Back to School (Again)

Back to school time has a different meaning for me now. Not only are the kids heading back, but I am starting classes again.
I have completed my EMT-Basic classes over the summer and have passed my National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians(NREMT) EMT-B Exam. I am waiting for my State of Michigan License to come through so I can get a job as a Basic EMT. Here in Kalamazoo County the ambulance services hire a few EMT-B's, but all of the trucks in Kalamazoo, Portage and the immediate surrounding areas usually require a EMT-Paramedic to be on board. That is why I am starting my Paramedic classes on Tuesday. Of course the pay is better too. The EMT-P classes start Tues and go thru next fall. Then I will have to pass a NREMT EMT-P computer based exam and then a EMT-P practical skills exam.
Nate, Madi and Cort all started classes last week. Madi and Nate started classes at a new school. Kalamazoo Christian East Elementary closed last year due to declining enrollment. The district was forced to consolidate all the elementary students into one building. Since the West Elementary campus is much newer and had the most students they decided to put all of the students at that campus. They are adjusting well.
Cort is starting her Junior year at KCHS. She is probably the least thrilled of all to start school again. This year will be pivotal for her. Schools look at this years GPA to determine admissions and scholarships. They cannot wait for Sr year classes to end to finalize those decisions.
Niki is starting K at a new school also. We chose to send him to a new school because the teacher was recommended to us. Hopefully the new school, full days and a new teacher will be a painless adjustment for him.

Spring has sprung!

Just a few family items worthy of updating:

• Robin had her knee surgery last week. Praise God thinks went well. She is slowly recovering. Patience is not one of her gifts so that might be tough on her.
• I am getting a chance to bike more often since the weather has broken. I purchased a used Schwinn Crisscross. It is a much lighter bike and I am learning more about biking and have increased my average speed quite a bit. 2mph may not seem like much, but over 45min that really adds up. I want to work up to 17mph avg by June. I am also getting the bug for a real road bike next summer.
• School starts in a few weeks for me. It will be kinda weird getting back into that, but I am looking forward to attending.
• Cort is working a lot. She is getting ready to take her driving test. She also has a busy summer planned.
• Nate, Madi, and Niki are all doing very well in school. Niki is beginning to potty rain more and more.
  

Keeping up hope.

Due to the recent downturn in the auto industry, I was laid off last week. My wife's company is merging with another bank and causing some very nervous times in her department. My mother in law also pasted away just before Christmas.

I light of all these recent setbacks and sad times one could say that things look bleak and hope is hard to find. I teach Sunday School at our church and we are going through the Heidelberg Catechism as part of our curriculum. I was struck today by the question that we went over today.
Question #26: What do you believe when you say: I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?

A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth and all that is in them, and who still upholds and governs them by His eternal counsel and providence, is, for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father. In Him I trust so completely as to have no doubt that He will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul, and will also turn to my good whatever adversity He sends me in this life of sorrow. He is able to do so as almighty God, and willing also as a faithful Father.
That line that says I trust in God so completely is so very true. I must trust in God that he will turn to my good whatever is sent my way. Funny how God shows you the way at the most unexpected times.

Back Home!

I am back from my work trip to the F&I Conference in Las Vegas. I was really not sure what to expect. I am not a gambler, not a drinker and I like to get up early and go to bed early. Three things that do not work well with Vegas. I guess I had fun. Came back with down $80. Not bad overall. I was astounded with the scale of the hotels. Here are some pics. Not very good quality with the BB.

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I missed my kids and wife dearly also. Madi must have grown an inch. Nate surprised me on Saturday with his football play. Cort is doing awesome with VB and school. Niki was so happy to see me. I don't think he let go of me all weekend.

Niki is doing so well with his speech too. He stunned me yesterday when he approached me placed his elbows on the table and his head in his hands and said, "Daddy? You wanna play ball?" How could I say no! We played a little then we went to Lowe's to get the last of the wood I needed to finish off the porch.

Rebuilding the front porch.

My father came over and was able to help me finish with the demo and get the main part of the front porch done. I still have to purchase one thing(lattice), but we were able to finish the entire project for $456. That includes demo and replacing the front plate on the house which had rotted.

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UPDATE: Sunday September 21, 2008.

Well it is done. I have some minor brackets to put on and I also need to add some weather proofing. I look at some of the work with a very critical eye and I notice some lines are off and some of the railings are leaning. Not sure what I could do about that. Overall it looks good.

Very rewarding project, but very taxing also.

1st Day of School 2008

The kids were really excited to go to school today.

Nick starts next Tuesday. I will post some pics for when he starts.

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http://picasaweb.google.com/wsm233/1stDayOfSchool2008

Portage Bicentennial Park visit.

The younger kids, Robin and I had fun. Here are some pics from the playground. If you look closely on the last pics there is a humming bird.

Canoing.

My family and I got a chance to go canoing today. What an adventure. It didn't quite turn out as we expected. In the end we all had fun though.

My wife suggested we try canoing at the local park. It looked fun and we actually had a day when all of my family was together. To start the day we got some much needed rain. We were kinda worried that we would not be able to go because of the rain. The rain cleared up just after church and I checked the NWS and told my wife that we would not get wet. Big mistake.

