Well, I hit 46 today.  This morning I was thinking back to when I was 10-12 and how I thought my dad, in his mid-30s, was SOOOOO old.  Well, it’s all relative.  Now my kids think I’m old, but I still think I’m 20….sometimes…..except when lifting heavy objects….or running……etc…..

One thing I have learned is that life gets better the older you are.  I had heard that from some friends of my dad, but never believed it.  I wouldn’t trade this decade with the previous one and I hope I feel the same about the next.

Today was awesome!  Woke up at our cabin in Breckenridge alone with my wife.  Worked around the cabin outside until it started snowing….yes, snowing on June 5th!  Then, while my awesome wife got ready for our trip to Vail for lunch and to Home Depot, I walked down the road to our resident beaver pond and caught a couple of Brook Trout real quick…..how cool!  Spent the day with my wife, ate lunch at a craft brewery and then napped until now.  We’re off for a birthday dinner at Dillon Dam Brewery, an award winning craft brewery about 15 miles away in Dillon, CO.  It sits next to the dam on Dillon Reservoir (just so you didn’t think I was just cussing).

When I was young, I wanted loud birthdays with lots of people and lots of hoopla….now, I think today was perfect…..quiet and relaxing!

Today, Grant and I visited a Beer Making store. We’ve been talking and joking about having a brewery called “Pastor’s Brew” where each brew has a faith-oriented name….ie. Baptism Ale, Pastor Pale Ale, etc….you get the idea. Well, I got us a kit and we’re going to try! I’m now starting a list of probable names for our Pastor’s Brewery beers. If you have an idea, let us know.

Yes, my wife is laughing because this is added to the list of over 100 hobbies since we’ve been married.

OK, I’ve gotten alot of flack about not posting on my blog……It’s been months and I’ve decided to try and turn over a new leaf.

We were lucky to find a great log cabin a few months ago outside of Breckenridge. It’s in the town of Blue River about 2 miles outside of Breck. Today, Toby Armstrong and I rebuilt the steps to the front porch. We took a break around 5:00 and went fishing at a beaver pond right across the road from our cabin. What a beautiful place! There was a beaver swimming in the pond while trout were breaking the water all around us. I caught a gorgeous Brook trout. He had a fire red belly and bright spots all over him….the sign of a wild trout.

I can’t believe we have this cabin! It’s in the middle of trout heaven and surrounded by tall snow capped peaks. It’s going to make years of memories for our kids and family.

Cabin

Beaver Pond by the Cabin

Happy Birthday to my best friend, my confidant, my girlfriend, my prize, my trophy, my helpmate, my accountability, my safe place, my hearthrob, my kid’s mom, my wife……and the most beautiful person I know.  You’re a treasure!

Last night I got to spend a once in a lifetime opportunity with my two boys and with a friend.  It was my first World Series game and it was all I expected.  Even though we lost the game and the series, the atmosphere was incredible!  From Trisha Yearwood, singing the national anthem, the huge flag on the field, the flyover of 4 jets, the fireworks, the great playing and the celebration at the end, all of it was great!  Being there with my boys made me think of the past, when my grandfather would take me 4-5 times every summer on the train from Little Rock to St. Louis to watch the cardinals play.  I hope is something they always remember…I know I will.

Took my 4 yr old to the hospital for a long 6 hr test.  They poked her with a needle, as she cried and her mom held her, and put drugs in here and drew blood every 15 min. to test it.  Not to mention that they couldn’t find a vein, so it took two long tries to get it in.  She hadn’t eaten since last night and she had tubes running out her arms.  I sat there and wondered WHY she had to go thru this….

At 12:00 I went down to the cafeteria at the new Children’s Hospital in Aurora.   Very nice place….good food.  As I sat there I noticed my surrounding after awhile.  Across the room from me was a little boy….or girl…….I couldn’t tell because the child had no hair and was dragging an IV behind….cancer I guess.  to my right was a kid in a wheelchair with his parents feeding him.  Next to him was a cripple boy.  To my left were several kids, in hospital gowns, that had come down as a group…I guess they live here long-term.

I thought of Jia upstairs with a little tube dangling out her arm…we’d be leaving in an hour and a half……..made me thankful…….

Perspective is everything!