Skydiving

Just a quick post to say a group of us from Journey are heading down to Eloy, AZ ( about 60 miles south of metro Phoenix for you non AZ residents ) to go tandem skydiving at Skydive Arizona. For me itll be my second tandem dive, for the rest of the group itll be there first. Im looking foward to it. Maybe while Im there Ill look into what it costs for skydiving lessons to earn my license =) I hope to have some pics of the day's events posted tomorrow or Sunday.

And with this post, thats number 165. Thanks for reading!

Debbie and I on the pier in Huanchaco, Peru

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Moving dirt at the jobsite in Trujillo, Peru

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Elizabeth ( Ailarie from Kick ) and I in the Atlanta Airport

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Some of the kids and I at the daycare center in Trujillo, Peru

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July Already?

Wow, the 4th of July came and went already. I didnt do much yesterday as I volunteered to work. We get paid double time and a half for some holidays throughout the year and the 4th was one of them. So I got paid a nice chunk of change to sit around and pretty much do nothing all day. Nothing different with today ( July 5th ) either. We get paid time and a half for Sundays and its been quiet thus far today.

I fell off the Coke/Pepsi wagon while in Peru. In one way it was rather easy. Everyday for lunch and dinner, they served us either bottles of Coke or Inca Cola to drink. I always had water with me but Coke just sounded so good after working hard at the jobsite every morning. So both Debbie and I folded liked a cheap tent and gave into the urge. She has since quit drinking Coke since we returned but I havent. I havent been drinking it in moderation either. Most days I have 2 32 oz Cokes. Its just one part of my piss poor eating and drinkng choices. Im not sure what happened but since about the middle of May, my eating and drinking habits have gone to shit and Ive gained back the weight that I had started losing in April =(. I feel like crap.

I read an article recently about when is the best day or time to start something new ( diets, exercise plans, new activities etc ) They say that a specific day of the week is better than a date with Monday being the best day of the week. Well seeing as how tomorrow is Monday, it looks like a good day to get back on the road of better eating habits, no Coke or Pepsi and starting to exercise again. I really need to get the ball rolling with exercising again. It can only help.

Ill try to be better about updating my blog. Just havent had a lot to say latley.

Thanks for reading!

We Are Home

Well actualy we got back to the valley yesterday afternoon around 1 pm ( after leaving Trujillo, Peru the previous day at 830 a.m. ) Yep over 30 hours of traveling to get back home. I plan on posting pics and talking about the trip in the next few days. We thought we wouldve had more time to journal on our blog we setup specificaly for the trip but that didnt happen. We were constantly on the go from the time we got up till nightfall. The little bit of free time we had in the evening we were just to exhausted to check in and blog.

I will say this, it was an eye opening experience for us and one we will never forget. We are already talking about taking part in another mission trip next year. It would be nice to go to another country on a trip but we would go back to Peru too.

Stay tuned for pics in the next few days

Im Pathetic....

Why would I choose to describe myself that way, let me tell you.

In the last few months Ive pretty much done nothing exercise wise. I could probably count on one hand how many times I have been to the Y since about March. No walks, no jaunts on the bike, no swimming, wieghts, nodda!. Oh sure there was the hockey clinic in March, a brief run/walk on the treadmill and a mat Pilates class last Thursday but nothing substantial since the beginning of March. Im not sure what it is. The bottom line is I make a lot of excuse as to why I dont get to the Y either at lunch or after work. Im too tired, Debbie needs me at home, itll bother my neck/back/whatever. Same with getting up earlier than normal during the week to try to exercise. I stayed up too late, hit the snooze one too many times, blah blah, blah.

Its gotten to the point that I dont even like checking in at Kick because I feel like a poser and a failure ( that an just a plain lazy ass who doesnt fit in )

I cant even blame it on the craziness of life around the time Lori passed away cuz I was a slug prior to that. I dont have a legitimate excuse.

I recently read an article in one of my few stops at Kick. It was written by Novia and it was about reassessing. Her quote toward the end really hit me hard.

“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”

I think it describes how I do things when it comes to working out, lifting, running etc. Apparently Im just interested in doing these things as I seem to only do them when its convenient to do so. Im not sure if Im afraid Im going to get hurt, reinjure something, I just dont know. I enjoy doing this stuff but something keeps holding me back. There are times especialy when it comes to running in particular that I wonder why I want to return to it. Is it because I really like running or do I just want to feel accepted by the gang on the board? Sure I havent been cleard by the chiro yet to return to running but when I do, whats going to stop me from doing it.

Im not sure how much time I will have to do it but I think while I am gone to Peru Im going to try to take a real hard look at myself and maybe do some of my own reassessing. Id like to turn over a new leaf when I get back, we shall see

The Time Is Drawing Near

Well, here it is, the week that we depart for our mission trip to Trujillo, Peru. Its hard to believe we are just 3 days away. Im excited, nervous, apprehensive all at the same time. I know Im in for a life changing experience and Im trying to go into it with an open mind and heart. I know that there will be challenges both physicaly and mentaly. Im not worried about the challenges though as I figured God led me to do this and he'll see me through everything. Just gotta be strong in my faith in him.

Im also looking foward to seeing Elizabeth again. Its been a little over 2 years sicne I saw her in person in Cinci at the Flying Pig Marathon. She is going to meet us Atlanta's airport as we have a layover of 3 hours there. While I can interact with her on Kick and Facebook on a daily basis, itll be nice to get to actualy "talk" to her again in person.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we embark on this journey.

Thanks for reading!

One Week and Counting and Thinking about Grandpa

Just one week from today at about this time Ill be almost toucing down in Atlanta on my way to Trujillo, Peru for our church mission trip. We are really looking foward to it. I know this weekend we will be really busy trying to tie up last minute details, starting to pack etc. I dont think the kids even know that we are going away and that our friend Kari is watching them. They will soon enough. I think Tyler will have the hardest time with us being gone. He's not quite as independent as Sarah and is like me in the sense that he's pretty sensitive and loves being around his mommy and daddy. We shall see how it goes.

Ive been thinking about my grandfather alot these last few weeks. Since Lori's passing it seems my grandfather has been in my thoughts more latley. Branden and I were talking about going to get tattoos together while he was here. He's going to get something to honro Lori and I am going to get something to honor grandpa. There are times were I want to ask grandpa more questions about his experiences during WWII. There just isnt anybody around anymore that can answer my questions like him. I never met anyone from his unit and am not sure if any of them are alive anymore. The reason that WWII comes to mind in regrads to him is I think I am goign to have his 8th Armored unit patch as part of my tattoo to honor him. Not quite sure what else I am going to do with it. Maybe his name, birth year and year of his death around in. I guess Ill figutre out something.

Wow two blog entries in 3 days, Im on a roll =)