much needed break from the kids.  Heading into the weekend, the ladies decide to find a man for one of the single group members.  Already, this has a recipe for hilarity...

The group of ladies is on the prowl...We will call them cougar kittens, since they are still young.  They visit numerous bars, imbibe numerous beverages, and dance the night away while keeping an eye out for a suitable mate for their single companion.  After a weekend of unsuccessful hunting, five of the ladies pack into a soccer mom shuttle and begin their trip back to Indiana.

I can imagine the mood in the vehicle.  The lack of success in finding a man for their friend, combined with a killer hang over leads to overall low morale in the vehicle.  As they prepare to leave Tennessee, they must stop to get fuel.  The driver steps out to pump gas as the remaining four women begin to discuss the weekend and discuss the difficulties of finding a good man for their friend.  Just as they get into conversation, a strapping young local rolls up on a crotch rocket and stops at the gas station to have a drink ...

At first, the man appears to be quite rough looking.  His garb consists of Carhart pants with a large silver belt buckle and a motocross racing jersey.  Although they couldn't tell if he was a cowboy, biker or logger, the ladies believe he has potential and decide to go in for the kill.  The situation which ensues is perhaps one of the most hilarious I have heard in years.

As the ladies observe the prey casually sipping his Red Bull, they begin to formulate a plan to attract his attention.  Keep in mind that the majority of these wonderful women have been married for several years, and have had little experience peacocking in the modern era.  The last time any of them attempted to draw the attention of the opposite sex (intentionally, and other than their spouse), it was common practice to roll down all the windows, crank up the music, and yell "Woooo" as they cruise by the target.  And so the plan came together.

The lead "cougar kitten" frantically began scrolling through the iPod, attempting to find the perfect song to blast from the vehicle.  The additional backseat passengers prepped for their role as supportive Wooo Girls.  The plan was in full swing as the driver finished pumping the gas and got back into the soccer mom shuttle.  It was going to be a moment of epic proportions.  They would roll away, blasting a cool rap song with lots of bass, "wooo" - ing to the best of their ability.  The target would notice the obvious hotness and wave them down, asking for the single lady's digits.  Done.  Game bruised.  

If the plan had worked out as intended, I would have nothing to write about today.  Fortunately for me, and anyone who happens to read this, the plan did not quite work out as planned.  The driver entered the vehicle, the song was queued up, the windows were rolled down.  Just as they started to pull away, the "cougar kitten" hit play.  Much to everyone's surprise, the contemporary Christian worship song written by Rich Mullins, "Awesome God" blasted from the speakers.  Laughter erupted in the vehicle, and none of the ladies were able to utter even the smallest "Wooo"....Epic. Fail.

God bless my Sister and her friends for their efforts to find a man for their single friend...apparently our Awesome God has a better plan in mind for this young lady, and the strapping young local in the hillbilly uniform was not the man for her...

This Girl...

I am head over heels in love with This Girl...

Everything about Her makes me heart beat faster and my soul fill with happiness.  She is the most genuine and sincere person I have ever met; nothing about Her is fake.  She is respectful and pleasant, rarely ill-tempered.  She takes neither me, nor others, nor life for granted; She appreciates her many blessings.  She does not waste her many talents, and She is always considerate of others.  She is a woman of God; a steward who is unwavering in her Faith. 

She loves to laugh; She loves to smile.  Her nose crinkles ever so slightly when she smiles.

She loves her family, and treats mine like her own.  She knows the value of an amazing family.

She knows and speaks my Love Language, as I know and speak Hers.  She is my best friend...

I have promised my life to This Girl, forsaking all others...

I will honor and respect This Girl for the rest of my life.

God has truly blessed me by bringing Her into my life.

This Girl is My Girl, and I will love Her for always...

**Special thanks to my Brother, Justin, for these photos, and everything else he does for me**

Bumper Stickers

What is it about a car that makes people want to advertise random facts and bits of information?  Personally, I will never disfigure my vehicle with any sort of slogan or picture, and I will likely never understand people who do.

My personal favorite is the honor roll bumper sticker.  We have all seen them: "My Kid is on the Honor Roll at Bla Bla Bla".  What demonstrates pride better than adhering a sticker to the back of your bumper?  I recently saw an interesting variation of this particular sticker.  It proclaimed, "I Love My Kid Even If He Is Not On The Honor Roll".

I could not help but think of ironic bumper stickers to add to this person's vehicle...something along the lines of, "My Kid Hates It When I Patronize Him", and of course, "If My Kid Were On The Honor Roll He Would Know What Patronize Means".

One recent trend that has become particularly annoying is the application of the family stickers on the back windows of mini-vans and SUVs.  The infamous stick figures which inventory each member of the family:

Photo From: http://www.familystickers.com

I can only hope that I do not end up with such a decal on my vehicle at any point in the future.  I am pretty sure that my wife to be feels the same way, but perhaps I should confirm...The only acceptable decals are the removable sort; the nice magnetic football helmets or school logos which can be removed during the off season if desired.

I suppose a bumper sticker is intended to make a bold statement, but I still contend that they are slightly absurd.  I do appreciate the American Pride bumper stickers, but I find it funny when people place them inside the window rather than adhering them permanently.  Such an application states, "I am proud to be and American, but not proud enough to make this a permanent badge on my bumper..." - If you are going to display such a sticker, at least stick it on...

At least those who plaster their cars with the stickers commit to doing so, although I chuckle a little when I see election bumper stickers from years ago.  Bush Cheney '04 Baby!

Ultimately, it is none of my business whether people decide to apply a bumper sticker.  Honestly, this entire blog post is pointless drivel, but hey, I didn't have anything funny or exciting to write about this week.  Sorry for wasting your time...

#craziness

My beautiful fiancé, Jennifer, and family friend, Shelly, decided many months ago to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.  Normally, my Mother-in-Law to be, Susan, would cover such an event on her blog.  She in fact attempted to do so many months ago when the two crazy jumpers attempted their first jump.  

During the first attempt, we all sat around waiting for their turn to go up, up, and away, but the plane’s hydraulics malfunctioned and all remaining jumps for the day were cancelled.  Susan’s prayers were answered that day as she was entirely opposed to the crazy idea.

I suppose if a plane’s hydraulics are going to fail, it would be an ideal time to be wearing a harness and a parachute; it also a great time to have trained professionals on board.

The second attempt came a few months ago.  Shelly and her family were up from Louisville visiting for the weekend, so Jennifer and Shelly decided to use their rain check.  Again, Susan’s prayers were answered and the cloud cover was too thick to allow jumping that weekend.

This past weekend, everyone was in town again and the ladies decided to finally use the rain checks they were given.  We all headed to the airport in Greensburg.  Well, most of us did…Susan opted to stay home rather than condone such activities :)  

I chose to be supportive from the ground as I do not handle heights or general nonsense very well.  The weather was ideal, so they finally had the opportunity to jump.  They were pretty excited.  I was pretty nervous…The hash tag #craziness was appropriate for the day.

Up they went...

Down they came...

At the end of the day, everything went well and they arrived safe and sound.  I still think they are nuts, but I am happy that they were finally able to experience the rush.  I am sure after coming all the way from Louisville twice, Shelly was happy to finally get to jump!