Well, it actually happened ... Judea and That Boy are off to Big D. They loaded down a pickup truck and their cars with all the worldly possessions they cared to take with them and cleared out for Cedar Hill, TX ... and left us to clean up the rest!
I don't approve of what they are doing and even less how they are doing it -- partly because we're not sure what they're doing! LOL -- but we still love them and pray for God's guidance and blessing for them.
It's been uncomfortable for me to slowly awaken over the past few years to how imperfect a parent I've been. I knew I was imperfect, I just didn't realize I was that imperfect! I'm so grateful my wife and kids love me nonetheless!
One of the hardest parenting adjustments I've had is realizing that Judea -- our baby -- hasn't been a baby for a long time. I've had to keep reminding myself she's no longer 14 ... 16 ... 18. I guess part of us never wants our youngest to grow up. But you can't stop it. So she's a headstrong 22-year-old living her life on her terms. When they get this age, all you can do is shoot straight with 'em and pray, pray, pray! Good luck, D!
And so, welcome back, Empty Nest. Let's see how long you last this time! We've been here before ... but never this empty: Frank and Judea took the dog and one of the cats with them. Hallelujah!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Chuck Barrett, Wally Hall, and LR TV Razorback Street Cred
Okay, I could write all night ... but I'll keep it short and sweet (just like me).
Hooray for Chuck being named Voice of Razorbacks Football! I think Scott Inman would have done a great job, too, but I don't think anyone can match Chuck's love and passion and loyalty for the Hogs. He'll be super. I hate that he has to leave his radio show behind, but it's a no-brainer. He's got his dream job.
I love that Frank stuck it in Wally Hall's face. Wally's column last Sunday (don't look for a link here) was the most disgraceful, hypocritical thing he's ever written. He wrote a divisive column on the need to unify Hog fans. What a jerk. What an idiot. What a hypocrite. I'll never read another Wally column unless he repents and publishes an apology for the division he has sown among Razorback fans and for his unprofessional personal vendetta against Houston Nutt. Wally should have been fired Monday morning -- and that would've been way too late. (I can't believe I haven't canceled my subscription to the Demozette yet ...)
By the way, here's a hilarious and disgraceful sidebar: as of this posting, 24 hours after Chuck Barrett was officially named The Man, the sports websites for Channels 4 and 11 have prominent stories on the appointment. Channels 7 and 16 have NOTHING! Use their Search Site feature for Chuck Barrett --ZERO, NADA. It's understandable (although disappointing and unprofessional) for Channel 7 -- that's where Scott Inman works. What a pile of ... sour grapes. I'll bet Scott is embarrassed -- not about losing out to Chuck, but about his station's petty reaction. Channel 16? That's just incompetence. Does anyone take their sports coverage seriously?
Finally, as long as I'm at it ... Razorbacks basketball play by play man Mike Nail has been slipping noticeably the past two seasons. He has done a great job for many years, but it's time for him to step away before he is pushed out. Obviously, Scott Inman, who did a superb job subbing on some broadcasts last year, should be named immediately as the new Voice of Razorback Basketball!
Go, Chuck!
Go, Hogs!
Wally, just GO!
Hooray for Chuck being named Voice of Razorbacks Football! I think Scott Inman would have done a great job, too, but I don't think anyone can match Chuck's love and passion and loyalty for the Hogs. He'll be super. I hate that he has to leave his radio show behind, but it's a no-brainer. He's got his dream job.
I love that Frank stuck it in Wally Hall's face. Wally's column last Sunday (don't look for a link here) was the most disgraceful, hypocritical thing he's ever written. He wrote a divisive column on the need to unify Hog fans. What a jerk. What an idiot. What a hypocrite. I'll never read another Wally column unless he repents and publishes an apology for the division he has sown among Razorback fans and for his unprofessional personal vendetta against Houston Nutt. Wally should have been fired Monday morning -- and that would've been way too late. (I can't believe I haven't canceled my subscription to the Demozette yet ...)
