Over the past month or so we've reached a plateau with Jonathan. We had been making steady progress, peaking at seven ounces four times a day only to settle far below that amount today. We've been struggling to avoid a day where one feeding doesn't come back up. On the days we've been successful, it's only because we've decreased the amount we've fed him at the end of the day. Right now and over the past few weeks he's plateaued at 16.5 pounds. To even be in the fifth percentile, he'd have to weigh a little over 20 pounds, or about 25% more. We're probably only averaging caloric intake in the 600s when the doctor is wanting it in the 800s or 900s.
I'll say it again for those of you don't remember: To the best of our knowledge, Jonathan is suffering from a condition called gastroparesis. His stomach is not able to empty fast enough to keep up with the demands of his body. Naturally, he's not growing since the bottleneck is restricting his intake of calories. Imagine your body needing food but not getting it. Based on the tests and studies that were done, everything looks fine. That's the frustrating part, because everything is not fine. What's probably happening is that the part of the nervous system that helps push food through isn't firing properly.
What this means is that we have to hold him four times a day, roughly 45 minutes at a time while the pump puts food in his stomach. We have a kid carrier, but even so this process takes up hours of the day. We can't exactly tell how full he is at any one time, so if we pump too much into him he'll just throw up and we'll lose everything. If we go the conservative route so he holds it down, he's getting some but not enough. This isn't exactly what we had in mind for our life. Our hope is that this is something that isn't severe and that can be managed as he grows older. Either way we're slowly starting to realize that we may have a "special needs" child on our hands. I'm not sure people realize how much of a burden it is, having to spend 3-4 hours of your day just to feed your child only for it to probably end up all over your clothes or your house. That alone isn't a big deal, but add to that a three year old girl, a house that needs to be taken care of, both of us are soon to be working (we don't have a choice right now), and life is pretty much all about work and no play.
We've tried our best, but we're at a point now where this is no longer good enough. Something has to change, whether it be an additional surgery, different medication (few to choose from), a different type of food, etc. A simple follow up appointment with the gastroenterologist this week isn't going to cut it. We're going to have to schedule a time to sit down and ask questions, discuss options, and figure out the next steps. We may need to seek a second opinion in Denver. There is so much we don't know.
We are probably going to push for additional and duplicate tests, just to confirm that the results in the hospital are still valid. What isn't adding up is that he's supposed to be normal and his emptying time barely normal. If that really were the case, then he should also be able to eat/digest the normal amount of calories required for a child his size. Because he can't, either the test ranges for normal are off or he really isn't normal. Even if we do confirm what we're experiencing (an abnormal test result), what exactly are the options? In some ways I almost hope the results from a second test come back abnormal, just to prove what we're experiencing. Also, that might alleviate certain goals or change the treatment strategy altogether.
At this point we feel like another quick visit to the doctor resulting in a new "target number" isn't what Jonathan or we need. We're really at a point where we have gotten him this far (kept him going) but something needs to change. Based on what we now know, we can't just continue the same old drill and not do something different. I just don't think this is working anymore. We need to take it to the next level, for Jonathan's and our sake both.
31 July 2011
30 July 2011
Little Troublemaker
He's into anything and everything. Should I lick my finger covered in dirt? Of course. Knock a few water bottles down? Absolutely. Pull the laptop cord and think about putting in my mouth? Delicious.
28 July 2011
Real Compassion
Today I got a call from the HR department at Compassion. They want to offer me the position pending a background and reference check. The HR rep jokingly said it was just to make sure I didn't have a warrant out for my arrest in Florida. My response was that if it's Florida that they are checking, then everything should come back clean. Next week everything should be formalized and I will officially be offered the Managerial Accountant job.
Is it just a coincidence that the day after I left Early Connections this job was advertised? After all the things that happened to get to this point, it's hard to see it that way. I think that this current phase of life has really made us appreciate having a good job with benefits and also what Compassion does around the world. Our family situation, albeit mainly due to personal decisions and minor in comparison, seems to have enough parallels with the mission of Compassion to have gotten my attention. At the very least, I am excited to work at a place that I can completely support. Up to this point in my life, that hasn't been the case.
