Facebook & Hyundai

OK. I gave up a while ago and opened a "Facebook" account. I'm not real proud about it and I encourage everyone visiting my page to look for more updates and random banter here at the capital of family updates and my random banter, Mediocre, Alaska. Still, even though I minimize my activity there, I still feel like I've sold out a little bit. At least I haven't bought an iPod yet.

In other news, I'm really discouraged by a recent Hyundai commercial:

"don't like your nose, get another one. Don't like your job, get another one. Don't like your wife, get another one." Then they go on to say that at least with a Hyundai there is commitment (something about a great warranty). Anyway, it's sad that they lump the marriage covenant among much more trivial choices like a job or cosmetic surgery. Kind of disgusting, actually.

In reality, the marriage covenant is actually the first opportunity we have to experience just a fraction of what the relationship between God and man was supposed to be. Nothing to take lightly, in my opinion.

God bless ya'll and thanks for the awesome words of encouragement regarding our newest addition.

Banner Week!

There is no doubt that the last week has been a banner week for Mediocre, Alaska. Perhaps it's the widespread announcement of Hannah's birth? Hmm? Regardless, we are glad you are visiting! I stayed up almost all night Tuesday night working on a 3-page paper on China and for quite a while Wednesday night building a practice exam for my flight mates at SOS. So, as much as I would like to blog some more right now, the stench in the air from the local pulp mill and my heavy eyelids tell me it's time to go to bed!

But, since you are awake, and you're visiting, please look around and check out my thoughts on some select states or other seeemingly meaningless things. The rest of the site is in desperate need of an upgrade to the 21st century blogging used on this title page, but the messages should still be clear. So, don't mind the mess and thanks for stopping by! God bless!

Hannah's Friends

We had so many wonderful visitors at the hospital during the 48-hours required for newborns. Here are a few of the folks who stopped by to drop off gifts and their congratulations - you all rock!

This was the largest group to visit - my flight from SOS. Yes, we fit them all in our tiny room!

The most unexpected visitor was the snow on the day we left the hospital. All three of our children have now been brought into the world during snowfall - even this Alabama sweetheart!

Ged and Melinda also stopped by and left daddy a very nice gift - a box of cigars!

Ryan takes the prize for travelling the furthest. He was actually in town for a conference, but we've known him and his wife since we were stationed together in Alaska.

My mom and dad drove down the night she was born from Gainesville, GA. They were able to stay a few days and watch Andrew and Elizabeth while Rachel and I stayed with Hannah.

As you may have read in an earlier post, Bonnie was a huge help to us during this busy time. Here she is with her kids, Cole and Nate.

It's a GIRL!

Wow! In case you don’t already know, Rachel is a superhero! After 41 weeks of gestation, we now have our second gorgeous baby girl, Hannah Joy. This is how it went down:

17 Jan 08
1345L: Rachel is at home, the kids are napping, and Mary, a friend from the base was at the house. The discomfort she had felt off and on all day had finally progressed to the point that Rachel realized it was actually the beginning of active labor. I was at Project “X”, a task-based exercise with my team at SOS, checking my phone regularly for any updates.

1445L: Mary left the house after praying with Rachel for a quick labor. Rachel called me with no answer and left a voice mail. Additionally she sent me a text message to call her back soon. I got the message a little after 1500L and called her during a break between two tasks. I asked if she thought it would be at least another 45 minutes before I needed to leave the base and she said she probably thought so. So, I stayed around for the next task.

1531L: “Come home NOW!” was the message on my phone once I completed the second to last task with my team. That was all I needed. I turned to my Flight Commander and my team and told them I needed to go. Of course, everyone’s been tracking this pretty closely and been extremely supportive, so it was little surprise that I ran off to the dorm surrounded by the cheers of my teammates. What an awesome feeling! God is so good, to bring the right people into your life when you need it. The run to the dorm was a little over a mile and I had to slow down twice due to the backpack and boots I was carrying, but 8 minutes later I was in my room packing a bag and calling Rachel for an update. She was definitely in active labor with contractions just minutes apart. Bonnie, a great friend in our neighborhood and the wife of a coworker, was already at the house with her kids to pick up and Andrew and Elizabeth as planned.

1610L: I arrive at the house and Andrew tackles me as I come in the door, “MOMMY’S GOING TO HAVE HER BABY TODAY!!!!” Over and over again; he had never been this excited about anything! It really was amazing. Elizabeth understood too, but she was a little more reserved. Rachel was in the nursery rocking chair breathing through some heavy contractions. I loaded the van and changed out the car seats, preparing to take Rachel to the hospital. Once Bonnie had loaded up the kids and drove away, we hit the road.

