two weeks in review

It's been a while since I have written anything on here. Adam told me to write again and I said I would if he made a decision about dinner and my parents coming over here. He did so I am keeping up my end of the bargain. So a lot of things have happened since I wrote last, but it kind of feels redundant to talk about them because Adam already has...but he said I should do it anyway because I am different than he is so I will do it anyway. It seems like a really long time ago but High School winter camp was 2 weeks ago. Camp was really awesome this year, God answered prayer in a big way (He is a big God, right?). We have been praying for a while that God would change lives and save people at this camp, and He did! We had 15 students baptized when we came home on Sunday night. Some of them were saved at camp and some of hem rededicated their lives. It was such a great thing to come home and not be done. It was the first time that we have done a session on Sunday evening with the whole church. I really think it was good for the students and the parents, so everyone was on the same page and conversations could stem from the shared experience. It was a very good weekend, it was fun too. The dumb games and the hoedown. One of my girls had a cold while at camp an she decided that it would be nice thing to share it with me so I got it when we go home. Wow, it seems like a long time ago...moving on...So valentines day was this month. I got some flowers for me from Adam, they were very nice (thanks babe). And he gave me a very nice card and a sucker (thanks to one of his students, it was good too). Valentines day is nice but its really not that big of a deal. Its not like I don't know Adam loves me, he doesn't have o get me extra things on specific day to tell me that. I think that its just a scam from retailers to get people to spend more money. Ok, that was way too much time on that subject. So the family all came into town on Wednesday of last week. Beth, Joe, and Jon stayed with us and Vaughn and Kathy stayed at Irene's. It was a nice weekend with them here. Thursday night was here with Kathy's family, it was fun, always entertaining. Friday was pretty much all day wedding stuff. I took Charles and Allison's wedding that night, and was doing prep and pictures the majority of the day. It wore me out but I was really glad that I was able to do the wedding. I think the pictures turned out well, I hope the newlyweds agree, but if they don't they actually get a chance to retake their wedding pictures in May. Saturday was a fun day at the park. We took a large group photo of everyone while the out of towners were in town. Then we played games and hung out the rest of the evening. Sunday was church and Grandma Van's 100 birthday get together. We were late or both of the above events. We were going to go to HS group on Sunday morning but we didn't make it out of bed in time so we just went for second hour service. And we went home to let Aidan (and me) take a quick nap before Grandma's. We didn't quite make it in time for that either...which was kind of sad because they were going to have Adam do the opening prayer or lead some of the singing. Oh well, not a big deal. Grandma Van's party was really nice. She is pretty amazing, and hat is reflected in all the people that she has touched over her century of being alive. It was really nice to hear the stories that were remembered, and sing together thinking of all the she is going to join soon. It was kind of sad too, I am never too sure why believers cry at things like this but we do. I just pray that the nonbelievers that were there were touched by the love of Christ and the witness of Grandma Van. Monday was the trip of a lifetime to he Grand Canyon. It was the longest trip to the canyon I have ever made. It was cold, there was snow, there were cars and there was lots of parking. I think that's a pretty good summary of the day. I am not really sure how God intended to show His glory through that day but I am sure that he did somehow...I will get back to you on that one. On Tuesday I made a run to the airport and had a few other things hat needed to be done. Tuesday night was when everything caught u to me, I was (still am) sick through all of this. I don't think that all of the running around helped, but that ok, that's what the weekend was all about. So Tuesday night was the first night I didn't have something going on and I was very tired. I am still trying to heal from this cold...wouldn't you think that 2 weeks would be enough to feel better-good grief. And now Aidan is sick too. He made it for so long but then he got the flu. He had a fever and no appetite and threw up...a lot. I don't do so well with puke, it usually makes me puke too, but I made it through without throwing up. Aidan is now doing better but not 100%. He is such a good kid, he has only been kind of whiny and slightly more cuddly since he has been sick. I had a tea party this morning, but no one showed up except for my mom. That's ok I guess, I had some outside orders before the party and hope to get some more tomorrow. I felt kind of bad but Kelsey said she didn't care and got to do everything anyway to help train a new person. i guess that's all to talk about for now...I am going to have to write more often if I don't want this to take so long every time...

forty-two and thirteen

The Suns had a tough team to play. The Timberwolves (25 - 30) were hungry for another victory over the Suns (42 - 13). The Wolves were the team to end the Suns longest franchise winning streak of 17 games earlier this season. The Suns were down by five at the end of the first, but got themselves up by 12 at the end of the half. The Suns and Wolves tied each other in both the third and fourth quarters, ending the game with the Suns' 12 point lead that they had enjoyed at the half. Kurt Thomas looked like him might have injured his back early on, so he only played 13 minutes with only 3 point and 3 fouls to go with it. Nash missed a double double with 9 points but 15 assists. Stat had 23 points and 11 rebounds. Marion had 27 points and 14 rebounds. The Suns won 116 - 104. The next game is against the Hawks (22 - 33) down in Atlanta Sunday at 4pm AZ time.

forty-one and thirteen

The Suns (41 - 13) took on Boston (13 - 40) in Phoenix back on Wednesday. After whomping on the Clippers so bad the night before, it was a little disheartening to see that the Suns struggled to push away from the Celtics, the worst team in the NBA, with just about the opposite record of the Suns. The Suns did pull it out at the end by 10, 118 - 108. Stat had an awesome game with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists. Barbosa had 26 points, while Bell adding his own 20. Nash had a double double with 14 points and 13 assists. Marion also had a double double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Suns take on the Timberwolves (25 - 29) Friday night in Minnesota.

