The Official Announcement!

Yes, this is toes of a baby, and not one currently born! It's our fourth (and final!) child!

Samantha and I have held the news of this pregnancy a secret far long than previous children, she is currently around four months along and due in late May 2012. We're excitted about our family expanding in a few months. We chose to keep it quiet and surprise the grandparents for christmas. Needless to say both are excited!

Like our previous two we have not found out the sex of this child, it will be a wonderful surprise!

Aundrea has been aware of the pregnancy since October and has been a wonderful keeper of our secret. Tristan found out about 10 days ago and is very excited about being the oldest middle child instead of just being the middle child!



Hope everyone had a great Christmas and enjoy a happy new year!

We've enjoyed a visit from Christopher and Rebeca and the opportunity to see Matias and Marcos (for the first time!) mom and dad had a wonderful surprise!

We'll miss seeing additional family members this year, like eating my mother-in-law's christmas goodies (except lutefisk) or chowing down at Grandma Markels, but this christmas has shown it's own joys and excitment!

Aundrea is a busy five year old. She's dancing at a studio here in Gillette and is also dancing with a church group. It has been a highlight to watch her perform regularly! She is also half through her first year of pre-school. She's expanded her social skills and will often share stories (with me, much to Samantha's dismay!) of her exploits at pre-school.

Tristan is growing up quickly. I find it difficult to imagine that he'll be four in just a few weeks. He's been exploring the world and is shocked with the world around him. He enjoys driving his car from great-grandpa and great-grandma Strong and batting in grandpa and grandma's back yard. He's also very interested in anything with wheels, like trains and hotwheels.

Koren, has changed a great deal this past year. He's been walking for several months and is now climbing on and over everything! He's learning to play with his siblings... or learning to make them mad! It has been a joy watching him continue to develop. Even more is watching his brother and sister grow and mature as they learn to deal with their little brother!

Samantha has kept her status as great wife for another year. She's had to add delivery driver to her many titles this year as the kids are slowly becoming involved in more things in the community. She's following in her mom and grandmother's footsteps with cake decorating. In the rare few moments she get's to herself is spent scrapbooking, although that time seems to be fleeting.

I'm doing just fine. I am finding a great deal of enjoyment in my teaching position this year. I have found new ways to challenge myself and students and I am looking forward to the new year and additional challenges. My master's program was completed in April. I am currently in a holding pattern for the next level.

Our families highlights this past year primarily are centered around our summer travels. We had the opportunity to see family and friends and visit 21 States in just 30 days. We couldn't have asked for a better excuse for getting out of Gillette!

This next year is going to be fun as well. We ask only for the safety of Samantha and our child during this pregnancy.

Am I tired or not?

Ok, so sometime around the third or fourth infomercial you'd think I'd give up and just go to bed.

At this point I don't even care what the infomercial is about, although I am fairly certain I cannot live without rubber in a can. It's perfect for my gutters, or if I ever want to mount a screen door in the bottom of my boat. It's a good thing I can't locate my phone. They're selling two for $7.99!

So I switch over to a nature channel. I guess I'm a sucker for nature, or at least African nature. Plus the "Omigdeway" lion tribe (also the name of that tribe on "Survivor"... side note- is survivor even on any more?) quite fascinating. I'm a little broken-hearted that only two of their four cubs survived. I mean I'm really feeling pity.

Then comes the obvious wildebeest. Food for the might lion beasts. To bad they're heading north, not south to my favorite lion family. Oh no.

Of course the wildebeests run into the dreaded river. The river that is of course full of the dreaded crocodiles. At this point I'm convinced that the crocs are worse than any other creature alive. When I finally do fall asleep, I'm pretty convinced that my dream will be obsessed with croc teeth. I may even be swimming in vain away from one of those nasty creatures when my head hits the pillow.

Poor baby wildebeasts. They stand no chance.

Back to the Lions. They took down one of those ugly pigs. They might survive. Except wait... BOOM... a volcano just erupted, we're in big trouble now. I must now lead my lion family to safety, and we mustn't lose either of our two remaining cubs. We can survive, we can make it. If only we're were allowed to follow those silly wildebeasts. Blasted laws of nature.

I will continue.

I will survive.

Wow, this experience is surreal, I am basically a part of this show. What time is it?

Sure enough, the rains, the wildebeasts and the grass returns. We've survived!

It's 10:59 and time for me to go to bed.

Man I'm lame.

I blame having kids.

Black Friday Success

Wow. If you've never tried black Friday shopping, don't. I view it as very addictive!