This couldn't have come at a better time. I'll probably start sometime around the second or third week of August, if I had to guess. That will put my time off at exactly one year. Considering everything going on with Jonathan's medical issues, related bills, and our family in general, this was about as long as I could have pushed not working. Looking back, we'll probably conclude that the timing was a bit too close for comfort (we're on borrowed time already), but hopefully still see this past year as memorable and worthwhile. You might think that not working is all rainbows and unicorns, but Stacey and I have both given up a lot to do this. I think time will prove it was a good decision, despite the bumps along the way.
Is it just a coincidence that the day after I left Early Connections this job was advertised? After all the things that happened to get to this point, it's hard to see it that way. I think that this current phase of life has really made us appreciate having a good job with benefits and also what Compassion does around the world. Our family situation, albeit mainly due to personal decisions and minor in comparison, seems to have enough parallels with the mission of Compassion to have gotten my attention. At the very least, I am excited to work at a place that I can completely support. Up to this point in my life, that hasn't been the case.
This couldn't have come at a better time. I'll probably start sometime around the second or third week of August, if I had to guess. That will put my time off at exactly one year. Considering everything going on with Jonathan's medical issues, related bills, and our family in general, this was about as long as I could have pushed not working. Looking back, we'll probably conclude that the timing was a bit too close for comfort (we're on borrowed time already), but hopefully still see this past year as memorable and worthwhile. You might think that not working is all rainbows and unicorns, but Stacey and I have both given up a lot to do this. I think time will prove it was a good decision, despite the bumps along the way.
27 July 2011
One Year Ago
I ran across this video yesterday and realized that I never posted it. Check out the haircut (she had just taken a nap though)! This was too funny not to post...
25 July 2011
When It Rains
I haven't been that motivated to post lately, mainly because we have a lot going on...and yet, nothing is going on. I've also decided that reading at night seriously detracts from my time available for this blog.
Good news though. Another position (Accounting) is on the horizon at El Paso Corp, one of North America's largest independent natural gas producers. Two friends currently work there and one is also a former coworker. Considering I would be working alongside my former coworker and have the same boss, I'd say he's a pretty good reference. Also, there is a very small chance that I could return to Focus in another role. That position probably won't pay enough, but it's good to have options.
Once again, these things seem to come at me in groups of three. This time I really feel like one of them will work out. All of these options are pretty good and I don't have the luxury to be picky anymore. There is no turning back this time, no matter what.
Good news though. Another position (Accounting) is on the horizon at El Paso Corp, one of North America's largest independent natural gas producers. Two friends currently work there and one is also a former coworker. Considering I would be working alongside my former coworker and have the same boss, I'd say he's a pretty good reference. Also, there is a very small chance that I could return to Focus in another role. That position probably won't pay enough, but it's good to have options.
Once again, these things seem to come at me in groups of three. This time I really feel like one of them will work out. All of these options are pretty good and I don't have the luxury to be picky anymore. There is no turning back this time, no matter what.
22 July 2011
21 July 2011
Compassion Interview
On Tuesday morning I returned home from my morning jog and was shocked to find a voice mail waiting for me on my phone from Compassion. When I looked at my phone it said I had a missed call and had a voice mail from a 487-XXXX number. I didn't recall who that was, but I knew it was associated with something job related. I listened to the message and couldn't believe what I heard. The position that I had applied for (Managerial Accountant), turned down, then called back to request to be added back into the pool of candidates was still open. They had continued with the final round of interviews that I was scheduled to attend, but the job offer was turned down by their candidate of choice. They still wanted to talk to me. I had written this opportunity off completely.
Later on that day I discovered from an "informant" that the person that was offered the job was someone I knew and had worked with at Focus. In fact, he's still working there right now. Talk about a small world. It only took me a little bit of time to realize that I should call him up to talk about the interview and get some inside information so that I could have as much of an advantage as possible. Insider trading comes to mind. In the end, my experience was slightly different. It helped with the comfort level and confidence going in, but the process and questions asked weren't anything you wouldn't expect to be asked in an interview.
