Family Fun

Two fun projects to share with you tonight (or very early morning, as the case seems to be):

First, we took the kids to see the new VeggieTales movie: The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. We all enjoyed it and I used my little camera to capture the first impressions upon leaving the movies. I enjoyed Eleanor's reaction the most. You'll laugh again after you see the movie for yourself, but to explain: it is her impression of the monster cheese puffs from the movie.


..

Next, after I put together the little video review, I was waiting for it to render and upload and I read a post on "Light Graffiti", or using long shutter times and flashlights to "paint" with light. So, I pulled out the tripod and gave it a go:

My first attempt at writing my name wasn't very good.
My second attempt used a flash to capture the image and then left the shutter open... but not long enough for me to finish spelling.I got the word spelled, but backwards and a really weird "half-way standing" pose.


Finally! Success. Could I do it again?
Indeed. Now, with some practice, maybe I could do something really impressive.
At this point, MH woke up (it was about 1am) and wanted to know what I was doing. So I showed her.
I was trying to draw a smiley face. It is harder than it looks...

MH wanted to try and did a great "kitty cat" for her first attempt.
My last picture before I sent MH back to bed. I had her spotlight me as I moved around. Pretty cool. I'll have to play some more with it.

-jeff

Redneck Pirate

I see lots of funny pictures on the web and sometimes wonder, where do people *find* this stuff? I mean, c'mon... you don't find cute kittens with limes cut up into a helmet shape in nature... it was staged. Cute, but staged. Budding graphic artists with 1337 skilz in pirated copies of Photoshop are nothing if not creative and prolific. But occasionally, you stumble across something in real life that reminds you that *they*are out there... people who actually keep 100 ceramic deer in their front yard. People who have their electric hibachis floating on makeshift rafts of buoyant flotsam in the midst of their 5 ft. above ground pools while they grill hamburgers. And you laugh at them and you marvel that they can function in everyday life. Such was my delight when I drove past this trailer house: 3 parts redneck and 1 part pirate.

Enjoy life, and don't let any stupid elitist blogger tell you what colors you can fly.

Found! Lost and other TV shows available online

Less than a year ago, I could honestly say that I didn't watch much TV. I was simply too busy and my interest in all things TV was pretty low compared to my interest in MMORPGs, photography and other hobbies. That all changed the day I discovered that most of the major networks have started making prime-time offerings available for free online.

It started with Ugly Betty and when I had exhausted the previous episodes, I started trying out shows that I never got to see because I didn't have time to watch them at 7pm on Monday or 8pm CST Thursday. Heroes got me hooked next. I am a Heroes-ophile (as all of you who have added the My Heroes Ability on Facebook know...). Then came Bionic Woman, Life, Rules of Engagement, Big Shots, and even though I was kind of burnt out on it... Grey's Anatomy.

Recently, as I was sadly (I say "sadly" because there were no new episodes and the writer's strike seems to bode no good for the near future) trolling the Major Networks for episodes of shows I liked, but hadn't seen, I noticed that ABC was trying to drum up interest in it's hit drama series: Lost by offering up all three previous seasons in High Definition Streaming. I never watched it because it always came on when I was at church or otherwise committed. So I decided to give it a try. Wow! What fun! I love the storytelling, the blend of characters and issues... the tension between science and faith! I'm midway through season two right now and I'm loving it. The only real drawback for me is that I can't multi-task while watching Lost. You really have to watch it for clues and visuals because each episode builds on previous ones. Unlike Chuck (which I also love) or My Name is Earl, which have running themes and an overall timeline, but can be watched as individual stories, shows like Lost and Life need addicted audiences who compile Wikis and fan-sites full of trivia and background info.

Anyhow, I didn't have a full 50 minute to watch another episode of Lost, so I decided to ramble on the blog, but now it is time to go home and cuddle up with my.... laptop in bed and squeeze in one more show before I fall asleep (Amelia appreciates when I use my headphones).