For the second year in a row, Samantha and I braved the crowds of Rapid City, South Dakota for one night of shopping.

Last year our schedule involved going to Rapid and checking into a motel room for about 4 hours of sleep and shopping beginning at 3 am. This year new times meant we were shopping at midnight. Not sure I was real excited about that, but we were looking for deals so who cares.

After sending the kids with Don and Amanda following Turkey dinner we were free to spend a night without sleep. We packed for cold weather, like what we faced last year. However we were pleasantly surprised with high 40's to mid 50's. Weather wasn't much of a factor.

We arrived in Rapid City around 9-9:30 pm and decided before we went to stand in the line we had have an appetizer at TGI Friday's. During this time we also schemed a wonderful "Divide and Conquer" strategy for Kohls.

The strategy worked to perfection. We were in line about 50 yards from the door we entered the building at 12:02 am and had our gifts, paid and out of the building by 12:45.

From Kohls it was Target to grab a couple items, mainly for my mom. After grabbing everything we needed in 45 minutes we headed to the line and proceeded to wait for more than an hour. During this time, I headed to the in store Starbucks and waited about 25 minutes for coffee for the both of us. By that point coffee was important!

After checking out of Target we headed to McDonalds. Not to eat but to strategize for Menards. Menards killed us last year. They have great deals, but overall they aren't a store set up for a mad Black Friday mash of costumers. We spent close to 2 1/2 hours in their store last year. We needed a good strategy to figure out how to get in and out. After a fairly successful session on strategy we headed to Menards at 3:30 am. We decided to sleep as we had 2 1/2 hours till they opened. Sleep was poor but it was at least rest. By 5 we were in line and ready to go.

We entered Menards at 6:01 and were out of the store at 6:25. We conquered Menard's! At this point we were basically done with our shopping. We did hit Scheel's and then went back to Menards to make sure that we were set. By 8 we left Rapid City and headed to Newcastle to grab the kids and head home for sleep.

Sleep.

Samantha immediately headed to bed while I dealt with the kids and got them down for naps.

I tried to lay down on the coach and got about an hours worth of sleep.

Sleep.

Tonight I will be sleeping!

9 May 1968

This being veterans day, the nation pauses, if only briefly, to salute the men and women that have sacrificed their time and for many, their lives, to ensure that each us can continue the lifestyle that we relish. Veterans day is so oddly placed between Halloween and Thanksgiving with Christmas looming in the back of our minds, meaning that unfortunately it is not given the respect it is properly due.

In the "build up" towards Veterans Day, the History Channel is running the program "Vietnam in HD" I have found the documentary to at least provide a good overview on a war that I unfortunately know little about. However the impact of the war still echos in part of my bloodline. My uncle Ron, a man, that my cousins and I never knew, was killed on the 9th of May in 1968, five days prior to his 21st birthday. I know very little of the man that was one of my mom's five siblings. My other aunts and uncles all remain in Michigan and the family was and remains quite close.

In watching the documentary I'm beginning to have a better understanding of the conflict, it's deficiency's and the measure in which our troops were considered successful in battle. I also discovered that the month of May in 1968 was the single bloodiest month in the entire war as 2,371 American Soldiers were killed. My uncle is merely a statistic or tally mark for many historians. His death did not impact the outcome of the war, yet it would impact a family and community for years to come.

I have often considered proposing to write a book that centers on my uncle, mike 3/5 and the lasting impact of Vietnam, death, and memories on a family. If I weren't hindered by inadequate abilities to write, I would have already made the attempt. At any rate, the book is in my head, the events, all of which started more than 15 years prior to my birth are difficult to understand. Of course there are gaps of knowledge, opinions and information surrounding my uncle but I still feel that it would be a book that many in this country could relate to. Although I must admit a book of the nature would most certainly open wounds in my family that are currently covered by the scars of the memories that were.

In the late 1990's a family friend stumbled upon a website dedicated to Uncle Ron's memory. I remember it being a tense several days in our family. Discovering the websites author, agenda and purpose was easy but also uncomfortable. I say that the events of my Uncles participation in the war is confusing, and difficult to understand because of circumstance. It is my understanding that he was married at nineteen and although he had gainful employment he joined up. He didn't wait for a draft notice, he joined. I'll never be able to grasp that. He not only joined, but became a US Marine. Surely he knew that when he put his name on the dotted line that he was on a one way collision course for Vietnam. Why would someone do this?

Many tore up their draft notices, some fled the country, thousands protested. But one individual from a tiny town decided the go against the grain. Surely, he wasn't the only one, why aren't these men discussed?

