tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89389172024-03-23T11:07:24.035-07:00Durrington FamilyValhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-77711985606373436112010-04-07T19:41:00.001-07:002010-04-07T21:07:57.965-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrf4Jt8fqT7Hwyqhziq9m7JIQPcdWgiu8BiwTnZ7oQSyrcotzPFniHU7g4bo30XJTOMFuwhcj57R3VxAk1bs5XNDpGtWFY96nBhMiP-PRC3AI-TAHQhk7CSvUxOzvV62-YYC1Qg/s1600/house+1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrf4Jt8fqT7Hwyqhziq9m7JIQPcdWgiu8BiwTnZ7oQSyrcotzPFniHU7g4bo30XJTOMFuwhcj57R3VxAk1bs5XNDpGtWFY96nBhMiP-PRC3AI-TAHQhk7CSvUxOzvV62-YYC1Qg/s400/house+1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457603336919724562" /></a><br />4 BR<br />3 BA<br />2-Car Garage<br />2 Living Areas (with built-ins & projector/screen)<br />Formal Dining<br />Updated Surfaces<br />Gas Log Fireplace<br />Water Well<br />Covered Patio<br />Large, Shaded Back Yard<br />Large Master Suite w/ cast-iron soaking tub, dual-head shower, walk-in closet & dedicated water heater in Master Bath<br />Rock Exterior<br />Approximately 2575 square feet including improvements added in 2008.<br />Austin/Mann/Abilene High<br />Great neighborhood<br />Quiet street<br />And much, much more!<br /><br />$189,900<br /><br />Please call for an appointment.<br />325.733.3367 or 325.698.3675<br />NOTE: No unscheduled drop-ins or unaccompanied peeks, please.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nU73gab5yPIWJGBtMVmTm7jXQeE2UGzYZkaoexftMSiagNCHnmephdmkJEoxeB4a6yo46o37NB6JHT1OwCkF0VRds9cVnHoiAXsphgEPjZdVIlPc7IEHefXrQe8tQbeedKBjCA/s1600/house+7.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nU73gab5yPIWJGBtMVmTm7jXQeE2UGzYZkaoexftMSiagNCHnmephdmkJEoxeB4a6yo46o37NB6JHT1OwCkF0VRds9cVnHoiAXsphgEPjZdVIlPc7IEHefXrQe8tQbeedKBjCA/s320/house+7.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457602876678676642" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNXYivcUukI1fkJmxZPLnyHvtfbdY7I8VnwMXymn2HkYeCiqG0Gqw3jgR21RwwWglssJh6rVYgHnf0KcOzRERvPqGKgzUP3D0IiI_m-Yz6l5fNSCsYX12AP1R5GU-0IyN__vWvg/s1600/house+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 272px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNXYivcUukI1fkJmxZPLnyHvtfbdY7I8VnwMXymn2HkYeCiqG0Gqw3jgR21RwwWglssJh6rVYgHnf0KcOzRERvPqGKgzUP3D0IiI_m-Yz6l5fNSCsYX12AP1R5GU-0IyN__vWvg/s320/house+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457600067798191010" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnJz4kttGE_Uf_g9y3VcUf43t4YEC-8W2iYhqpJ802hI6bu3r-8KFTQkpLnDwh4u4dCdlLjplpeNhr-JScRv54imEw0aYzRskedteUg304XWD9avD0zM49T7uUlIWIg7p1-n5Ow/s1600/house+3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnJz4kttGE_Uf_g9y3VcUf43t4YEC-8W2iYhqpJ802hI6bu3r-8KFTQkpLnDwh4u4dCdlLjplpeNhr-JScRv54imEw0aYzRskedteUg304XWD9avD0zM49T7uUlIWIg7p1-n5Ow/s320/house+3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457601801867256562" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaT1d1kto56_6UQO4QtT0q44jTtTaboQ3PhfX_iU1kLV-xLYHBj3Ku_ztdQYGOj7xHY5NaZ81ErFHDLaNqkb4bc_IiIz_LG3-6Q_QjoNT0LhxHPy4MLiJtpA3v9u1bI879eSfMw/s1600/house+4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinaT1d1kto56_6UQO4QtT0q44jTtTaboQ3PhfX_iU1kLV-xLYHBj3Ku_ztdQYGOj7xHY5NaZ81ErFHDLaNqkb4bc_IiIz_LG3-6Q_QjoNT0LhxHPy4MLiJtpA3v9u1bI879eSfMw/s320/house+4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457602183534202882" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzEifjuJy4VaTN5CH67w4dGAGj2MIjEEuAipGXfL0Y2LWBmRoUVBqduFxkgHEy5DUgsEmy5StqQv9qWvixMaw1tv9hf-Ea6ot8bH8f5npyJlqObJU1bO0EcVRRvLjJdjeDxJU3A/s1600/master+bath+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 306px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzEifjuJy4VaTN5CH67w4dGAGj2MIjEEuAipGXfL0Y2LWBmRoUVBqduFxkgHEy5DUgsEmy5StqQv9qWvixMaw1tv9hf-Ea6ot8bH8f5npyJlqObJU1bO0EcVRRvLjJdjeDxJU3A/s320/master+bath+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457612393266555218" /></a>Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-87252711074844035032009-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:002009-03-30T08:03:37.599-07:00RipplesPeople have been very kind in their expressions of concern since Dad passed away a few weeks ago. Our family has benefited from many meals, cards, flowers, memorials and the like and all are appreciated. Perhaps one of the more touching things we have received, though, is the letter below. It’s especially meaningful in light of how Dad thought his attempt at teaching high school was a pathetic failure. This letter, however, shows how even when we may think our efforts are miserable or unnoticed or influence may have more impact than we ever realize. Still waters may run deep, but maybe that lets those droplets of influence travel that much further.