Leave me a note and tell me which shows you're addicted to and whether you've discovered the joy of online TV viewing. It's almost as good as TiVo (and cheaper!)

-jeff

From our house to yours

Anniversaries

Anniversaries have a funny way of sneaking up on you. I'm not talking about those special times that we try to remember like wedding anniversaries or the anniversary of the first time you tasted chocolate, rather, I'm referring to anniversaries of times that you'd prefer to forget. That is what happened this weekend.

One of the joys of packing so many people into one household is that we have more opportunity to share communicable diseases like the common cold, flu, and other seasonal ailments. Ethan was the latest victim and he spent most of Saturday morning on the couch after throwing up a few times. Poor guy just felt lousy. Amelia and I, veterans of the selfsame bug that seemed to be attacking our son, had plenty of sympathy, but as it was a virus, there was not a lot we could do except treat the symptoms. Ethan has the added complication of being a juvenile diabetic, which means that in addition to being nauseous and having an upset tummy, he also had a liver trying to dump excess sugar into his system and a compromised manner of dealing with that extra sugar. It is hard to say whether his diabetes helped him get sicker or his illness threw his diabetes into a tailspin, but the end result was that we couldn't get his blood sugars under control and he was slipping into DKA. We ended up taking him to the ER and after about 4 hours there, we were admitted so that the Dr.s could closely monitor his blood glucose and give him intravenous fluids which would get rid of his ketones, over time.

Now, to the anniversary part: rewind almost exactly three years ago, Ethan was 18 months old and had been sick for about a week and we'd been to the Dr. several times that week and couldn't understand why he was so bad off. One week before Christmas, Ethan was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when we had a friend, and ER doctor, help us confirm what was going on with Ethan. He was taken by helicopter to the OU Children's Center in OKC and spent a few days in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit while the experts helped him come out of DKA. That was the beginning of our education about Type I Diabetes.

We learned that simple things like colds and flu type illnesses that most people shake off in a few days can rapidly throw a diabetic child into DKA, but this was the first time for it to get this bad. On the one hand, we're very thankful that in three years, this is the first time that Ethan has been hospitalized at all. We've been very diligent about caring for Ethan, and we've been very blessed. At any rate, this weekend has been stressful not only on our little guy, but also on our family. Amelia's grandfather is in hospice and will soon pass into his reward. A bittersweet time for any family. Her parents have been occupied trying to be there for comfort of family and to organize the efforts of the family as they gather during these final days. It is the end of the school semester for me and I've been finishing up papers and projects. Eleanor has been potty training (with limited success).... there has just been a lot going on before throwing this hospital stay in the mix.... it should be no surprise that I've been a bit emotional this weekend.

Intellectually, I know that everything is going to be alright, both with Ethan's health and our life stress, but emotionally, the last time this type of event occurred, our lives were thrown into turmoil and all I can seem to do is fret and worry. However, I do want to throw in here, God is still good and has abundantly blessed us. Just like last time, people have bent over backwards to help us and completely take care of my family. God has placed us, surrounded us, blessed us with a rich pool of family and friend from which to draw strength and comfort. The church family at Minter Lane, in general, was a great comfort to us with their care and concern. The Teel family, specifically, has somehow formed some close bonds with us and (not for the first or last time) has stepped forward to exhibit the tangible love of Christ to us with their concern and hospitality. The Matt & Heather Dodd family have repeatedly been there for us when we needed them and this weekend was no exception. Martha Tucker, Patsy, my Mom and Dad, Amelia's co-workers, the Myricks.... people from our circle of friends and family... I'm just overwhelmed at God's provision. My role as a chaplain at Hendrick was reversed a bit as I experienced the flip side of the work at the hospital. Instead of being a comforter, the staff showed to me personally what I see them provide to Abilenians every week.