By the way, here's a hilarious and disgraceful sidebar: as of this posting, 24 hours after Chuck Barrett was officially named The Man, the sports websites for Channels 4 and 11 have prominent stories on the appointment. Channels 7 and 16 have NOTHING! Use their Search Site feature for Chuck Barrett --ZERO, NADA. It's understandable (although disappointing and unprofessional) for Channel 7 -- that's where Scott Inman works. What a pile of ... sour grapes. I'll bet Scott is embarrassed -- not about losing out to Chuck, but about his station's petty reaction. Channel 16? That's just incompetence. Does anyone take their sports coverage seriously?
Finally, as long as I'm at it ... Razorbacks basketball play by play man Mike Nail has been slipping noticeably the past two seasons. He has done a great job for many years, but it's time for him to step away before he is pushed out. Obviously, Scott Inman, who did a superb job subbing on some broadcasts last year, should be named immediately as the new Voice of Razorback Basketball!
Go, Chuck!
Go, Hogs!
Wally, just GO!
Monday, June 25, 2007
A Son Heard From
Finally got my Father's Day call from first and last son, Joshua West Jackson. Hooray! Just called to say he loves dear ol' dad. Better late than never!
For those who do not have both, please be informed that sons and daughters definitely have different operating systems. LOL.
Josh sounded great -- happy and healthy. Busy with his job at Embassy Hotel. and plugging away with his art work. I know he's happy to be mobile again, thanks to his car deal with his maternal grandfather (thanks, Paw!). Oh, and I guess the new girlfriend may be a factor, too.
Anyway -- what's that? Girlfriend!? Yeah, her name is Brandy White. She works at Embassy, too. They've been dating a month or two, after two or three months of flirting.
No telling what we'll find out when Josh eventually starts blogging!
Well, we forgot to call Adam and Jemimah yesterday. We try to do that every Sunday after church, but Tanya was in Hot Springs Village with her folks and sister, and I forgot. That 7 or 8 hour time difference can be tricky. Hope you guys had a good Sunday in Germany.
Dallas calling ... Judea and her boyfriend-fiance-husband-significant other (they won't clarify the relationship for us) are here packing for their move to Big D. Frank just came in and said they got their apartment in Cedar Hill, Texas. Looks like it might really happen.
Garden sass ... just polished off a DELICIOUS onion, lettuce, and tomato sandwich (an OLT) for a mid-afternoon lunch. Yummy. Thank the Lord for my wonderful deacons, Dick Snell and Bobby Harden, who load us down every gardening season with corn, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, cucumbers, zuchinni, peppers, tomatos, potatos, onions, eggplant. As grandson Miles was heard to say recently, "Um um um um um!" Amen.
I'm in such a good mood, I'll wait 'til later to skin that low-down skunk Wally Hall. That's another story.
For those who do not have both, please be informed that sons and daughters definitely have different operating systems. LOL.
Josh sounded great -- happy and healthy. Busy with his job at Embassy Hotel. and plugging away with his art work. I know he's happy to be mobile again, thanks to his car deal with his maternal grandfather (thanks, Paw!). Oh, and I guess the new girlfriend may be a factor, too.
Anyway -- what's that? Girlfriend!? Yeah, her name is Brandy White. She works at Embassy, too. They've been dating a month or two, after two or three months of flirting.
No telling what we'll find out when Josh eventually starts blogging!
Well, we forgot to call Adam and Jemimah yesterday. We try to do that every Sunday after church, but Tanya was in Hot Springs Village with her folks and sister, and I forgot. That 7 or 8 hour time difference can be tricky. Hope you guys had a good Sunday in Germany.
Dallas calling ... Judea and her boyfriend-fiance-husband-significant other (they won't clarify the relationship for us) are here packing for their move to Big D. Frank just came in and said they got their apartment in Cedar Hill, Texas. Looks like it might really happen.
Garden sass ... just polished off a DELICIOUS onion, lettuce, and tomato sandwich (an OLT) for a mid-afternoon lunch. Yummy. Thank the Lord for my wonderful deacons, Dick Snell and Bobby Harden, who load us down every gardening season with corn, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, cucumbers, zuchinni, peppers, tomatos, potatos, onions, eggplant. As grandson Miles was heard to say recently, "Um um um um um!" Amen.
