Category: Family (Page 10 of 13)

Blast From The Past :: Dog Bites

07/19/2007 / Blake

If you’ve read my blog for a couple of years (back when it had a different name) you might remember these pictures from when my grandmother’s dog bit my oldest daughter.

The first one was the next day after, and the 2nd one was a few days later…there are still a few scars if you really look for them.

Well, it seems that history repeats itself in certain ways. Last night Kid #2 got bit. And this was a good one too. But we were actually there to see this one go down and all.

Anyway, we called the clinic and they said that unless it was gapping or pulled apart, that it probably didn’t need any stitches. So we waited. Last night it looked “not good” but not really that bad. But this morning it looked bad. I took her to the doctor and they said they eye is fine, no stitches were needed. But that it might be a little infected.

Expect swelling and bruising too. But Ella is a trooper. She got bit, and after the initial drama was over, she was ready to go get a hotdog. And today she’s not complained at all about it. So now we play the waiting game to where it turns all bruised looking and The Wife and I get curious glances in the grocery store.

A whole lot of stuff

07/10/2007 / Blake

Well, sad to say that I’ve been under cover lately, it seems. I’ve had TONS of stuff in my head. I’ve been reading, listening, praying, being quite, and all kinds of stuff. And through all that I think my head has been really crammed with stuff, but also quite clear too…if that makes any sense.

But since we last caught up, I’ve had a busy life:

Went to Camp Lake Stephens for Camp Rainbow just outside of Oxford. CLS is such a part of my own history and faith journey. God matured me in a lot of ways there, and even introduced me to my future wife there. The Wife and I were able to take a few high school students over to volunteer for the week. I think everyone should volunteer for Camp Rainbow at CLS at some point in their life (I did it for seven and want to go back sometime!)
Got to attend The Orchard Oxford while in town. A good friend, Pat Ward (I mentioned him here once before), is the pastor of this church plant. It’s being planted by The Orchard in Tupelo. The Wife and I have a good history with the church and its people. The pastor of the Tupelo church even married us.
Got to see many friends, some planned, some unexpected while there. Always good times.
My dad took our girls for the week! He lives about 30 minutes from CLS. So we had no kids for a week.
Therefore our Fourth of July consisted of sleeping late, playing tennis, then watching it rain the rest of the day and night.
Went back to get the girls and visit with family in town from Virginia. I saw cousins I’d not seen since nine years ago. That was pretty crazy, but really good. Everyone is grown and married now. I got their emails. Now I gotta make sure to keep up contacts with them.
Brought the girls home, then realized my dad has strep throat. And now Addie does too. Fun times!
It is so nice to get a few days break w/o the girls. But it’s so great to have them back.

So…did you miss me?

[tags]Camp Lake Stephens, Camp Rainbow, The Orchard[/tags]

Time for a new camera…

05/26/2007 / Blake

When I was really young, my dad went to work in South Dakota for a year. So he bought a camera while he was away to take pictures of all the pretty landscapes up there (ha ha!) But when he came back I wore that big Canon SLR around my neck as if it were my favorite necklace. I took lots of photos. And wasn’t it great that you had to buy film and pay to have it developed back then?

Later on in middle school he got me a little Canon point and shoot. I used it a lot. Wore it out. But when I was in high school I decided I wanted to step up w/ the big boys. So the summer after my sophomore year in high school I mowed yards and pulled weeds for a lawn care service. I saved most all of my money and bought myself a camera just as school started. Had to use my grandmother’s credit card for it and everything!

I started taking pictures for the school yearbook and the local newspaper. I did almost all of my schools sporting events. And I loved doing it. Even got to learn darkroom techniques. I became known as the “Picture Man.” I’d take photos on Friday nights at football games, then develop them first part of the week. And then I’d bring them to school and watch people ohh and ahh over them. Made me feel good. I knew that was my creation from start to finish.

But life moved on. I used it a little more while working in Amory. But everything w/ newspapers was moving Digital and I didn’t have that. But now I want back in the game!

We just bought Continue reading

Pizza, puke, and Prison Break

05/01/2007 / Blake

::Three down and hopefully none to go::

Saturday night the Fam went to eat at Mazzio’s Pizza. It’s a pretty good place to eat and you can get some food w/o feeling gouged when you leave. We ordered and took our number and cups to the table. I got everyone’s drink and went back to the table. So then The Wife went to make her salad. I got a text message and while I was looking at my phone I started getting wet. But where was there any water coming from?

