The Queen City

Ahh, Cincinnati. Home of a criminal football team, a baseball team that dreams of being (or beating) the Cardinals and the finest chilli ever invented.

I'm here for set up, Believe and to get my bearings so I'm not a total moron this summer when Know Sweat rolls in for 5 weeks.

It's been good to see old friends, reconnect with some great projects, meet some new people and start to see the projects for this summer. This is quite honestly the part of the year where I get the most excited. I love the summer, being in the midst of the effort but my personality especially enjoys seeing things in their beginning stages and trying to capture just a glimpse of what God has in store for all of us this summer.

Last evening my travel partner was done in by a fever so I had the opportunity to head over to Newport and enjoyed some quiet times.

I checked out a movie (I think my first in a theater in months--many, many months--like when did the last Lord of the Rings movie come out time frame). I decided upon Breach which is about that shameful spy that hosed the US. I didn't hate myself to check out Norbitt or any of the other painful movies currently showing. I thought the movie was very good, very well done, well casted (even the dude formerly known as Reese Witherspoon's husband was good). I recommend it.

Afterward I headed over to the Barnes and Noble where I enjoyed a Java Chip Frap (the finest drink ever) and a good book The Starbucks Experience . I rather liked it, especially since I finished the thing and didn't actually have to buy it (that's not considered stealing, is it?)

I then headed back to Cincy only to realize I'd left my cell phone in my chair at the bookstore. So, I drove back and found it just where I left it, hooray for honest people.

It was a good evening. Not as fine as sitting on the couch watching American Idol with my family, but better than it could have been.

Times Flies When You're Sleeping

What a week. It has been good. Brynn continues to sleep well, we stayed up too late watching The Guardian the other night and somehow I find myself on Friday a little tired and wishing my now empty cup of coffee had a twin.

I had the distinct honor of sushi yesterday. A random appearance of my sole sushi buddy Nathan Shaver led to an impromptu trip to the Japanese Steakhouse for a lunch of eel, tuna and salmon. Man, it was so good. I'm coming to realize Shaver is a wise man, likes to read and has an amazing heart. I guess I knew all those things before but was reminded of them again. He'll be with us for Know Sweat for 6 (count 'em) 6 weeks this summer which makes me exceedingly happy. It will be simply great.

I heard a line on the news a few weeks back (the last time it snowed, though I do admit that time was much worse). They were trying to teach people how to drive in the snow and ice (they failed miserably) and the instructor said these words: "Remember the hands and feet always follow the eyes". He was reminding people that if they are looking at that huge tree to their left, they'll magically find their car careening into said tree. So to avoid the huge tree, you would need.......that's right, to look someplace else. Sounds almost like the same thing you'd need to do to avoid sin.

It did get me to thinking about what we're looking at though. I'm convinced that the church in general has a pretty weak response to poverty and need because we aren't looking at it. I'm sure certain neighborhoods and neglected because we choose not to drive through them either because it is too scary or simply because we all know deep down if we saw it, we'd want to fix it. So maybe there is something to that little song be careful little eyes what you see.....

On a final note, I am incredibly excited about tomorrow. First, my family arrives from God's country. Secondly, the manchild and I are headed to Tulsa early to pick them up so we can swing by Believe. Carter went when he was less than a year old and we lived in Denver. But this time will be different. I think the Daddy/Son time will be great but I can't wait to see him watch the thing and since he's an amateur song leader, I think the singing part will really capture his attention. Should be amazing.

Have a good weekend.

And for your moment of zen, head over to Ang's blog for more pics of Brynn.

Click Here

The good, the bad

Here she is. Another pic for you "outoftowners" and any others interested. She's been pretty much sleeping through the night. She eats, poops and sleeps, the trifecta of babyhood. Pretty amazing. Big brother continues to be so concerned for her and thinks she is something "cool". Ang is doing well and is such an amazing mom.

On another note, I've been gripped by something I saw on the news friday night. Something about it has struck a chord in me, I think it is because I talk to Carter about being a big boy all the time and this little guy is really trying. I disagree with ABC that there is extreme poverty in America. We have very bad poverty in the US, very bad, but not extreme. I wish you could have seen the actual one that aired on Friday because it showed his home but take a few moments and watch this. All I am wondering is what is the church doing or what can we do. There has to be something.

Ivan on ABC

Something Very Profound

Okay, I lied. Nothing profound here. Not even any new pictures. I have completely wasted your well intentioned click over the the tantrums blog. I am deeply grieved by your disappointment.

By way of update,we are all home. Ang and Brynn were cleared yesterday so we spent our first night at home as a family. Luke did very well with Brynn, I think he's just happy everybody is home. Ang has succeeded in getting her on a schedule so she was able to get a little rest last night.

Last night after Carter went to bed and Ang was watching Grey's, Brynn and I headed upstairs and watched An Inconvenient Truth. I'd been wanting to watch it for a while and I thought it would be a decent place to start in the education of a young treehugger. Unfortunately Brynn slept through the whole thing. I guess she wasn't impressed with the great Al Gore. My general reflection was that the movie was good, had some good information and certainly raises some legitimate issues. His own political failures and some odd interjections made it seem a bit strange. That and the part where we can know the carbon dioxide level on the earth for the past 650,000 years seems amazing. Those cavemen were really smart. Geico better watch their back.

But it was worth the time and a C+ movie on global warming is better than nothing. Especially when it has cool graphs and fun pictures. Have a good weekend.

More Brynn Elizabeth

They beat her up a little on the way out but man, she is a keeper. Enjoy and thanks for the calls, visits and flowers!