Evidence of life.

Today, Kristine and I went to our first baby appointment. Everything is as it should be, with Kristine queezy as ever and the baby healthy and as strong as it can be at this point. Much to our surprise, we were informed that we are actually two weeks later than what we originally thought, putting the due date around March 9. Also unexpected was the ultrasound requested by the doctor, allowing us to see our baby for the first time. It was very tiny, about the size of a large snowflake.

Most exciting, though, was the sight of it's tiny heart pounding, clearly revealing the evidence of life within this tiny being. How can anyone stand for abortion? It's so incredible to see life in such a small creature, even more so to know it's our child. I can't imagine anyone taking that life away. Needless to say (what an ironic phrase), we were both extremely excited about the whole thing.

We were given a couple of pictures of the ultrasound, which shows an image that looks a lot like a diamond ring. The "diamond" is the baby. To see a picture of the ultrasound, click here.

Obviously we have much to anticipate, which means much to blog about. To find out more as time and the pregnancy progresses, stay tuned.

Sick day.

Hello, all. I haven't much to post, but due to the gap I have chosen to do so. Kristine stayed home sick today, feeling really nauseous all day. We also got a complimentary letter stating that all apartment dwellers must discontinue the use of dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers. Why? That's a great question. It's a great inconvenience to us, who happen to have a clothes washer and dryer. We have multiple neighbors who have either the same or a dishwasher. A dishwasher is a great time saver, and the personal washer and dryer are a money saver and more beneficial physically. Yet, for some reason unknown to us and without any previous warning, we were given the before mentioned letter telling us to stop the use of the appliances or face possible eviction. Anyway, our first OB-GYN appointment is Wednesday at 11 a.m. Kristine and I are both extremely excited! Hopefully we'll get to hear the heartbeat, but there's no guarantee. Aside from that, nothing else is really going on. I did preach at Avilla yesterday, and that seemed to go well. Well, that's about all. Until next time, stay tuned.

Over the highway and through the fields.

Kristine and I just recently returned from a trip. It was a magical trip to a magical place known as Mammaw's house. What makes it magical? Obviously the fact that it's my grandmother, which means stories and spoiling. But what makes it magical to me specifically is FRIED APPLE PIES. Sure, grandmothers around the world are known for their magnificent cooking, but few are very well-known for making fried apple pies. My mammaw makes the best.

We left yesterday after Kristine got off of work. She's already started the cravings, and yesterday it consisted of chili cheese fries. What can I say, my wife has great taste! Anywho, we started on our way. Upon arrival we were greeted by Mammaw's four-legged companion, Annie. Sweet dog. As we entered the house with hands full and hugs being given, I noticed a plate wrapped in aluminum foil sitting on top of the washer. There they were. Mammaw knew we were coming, which I'm guessing is what provoked her to make the delicate desserts. Anywho, Kristine and I made ourselves comfortable and enjoyed a quiet evening.

Today we went to White Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church where my mammaw gladly spread the word that Kristine and I are expecting, which in turn was followed by multiple congratulations. We saw three of my four aunts (the fourth being in Evansville with my sister this weekend) and my cousins Emily and Austin. They had just returned from camp that previous Friday. It was good to see them all, especially since we hadn't since February. They all expressed how excited they were for us. After church, we all went out to Western Sizzlin' for lunch. We shared some laughs and had a great time. I'm so glad we took the time to go.

Now we're back in Little Rock enjoying the air conditioning and taking it easy. Kristine has been getting queezy on and off throughout the week, not to mention getting more tired a lot more frequently. We both can't wait to have our first official doctor's visit, where we'll hopefully get to hear the baby's heartbeat. Thank you to all who are keeping us in your prayers, and for more on the baby's progress, stay tuned.

Showers of Blessing....