refreshing

As a response to "yearning" I wanted to post this refreshing piece. Though I was saddened by my family's departure, I came to learn that Amy had taken really good care of them. She was the one to take them to the airport. She was the one who went ahead and printed out a couple of pictures for my parents. She was the one who burnt not a dinky CD, but a DVD of the pictures from the weekend's whirlwind of a reunion. She did all the things I had wanted to take care of, and she did it without me even asking for her to. She is incredible. She gave me such a peace about having said goodbye the night before. Yes, I still wish I could have my family where I could show them love through touch, but Amy is here, and Amy is awesome. I love you, beautiful! God is so good to me.

forty and thirteen

"Clear the bench, we're up by 25!" Now, I didn't get to see the game, but I could just imagine this statement being made during the Suns (40 - 13) routing of the Clipper Nation (25 - 29) in LA last night, 115 - 90. Talk about a much needed blowout to show Nash was back. He earned himself a double double with 13 points and 12 assists. Marion brought his own flare with 31 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Stoudemire had 22 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Pat Burke ended up with 7 points and 10 rebounds. Another returning player for the Suns was Kurt Thomas, who played 27 minutes, who earned only 4 points but got 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Everyone on the roster (minus Diaw) played, and all but two of them scored. This was a nice welcome back party for Thomas and Nash. Time to start dominating again, boys! We're still 4 games behind Dallas (44 - 9) at this point, but we can make that up in a flash if they'd simply lose a couple games. The Suns take on the absolutely terrible Celtics (13 - 39) tonight at home in Phoenix starting at 7pm AZ time. I think I'm gunna get with the senior men from the sm@ncc and watch the domination happen. Sounds like fun to me! GO SUNS!

yearning

I am back at work today. This past weekend was incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed my family. Having to be back here at school today makes my heart sink. My parents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew are all leaving today, and I can't be there to take them to the airport, give them one last hug before they leave. I didn't get to print out some pictures for my parents. I didn't get to take a picture of my sister's family. I didn't get to burn some CDs for them of all the pictures we took this weekend. There were so many things to wrap up last night, but we didn't get the chance. My brother-in-law, Joseph, had never seen the Grand Canyon, so we made a day trip with the six adults (one sick and pregnant, Amy, my beautiful bride) and two infants (the cousins, Aidan & JD). It was a wonderful morning. It was only a 3 1/2 hour drive to get there. The sky was cloudy, but there was no bad weather. We got to the Rim, took some pictures in the freezing wind, went to a gift shop or two, and just enjoyed taking our time. My mom, Amy, and the babies went back to the rental van because of how cold it was, but we got some more good pics of Beth and Joe.We got to a stop that was near to Flagstaff and we took a few pictures there, as well. Amy and the babies didn't get out of the van, but the rest of us did. We went back into Flagstaff, ate a great late lunch (maybe a linner? dunch?) at Red Lobster, and headed down the hill at 4pm. We got gas first. There were blizzard conditions just south of Flag on the 17. There were something like 7 different accidents. It took us 4 hours to move 8 miles. The babies didn't enjoy it, but the incredible Van Liew women got them settled and asleep soon enough. Joe and I got out of the car and met a few other guys who were stuck, as well. Doug is an Icee repair man, moving to Colorado Springs soon. Jesse lives in Colorado Springs and was simply headed South. We didn't have a ton of time to talk with them, because we moved a mile down the road and got split up. We threw snow and enjoyed the weather as we could. Munds Park is not bad, I guess, but I normally don't get the opportunity to walk half a mile down the 17 to the Exxon and back again without the vehicle moving down the road even an inch. Okay: 8 miles, 4 hours. I believe that's 2 miles per hour. After we got down the hill further, we finished the remaining 108 miles in an hour and a half. We didn't reach my front door until midnight thirty (for those who don't know Adam-speak, that's 12:30am the next morning). So, all that being said, I was unable to finish the projects that I had for my family. I miss them already. Not only this, but Amy is still sick, needs rest, and she has Aidan to take care of. Just coming to work today makes me feel as if I'm shirking responsibilities all over. I love my family.

five generations

Yes, I was the first to have a great great grandchild for Grandma Van, but Beth has come through now, as well. Last year, probably around April, Amy, Aidan, and I, along with my dad and Grandma Irene, went and took a five generation picture with Aidan's great great grandma, Grandma Van. She was in much better health then, and she was alert and able to smile in the pictures. It was a great blessing to be able to present Aidan to her. Bethany got to get a five generation picture taken today with Grandma Van at her birthday celebration, though she is not very responsive nowadays. Two of the pictures, one of mine and one of Beth's, can be seen below.

grandma van's hundredth

We had a wonderful afternoon spending time with extended Van Liew family at Paul & Naomi's residence in Paradise Valley, Phoenix, AZ. We got together to celebrate Great Great Grandma Mildred Marceta Charles Van Liew's 100th birthday, which is on February 27th. We sang hymns with each other, talked about what Grandma Van had influenced each other with, and took a lot of pictures. A lot of the family was crying, still dealing with the fact that Grandma is dying. I did not cry. I had already said goodbye. I do have to say that I enjoyed seeing the family come together over something of such significance to all of us, though. I love my family. It was incredible to be together and show our affections for Grandma and each other.