Maybe I don't really want to forget these anniversaries after all. When I can put on the glasses that God gives me to see his presence in my life, these crises don't seem all that bad. God is good. I am blessed. Come Lord, Jesus, heal my son. Increase my faith and help me trust you more. Oh, and thank you for my friends and family.

I won't forget these important anniversaries, but I wish they wouldn't sneak up on me...


-jde

Thanksgiving day... it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well, I've finally sat myself down to blog and I realized that I have too much stuff to blog about.... so I've decided to tell you about one thing at a time. Right now, it is Thanksgiving

LIDGTTFTATIM
That string of letters hung in the Putt-Putt Golf & Games redemption area when I worked there as a teenager. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what it meant and finally found out from one of the other employees: Lord, I do give Thee thanks for the abundance that is mine.

I haven't forgotten it because it is a creative and poignant way to be reminded to be thankful. This day is no different. I'm thankful for many things: pecan pie, central heat & air, double-ply toilet paper, just to name a few. Of course, it is fashionable to be thankful for family and forgiveness and our jobs and homes, but I really think that thankfulness should run deeper and more extensively than those things. When was the last time you stopped and really appreciated, I mean *really* appreciated shoelaces (or Velcro, for that matter)? Or synthetic fiber? Or ice from Sonic? Or sphygmomanometers?

Many of us have stories about our children learning to pray where they thank God not only for the food and their families, but then start looking around and thanking God for everything they can see. We think it is cute and after the 50th item (thank you for the table, and thank you for my milk, and thank you for my spoon, and thank you .... THAT'S enough, baby... say "amen".), we put a gentle stop to it and smile and eat our food. But what is a game to the kid should be something more serious to us. Let's cultivate an attitude of gratitude and be sure to give thanks and honor where they are eternally due.

Lord, give us eyes to see the abundance in our lives. Give us tongues to thank you for your bountiful grace and daily mercies. Give us hands and feet that share our __________ with others so they can come to appreciate your love. Give us hearts to receive and share your Son with all those you put in our sphere of influence. Give us the courage and faith to give YOU our all in return. All I have, all I am, all I hope to be, I give to you, God. I pray it is acceptable in your sight. amen.

One other thing I have to be thankful about is the visible change in season here in Abilene on this fine thanksgiving day. Take a look at these pictures documenting the progression of seasonal change as recorded by my camera from the warmth of my home :)



1) The turkeys are fried and carried into the kitchen






2) MH notices tiny flakes are falling. I tell her not to get excited, that it won't amount to much and even if it does, it probably won't stick.








3) The snowflakes get thicker and starts to stick on the ground.







4) The kids beg to go back outside after lunch and play in the snow.









5) Some people, like Adrian and Kirra, had the good sense to watch the snow fall from the comfort of the bay window.










6) Others wanted to go outside and pose for pictures.

7) These three hams stayed outside so long that when they came inside....












8) They were soooo cold... Ethan's hands hurt as they warmed up.

9) A snowman was made and good times were had by all. Be thankful, be thankful.


-jeff

Of Teddy Bears and clothing

Ethan was supposed to be napping this afternoon when he surprised me by quietly sneaking up on me while I was studying.

E: Daddy?
Me: Oh! Ethan. What are you doing out of bed, big guy?
E: I want Camouflage Bear.
Me: Who?
E: That bear, right there. (points to a shelf where some stuffed animals reside)
Me: Why do you need that bear right now?
E: I don't need the bear. I just need his shirt.
Me: His shirt?
E: (solemnly nodding) yeah...
Me: (smirking) Why do you need the shirt?
E: Daddy.... (in a grown up, know it all voice) Bears don't wear clothes.
Me: (laughing) Ok, so what will you do with his shirt?
E: Put it on my dinosaur.
Me: (uncontrollable laughter) Oh, so bears don't wear clothes but dinosaurs do?
E: Only *this* dinosaur.


Lord, I do give thee thanks for the abundance that is mine. And thank you for doll-sized camouflaged shirts.

-jeff