I have often tried to understand the emotions of my grandparents when they first learned that he had signed up for the marines. Knowing my grandfather I'm sure he was proud, yet abrasive. My grandmother was probably quiet yet perhaps gave her eldest a hug and the best look of assurance that she could. I doubt tears came publicly. For Grandma they were subdued, she's to tough to display anything but confidence and stability. She remains that way to this day.

All of these and many more partial stories and events have perked my curiosity of my uncles life and ultimate death. At a young age I was told very little about my uncle, except that he was a hero. I remember having a childhood friend at my grandparents and taking him to the wall where the high school graduation pictures of my mom and her siblings hang. The only thing I knew of my uncle was that he was a hero, and that's how I described him, a hero. I just didn't understand why at that point, just that he was a hero, like superman or batman, a hero.

Perhaps writing even this blog will cause a stir in my family, perhaps even anger some. It's a topic that although isn't to far below the surface, is left below the surface. Even today, I can tell you where some of Uncle Ron's letters and things are in my grandparents house, however I can also tell you that I wouldn't dare get the letters out for fear of poking the scars that have yet to heal in the family.

It's October... show me the magic, please.

The last year it happened was 1984.

Gibson and Morris, Alan and Lou. All the great players that Tiger baseball legend is made.

Unfortunately in 1984 is about 18 months old and was probably more familiar with a hospital than most people 60 years my senior. The 80's are notorious for the era before the double "S" plagued baseball. Strike and Steroids. Although I was not alive for the strike of '81, it's impact seemed to be far less than the strike of 1994 when a whole season was lost. Within ten years steroids talk and implications of player's juicing was bigger news than who had a legitimate shot of winning the series.

The 2006 season had the making of a memorable year for Tiger's fans. I didn't have the opportunity to enjoy it like I should have. Between coaching, a crazy work schedule, trying to finish college, it was a baseball season that was more of a blur than a memory. In fact in game five when the Cardinal's wrapped up the series I distinctly remember sitting in the Metrodome watching University of Minnesota Morris beat up on Westminster College for their first UMAC Championship. I remember I also fell asleep in my chair several times during what really was an exciting game between two schools that had whipped our butts that year. I was tired.

This season could end it all. All the frustration. All the expectations that ended with disappointment, yet promise of what a new season would bring. I love looking forward to a new season of Tigers baseball. Yes, at 1600 miles from the State of my birth, I still avidly follow the team that holds a special place for many across the "Great Lakes" State.

Although, 1984 isn't a memory for me, I have read Sparky Anderson's Memoirs on the season "Bless You Boys". I was actually completely unaware of the book until my senior year of high school when I was a library aide. When I ran across the book it was as if I couldn't check it out fast enough. I finished it in 24 hours and then reread it in 48 hours. I've always wanted to purchase the book. Although it's current price is a little prohibitive. I guess it just goes to show how many fans out their still live 1984 through that text.

I will commit to one thing, if the Tiger's win it in 2011, I will buy the 1984 copy. To proudly display with my collection of Tigers things, it would be fitting I think.

Back to this season.

I'm not sure that I have witnessed a better game pitched than game 5 of the ALDS. To do that in New York was incredible. Samantha and I sat in the living room with so many knots in our stomach's that I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to use the facilities for a week. Papa Grande's strikeout on Alex Rodriguez to end it left us cheering loud enough to set off all of the neighborhood dogs, but who cares. If the Tiger's could find a way to win this year I would have to admit that it will be an exciting, yet emotional moment for me, and something I hope my children remember for a very long time, because if it's anything like the current drought, it might not happen again for a very long time.

Several days of contemplation...

With Samantha gone, and the small three bedroom apartment that we live in occupied by only Aundrea and myself, I've had, and taken, many opportunities to reflect on life.

The first is I'm still trying to figure out how the dirty dishes disappear from the counter. I'm sure eventually I'll get home and they will somehow jump into the cupboard, clean like the day we bought them.

Ok, so don't get the wrong idea. I do house work... and the dishes aren't to bad. I've kept up on them. I've also managed to keep all the times/appts straight, minus church this morning. I've also managed to go to do it all while coming down with a nasty bought of something.

Truthfully, I've been sick so many times in Wyoming that I really was thinking that the only way I can get better is with Samantha's help. She gets my sick routine... which mainly involve my pillow, movies and Gatorade (lots of Gatorade).