It was just to my left as Addie was vomiting all across our table. She’d not complained or said she felt bad or anything. But it all came out in a few waves. But even between waves she said she felt okay.

So after cleaning her off, get a new shirt from the car, clean off the mini lake on the table, and all wash up, our food gets there. Addie says she’s feeling fine. But we only let her nibble at a piece. But afterwards she’s wanting to go play video games and such. All good, right? Right?

After a bath and pajamas on, she comes in the kitchen to Continue reading

Wiped Out!

04/25/2007 / Blake

Last Friday night The Wife and I met my dad in Starkville. We at supper with him at The Wife’s favorite restaurant, and then he took our girls with him back to his house. Yup, they were staying with the grandparents for a while!

So what did we do? Well, we immediately went to a Mississippi State baseball game (the Dogs won!) and enjoyed Dudy Noble Field with friends we met up with from Florida. Then we went home and did pretty much whatever we wanted. There was a lot of freedom there. It relaxed our schedules and let us meet out for lunch. We got some stuff done around the house, and I even watched too much of 24 – Season 3 on Saturday.

But even though we enjoyed some time just for us (heck yes we did!) we missed them. And they’re back now. And after the initial rush of hugs and showing us new stuff they have and all that, they crashed. I laid Ella down and she went right to sleep. Addie went to read some books on the couch to have some “rest time” and now she’s snoozing. They are wiped out.

But they’re home.

Last soccer game

04/19/2007 / Blake

Tonight is the last soccer game of the season for Addie. This spring season was close to the same as the fall season: Addie started a touch timid and reserved, but then gathered steam and confidence at the same time.

It’s nice to see her really enjoy something. Is she good? She’s okay, maybe a little better than average. But not a superstar. But she gets pumped about it all day long. But I’m not sure if she’s as excited about the actual game tonight, or the end of the year party afterwards.

The Pact is back

04/16/2007 / Blake

For three summers of my life I worked at Camp Lake Stephens. In many, many ways it shaped a large part of my life. I think it was there that I was stretched and grew in my faith. CLS was where I began to take up more and more roles in leadership and ministry. It was at CLS that I made some really good friends that I still cherish today. And it was there that I met my wife … or the girl who would become my wife.

In the course of your average day as a camp counselor, we would have store time (usually after swim time.) And almost every day I would eat two Whatchamacallit candy bars. They were like eating two bars of heaven every afternoon. They were SO GOOD!

One day, a girl (who would later become my wife) said I couldn’t go a day w/o eating one. I told her (with a voice of male confidence) that I could go the WHOLE WEEK without eating one. I said I’d do it if she didn’t eat any desserts either. So the pact was born.

We couldn’t eat anything considered dessert or sweets during the week (the weekend was fair game.) And it ended up stretching through the summer and into the school year. And I think I was healthier because of that.

So the pact is back. No sweets/desserts at all except for on the weekends. We’ll see how this goes. Sad to say that last weekend we were in Target and bought a bag full of Easter candy at 75% off. So now I have some chocolate eggs calling my name.

“God Loves A Cheerful Giver”

03/28/2007 / Blake

Sunday afternoon I was working with something on the computer. My five year old was putting away somethings and happened to drop a whole lot of cards everywhere on the floor. Made a little mess, but not one that was troublesome. But she asked me, “Dad, can you give me some help?”

I replied that I couldn’t at the moment, but that she could pick those up pretty easily w/o my help.

In a curt voice she said, “God loves a cheerful giver!”. When questioned on what she meant, she said, “The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver, so you should give me a hand here!”

I smiled…and I helped her.

Yup, it’s the Flu…

03/02/2007 / Blake

So our girls go to the doctor yesterday. One had been running a fever and aquired a stuffy nose. The other all of a sudden seemed sick yesterday (after sucking on her sister’s toothbrush the night before). So we made a doctor’s appointment.

Verdict: FLU.

Good times, huh?

Hanging w/ the girls.

02/23/2007 / Blake

This morning The Wife went to visit her dad in the hospital. It’s three hours away. So I’m here with the kiddos chillin. Nothing been going on today so far. We had breakfast. Played outside. They rode bikes and trikes. Played a little soccer. And had a big lunch of PB&J.

Ella is napping right now and I think Addie and I are about to play some board games. But we gotta fill the afternoon up with some good times. Not sure what that will be yet, but it will be fun to hang w/ the girls. Maybe go to the park or get some ice cream or go to a special restaurant. (Remember, special for a 5 and 2 year old can be just about anything)