Happy Birthday Bex. With your infectious smile and thirst for life, you have shown me so much joy. You have helped me expect more out of myself and others. But also taught me how to have grace with myself when I fall short. I’m proud of how you’ve faced adversity...
We had a wonderful time in Ohio this week celebrating our anniversary. I’d like to thank my wife for sticking by my side for so many years. Life wouldn’t be the same without you. Your presence never ceases to bring me joy and excitement. Not every day lives up to...
TL;DR: I’ve decided to participate in thoughtful political discussion on my site. I’ve been afraid to post anything political on my site. This is a very personal space, and politics is divisive. Sharing my political views could alienate readers or lead to bad-faith arguments. I’ve also personally been turned off...
Just over a week ago, we lost the sweetest dog. Bailey was always happy to meet people from the day we got her from a shelter in Ohio, to the morning before she passed. She had the softest fur and warmest heart. She loved anyone who came to our house...
This week we celebrated my wife’s birthday. I like our tradition of spreading the festivities over multiple days because this beautiful woman is worth celebrating for more than 24 hours. She is a powerful force and brightens the day of the people she encounters while still pushing for a better...
IndieWeb Carnival: Self-Care and Routine
Congrats to my brother on scoring 1000 points for his high school basketball team. Quite the achievement! 🏀
Found out today that a elderly woman we know from Liberia passed away. She spent most of her life caring for children in Nimba county, many of whom lost family in the country’s civil war. Her godly spirit had a profound impact on my wife and me despite being a...
An excessively detailed description of my plans and failures taking on an ambitious woodworking project
And other PNW adventures
Happy Mother’s Day to my wife. While we may not have kids in our home today, I am so proud of how you stepped into the role of foster mom this past year. Overnight you offered your love and attention to our foster kiddos when they couldn’t be with their...
It has now been more than six months since our last foster placement. At the beginning of the year, we made the difficult decision to switch foster agencies. After how long it took to get licensed the first time, the prospect of another delay was discouraging. But I feel confident...
After six weeks together our first foster kiddos were able to return to live with family members while their parent’s case continues to progress. This is great news for the kids as it will allow them to stay connected with their relatives. Throughout this journey, we were relieved to see...
After several weeks, our crash course in parenting has continually thought me new things. There are a lot of parenting lessons I’ve seen played out in other’s homes. But being now being the parent has really brought a lot of those into focus. Gains Our foster care certification process had...
A couple weeks ago, Bekah and I accepted our first foster placement of two young kiddos; a five-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl. They are beautiful kids who love to have fun. They also have been through a lot, both in life and now being separated from their family. We...
I’m excited to announce that after 10 months of the certification process and years of discussion and planning Bekah and I have been licensed by the state of California to serve as foster parents. Since the earliest days of our marriage, we’ve discussed how we could care for children needing...
Getting out on the water with extended family was a nice way to end a weekend saying goodbye to a loved-one. I enjoyed meeting more of Bekah’s family and talking birds with her uncles. I wish it could have been under better circumstances. Honestly the kayaking was a little frustrating,...
Happy Valentine’s Day to my beautiful wife. I love getting to experience life with you. 😍
Today Bekah and I went with her brother, sister-in-law, and their two boys to the Wild Bird Center where volunteers care for injured birds. The boys were so cute running around and checking out the different cages and the large number of ducks on the pond. Some of the birds...
Happy birthday to my nephew Zeke! I’m so glad I was able to be there for his birthday party this year. Seeing him love Thomas the tank engine brings back so many memories and his joy warms all our hearts. “There is no known cure for an obsession with trains”...
Having the extended family get together to clear trees felt like a classic New England Saturday. Sometimes I miss having the opportunity to do big yard projects. It was a great reason to hang out.
Happy Bekah-birthday to my beautiful wife. I am grateful for the way you remind me to enjoy life and try new things. I see how you step up to encourage others and support those others cast aside. I hope you never lose your motivation to make the world a better...
She’s the reason we get out and do fun things. She scouts out the best places to go, looks at plane tickets while there are still plenty of options, and reminds me that life is worth enjoying. So when she starts feeding the street dogs, I try not to give...
I love sharing life with this beautiful woman. You bring me joy and my life is much more fun with you. And traveling with you reminds of that even more. Thanks for making me feel special and accepting me in all my quirkiness. I’m grateful for every day I get...
Looking back, the past year has been filled with transition. My wife and I knew that she would be finishing her fellowship program. We knew that we would likely move to California at the end of the year. We didn’t know that half way through January, I would learn that...
The past two years of ministry in Springfield, Ohio have been filled with ups and downs for my wife and me. We have had the great opportunity to get to know the children who attend our church’s weekly children’s programs. We have also transitioned out of some of the ministries...
In October of 2014, I married the love of my life and I am so glad I did. I love being able to see her every day and having an excuse to treat her extra special. Her companionship brings me endless joy and she helps me be a better man....
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