Are exactly what we're gonna need. Baby showers, to be exact! That's right! Kristine Michelle Woodring, my beautiful bride, is approximately six weeks pregnant with our first child. God is awesome! I'm excited, anxious, scared, thrilled, and a whole lot of other things all at the same time. (To those who already know this, it's now safe to assume that you can spread the word since this information is on the World Wide Web). We found out yesterday morning, first, by home pregnancy test, then by going to the doctor after she got off of work. The doc confirmed the news (phew!). We waited a few hours to tell people, just enough time to give everyone time to get off of work, and then started making the anticipated phone calls. The first calls went to parents and siblings, followed by proclamation to close friends and neighbors, other family members, etc. It was a busy day! Still, the news seems as fresh as a fresh picked apple, and it hasn't seemed to completely set in with me yet, but Kristine is starting to experience some of the nausea and queeziness that goes along with being "with child". I know these next few months will be an adventure, but I'm as ready as I can be (which isn't very) and honestly can't wait until late February rolls around. Obviously there's a lot going on with Kristine and me, meaning there will be plenty to blog about over the next few months. Thus, without further delay, I say to all reading, "stay tuned!"

It's spelled P-A-R-M-E-S-A-N.

Many of you may be wondering about the title, but don't fret over it. It's just an inside joke, and, David, if you're reading this, there is no "e" after the "s". At least spellcheck doesn't think so. Maybe that's the English spelling. Anywho, good day to all. It is Saturday, and somewhat of a sadder day. Today ends Indiana month. David Matthew Story left Little Rock today to return to Morgantown, WV. It was a great four days of nothing more than two close friends spending nothing less of quality time together. The fun started Wednesday, June 21st. I remember as if it were only a few days ago....

06/21/06
David arrived just before 11:30 a.m., and we started laughing almost immediately. We grabbed something to eat at "the" fast food restaurant (Wendy's) and went to the apartments to waste time before picking up Kristine. We did nothing but play PS2 all afternoon. Absolutely frawesome. Kristine joined some of the fun after work, taking time to wind down and relax. Oh, and a couple of "Friends" episodes were involved, naturally.

06/22/06
Happy Birthday, David! I took Kristine to work and, on the way back to the apt., I picked up some chocolate milk, the preferred breakfast (or anytime, really) beverage of David. After all, it was his birthday. We then continued the celebration by going out to a few of our favorite places, which, not ironically, contained a few of our favorite things. Game Xchange, CompUSA, Best Buy, EB Games, Fazoli's (guys have to eat!), back to CompUSA. We had laughs, spent money, and lived it up. God gave us a beautiful day to celebrate the first day of the 21st year of David's birth. After arriving back at the apt., we adequately spent our time playing more video games. David was reintroduced to "Crazy Taxi", and greatfully indulged himself in the reacquaintance, spending much time with the game. Kristine again joined us in our frawesome time, and, by David's request, we ate at Corky's, Little Rock's best (as far as we've found) BBQ joint. We then continued throughout the evening playing more video games before calling it a night.

06/23/06
Magic Springs, here we come! David and I dropped Kristine off at work (unfortunately) and made our way to Hot Springs, AR where the amusement park Magic Springs resides. David got to experience five more roller coasters as well as some other rides while we were there. We later returned mid-afternoon and--you guessed it--played more video games (thank God for technology). We then came back to reality and played some real basketball with David Standridge, and each of us won a game a piece of 21 (how appropriate). We picked up Kristine from work (thank God for Kristine!) and made our three foot journey from our apt. to our neighbors apt. to eat supper, play games, listen to Dave dazzle us on the guitar, and just plain have fun. It, too, was a frawesome day.

06/24/06
The sad day of departure. We made the best of it, though. I took Kristine to work (yet again) and returned to the apt. to see if David would like to take part in some game playing. He graciously obliged. We played until it was about time for Kristine to get off of work and then naturally went to pick her up. From there we went to Fazoli's (Italian is good) for lunch and then returned home. David and I wasted no time in returning to the PS2 while Kristine got a bit more comfortable and headed out to Wal-Mart with a couple of our neighbors. I then, sadly, had to chauffer Dave to the airport for him to make his flight back to Morgantown. We said goodbye, hoping (at least on my part) that the next encounter will not be so far off. It was a bit solemn, but life goes on. God is using David in great ways, and I'm sure has greater things for him yet. As far as for me, Kristine and I are both waiting for whatever it is God has in store for us, allowing Him to use us where we are now and wanting to be used by Him even more.

