Hold on for a long post.

Forget about dates. The following events happened some time in the last two weeks.
Wes and Butch lead teaching and music at the Rescue mission service for our Career Impact sponsored night. I saw the guys downtown getting into the service whole-heartedly with Butch's joyful worship and Wes' grounded and transparent testimony and lesson.
A couple of Peoria's McDonald's restaurants got to compete for drive-thru bragging rights. I went through Ryan's a couple of times, just to make sure the service was equal each time. Here he's on his way out to whip the guy holding the sign because it's just not bringing in the traffic he'd like.

Janell's Store took FOREVER to drive through. It's like they had alot of business or something :-) And she handed them to me personally. I have the picture to prove it. Really.... I do.

School's fun. We've got characters. Even more at the Middle School campus than the main one. Mr. Rumba can sniff out food just as well as I. Here, he found some coffee cake of which he said "40% of this piece is calorie free". Get it? Funny man.

Half the classes have a sugar stash of some kind. The teachers understand that I must enforce a food tax every time I make a classroom call.

Luckily, we've only had to use this button on rare occasion. Or over and over again when someone brings a baby and gives them the stupid button.

My discipleship group had to put me on 24-hour hand mutilation watch after stabbing my left twice in a few days. First hit bone, then went through some nice muscle.

A doctors appointment (something unrelated and boring) had me in the waiting room for over an hour. This was a bummer because I had alot of work to do. But, being one of the first nice days of the spring, I realized how lucky I was to have a decent view and lots of sunlight while I waited and caught up on my soaps.

Master Kim, my TaeKwonDo instructor, observes Matt, a purple belt (or blue, can't remember), testing for his next. Matt is always helpful when we practice together and I'll miss having him around when he graduates sschool. Master Kim is a great instructor keeping a close eye on everyone and helping us to be patient as he makes sure we are trained correctly before moving on. I had a whole spiritually relevant comparison thought up, but after waiting so long to post about it I have to pay the price. It's gone. Poof. Oh ya by the way, I'm taking TaiKwonDo lessons. Don't ever be impressed. I rolled my ankle tripping over a balance beam...and then again jumping rope.

Happy Birthday Owen! It's my first one year old birthday party. Not what I expected. Thought it was going to be a bunch of other one year old kids put together in the same room with no clue why they were together. A bunch of Owen's parent's friends watching Owen have no clue what was going on was much better.

No clue there was something edible on his plate.

It's the Tawfiks!!!! (so sorry Jan...)

This was followed immediately by a big boy birthday at the Christian Center for Joe. You know, one of several dudes spending all his free time helping setup the technical equipment at the new church before it goes (more) live on Easter. Not many pictures taken, but some guys I rarely get to hang with were having a good time with the ping pong.

Peter 'bout to get whoooooped by Treyvo.

This post needs some Chicas. Here ya go. Sunday lunch pose by Becky and Alyssa.

Ketchup

It's time to dangle some pics in front of you to satisfy those loyal fans who have been asking where the posts are, and to get Ryan off back!

Ryan constantly asks me where his brotherly love pictures went from Emily's outdoor bray party. Here they are.


The motivation usually just isn't there for home projects at my place. I'm more likely to get something done at the parent's place. A couple weeks ago, a plumbing job took three times as long as it should have, as usual. I was talking to a buddy shortly after about what it's like working on home projects with your father. It always reveals the impatience of the son and the experience of the father. And if you're smart the learning opportunity for the younger. Stupid faucet!


Things at the new land are going splendidly. I was long over due for some work out there and got myself on the parking lot sealing team. Bad idea for the lower back but rewarding since it's something I can see results from for years to come.


We found out for Butch's bday that in the absence of proper candles, Doritos work almost too well.


I didn't have the heart to put the hose away without satisfying Tilly's burning desire to attack the water.


Will someone please invent candles made of frosting? It would have made Butch's other cake much easier to eat. :-)


Last week was too hot and busy for Sunday volleyball. But the week before it, Ben and Jon played a serious game while some spectators we didn't know gladly joined us. It could be a great opportunity for the future if they haven't given up after we ditched them last week.


Joe (left) and I had the pain pleasure of being thrust out into the local mission field a couple years ago by our discipleship leader, Danny. I've never gotten to hear Joe speak there until this month though. On my favorite verse as well...he's so thoughtful. Psalm 37:4

Birthday Week

It's bout time to give credit to all those jerks (except you Mom, you're not a jerk) who wanted to do something for my Birthday over a week ago.

Tuesday 14th

A couple of the dudes at work, Ron and Frank, treated me to donuts at Trefzgers since it was my first time on a donut run. Before leaving the store, I saw the cake I really wanted. The week went by though...and no one got it for me. (sigh)

The Stubers made up for the lost cake dream with a gigantic "Harms Recipe" mint chocolate brownie when I got home from d-group. Amazing. Yes, it went well with the milk I brought home. There was also a singing voicemail left on my phone from a couple of crazy ladies!

Finally. Mail call had the cutest card ever made!!! Thank you!
There's a little heart at the top of the "n"! Did you see it!?!

Wednesday
Nan would not take no for an answer about hosting a dinner at his place. He asked me what my favorite food was. I spent a little more time thinking about it than usual. Usual is "I have no idea". It occurred to me that cheese is often in my favorite dishes...so I said anything with cheese!

The result was an appetizer of fruit and three types of gourmet cheese.

Along with Filet Mignon covered in goat cheese.....amazing.

You can't help but talk about food at Nan's house. A long conversation about various herbs and spices lead someone to bring up the existence of an herb named anise. That's right, anise. And it's pronounced almost like the word you're hoping it doesn't. I think the jokes would have died down relatively quickly if Nan hadn't announced, "I have anise, let me show you!"

Thanks to Wes (thanks Wes) the men managed to sing Happy Birthday to me in three different styles.


Thursday

Wanting a fourth excuse to sing Happy Birthday, the guys planned another celebration during Thursday night Bible study. Don't let the smile deceive you...I want to kill them.


Friday

Knowing my knack for over-packing evening plans, the fam held off on birthday celebrations for Dad and I (Happy Birthday Dad!!) until Friday. Someone recently made a comment about how many of my peers are being more health conscious at meal time. The fam is being no different. Knowing that no one wants to be stuck with leftover birthday cake, Mom found the smallest cake I had ever seen.

Perfect!! Four pieces and you're done!

Thank you for everyone who reminded me that they care!

Operation Sweaty Man

For Ryan's birthday this year, his family and friends wanted to surprise him. He's popping his head over the hill, and while he doesn't need pitty, it's still special and worth celebrating. Ryan has been known to take a jog from his house to his parent's house a couple of times. So the deal was to convince him to jog with someone and surprise him at the parent's place. The problem was, he just got off a plane an hour before this. Well, the surprise didn't go according to plan, but there was still some surprise in it for him, and I think we had a good time.

How would you like to show up to your surprise party looking like this?

Probably better than being AT your surprise party looking like this!

Let's not forget about the NYC team. Peter was certainly exhausted and finally found a place around the corner to sit down for lunch on his break, and still thought of me. Thanks man!

Moon Pants

Moon Pants' Birthday was last Saturday

Josh celebrated by watching the Michigan/Illinois game and grilling. Guy parties can be so simple (thank goodness).


Ladies near the kitchen....


...guys near the TV.


Viv did an awesome job trying out a new ice cream filled cake recipe.

Joanne brought the kraut (ew)

Happy Birthday Mooner. Thanks for your encouragement and leadership in class and other ministries during your time as a single!