<br /><br /><br /><em>Dear Family of Victor Durrington:<br /><br />I am writing to express my sympathy to you for the recent death of your loved one.<br /><br />I knew Mr. Durrington briefly during the 1954-55 academic year when he taught in the Republic, Missouri, High School. I was a freshman in high school at that time and enrolled in a general math course taught by him. Thanks to his effort, that turned out to be a very special course for me - one of the most significant courses I took in high school. Three of us in that class benefited from special pains he took on our behalf. He recognized that the three of us - two boys and one girl - were more talented and knowledgeable in math than the rest of the general math class in which we were enrolled. He offered us the opportunity to study trigonometry book, I assume from his personal library, and let us work through those books at our own pace. We sat in the general math class, but read and did homework problems from the trigonometry texts. It must have taken considerable courage on his part to risk his teaching reputation by allowing us as very immature high school freshmen to chart our own course that year. I marvel that he did this at a very young age – I calculate he was 21 or 22 at the time – and with very little experience at teaching. The Republic position must have been his first teaching position after graduating from college.<br /><br />The seeds he planted in that course surely were significant in pushing us toward our eventual education and careers. The two boys in that group each went on to earn PhDs in physics: mine from the University of Missouri at Rolla and the other boy earned his PhD in physics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The girl in that group earned her degree from Indiana State University in Terre Haute (I think, although I am not certain) and went on to marry a gentleman who became president of a small college. I recently retired from a 39 year career teaching physics at what is now Missouri State University. The three of us acquired a strong interest in mathematics and a head start on our mathematics education thanks to Mr. Durrington’s insight and daring. I think the results of his teaching are pretty remarkable, considering we were members of a freshman class of less than 40 students in a small high school in a somewhat isolated farming community in Southwest Missouri during the mid-1950s, well before the population and technology explosions that have occurred in the Springfield area in the last 40 years.<br /><br />It is somewhat ironic that last Wednesday (March 4), I think the day before Mr. Durrington passed away, I had visited the other boy in the group who studied trigonometry, and in the course of our discussion we reminisced about the trigonometry we learned in that freshman math class. I have not seen Mr. Durrington since that freshman year, and I regret that I never got to thank him in person for the contribution he made to my life.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Bob Thurman<br />Emeritus Professor of Physics<br />Missouri State University<br /><br />3/9/2009</em>Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-83099964010711977342009-03-06T12:11:00.000-08:002009-03-06T12:13:59.067-08:00Funeral ArrangementsThe memorial service for Victor Durrington will be Monday afternoon at 2:00pm at the Southern Hills Church of Christ auditorium.<br /><br />Visitation will be Sunday afternoon at 4:00pm at Piersall-Benton Funeral Home.<br /><br />Internment will be Wednesday morning at 10:00 at the Riverview-Swinney Cemetary near Buffalo, Missouri.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-36034906086262595582009-03-05T17:47:00.000-08:002009-03-05T17:51:06.628-08:00March 5, 7:50Dad passed away this evening at 7:40. We are a strange cocktail of angry, thankful and wracked with grief. Thank you for the prayers for our family. While what we feel right now is a pain greater than we could have imagined, knowing someone like my Dad makes this and every other trial we will ever face easier and more hopeful.<br /><br />ValValhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-15370521977192759582009-03-05T16:55:00.000-08:002009-03-05T17:04:38.500-08:00March 5, 7:00pmNone of us can know how close Dad is to leaving us, but about an hour ago they called a code on him. He is still hanging on, but barring some event none of the doctors or nurses can fathom we are now standing as sentries to his passing in the coming hours. We appreciate the prayers many of you have offered to this point and hope that now that you know with a bit more specificity what is happening you can offer whatever prayer you feel is appropriate.