That's everything. Well, not everything, just the highlights. It was more fun than most can bear in a week, but David and I did it all in a mere four days. Now that's what I call frawesome. As always, stay tuned.

Leaving For Arrival.

WARNING: The following blog contains events over a course of ten days, and is therefore longer than most posts. Viewer discretion is not necessary, I just wanted any readers to know the literary journey ahead is a longer one than usual.

Of course the title doesn't make sense, it's an oxi-moron. Therefore, calm down and let me explain. Kristine and I have spent the past ten days in the great state of Indiana, otherwise known as the "Hoosier State". This explains the gap in blogging. We arrived first in Evansville, IN at Amanda and Andy's (my sister and brother-in-law) on Friday morning around midnight. After getting some much needed rest after the 7 or 8 hour trip, we regrouped Friday morning to reminisce about the "good ole days" and discuss lunch. We chose to dine at a fun little Italian restaurant called Angelo's, which turned out to be pretty good and did not involve the mob as far as we know. from there, Kristine and I went a bit further north to visit her parents.

We arrived at Mike and Shawn Gregg's house around 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Shawn's sister and brother-in-law were there visiting along with their son, Darren, while preparations were being made for David Gregg's graduation party, which was to be held on Saturday. The party was definitely fun, as was the whole visit. Darren, Kristine, and I (along with some others, every now and then) did some high-quality fishing down at a lake not far from the house, catching approx. 25 fish. I used to hate fishing, but I must admit, it was a blast! Tuesday morning we left the Gregg household and headed for Noblesville, IN where Josh and Erin Allen were anxiously awaiting.

We got to Josh and Erin's house around lunchtime, for which we stopped at the greatest hot-sub joint EVER, Penn Station. Kristine and I shared a chicken terriyaki sandwich and some fresh-cut french fries while being entertained by Erin and baby Camrynne (who will be one year old on the 28th). It was very refreshing to spend the time with them and Josh, especially since our time with them is usually so much shorter. I know both Erin and Kristine wasted no time in catching up, and soaked up every moment they could spending time with each other. The "Allen/Woodring quality bonding time" was a huge dose of fun. If you're reading this, thanks a million, Josh, Erin and Camrynne. Oh, and we all found out that devil eggs make for good splats when they hit a hard surface, especially when purposefully thrown straight at the floor.

From the Allen residence, we continued our Indiana journey to my family's house in Anderson, where we encountered my brother Tim, and Dad. We attended the final night of VBS that evening, and were greeted cheerfully by many that were there. We were also greeted with great food. What made the food great, you ask? The fact that most of it was sweets, mainly ice cream, the most incredible cold food known to man and some dogs. It was awesome. The next day started with my Dad and me going out and grabbing the morning grub-- Donuts. Ah, Donuts. The man or woman who came up with the concept of donuts better have some sort of medal. If this genius doesn't have a medal for this miraculous creation, he or she certainly deserves one. A donut shaped one. With chocolate icing. Anywho, we ate donuts. Kristine and I proceeded that day to go to her cousin Samantha's, wedding. It was a nice wedding, and the only one I've been to where the guys in the wedding party wore cowboy hats. My only complaint was the ushers were wearing pink. Anywho, the wedding was wonderful, and congrats to the happy newlyweds.

Sunday, as many of you know, was Father's Day. It was also Dad's birthday. Due to these special occasions, Amanda and Andy Justison came up to visit, gracing us yet again with their presence. We obviously attended church at Landmark. Spending Sunday at Landmark was somewhat nostalgic, and I loved it. After morning services, we came back to the house for lunch, which consisted of hash brown casserole, green beans, fried okra, and steak. It was beyond delicious. Following lunch, Dad opened his Father's Day/birthday cards and gifts. Mandy and Andy gave him an ocean sounds cd and a church history magazine, and Kristine and I gave him a dart board (hope he'll enjoy it). We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with Mandy, Andy, and Timothy while Mom and Dad went to a viewing at a funeral home. We took the given time to swim in the cold water and cold wind, just begging for hypothermia. We survived, though, and Kristine gave Timothy a haircut to match mine. That evening, we again went to Landmark for church and, afterwards, spent some high quality family time at the house. Mandy and Andy then headed back to Evansville. This morning Dad left for Daytona, Florida for the national ABA meeting, Mom went to work, and Kristine and I will soon be heading back to the small town of Little Rock, AR.

