Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Time to catch up!

Wow! I have to say that my simple life has gotten busy. It has been a long time since I have blogged. I have to say it is time for some changes. I will be adding new pictures and some great stories of the past years events.

Stay tuned!
mmm

Monday, August 24, 2009

Friday, May 22, 2009

Not that it is anything big...but, WE ARE PREGNANT!




As I got off the plane in Colorado Springs, I turned on my phone to several voice and text messages. I called my wife as always to let her know I had landed. The moment she answered, I was informed that she had a positive pregnancy test. Not one, but two positive pregnancy tests. Then she told me to call her when I reached the hotel and hung up.
I got to the hotel, checked in, got to my room, and called her back. She told me to check my email, then to call her back. I did. As I opened my email, there it was. A beautiful, sort of blurry, photograph of her positive pee stick. As she repeated "did you see it, did you see it". I saw it.
During the next few days, she took a total of 6 tests, just to make sure. Finally, I told her to stop buying the tests until the following Monday when she could go to the doctor. She went to the doctor, and guess what. The family-o-miles is having a baby!
Problem #1. I was in Colorado for an entire month, and we didn't want to tell my family until I could do it in person. So she had to hide it from my mother (who she sees pretty much daily) for an entire month. Which if you know my wife at all, you know how long that month was. I told everyone at work, because they know no one back home. And of course, I told Jason.
After finally returning home. We went to mom and dad's to hang out and eat. We only took one dog, Nina, and she just happened to be wearing a shirt that said "Marine baby on the way". My dog wandered through out the living room and no one really noticed except for my dad's best friend Albert. After dropping several hints, and my mother wondering why we only brought one dog, we had to say it. "Mom, just read the shirt." She looked at the shirt, looked at us, and said, "I don't get it. Your not are you." We stood quietly, smiling. After a brief moment, a grin came across her face. Cleve and Deb officially knew. We are having a baby!
Since then we have had severally doctors appointments, ultrasounds, heartbeats, etc. "and if the Lord be willin' and the creek don't rise" we will be parents on January 3rd.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

The day the Airport stood still...



As of right row it has been 24 hours since I stepped foot into Luthansa International in Frankfurt Germany. That's right, I said it.

First an 8 hour flight to JFK in New York, then the fun began. My original 4:40pm flight got pushed back to 6:45pm. We boarded the "people mover" bus to the plane. Made it about 20 yards before it killed over. Maybe that was a sign.

After about 45 minutes on the bus, they brought another. We made it on the plan about 7:15pm. All on board, doors closed, the taxi hooks up to the front of the plane, then "clunk". The tow bar from the taxi broke the towing mechanism on the nose of the plane. It is now 7:40pm. Everyone on the plane is coming from international flights, including the 20 or more eleven-teen year old's headed home from a school trip. Great. The tensions begin to rise.

The pilot announces that a mechanic is on his way to decide if it can be fixed or if we'll be switching to another plane. 40 minutes go by, the pilot announces that it can be fixed, but, we will have to be moved to a different area to fix it. 20 minutes go by, then we move. It is now 8:40pm.

After arriving at the area where we shall be fixed, the pilot comes on the air to explain that it should take 30 minutes to fix the problem. 20 kids complain at once. I sit quietly gritting my teeth and trying to sink into my "cave". 45 minutes go by before we are told that the mechanic is half way done. Another 45 minutes go by before the staff starts passing out peanuts and water. Not a good sign. It is now 10:15pm.

The engines start, the taxi hooks back up, we head towards the runway. My connecting flight in Atlanta is now boarding. If all goes at best, I will arrive in Atlanta in 2 hours. Maybe their will be a way I can get home to my wife today.

It is now 1:00am, I step off of the plane in Atlanta only to find that there are two workers from Delta to accommodate 100 or more people who have missed their connections. I grit my teeth, I stay in my "cave". I am like water.

It is 2:00am, my wife who is up way too late is working on getting me a flight out in the morning. People are angry. People are delirious. People are acting like children and making a seen. I am quiet.

It is 2:45am, I hold a boarding pass for a flight that leaves at 8:45am. I am content, but, far from being in a good mood. Now at 4:00am. None of the shops are open. No hustle and bustle, the damn escalator isn't even turned on. I sit in a terminal watching the sleepy faces. Most of them are in the same boat as mine. Most of them lost dignity yelling at workers and random people who have had nothing to do with our problem. Do they feel satisfied? Do they feel as if they conquered the airline? Just curious. I feel tired, but content. These people who have been with me for the past 24 hours now fear me. Not because of my looks, just my calm. In my head I have been going nuts, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing that. I have dreamed among the bombs. They can now see it. What is an airport or uncertainty to make me quiver? Calm. Always play a cool face. All things must pass. In a few hours I will be on a plane. In a few hours I will be in her arms. In a few hours she will make it all OK. It has been almost 2 months, what is a few more hours.

Friday, March 6, 2009

The road I must travel.

I am now in Rudesheim am Rein, West Germany. We are all staying in a hotel right on the Rhine river. Quaint little town at the moment, but, from the look of all the closed tourist shops, this place gets pretty hopping in the better seasons.

This morning, I woke up at 5a.m. even though I didn't have to. I drove our Audi rental car about 100 miles west to a little town called Prum. Although I cannot go home for another 8 days, my journey is now complete. We started in Wieden, (pronounced Vieden), moved to Rudesheim, tomorrow we move to Mannheim. Then I get to go home. The euro-trip is done.

Of my goals on this trip, I have accomplished only one. I didn't get to go see my buddy in Berlin. I didn't lose as much weight as I would have liked(damn you pilsner!)...
But, Prum, the little town of Prum, in the far east side of the Ardennes forest, oh yes. I did go there. I stood on the front lines of the Axis powers. I stood where a massive Nazi killing machine was preparing their advance. I saw the future, and the past. A clash of titans with one million casualties. I stood the grounds of A.H. Miles. I threw my only silver dollar on the pine needle and snow covered ground. There was no Guard on the Rhine today. Thanks to good men, the Ardennes was quiet.

My month and a half German journey is complete. Baby, the Midnight Rider is ready to come home. And, by the way, I need another silver dollar.