<br /><br />ValValhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-71901334369603249002009-03-05T16:52:00.000-08:002009-03-05T20:36:05.163-08:00Victor's StatusMany have been asking about the situation with Dad and, honestly, I forget to whom I have told what. To assist in this rather cumbersome process, I am dragging out the old blog idea once again. This particular entry will remain at the top of those listed. Thereafter, the newest entries will be at the top (directly below this one).<br /><br />In August of 2007 Dad was diagnosed as being severely anemic. This diagnosis was incorrect (good catch, Gene). Shortly thereafter he was diagnosed as having leukemia. We're still not sure if this was exactly right but it seems like the eventual diagnosis they landed on was a sort of lymphoma/myeloma hybrid. Whatever it ends up being called, it's basically a cancer that doesn't follow the rules. In the several months since, it has been treated with some chemo and a LOT of transfusions. In more recent months he has been getting two units of blood per week.<br /><br />His treatment has been under the guidance of an oncologist here in Abilene and specialists at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. A few weeks ago he and Colleen had been there for several days of tests- some due to the fact that Dad had been experiencing a new development in the form of pain. The tests they ran showed nothing that would indicate the cancer was progressing in a way that would cause any pain. The day after they got back to Abilene, however, the pain had reached a level where Colleen texted me during church asking if I could help her get him to the hospital. We got him to the ER where they gave him morphine and sent him home. A few nights later he was still in pain and had grown weak to the point where he fell. Wednesday mprning Colleen and I got him up and to the hospital where he was admitted.<br /><br />Though many think people go to the hospital to get better, Dad's condition merely spiralled downward. His kidneys were looking like they might be failing, he had double pneumonia, he was too weak to stand and Monday evening his oxygen saturation level was well below critical level. I truly did not think he would see Tuesday.<br /><br />Tuesday dawned, however, with a new diagnosis. A blood culture had suggested he had Cryptococcus Neoformans and a spinal tap confirmed it. Essentially this is a fungus in his blood that had attacked everything- lungs, brain, kidneys, central nervous system- you name it. The doctors said this condition was most commonlyseen in people who had exposure to birds or bird droppings. Dad has no birds, is not a bird hunter, has no guano-centric hobbies... He did grow up on a farm and they had chickens so it could be that this fungus was basically dormant for years until the diminished immunity common in cancer patients allowed it to flourish.<br /><br />Now a team of doctors including (but not limited to) oncologists, infectious disease specialists, pulmonologists, nephrologists, neurologists and urologists are in a process of guiding dad through at least a few month of intense antibiotics to work on the fungus, breathing treatments to work on the pneumonia, IVs to work on the kidneys, transfusions to work on the cancer, etcetera. At least a few more weeks of this will be in the hospital and then a few months more will be on an outpatient basis.<br /><br />I am not a doctor, of course, and I apologize for the gaps and errors in this narrative, but one comment that stuck out among the things the doctors said was that the first signs of success in this course of treatment would be from the neck up. Sadly, however, this seems to be the area of the least amount of progress. Dad is showing signs of improvement in his lungs, kidneys and general strength, but frankly, he is not exactly with us mentally. He has moments that are better than others but those moments are rare and short-lived. I have no idea how many days are ahead but suffice it to say they will be difficult.<br /><br />Thanks for checking in. Updates will not be regular nor very intelligent but I'll try to let you know if there are at least any significant changes.<br /><br />ValValhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-71629286873948119852009-03-05T09:28:00.000-08:002009-03-05T09:33:49.390-08:00March 5Attempts at sedation are still proving unsuccesful. Dad has been completely incoherent for a few days now but the crying out and moaning are back and constant. Another lumbar puncture (spinal tap) revealed more infection and tests are being done to see if perhaps more cancer as well. Grim...Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-18800452041987918832009-03-04T13:15:00.000-08:002009-03-04T13:19:07.447-08:00March 4, ContI have been here with Dad for 3 hours and he has been sleeping the whole time. It's awesome! I, on the other hand, cannot figure out how all of these nurses became so chatty.