Ah, I should also point out that Samantha is in Minnesota for a cousins wedding and her grandfather's upcoming surgery. It was also a chance for her to head home and not feel the confines of coming and going on a specific date. I expect her back at some point before this weekend. Ultimately, I'd like to see my son's before they forget who I am!

Anyways on to more important thoughts... Aundrea recently turned five. With her birthday being so close she has also started a few avenues in life that have really awoken me to life. Forever my children have been at home with Samantha. They're safe, and I know where they're at. Now my daughter is attending a preschool. It's not that I'm sad that my daughter is growing up it's simply the idea that our families dynamic is changing.

I can't say that I am excited about this new change. I'm very happy for my daughter, and pleased that she has adjusted very quickly to the changes of her life.

Their have been many changes both small and large that have caught me by surprise and quite simply left me a little unprepared as to how to approach raising my children. I liken this to a song I recently heard... Superman (Its not easy). I know it's probably not a new song, but when your radio only plays country it's easy to miss songs like this.

Although in no way do I consider myself superman, I am supposed to have, access and emulate strength and stability for my children. Right now I'm not really sure how all this ocured, but I do know that I'm struggling to accept the changes as a father.

Getting a little bit Presidential

So I don't always like to weigh in on politics. They can be pretty divisive amongst many. They also provide people a great deal of stress when in fact their stress is associated with something they cannot change or fix at the moment.

I'm just not like that. I'd rather get worked up about something, add in a little stress and then find solutions to implement and fix the problem.

Being from a conservative family has definitely led an absolute leaning towards conservative politicians. However unlike some that I know I don't think that democrats, or President Obama is pure evil. Just individuals with some ideas different from my own. I regularly hear Rush Limbaugh or Glen Beck vilify many democratic leaders. This is a pretty poor approach in my opinion. Quite frankly although these commentators do have their moments of truth, they do little to help positively change our country other than to provide more distrust in both sides of the aisle.

I'm not discrediting liberal talk show hosts, they're just as bad, and it seems many news commentators are also liberal leaning with the ability to spin things in their own direction. I am not a tea party'er, although I would support some of the candidates that are affiliated.

I am not a believer in the multitude of entitlement programs that the nation has. I would differ from either party that believes in creating more or not properly fixing those that are currently offered.

I've said for over two years that they should make people more accountable for medicaid and medicare. Put them in charge of a set amount of funds and don't allow them to go over that threshold so willy-nilly. For example, Samantha and I have an HSA account through our school district. If my doctor bills are more than what is present in my HSA account I will need to draw from my checking account to cover the difference. Their must be some individual accountability. I'm finally hearing some candidates discuss that in the last debate. I'm not ok with blank check legislation.

On the flip side I also feel for those with mounting medical costs. Their is several whammy's here. #1 Cost of insurance and #2 Cost of medical care. Both of these need to be addressed in a major way. Insurance is high because if you go to the doctor these days for a routine visit your going to get hammered for about a $100 bill.

This was an extreme shock for us in moving to Gillette. Our well-baby checks that we did in North Dakota ran about $55 in North Dakota. In Gillette, you double that, and add about $15. Then still pay additional if they need to poke your child. On another note, the difference in medical care was actually better in our opinion in North Dakota.

I don't blame insurance companies for raising their costs as medical conglomerates have so steeply raised their own. Prices always go up, not down. Unless your dealing in a commodity like corn or wheat.

Don't even get me started on medication. We give the stuff away for free to about 90 some countries while I had to pay about $350 for some allergy medication. It worked, don't get me wrong, but I'll suffer next time over paying that kind of money.

To tie this briefly into education, a student can enter college and decide nursing or eduction. If they decide to go into education they're likely to enter the job market at between $30-$40,000. They'll have the privilege of educating tomorrow's future. In twenty years they get a bump in their pay, speaking in round numbers of $1000 per year (I know this only happens in places like Wyoming, but humor me.)

Year/Pay
#1- $35000
#2- $36,000
#3- $37,000
#4- $38,000
#5- $39,000
#6- $40,000... Now they just completed their master's program that they borrowed $15,000 for. Being prudent and not pay a pile of interest on they're going to attempt to pay it off in 3 years.
#7- $44,000 minus $5,000 = $39,000 (they got a pay bump for having the degree as well)
#8- $45,000 minus $5,000 = $40,000
#9- $46,000 minus $5,000 = $41,000 (PAID OFF! Not including interest, but I don't have the desire to fill all that in)
#10- $47,000
#11- $48,000 minus $1000 = $47,000 (oh yeah, state continuing ed, that comes out of your pocket.)
#12- $49,000
#13- $50,000
#14- $51,000
#15- $52,000
#16- $53,000 minus $1000 = $52,000 (same ol' continuing ed)
#17- $54,000
#18- $55,000
#19- $56,000
#20- $57,000

