Long winter

Normally I am a person that loves the winter time but this year is different.  I don’t know if its the lack of snow or the extent of the season but I am desperately waiting for spring.  I am looking forward to evening walks, tennis, mountain biking and runs.  I am hoping that the warm up this week is a trend towards nicer weather for us. Its March 4th already!  I want some 60 degree weather!

Some other things I am looking forward to this week:

• My oldest daughter has her first school play this week.  She has been practicing her lines for over a month now and is super excited. I cant wait to go see her shine!

• Friday we are heading up to Council Bluffs for a wedding shower that is occurring on Saturday. While we are up there we are going to celebrate my Birthday with the family.  I am thinking a home cooked meal and a nice walk across the river.

• Saturday is Spring time change. Don’t forget to set those clocks forward one hour!  I love time change. I hate it when it gets dark at 6pm every night.

• Every passing week brings me closer to the day I marry my best friend. That is the best part of this week being over.

40 Days

Yesterday marked the start of the Lenten season.  This year I have had some trouble trying to figure out what I wanted to give up.  I am already on a very strict diet because of my Gluten Intolerance and my fitness addiction and to give up something beyond that might make me starve!  Normally I give up soda but Ashley and I have both been off of soda since January 1st so that really doesn’t work.  I don’t eat candy, chips, chocolate or anything like could be considered a vice. It was suggested that I give up working out…yeah right! I was at an impasse. Then it hit me. Why do I have to give something up?  Why cant I take on an addition task for the next 40 days? So that is what I am going to do.  I am going to dedicate, at a minimum, 20 minutes a day to spiritual improvement.  This may be some quiet time where I pray, read a religious book, or just sit quietly and reflect upon my life and ways to incorporate God more. I am really looking forward to taking on this challenge and will post my progress over the next couple of weeks.

Feel free to comment on things that you are giving up or taking on for Lent.

Fireproof

As the years go on, all to often some relationships tend to go stagnant and couples forget why they feel in love in the first place.  Over the weekend, my fiancee and I watched a movie that I think can help couples get back the feeling that touched their hearts in the beginning.  The movie is called Fireproof.

At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter’s adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.

Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter…just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being “good enough” for her husband.

Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks.

As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb’s father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: “The Love Dare.” Wondering if it’s even worth the effort, Caleb agrees-for his father’s sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the book’s daily challenges are tied into his parents’ newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened.

While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, “How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?”

When his father explains that this is the love Christ shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. Andówith God’s helpóhe begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife.

But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever…rescuing his wife’s heart.

I cant say enough great things about this movie.  This movie touched us both so much that we headed out the next day to buy not only the movie, but the book referenced in the movie. It is our intent to watch this movie every year around our anniversary as a reminder of our love for each other.  We are also each going to use the book through the year as a tool to build a stronger marriage. Our hope is that we can perform the actions in the book without the other knowing and then take notes that can be passed down to our kids and grandkids.  This movie is that truly amazing.  If you have not watched this movie, please go out and rent it. If you have watched it, please let me know what you thought about it.

Updates?

I know its been awhile since I have updated on this site. Truth is, I have spent most of my time on my fitness blog. I will continue to write here as I find the time. Thanks for checking in!

Merry Christmas!!!

I will be out and about this holiday season with limited access to the internet. If I do get access and, more importantly, time, I will try and post some new content. Until then, enjoy your holiday season.

What I am thankful for.

2009

I am sitting at my desk, listening to Christmas music on the Ipod and thinking about the past year. I have so much to be thankful this year.

I want to start by thanking two people that contributed greatly to my great year.  The first “person” never gave up on me even when times were tough. I know, now, that he was always there; sometimes beside me, sometimes carrying me, sometimes clearing the way for what lies ahead. He was always there and when I was ready, he accepted me back. He then gave me a great gift. He introduced me to someone that truly changed my life. She is my best friend and soon to be my wife.  I knew from the moment that I saw her that her and I were destined to be together forever. She is such an amazing person and I am so thankful to have her in my life. With her by my side, I feel like I can do anything.

I am thankful for my two daughters.  They are beautiful in so many different ways and each day with them is a blessing. I love being a father and cant imagine my life without my children.

I am thankful for my new family. They have taken me in like we have known each other for years.  I look up to and respect them all and can see where my fiancee gets her strong family values from.

I am thankful that distance has not taken away from my relationship with my family. Although we don’t get to talk as much as I would like, we have always managed to stay close throughout the years.

I am thankful that I still have a roof over my head and food on the table. In hard economic times like these, its easy to get yourself down amongst all the tragic news. I am grateful that I am still able to provide for my family. It may not be like I had envisioned, but we have never gone without… and we never will.

Thank you to everyone for helping to make 2008 a year that I will always remember. Now bring on 2009!

New Years Resolution…Now!

No one said you have to wait until January 1st to get into shape. Start now and beat the rush of people.  Plus you will have the added benifit of looking great “before” the holidays are here.  Need some help?  Check out startbeingfit.com for any and all advice you need.

Crime in Kansas City

I am so tired of the amount of crime happening in Kansas City.  So far this morning I have read about a house that was started on fire, and engaged couple that was shot (the man died of his injuries), and an ATM machine that was stolen.  Afterwards I was thinking to myself that it was actually kind of a slow night for criminals.  I am tired of it and as a father of 2 kids, I fear for their safety daily.

Weird Elevator Experience

I just had an experience in the elevator that I am still unable to explain. Let me start out by saying that the building in which I work is very old and the elevators have been known to stop between floors before. This, however, was completely different. I entered the building from the 3^rd floor as I always do (our office sits on a hill so the north end is at a higher elevation). I proceeded to wait for the elevator with 6 other guys. We all walked into the elevator when the doors opened but there was only one of us going to the 4^th floor; me. The rest were going to the 5^th floor. The guy in front hit the buttons and the elevator paused, groaned and then went up one floor; one floor! The doors opened, the other guys in the elevator parted and I walked out. The first thing I did was to walk into the kitchen to get my lunch. I noticed right away that things didn’t look right. There was a new pop machine, the table had been moved away from the window and the coffee machine had been slid down. I didn’t think too much of it and proceeded to grab my lunch out of the fridge….it wasn’t there. That is when I figured it out. I walked over to the window and noticed that I was up way to high. I walked back to the elevator and pushed the button. I waited until the doors finally opened up. There was no one in there. What happened to the 6 guys that I had just left? It was only about 30 seconds between me getting out and coming back and waiting. The only explanation is that the elevator skipped the 4^th floor and went right to the 5^th. It then opened up, I got out, the other guys pushed the 5^th floor button and the doors opened up again. If that is the case, that was the fasted that elevator has ever gone up two floors. And why where there no beeps when it passed the 4^th floor? This is twilight zone material!

Happy Halloween!

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween. Please be safe and check all candy before it is given to kids. Better yet, maybe trade that candy for something healthy or do what I am going to do and trade it for a cartoon. Kids do not need all that candy anyway. It should be about getting dressed up and having fun. Have a safe one!