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-7829562725217025552009-03-04T08:46:00.000-08:002009-03-04T08:47:48.801-08:00March 4, Cont.For whatever reason the doctors do not want to move Dad to ICU but they have said they are recommending hospice to make him comfortable.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-44716902748418851042009-03-04T05:56:00.001-08:002009-03-04T06:04:48.161-08:00March 4Last night was a horrible night. Dad is suffering a great deal, though he is so incoherent we are not sure exactly how. He appears to be in a lot of pain but morphine was not doing the trick and the sedatives being tried were not working either. His fits subsided around 5:30 this morning and he had been asleep for around an hour when I came home. How Colleen continues to function blows my mind. I, myself, have not slept in over 29 hours. Pray for Colleen and pray for Dad's peace.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-81694507091678680402009-03-03T15:05:00.000-08:002009-03-03T15:11:30.265-08:00March 3, 2009Tests indicate a much lesser degree of the fungus but his condition is not improving at all. His metal state is deteriorating further and he seems to be in a great deal of pain. Frankly, the doctors seem to be at a bit of a loss for what to do. True to his nature, however, he keeps insisting through the haze that he's "gotta get up a do something." He never was good at sitting still...Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-47444724873760617562009-03-02T14:41:00.000-08:002009-03-02T14:55:57.756-08:00CorrectionCorrection: The cancer that doesn't play by the rules has a better name than what I gave before. It is a hybrid of T-cell Lymphoma and B-cell Myeloma.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-36310238149132824902009-03-02T11:14:00.000-08:002009-03-02T11:15:34.088-08:00StaphWe can add a Staph infection to the growing list.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-74004618616206733302009-03-02T10:27:00.000-08:002009-03-02T10:31:38.884-08:00UpdateI'm afraid Dad looks pretty bad today. He is extremely tired and confused today. He is also not wanting to eat. This follows on the heels of a pretty rough night. Oncologist will be here later.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-45378081205064545572007-03-27T06:47:00.000-07:002007-03-27T06:51:48.246-07:00"Well, that may work with <em>your</em> mom, but it will <em><u>not</u></em> work with my mom."<br />Addie to a friend.<br /><br /><br />Gotta love that girl.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-69296323784543031722007-03-21T07:08:00.000-07:002007-03-21T07:12:47.703-07:00Spring Break 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUyLrZj7fgJtAnAfwRHOetmfqKpqnvPuoZ5tl46TYuB8QXH-y7Q_Hfuawo7nmcain4N0v7Ko3YVSBGu79zYU-ddONrW_vOwvlTG6gr1NcLjnmUcxRboZYyIIAaFzHtMtbL-UGTg/s1600-h/Ski+Crop+(1).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044379590356544434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUyLrZj7fgJtAnAfwRHOetmfqKpqnvPuoZ5tl46TYuB8QXH-y7Q_Hfuawo7nmcain4N0v7Ko3YVSBGu79zYU-ddONrW_vOwvlTG6gr1NcLjnmUcxRboZYyIIAaFzHtMtbL-UGTg/s400/Ski+Crop+(1).jpg" border="0" /></a> Okay. I admit it. We arrived home worn out and sore, but skiing was awesome this year. The weather was absolutely beautiful and just look at the picture- the company I kept was great. Beautiful wife. Great kids. And you know I love the mountains. We are indeed blessed.<br /><div></div>Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-65974076493304105702007-01-11T12:20:00.000-08:002007-01-13T17:55:28.402-08:00Guess Where We WereSometimes we were on an island- like for this picture...<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018507744735614434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFgR10eFJK9goOwdxJhPqD3_wQ6CzgzQbZ-1mznWoWB-whhivNxSr1KnClzwTIc54b-1NeONOeeG-u6ulo3TlToI0cVj4jgFhP_yr1X7ptr2JQRP-ondehPGqGnEJX3V4Ic6_NA/s400/P1100102.JPG" border="0" /> Sometimes we were among lots of animals, like these:</div><div><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018508363210905074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUnH1_SDdhGxlqLn_UutuVZLy4Gp6dgQ8Zq2AcTx0dHCwXNIbeIgCyzzPgk7rNyEvbY6Cn6PgqZDMrcmpLn0KebCcxh54pmWkDi7MeL-2Dk2f1xJl4KesgWvdXdBZOvrvzD4yAg/s400/P1100028.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Or these...<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018508938736522754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLgkoyUjVk-QlZ_A8L9l_Gf5VaMTUxDgMT_1OULA8BVXZesUxde0puWGmqRLLM8e9kaj9G5SyDZ93FphTYrWJLCWwoLdxaVRzfESL34Vi5DXMy0EIHzuFcXxclcppLBddb_kvMA/s400/P1100029.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />There were flying boats...