It was a great week and a half in IN. I miss it more than I allow anyone to know. But don't start sympathizing yet, because the title has yet to be explained. Upon leaving Indiana for Arkansas, we will be expecting the arrival of none other than David M. Story himself, in the flesh, Old Navy wardrobe and all. Thus, we are leaving Indiana to arrive in Arkansas a mere two days before the Story arrives. Indiana month isn't over. Not yet. So stay tuned.

In IN.

Well, we're back in Indiana again. At the present time we are visiting my beloved sister and brother-in-law. They have opted to take us to lunch, which my stomach is pleased about. I probably won't be blogging much between now and when we return to Little Rock, but have decided to take the time to do so today simply to let everyone know about our up and coming website. If it works out as planned, my blogging will most likely continue there. The address is jkwoodring.com, omitting the www. Anywho, it's under construction at this time, so there's not much to look at right now. Check it out if you wish, but there will be more to come later, so stay tuned.

Indiana Month.

Buenos Dias to all, and my apologies for the blog gap. Now that that's done, we can peacefully move on. And so "Indiana Month" continues. It actually started in May with my parents and brother coming in from Indiana to visit family. They stayed with Kristine and me through Memorial Day, leaving that morning for Prescott, AR to see my mom's family. Yesterday, my sister and brother-in-law arrived early (approx. 2:15 a.m.) and stayed until lunchtime. They accompanied me (actually, it was the other way around) to pick up Kristine for lunch and, after dropping me off, set off for Prescott as well. It was beyond enjoyable seeing them all. It was very refreshing. June 1st is Mom's birthday and June 18th is my Dad's.
Speaking of June, Indiana Month continues with Kristine and me going to Indiana for a 10 day getaway. I'm sure it will be wonderful. We'll get to see her family, Erin and Josh, Some church friends and my family. It'll be good, especially for her. She deserves it for all she does.
Following our return, David Story will be coming to celebrate his 21st birthday on the 22nd. That time will be well wasted with bad puns, lots of laughs, and all around good times. By the way, I recommend to anyone and everyone reading this to visit his website. He has done well reinventing it and has a load of new stuff on it. (You can pay me later for the plug, Dave). Anywho, all of the above mentioned adventures are why Kristine and I have dubbed this month "Indiana Month." I can't wait for the rest!
That's all for this post. Except for "Happy Birthday, Mom! 37, and going strong."
Stay tuned.

Birthday Gifts Galore!

Well, twenty-two has been good to me so far. It started much better than twenty-one did: a four to five hour drive to Mississippi just to see my brother-in-law get ordained and spend money I didn't intend on spending. What a birthday. But this year definitely took a different route. My wife gave me the best birthday by doing everything she possibly could to make it as big a deal as possible. She got me great gifts, took me to a movie via tickets from my sister, and brought me home to a surprise of a surprise party. Our apartment was decked out in Spider-Man decorations and our friendly neighbors greeted me. I opened more wonderful gifts, received a card with Penn Station certificates (one of my and Kristine's favorite restuarants), and then David Story gave me an extravagant gift. He sent me twenty-two seperate emails that either gave me tasks to complete or reminisced about past memories we share. Then, he continued on to say that I was the best and most loyal friend he's ever had. That is frawesome. And, as you all should know, that's saying a lot. Thanks, everyone, for a great birthday. I could never had expected anything more.
This second day of being twenty-two has been a good follow up. I had the great opportunity to speak in the morning and evening services at Avilla Baptist Church, the first church I can remember going to. My mind started to fill with past memories, and I saw people I remembered from eighteen years ago. It was definitely refreshing. I enjoyed the company of the people there, and have been home relaxing ever since. So far, I love being twenty-two. I know God has a lot in store for me this year, and I can't wait. Well, that's it for now. Thanks, again to the best wife ever for a frawesome birthday. There's more to come in this twenty-two year old's life, so stay tuned.