1650L: We arrived at the hospital and checked in to the OB Triage unit. There were two other couples in the waiting room watching us check in. Rachel was definitely uncomfortable and breathing through some serious contractions as I signed some paperwork. The other couples were apparently there for scheduled inductions and chatting away as if they were waiting for an oil change! Rachel, however was a little more urgent, so we skipped to the head of the line. In the triage room, the nurse checked Rachel and discovered she was “rim” – an expression that apparently means fully dilated and 100% effaced – basically ready to go! So, they did some coordination, placed an IV, and shortly whisked us away to a small L&D room.

1722L: After we got into L&D, I left briefly to move the van to a parking spot (I had left it at the entrance of the hospital) and get some things for Rachel. Thankfully, I didn’t take my time, as things were about to speed up!

1730L: The doctor finally arrived, as the nurses were getting the bed taken apart and everything in the room ready for delivery. It wasn’t Rachel’s OB through the pregnancy, though it was one of his partners. He ruptured Rachel’s sac and the water finally flowed, relieving her of some pressure. With a few strong contractions Rachel began pushing and I began counting.

1735L: She didn’t push for more than a couple minutes (I think I counted to ten about five times total) before Hannah had been introduced to the world. The doc quickly suctioned fluids from her mouth and nose and cleaned her off. It was truly remarkable to see my amazing bride as she gently forced our third child into the hands of the doctor with no drugs or anesthetics at all. Praise the Lord!

Well, that’s our story and we’re sticking to it. I hope that I covered most of the details you would’ve asked about. At birth she was our lightest child to date, at only 8 lbs, 10 oz. Hannah Joy is 21 in long and has deep blue eyes that will more than likely change to green, like her mommy and big sister. The miracle of life is truly a marvelous thing and Hannah’s birth was no exception. The Lord was by our side every step of the way, encouraging Rachel through friends, family, and His word. The outpouring of calls, text messages, and offerings of assistance have been greater with this pregnancy and birth than ever before. We are truly grateful for the countless loved ones who have followed that desire placed on their heart to be there for us in this time of need. God bless ya’ll as you, too, continue to enjoy in His many creations.

What's it going to be???

So, a recent comment asked when #3 was going to grace us with their presence. As many of you know, Rachel was due yesterday and we have no sign yet of labor. So, on this note, I've added a poll to the top of the blog. Please vote and let me know what you think #3 will be! God bless us all!

The Princess and the Crumb

Last night around 3 am, Rachel woke me up to let me know that Elizabeth was coughing. So, I got out of bed to check on my almost 3-year old. When I got to the room, she was lying quietly on the bottom bunk with her eyes slightly open. I leaned down to check on her and she looked up at me:

"hi daddy."

Very calmly she welcomed me, in these early morning hours, which was no shock - it was her style. I asked what was wrong and she informed me:

"there was a crumb in my ziplock."

Heh. Most folks think of the plastic baggies when they hear this term, however in our family, a "ziplock" is a one-piece outfit for sleeping with attached feet and the zipper that starts at the toe of one foot and progresses all the way up to the neck. So, considering the outfit she was wearing, you can imagine just how uncomfortable a crumb might be! I asked if it was still there and she matter-of-factly responded:

"no, it's gone now."

I was interested as to how the crumb got out, as the ziplock has only three routes of escape for foreign objects, the two cuffs at the end of each sleeve and the collar of the neck. So, I asked if she got it out and she happily let me know:

"no, daddy, it got out by itself."

"Good night, Elizabeth, I love you."

"Good night, daddy, I love you, too."

Man, I hope I never forget seemingly trivial little conversations like this when she's fifteen. She is my princess and always will be! God bless ya'll!

If I don't blog now . . .

I don't think I'll ever get around to it! Still, no new baby. We're all a little anxious for this to happen, though we're trying to leave it to the Lord and think about other things! I certainly have a lot I've been thinking about as I've started an intense 5-week school at the base for USAF Captains - Squadron Officer School.

(disclaimer: For many reasons I discuss my profession specifically, but when I do, it should be understood that my views are not a reflection of the official policy/opinion/views of any governmental agency including the Department of Defense or United States Air Force. They, like everything else on this blog - unless otherwise cited - are of my own belief/observation)

I've noticed something since the class start date. Maybe it's just my flight, but I don't remember when I've been surrounded in an academic/training environment as a student by as many commited, dedicated, and professional individuals. I'm pretty thankful for the other 13 people in my team here. Regardless of how things turn out, I know that I'll take a lot from this course, mostly from the interaction and discussion with my teammates.