<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018510184277038610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3o2c_TKi11Xukxw8gtIGEoE5-j5sMgHwU2uycNrPCxQltgkhyphenhyphenjrrvvItMtxXIkGgV2eNTk0SHaHj-xgsp1DxgQ0YlrVgOIXVohTqiNL6hEgR5ip6IC2y7PVZ1BspDTjx581viA/s400/P1100120.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Spaceships...<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018510914421478946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wFNqyZF3TrvNTNWFepRGGENvmIeAehUybajoo_lwL_286ZMtmabyoagVZCHbgyRuINToUcAdGzXOByNhnPHYNKnv5ftYla6pONce3NyUfc-FzEbwIhw8sfIu4avpU_m3sZSvFQ/s400/P1100166.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />And more...Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-10021891092405986572007-01-10T20:08:00.000-08:002007-01-11T05:58:44.948-08:00<div><br /><br /><div><br /><div>We also rode rides like this...<br /></div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018624658040378946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdp2rSkl0PwvV0yVHNlXyLh4qVR79Q0O99n9pih9ML4AmaS28oRhA7jeF7C-J6kJj3G4GXv5tgmfeHCyUhLLQqNH-HZSuQzC8ebUC13FYxZNFrQrpuNRnQdlAJEzmLC4u2owiQfA/s400/P1100198.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Which actually went inside this...</div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018625684537562706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXINIHUwE-R9IvVmIv-hT-I9hK2eApJ3O6m4WdfY-lhMhjz0Ifwx8E5nKUNlRpV2-VMe79N33lkdHhjlJd32v2n8xN_yocSDFPtE_Szxsnz_2aPq0-d1gMu3AV2RPtF1LitE6W0g/s400/P1100200.JPG" border="0" /><br />We saw a beautiful house that looked like this...</div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018768672588781154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhookxDSltn1tVPMLuZYKUJRMdezYwpig6WGNqpwI_Og1ActRyS5SKxF0uoO9tc-M92IfdSKWE4iZh2_zZl-vwRWtHwM3h-wFx7GEyjyLbvriOuQhVlwvFXZMbAhCKN8wNuEuah-g/s400/P1100085.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>And like this at night...</div><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018770141467596402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9f9-HJpwR4kGBJrRnbJ897iuPNeHkoyDSewrLRy9lK98ZD5tegXjYXbliJdO13fQw_D-xhIfOVWR6g_5c2R1BEBUguQjAZg6owJNt8CGxnU4euidfXV6W_BYnZg7UEgnuZ6RRLg/s400/P1100189.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>In a land populated by giant rodents; like these...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5018771829389743746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirN4dV25W3G-gORT8taWbxUMSwLhooh_X0XLPOVH1lK_9D7VKb6RI0FCv6gNCOcuMGJzqB5f6c6zlOlS31f73LqBms1HRWKaPBuBM8_FNWi43DAS_O8Gq_Q8l-SpVvNX4cYIj-w/s400/P1100195.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div></div></div>Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-1149879718397215712006-06-09T11:47:00.000-07:002006-06-09T12:01:58.573-07:00Pardon Me for StaringI really like driving the kids around town. I mean, once you get past the battle for "shotgun" and get everyone loaded and get on the way to whatever destination is on the agenda, it is as though the kids sometimes forget there is an adult in the car. The conversations are quite enlightening if I can resist the urge to chime in and simply listen. The other day we were leaving Dixie (our baseball complex) and I had Michal Kate and Addie in the car. In this particular case they were both in tha back seat talking about some little girl who apparently had a desperate crush on Connor.<br /><br />Addie said, "She just kept staring at him and staring at him and I told her, 'Stop staring at him!' and she said 'I can't help it' and I said 'Stop staring at him' and she said 'I love his smile' and I said 'Quit staring at him' and she said 'I can't stop' and I said "Stop staring at him. Give up. Just get him out of your mind!"<br /><br />(Note: I know that was a bit of a run-on sentence, but that's how Addie talks.)<br /><br /> Anyway, it cracked me up so I relayed the conversation to Connor. Suffice it to say, I did not get to see that pretty smile as a response.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-1148513793099471352006-05-24T16:33:00.000-07:002006-05-24T16:36:33.110-07:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/1600/Sunburn.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/400/Sunburn.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here is an interesting picture of a certain family member who shall remain nameless. Does anyone want to offer any possible captions?Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-1143256319438223752006-03-24T18:31:00.000-08:002006-03-24T19:11:59.486-08:00More Spring Break in Pics<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/1600/2006_0315Image0107.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/400/2006_0315Image0107.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/1600/2006_0315Image0104.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/400/2006_0315Image0104.