Twenty Year Total= $915,000

That's a chunk of change. Granted that's twenty years worth of sweat and blood. Now shifting back to the medical field and that nurse. The average nurse makes $71,692. Check out this link

So if that's the average lets say the average 22 year old nurse makes about $50,000. Granted that should be a four year RN. In twenty years, with overtime (it's not that I believe nurses don't work hard. I know they do, and it's easy to get what many of them have) they can make upwards of $90,000. I am not sure how there can be a $40,000 shift. In twenty years that's an average pay increase of $2,000 per year.

Year/Pay
#1- $50,000
#2- $52,000
#3- $54,000
#4- $56,000
#5- $58,000
#6- $60,000 - $3,000 = $57,000 (I assume they've had to get some type of education, lets say they've spent $3,000 to improve their craft)
#7- $62,000
#8- $64,000
#9- $66,000
#10- $68,000
#11- $70,000 - $3000 = $67,000
#12- $72,000
#13- $74,000
#14- $76,000
#15- $78,000
#16- $80,000
#17- $82,000
#18- $84,000
#19- $86,000
#20- $88,000

Ok my math stinks. That's not $90 but your getting the picture.

The total is= $1,374,000.00 over a twenty year period.

A difference of $459,000. Between the two careers.

Yet their is such a large protest over the amount that teachers make! I find the disparities to be quite dishonest. My point is that schools are locally overseen by citizens of the community. When the budget is handled the citizens look at the collective cost and take a collective gasp as to the cost of educating the children in their community. I get it, staffing a school full of teachers will take a good chunk of that school's money. But that's what that school is their for. To make matter's worse state government dictates the amount of money that schools receive. Could you imagine if that was done in a hospital? Where peers oversee the amount that nurses doctors and all employees will receive? I bet it would be a little different in the compensation department.

Don't view this as me whining. I could have decided upon a different career path. I just get a little upset when education is constantly on the defensive when other careers are actually costing the average joe more $ than teachers are receiving to educate our nations children.

Ok, this blog was supposed to be about the republican debate from the other night. First I was impressed by many of the candidates. I was mostly disappointed with Bachmann, Pawlenty, Santorum and Huntsman. I consider none of these to be real candidates with real ideas or ability to accomplish a whole lot should they enter the white house.

I know Bachmann is a media darling, but I was unimpressed with her. She seemed really to just spit out stuff that would get people fired up but had little content. Pawlenty was the biggest dissapointment. He needed to stay away from attacking Bachmann and discuss what he believed in. I think he should run for senate and get to Washington to see what he can accomplish in that regard.

Of the four remaining candidates my favorite on the night was Ron Paul. Paul is an absolute brain with real answers to help our country. I love it when a guy is able to say something that is unpopular but says it because he knows that it's the right thing for the country. Their was a question regarding the constitution, right away the commentator conceded that Paul is one of the foremost experts of the constitution. Wouldn't that be someone we want? His answers felt as though he was an old school professor up at the front of the classroom with nothing but a tweed jacket and a piece of chalk ready to educate the world. He doesn't look like a politician or talk like a politician. He just tells us what he believes and what the laws of the country allow. I love his get out of Iraq/Afghanistan mentality. He's right. It costs WAY to much money to be their for people that can't help themselves.

Herman Cain was second in my opinion. I love honesty and he's emulates it with every word he speaks. I would love to see him on the ticket in some fashion. He's a businessman not a politician. I believe that he will be a major factor in doing things to help the economy. He was also very well spoken, ten times better than our current president.

Mitt Romney wasn't aggressive in his approach. Samantha was just saying yesterday that he does little to attack his opponents, other than Obama, and spends a lot of time talking about what he believes in. I can respect that. He looks like a US President and he is a very distinguished individual. He is a little more of a politician. But I believe has the right political/work background.

In fourth for me was Newt Gingerich. Although I like him the least I was surprised with how intelligent the man is. Like Paul I felt that when he spoke it was with knowledge and experience. He understands the way government operates, and I believe he has the ability to know where government needs to cut back. He won't be a popular president, but I bet he'd make a good one. Heck I'd be terrified if I was 2 minutes late for a meeting with him. He give the appearance of being very demanding and prompt. I can respect that.

I'm interested in Perry and whether or not Palin jumps in especially since Pawlenty jumped out. Anyways, just my take on things!