That has really been a theme, though, of so many other assignments or duties I've had. Specifically, that the environment created by the people working around me as well as my own personal contribution is directly proportional to how positive the experience was overall.

What are your thoughts, if any?
God bless ya'll! - David

First post, not Rachel

This is Rachel's first blog post. Even though it will say it was written by Rachel, it was actually written by David. I know her posts will be a lot more interesting.

AAARRGH!!! It's the fierce pirate Elizabeth! With a growl and a snear she brings her enemies to their knees, begging for mercy. Well, maybe not, but she is cute, ain't she?

How about this new blogging format - pictures inside the post! I never thought I would be this cool. Not only that, but I'm actually blogging from my back patio, waiting for the coals to heat up. This is all made possible by my Christmas gift - a Dell Inspiron 1520 laptop computer, my first notebook! I'm pretty happy with it so far as it's given me mobility like I've never had before. For ten years I've been chained to a desk and a wall socket; now I am free! I highly recommend it, if you haven't already converted. The real test begins tomorrow when I start a five week class that will keep me away from my family most of the time. This little jewel should help me stay connected via video-chatting, e-mail, internet access and it's vast media potential. I'll let you know how it all works out.

But really, isn't she adorable? God bless, ya'll!

Well, Maybe this is the answer

I'm still searching near and far for a suitable blog hosting service. Maybe this is the answer.

Any Comments?

Well, I hope that you will bear with me through this trying time of disappointing blog hosting. I've tried out two different services and I'm still not happy. Blogsavy seems to be working right now, but who knows what the future will hold.

So, in the interim I ask for your comments. What's on your mind? It's just past ten where I am, do you know where your children are? How about that UGA coach? Anyway, as you can see, I'm a little short on material. So, please enlighten me and send a comment - any comment will do, at least I'll know you're out there. God Bless!

While you were out:

This was posted on 31 Dec 07 when I realized my Blog had been dying.  Since then, I've gotten a new blog host and I hope that it provides a more reliable service for me and you. 

Dear Visitors,

I apologize for the space beneath this message that "cannot be displayed".  This is normally where my semi-frequent blog postings are usually made available, yet my blog hosting service has been down completely for the last few days, with no clues as to why.  I certainly hope this does not last as I have so much to record and share.

In short I can tell you that we had a wonderful Christmas visiting friends and family, exchanging gifts, and sharing in the love that comes from knowing the risen Lord.  This new year will prove to be another busy one for our household as we start out with a rush - I'll be off to school for 5 weeks while baby #3 comes into our life.  That and a new job are all in store for this family.  I hope that next year brings with it all the promises you hope for!

In Him,

David

What I did my Christmas break

An essay, by David:

On my Christmas break, I met friends and family, travelled near and far, worked a little bit around the house, spent lots of money, watched a bunch of movies, but most importantly, I accepted a challenge by a friend and completed it last night.

So, I’m a grown-up LEGO enthusiast. That’s OK, I’m coming to grips with this. In a recent conversation (with the same guy that challenged me to get Mac Powell to sign a penny) this chaplain challenges me to broaden my LEGO horizons beyond monorails and quaint villages into the realms of the unknown, or more appropriately, a time, long ago, in a Galaxy far, far away. Basically, he said that only the coolest kids build LEGO Star Wars models and never wasted time with uncool things like monorails (of which I have an impressive collection). Anyway, I took on the “are you really cool?” challenge and spend three days slowly pieceing together something I am extremely happy with. It is a scale replica of R2-D2, standing 10 inches tall, with working legs and rotating head. Hopefully it is “cool” enough for my friend; feel free to tell me what you think! Happy New Year and God Bless!

What I did my Christmas break

An essay, by David:

On my Christmas break, I met friends and family, travelled near and far, worked a little bit around the house, spent lots of money, watched a bunch of movies, but most importantly, I accepted a challenge by a friend and completed it last night.

So, I'm a grown-up LEGO enthusiast.  That's OK, I'm coming to grips with this.  In a recent conversation (with the same guy that challenged me to get Mac Powell to sign a penny) this chaplain challenges me to broaden my LEGO horizons beyond monorails and quaint villages into the realms of the unknown, or more appropriately, a time, long ago, in a Galaxy far, far away.  Basically, he said that only the coolest kids build LEGO Star Wars models and never wasted time with uncool things like monorails (of which I have an impressive collection).  Anyway, I took on the "are you really cool?" challenge and spend three days slowly pieceing together something I am extremely happy with.  It is a scale replica of R2-D2, standing 10 inches tall, with working legs and rotating head.  Hopefully it is "cool" enough for my friend; feel free to tell me what you think!  Happy New Year and God Bless!