Clay the Cover - Thanks Robert

Robert Milam is the man. Nuff said.

10 days until release!

First Ever Interview

Over the years I have interviewed a lot of people. Last month, it was my turn! Lesha Sabio interviewed me for the Twin City Track Club's monthly newsletter. Woo-hoo. Thanks Lesha! 

Surgery

A little post surgery humor with my nerve blocked arm. (All went well with the surgery.)

Unexpected

I expected this. I expected that Anna Rose would fall in love. I expected her to be a great dog owner. Here's a snippet from the 10 minutes of Anna Rose First Grade Share and Teach footage I was able to score yesterday.



But this. I didn't expect this.



I didn't expect that Ned would fall in love.

The heart is a crazy thing. It is limitless in its capacity. And it grows when you let it. To be honest, I didn't know I had any more love in me. But then I met this dog. And I have fallen in love with her. I'm so full I could burst. But now I realize that there is no fear in a heart bursting because there will always be room in a heart willing to grow.

Summer Has Arrived

Anna Rose has been asking for a puppy for...well, longer than I can remember. The answer's been No. This has been a daily occurrence...well, for longer than I can remember.

Then came that fateful, that beautiful fateful day last spring at Stone Mountain. It was one of those magical family days when everyone is happy. A no tears Saturday. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. A day that happens every once in a while.

It was then we blurted out the fateful words, "If mommy and daddy do not have another child, we'll get a puppy." Anna Rose heard us. She latched on to it. I'm pretty sure she prayed against mommy's womb. Long story short, Lia and I are not having any more children.

Anna Rose went on the offensive. The answer was No. She redoubled her offensive. The answer became Not Yet. I told her (and Lia by this time) that under no circumstances would I allow them to adopt a puppy until I was finished with my book.

One baby at a time.









Last week, the book was finished. And I allowed myself for the first time to look at the rescue puppy website.

Wouldn't you know it - there she was, Summer, like she had been waiting for us.



Then, came the realization that websites do not always get updated as frequently as you would like them, too. We were looking at this website on a Saturday evening, after the day's adoption fair was over. I mean, who wouldn't adopt this puppy?

So now it was my turn to pray.

And now, Summer is coming home today!



I know, crazy, right? Though, I'm developing this theory called "Simplification via Complication Theory." It works like this: Life gets simpler when it's complicated. Like my friend who totaled his car. He's got a million things he could do today, but guess what he's doing? Buying a car. Or my friend who just had surgery. Her life was crazy, but guess what she's doing today? Reading a book. So I'm thinking the same thing might work for us. You know what I got on the agenda today? For the first time this fall, Nothing. It's puppy time. No time for anything else. Simplification by Complication at its best.

Hi Ho Here We Go!

leaves and children - a Sisyphean Task

Some of my best memories from growing up have to do with raking leaves with my dad. 

I don't remember dad getting as frustrated as I was getting. But going back and seeing these pictures brings it all back to what matters. 

Bigger piles tomorrow kids...

Halloween 2013

It was another successful Halloween.



After two or three years of being a puppy, Anna Rose this year was a cat. Lia and I crashed her Halloween party at school and turns out several of her friends were cats, too. Hmmm coincidence? I think not.



As for Dave Dave, by the end of October 31, he had donned not one, not two, but three dinosaur costumes





- none of which we had purchased for this particular holiday. Go figure. His greatest accomplishment by far was his first successful pumpkin carving (with parental help). He went for scary and I think he got it.



Dave Dave, you put the pump in pumpkin. That's all I gots to say.



Lia put on a gray wig and my old duck tape man costume. She scared the poo out of me when I walked in on her getting ready. I guess you could say I was unprepared.



I was a cowboy. My friend Hannaha wrote "Andy" on my sole. Alls I gots to say about that is that it really felt like a snake was in my boot. As good as these cowboy boots look, they sure don't wear so well. By evening's end I was really walking like a cowboy.

The experience taught me the importance of figuring in good footwear to every costume ensemble.

Happy Halloween everyone!