Twenty-two today.

I have arrived at the twenty-two year mark in my life. Is this a great feat that has been accomplished? I don't really know. But I must say, I like the number. Two identical numbers side by side. It just looks kinda cool. Plus, due to the influence of David Story, I'm a bit biased about this double duece number. It is his favorite number, as well as the day of his birth (June 22). Anywho, I can say I've enjoyed the majority of my life up to this point. God has truly blessed me. I thank Him for all the people He's surrounded me with over the years. That being said, thank you to all who have been a part of my life. You've made it a fun ride so far. That's it for now, but there's more to come, so stay tuned.

Two Days 'Til Twenty-two.

The countdown is past starting. It is now only two days away from my 22nd birthday. I'm not sure, but I'm inclined to believe that my best friend, David Story, is required to buy/do something extravagant for this particular birthday due to 22 being his favorite number. This is nothing more than a rumor (started by me, of course) as of now, so feel free to ask him if you get the chance. Anywho, if I have the chance to continue the countdown to my birthday (two whole days), I will blog again to do so. This is in order to give anyone who wants to the chance to leave comments of birthday greetings, or "happy birthday" if you will. With that said, happy reading and stay tuned.

PS Anyone wondering for the past few months about the picture of me in the righthand corner of this page, I was inhaling a devil egg.

Happy Mother's Day!

First off, happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there! I know I appreciate my mother, as well as the women who have acted as interim mother when I'm away from mine or she's away from me. Unfortunately, I don't have that this year. But, none the less, happy Mother's Day.
I have much respect for Kristine's mom. I hope she is having a good Mother's Day, though neither of her children are there to share it with her. I hate that for her. My mom has Tim, but my sister and me are both hours away. I also hate that for her. I do want to commemerate this day for them.
My mom (as well as my dad) instilled in me all the good I have ever known or done. I credit them and God for that. If anyone reading this blog doesn't think I am a good person, though, first of all, I'm sorry for giving off that impression, and secondly, that is not because of my parents. They raised me to be respectful, kind, loving, generous, and curtious. They did not teach me the bad things I have done in my life that I regret. For that, I shamefully credit myself. They have never hoped I would fall, but have taught me to do the things that are good, to make me a better person. When they see those things lived out in me, I hope they are proud, not only of me as their son, but of themselves for doing such a wonderful job teaching me.
I have never had to question whether my parents love me. I know they do. My dad, though rough around the edges sometimes and as blunt a person as any, has never neglected to let me know in some way that he loves me. My mom has nourished and cherished me, my sister, and my brother better than any of us could have ever expected, and yet we so often take that for granted. I know Mandy and Timothy feel the same. We are blessed. Thank God for the family we have. I couldn't ask for better. I love you all.
Again, to all the mom's out there, happy Mother's day. And to my mom, I love you.

Finals: Part 2 of 2.

I took my last final today. It was in Greek, and I think I did okay. That's the end of that. And so the school year comes to an end. Not an abrupt end, have you. I still have two or three things to work on and turn in, but thankfully I'll have the opportunity to use the two week grace period to do so. I'll attempt to discipline myself to get it done before the weekend, so pray for me, cross your fingers, and, if you feel the need, keep me accountable by giving me a call. If you're reading this and don't know my number, I probably don't want you to call me. No offense, but I just don't feel to comfortable with giving my number out on the world wide web.
Anywho, apart from the little work I have left to do, I am done. Finished. Finetto. Free for nearly four months to do what I please. Not really. I do have to find a summer job. But that's beside the point. I am now free of the stress that I brought upon myself by procrastinating. It's a good feeling. Stress doesn't fit my personality. When people think Jonathan Woodring, I doubt the word "stress" comes to mind. Maybe "carefree" or "outgoing". The word "who" most likely comes to mind. Again, not the point. Less stress, another school year down, and I am most definitely ready for summer.
Speaking of summer, it seems to have a lot to hold for me and Kristine, and we can't wait until things start rolling. I've already given you the preview of what's to come, but to see how it all goes, you'll just have to stay tuned.