We arrived at the livery and rented two canoes. My wife, 14yr old and 4yr old daughters took one canoe and I took the other with my 6yr old and 3yr old sons. Things started out pretty hectic right away. The girls nosed their canoe right into the bank of the creek right away just a few feet downstream. My wife and 14yr old were not communicating very well and they were already getting frustrated. My 3yr old was pretty scared too. He is a special needs child and was really not cool with the boat rolling side to side. He kept close to me the whole trip. My 6yr old was great the whole trip. We had to wait quite a few times in the first 10 min of the trip for the girls so as not to run over them.

We eventually got a little sideways and the girls were getting a little distance ahead of us. We lost sight of their canoe as it rounded on of the curves. I still do not know exactly what happened, but just minutes later we turned around a corner of the creek and all of the girls were standing in the creek crying and screaming. Their canoe had capsized! They were all OK, but it looked like they went in head first. They were drenched from head to toe. I caught up with them and tried to get out and help get the water out of the canoe. I though I had gotten most of the water out of the other canoe so that my wife could get it to the landing by herself. I loaded up all of the kids into my canoe and we headed out. My wife said she would be OK.

The kids and I soon lost sight of the other boat and continued downstream. There were quite a few technical parts of the creek left ahead and was quietly glad I had the kids instead of my wife. We got stuck a couple of times because the river was very low from the lack of rain this year. My 14yr old was quite helpful though. The kids wanted to know if we should wait for mommy and see if she would catch up with us. I told them not to worry and that mommy would be OK. When we finally saw a sign showing the landing was just ahead, we got a call from my wife. She said she could not even use the canoe because it was too full of water. She just dragged it to shore and had a park ranger take her to the other end of the creek to meet us. Every one was safe in the end and we have quite a story to remember about our first family canoe trip. My wife want to try again without the kids this time. We will see. Maybe next year.

I think we accomplished what we wanted to though. Regardless of how crazy a trip it was. We had a family day. I would not have changed a thing.

EDIT: I almost forgot about the main tragedy of the day. My daughters new Kodak Digital camera got fried. I know she should not have brought it. I should have told her not to. Even though she is 14 she still needs her dad to tell her to do or not to do things.

Prayer for our nation.

Just wanted to share a prayer for the nation today.

Lord,

Thank you for all the blessings you have so richly bestowed upon us. Are the most honored and blessed nation on this earth. We enjoy not only the widely available housing, food and clothing you provide for us, but also the diversions that we partake in.

Please help us to remember what is important in life. You have blessed us so that we may provide for our families an those who are not as fortunate as us. Help us to recognize our neighbor who is in need. Whether our neighbor needs money, help with his house or family or simply needs someone to talk to when he is having a bad day, help us to recognize this.

Also help us to stay connected with our own families. So many times we allow others to teach our children what is important in life. Help us to turn our children back to you and let them know that your kingdom is more important than the latest video game, tv show or web site. Also keep our eyes open to those that would filter the world for our children for their own means. Help us to make sure that the teachings about you come from us or the Church, not from the school who claims that God cannot exist anywhere but Sunday in church.

In your Son Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

It seems as though more and more we get what is important in life from a screen, whether that be a computer screen, tv screen, or video game console.

Split family

My family was kinda slip up over the weekend and the last few weeks. Nothing serious. My 14yr old has been traveling with church groups or over to friend's house. Then she traveled to Detroit to visit with her Aunt, Uncle and cousin for a few days. My wife then traveled on Sunday with my 6yr old son to spend the night and pick up my daughter. I was with my 4yr old and 3yr old. I tried to do things with them that they would remember and be special for just the three of us. I got a glimpse of what it would be like to be a single dad. I did not like it at all. It is not the extra work that comes with being a single parent. That I am sure I could eventually handle. It was the fact that I only had 2 out of the 5 other members of my family with me.

I know my wife and I work a lot. I know my kids have activities, school and sports. There are so many distractions too. Internet, TV, video games, etc. There is no substitute for good old fashion family time though. Too often many families try to schedule one on one time, but we get enough time away from our families nowadays. Make time for your family. Especially if you have kids of any age. These are the things they will carry forever onto their children and their grandchildren.

Teen car accidents

We have a a rash of teenagers getting killed in auto accidents recently in West Michigan. Since July 1st there have been at least 12 deaths. Some of the accidents have been drinking related some have not. There was a Jeep Wrangler that rolled over just a few days ago that had 6 teens riding in it, none wearing seat belts. I am not sure what the solution to this is, but I have a few thoughts.

• Where are the parents of these kids. Do they know what their kids are doing or even where they are and with whom?
• When drinking is involved where are these kids getting the alcohol at?
• Do we need to revise MI law again so that teens under 18 cannot have passengers and cannot be out after 10pm without parental supervision?

I feel so sorry for the friends and families of these young people. There is nothing more difficult for a parent than to bury a child. I morn with them and pray for them.

I'm Back!!

Sorry I have been neglecting my blog. Just a lot of things going on with family, work and such.

I will try to keep things updated more.

Let's see...

Saw FF2. Not that impressed. It was OK.

Saw Transformers. Great movie. Very entertaining. Very, very good special effects. Too busy at times though. My 6 yr old son had trouble keeping up with the action sometimes.