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/1600/2006_0315Image0112.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/400/2006_0315Image0112.jpg" border="0" /></a>Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-1142692554368866322006-03-18T05:50:00.000-08:002006-03-18T20:45:50.376-08:00Spring Break in Pictures<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/1600/2006_0315Image0124.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/400/2006_0315Image0124.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/1600/2006_0315Image0123.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/400/2006_0315Image0123.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/1600/2006_0315Image0125.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6199/397/400/2006_0315Image0125.jpg" border="0" /></a>Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-1141338195500171192006-03-02T14:15:00.000-08:002006-03-02T14:23:15.513-08:00Today on the way home from school I hear Connor and his buddy talking about the new Chick-Fil-A that opened today.<br /><br />Connor: "The first one hundred people at Chick-Fil-A get free meals for a year."<br /><br />Blake: "Huh."<br /><br />Kendra: "Connor, that's what we were talking about when we drove by there last night and there were all those people camping in the parking lot."<br /><br />Connor to Blake(not too sure about that): "Well my dad said it was just because they were freaks."<br /><em></em><br /><br />And yet, if I ever wanted him to remember something truly important that I had told him I would be totally out of luck.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-1140408422246703052006-02-19T20:03:00.000-08:002006-02-19T20:11:57.366-08:00Field Trip FoiledLast weekend Kendra and I were going to go the ranch for some time away. Addie approved of the idea, saying we "deserve to go on a field trip and get away from our naughty children." I like the way she was thinking, but our plans fell through when the friends lined up to take care of our "naughty children" ended up with a few cases of the flu in their house. Now we begin an extended run of no free weekends. Oh well, maybe next fall...<br /><br /><br /><br />By the way, neither Kendra nor I could think of time we have ever referred to our kids as "naughty." We decided we had Nanny McPhee to thank for that one, but with Addie you can never tell. She is like a box of chocolates that way.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8938917.post-1132377818683004382005-11-18T22:14:00.000-08:002005-11-19T09:30:43.183-08:00Hey! If you happen to see the most beautiful girl...Tell her HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KENDRA!!!<br /><br />Who would have thought that this little blonde beauty that I met at church camp twenty something years ago tomorrow would still be a hot blonde beauty this many years later? And yet, she obviously is. But here are some things you might not have known about her in no particular order.<br /><br />1. She is absolutely addicted to Diet Cokes.<br />2. She is extremely patient.<br />3. She is a terrific mom.<br />4. Her left buttock gets sore when she goes bowling.<br />5. She is very frightened of rodents.<br />6. She was once convinced that Crystal Wolfe (a former local news<br />anchor) was a dwarf. (That may have been my fault.)<br />7. She is now suspicious of things I tell her.<br />8. She is extraordinarily calm.<br />9. She is underconfident about her voice.<br />10. She loves children and is one of their best advocates.<br />11. She can still do flips on the trampoline.<br />12. She is gracious.<br />13. She likes to watch TLC.<br />14. She exceeds all expectations when she takes on volunteer projects.<br />15. She is brave.<br />16. She really loves babies.<br />17. She is competitive.<br />18. She refuses to go along with the crowd.<br />19. She is fiscally responsible.<br />20. She saved my life once when I fell asleep driving.<br />21. She likes reading blogs but she's not too crazy about writing them.<br />22. She is a wonderful teacher.<br />23. She really enjoys Harry Potter books.<br />24. She takes more baths than anyone I know.<br />25. She was volunteer of the year last year at Austin Elementary. (I'm<br />gonna pay for that one.)<br />26. She absolutely loves naps.<br />27. She deserves better, but never complains.<br />28. She is an encourager.<br />29. She is both quiet and well-spoken.<br />30. She is poised.<br />31. She would do anything for our kids.<br />32. She is generous.<br />33. She is fun.<br />34. She loves Jesus.<br /><br />There is so much more one could say about her, but I'll stop at that number for some reason.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13576743906698471692noreply@blogger.com6