I'm in such a good mood, I'll wait 'til later to skin that low-down skunk Wally Hall. That's another story.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Motivation
Just a note to confirm Jerusalem's hope/guess/suspicion ...
YES, the reason I've started blogging is because I was inspired by the tributes my daughters posted on their blogs for Father's Day. Thanks again, wonderful girls!
AND keen observers will notice I've already altered the look of my blog. I realized that I had originally chosen the same template that Jerusalem uses, and didn't want to trespass on her territorial style. Now each of the family blogs has its own look.
JUST a little bit of R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
YES, the reason I've started blogging is because I was inspired by the tributes my daughters posted on their blogs for Father's Day. Thanks again, wonderful girls!
AND keen observers will notice I've already altered the look of my blog. I realized that I had originally chosen the same template that Jerusalem uses, and didn't want to trespass on her territorial style. Now each of the family blogs has its own look.
JUST a little bit of R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
First Insult
I feel like a real blogger now - I've had my first insult!
I guess I unintentionally hurt the feelings of Son-in-Law #1 when I failed to mention, in my first posting, what an excellent blogger he is, too. In any case, thanks for the reality check, Nathan!
Did I mention, by the way, that Nathan is a great musician, super chef, and, as far as I can see, an outstanding husband and father! Being the only person on earth who has so far fathered any grandchildren for us, he is tops in my book!
Nathan's comment raises an interesting point, however. He said my blog stinks. I THINK he's joking, but if he's not, that's OK. But the point that arises is this: is a blog to be judged by its author's intentions, or by its readers perceptions?
I guess the answer depends on my motivation. Am I blogging for you, or for me? Maybe PERCEPTION is reality, as the old saying goes, but PERSPECTIVE makes all the difference.
The Red Sox can say, "We're still 8 games ahead of the Yankees!" ... but the Yankees, who used to be 14.5 games behind, can say, "We're only 8 games back!" Perspective vs. Perception.
Hey, what stinks?
I guess I unintentionally hurt the feelings of Son-in-Law #1 when I failed to mention, in my first posting, what an excellent blogger he is, too. In any case, thanks for the reality check, Nathan!
Did I mention, by the way, that Nathan is a great musician, super chef, and, as far as I can see, an outstanding husband and father! Being the only person on earth who has so far fathered any grandchildren for us, he is tops in my book!
Nathan's comment raises an interesting point, however. He said my blog stinks. I THINK he's joking, but if he's not, that's OK. But the point that arises is this: is a blog to be judged by its author's intentions, or by its readers perceptions?
I guess the answer depends on my motivation. Am I blogging for you, or for me? Maybe PERCEPTION is reality, as the old saying goes, but PERSPECTIVE makes all the difference.
The Red Sox can say, "We're still 8 games ahead of the Yankees!" ... but the Yankees, who used to be 14.5 games behind, can say, "We're only 8 games back!" Perspective vs. Perception.
Hey, what stinks?
Monday, June 18, 2007
First Posting
I can't believe it. I'm blogging.
My daughters are professional-level bloggers. Even my brothers are blogging, for Pete's sake! I guess it was inevitable that I would eventually join the blogosphere.
Lord knows when I'll have time to say anything ... or if I'll have anything worth saying. But I'm in.
I do love living in a world of technology that makes complicated things so easy. Internet. Email. Blogging. Sheesh! I have first-hand outhouse experience, and I assure you ... indoor plumbing is better!
My daughters are professional-level bloggers. Even my brothers are blogging, for Pete's sake! I guess it was inevitable that I would eventually join the blogosphere.
Lord knows when I'll have time to say anything ... or if I'll have anything worth saying. But I'm in.
I do love living in a world of technology that makes complicated things so easy. Internet. Email. Blogging. Sheesh! I have first-hand outhouse experience, and I assure you ... indoor plumbing is better!
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