Finals: Part 1 of 2

Hello, all. I have just completed my first day of finals. I have only one final to take tomorrow, which is Greek, but still much to catch up on. I have five assignments to turn in by tomorrow. I hate schoolwork. It's so time-consuming. Anywho, I need to get to work on finishing some of the before mentioned assignments and get started on a couple of others. Day one: complete. Day 2: stay tuned.

In the midst of things.

To tell on myself, I'm taking a break from doing an assignment due today before 1:00 p.m. I can't seem to figure out where to go next. I'm supposed to be writing a Sunday school lesson following the ABA literature format. At this point in reading you can imagine, if you will, me wanting to gag myself because of how rediculous this is. First off, I don't use ABA literature, much, MUCH less do I care for it. Secondly, It has to have a 1500 word body and, as I've already mentioned, I have no clue what to write next. I have a text, an introduction, and the verses of the text written out so far. Now I just need a 1500 word body and conclusion. Worse than that, I still have Latin class at 10:10, leaving very little time to finish all of this in. Ah, the life of a procrastinator. Well, with all that said, I guess I should really get going. Enough complaining for now. And, by the way, too bad about the Pacers-- enough said. To learn more about what's going on with me, stay tuned.

The End Is Near.

No, not the end of the world, the end of the school year. I've yet to catch up on my work and have a considerable amount of studying to do between now and next week. This blog is really just a refuge from that. I've not much to blog about since my last entry due to the fact that I'm still trying to catch up on work and so forth, but to those who read this, hi. I'm excited about school ending, but stressed at the same time (which may or may not be obvious). Also, I'm getting more and more excited about the next few months and what they hold in store. This month, Kristine and I are slightly busy with things like a "Cystic Fibrosis Walk", spending free passes to the Little Rock Zoo, and planning a trip to Magic Springs. My birthday is coming up (May 20, for all who may not already know) and my parents, brothers (Andy included), and sister, are planning to come the weekend before Memorial Day. I have no idea what we'll be doing that weekend, but I do know it'll be a blast. It always is, it seems. Last time I was with my brother, we played some much needed games of basketball. When Andy and Mandy visited while David Story was visiting, we simply went to a BBQ restaurant called Corky's and made more than the best of it. Mom and Dad always have some kinda new story to tell whenever we see them. If it hasn't clicked with anyone yet, I'm REALLY looking forward to their arrival. Jessica L. and David and C.J. Standridge provide more than enough fun and friendship on any given night (which is usually when it occurs). I'm so thankful that God has blessed me with the family and friends I have, wherever I may be.

Continuing on, June also holds much to be anticipated. We're going to the "home of the hoosiers" on the 8th or 9th and staying for about ten days, partially for a wedding (Kristine's cousin, Samantha, is getting married), but more or less just to kick back and see family and friends. Dad's birthday is the 18th, which also happens to be Fathers' Day, and David Story is scheduled to turn 21 on 22/06/2006. With all of this that lies ahead, I must say I'm relieved. I like to be busy, but anyone who knows me knows I like to be busy doing things I enjoy. That does not include schoolwork. I'm so very glad it's coming to an end, and also glad that I get to enjoy the next few busy things I have on my list.

Well, that's all I've got for now. I really need to get back to work (blah). Before signing off, I recommend reading David Story's latest blog, "He's Still YHWH." It's a refreshing perspective on the magnificent power of the One who's "weakness is stronger than men and foolishness is wiser than men" (1 Cor. 1:25). With all that said (or, actually written), stay tuned.

The Countdown To Stress.

Hello, all. It has been twelve days since my last entry, and I'll tell you why. School. With only a week and a half left, I've had to focus on finishing papers, making up work, and studying for any upcoming finals. So far, my attempt to do so has been only slightly above mediocre. This is the invitation to stress. I despise that school ends in such wonderful weather. It's the type of weather that makes you want to put aside your troubles and worries and just relax. This warm, cozy weather drives me to do the things I enjoy, like play basketball, or sit out in the sun and play my guitar, or converse with friends. It does not motivate me to sit inside and stare at a screen typing aimlessly away on little buttons on a small panel as words appear on the previously mentioned screen, much less do so for two hours in order to complete a four page paper. Why can't school end in February or March? I think it's because torcher is embedded in the whole idea of school. Sacrifice is necessary, though. And despite the fact that I lose the day that I would otherwise so thoroughly enjoy, there will be others. Kristine has been a wonderful motivator, too. She pushes me to do my best and complete the work necessary to excel in my classes. I, of all people, need that. Thank God that He put me with someone who will accept that task, however aggrivating it may be at times. Also, thank God that I will survive these next few days of school, whatever may happen, and come to the point of enjoying the beauty He so elegantly portrays through His creation. That's it for today. Obvioulsy I need to get to work. Until next time, (wait for it) ......................stay tuned.

Addition and subtraction

To any and all who pay attention to my links on the sidebar of my blog, you should notice a couple of changes. First, I have removed the John Mayer Trio link due to the fact that it has never changed and there is little interesting info on that particular site. Also, due to the fact that he's one of the greatest Christian artists (and one of my favorite artists), I have added a Chris Rice link. I feel that this is a necessary and deserving change to the links section of my blog. I also suggest that anyone who reads my blog check out the Chris Rice site and learn more about his "much anticipated" greeting cards. Anyone who feels the need to strongly oppose these changes I have made is more than welcome to leave a comment on my blog, and I will be more than glad to read it and ignore its content. I thank you for taking the time to read this most unnecessary blog and hope to compose to you again soon, so stay tuned (hopefully to a more interesting entry).

Offspring everywhere...

A few days more than ten months ago our neighbors brought home a baby boy-- David Shawn Standridge II. Not long after that time Josh and Erin Allen brought little Camrynne into the world. Since then, another neighbor of ours, the Hernandez family, had a baby boy, our youth pastor (Tim and Jennifer Raburn) had a baby boy, the Duncans, another neighboring family that moved in just a few days after Kristine and I, gave birth to Aiden Duncan two days ago, and the Vigils (yet more neighbors in our apt. complex) had a baby girl just today. Derrick and Debbie Waldrep are expecting in the not to distant future, as are John and Dawn Chambers. So, my point? Babies are everywhere! We can't get away from it. Kristine and I are not yet expecting, however. This is a bittersweet feeling. Though financially affording to have a small, completely dependent infant that eats, sleeps, and poops around the clock would be an added burden, having a child is something Kristine and I both desperately desire to have someday. All we can do is be patient and let God do what he does best. He knows the right time. I suppose all we can do for the time being is enjoy the presence of the little ones surrounding us now, and thank God that we can be a part of that. Well, enough baby babble. Stay tuned.

Taxes.

Hey, all! Well, it's April 3rd and everyone knows what time of year is quickly approaching--it's "TAX TIME!" (imagine it being said with a deep baritone announcer voice that echoes and fades out.) Kristine and I just finished doing our taxes and are looking forward to ridding ourselves of this burden known as tax time. We are still waiting in anticipation for something drastic to happen in our lives, and yet don't have any idea whether anything really will happen. It really takes us relying solely on God. As far as everyone else is concerned, Mandy and Andy had to cancel their plans of going to Bolivia due to air strikes and such, Mom, Dad, and Timothy are in the middle of hosting a few guests for revival, David is back in West Virginia after visiting with family (Dan, Karlie, and Maciah), and Josh, Erin, and Camrynne Allen seem to be doing well as far as I know. Ironically, almost everyone (if not everyone) reading this already knows this information due to the fact that they are the very people that read this blog, but c'est la vie. Anywho, I hope all are doing well. At this time I must resign my post (pun intended) in order to assist in planning a trip this weekend to the Memphis Zoo, so as always, stay tuned.