I think that the interview went pretty well. I feel like I gave some good answers while also making some personal connections in terms of personality similarities, interests, etc, with the people on the team. I think where that will help is that it provided a glimpse of what it would be like to work together, since even though it is a job people don't talk about work every minute of every day. At first I met for an hour with a team of three people comprised of two people I'd be working for and a peer of this position.The next hour was spent one on one with the hiring manager. The third and final hour was spent with two other people I'd be supporting on the team and the representative from HR. By the end of it I was pretty hungry and tired.
I should find out something in about two weeks. It's going to take a little longer then usual because of some changes going on and the schedule of the hiring manager. If it really is only down to me and one other person as I was led to believe, I probably have a pretty good shot at this position considering how the interview went.
What has been pretty amazing about the entire process is how it has happened. It's been a relative mess, but the door (for some reason) is still open. I saw this position advertised the very next day after I left Early Connections. Because of the nature of how the position with Mario evolved, this was the only job I applied for in a span of about a month. It was like it was just sitting there, waiting for me to apply. When I turned the interview down, we had the week from hell where we realized I couldn't take the position with Mario. I was out and then I wanted back in. Then, it was almost as if my former co-worker fended off the other candidates only to keep the door open for me after he turned it down. Finally, on my way to the interview I was passed by three cars. One car was a white Toyota pickup just like mine, with Air Force plates, and with a topper from Meili's Truck Tops - the same place in Spokane I purchased my cover from. The second car that passed me had CU plates - the same ones I used to have on my truck from my alma mater. He was followed closely behind by a third car with a bumper sticker of the Hawaiian Islands. I don't know about you, but I thought that was pretty weird to see representations of much of my past all converge for a second or two on the way to the interview. Let's also not forget that Michelle is coming into town to help us out with the kids during her summer break. The dates? Probably the exact week or two that I would start this position and Jules starts pre-school. Now that's what I call good timing.
Later on that day I discovered from an "informant" that the person that was offered the job was someone I knew and had worked with at Focus. In fact, he's still working there right now. Talk about a small world. It only took me a little bit of time to realize that I should call him up to talk about the interview and get some inside information so that I could have as much of an advantage as possible. Insider trading comes to mind. In the end, my experience was slightly different. It helped with the comfort level and confidence going in, but the process and questions asked weren't anything you wouldn't expect to be asked in an interview.
I think that the interview went pretty well. I feel like I gave some good answers while also making some personal connections in terms of personality similarities, interests, etc, with the people on the team. I think where that will help is that it provided a glimpse of what it would be like to work together, since even though it is a job people don't talk about work every minute of every day. At first I met for an hour with a team of three people comprised of two people I'd be working for and a peer of this position.The next hour was spent one on one with the hiring manager. The third and final hour was spent with two other people I'd be supporting on the team and the representative from HR. By the end of it I was pretty hungry and tired.
I should find out something in about two weeks. It's going to take a little longer then usual because of some changes going on and the schedule of the hiring manager. If it really is only down to me and one other person as I was led to believe, I probably have a pretty good shot at this position considering how the interview went.
What has been pretty amazing about the entire process is how it has happened. It's been a relative mess, but the door (for some reason) is still open. I saw this position advertised the very next day after I left Early Connections. Because of the nature of how the position with Mario evolved, this was the only job I applied for in a span of about a month. It was like it was just sitting there, waiting for me to apply. When I turned the interview down, we had the week from hell where we realized I couldn't take the position with Mario. I was out and then I wanted back in. Then, it was almost as if my former co-worker fended off the other candidates only to keep the door open for me after he turned it down. Finally, on my way to the interview I was passed by three cars. One car was a white Toyota pickup just like mine, with Air Force plates, and with a topper from Meili's Truck Tops - the same place in Spokane I purchased my cover from. The second car that passed me had CU plates - the same ones I used to have on my truck from my alma mater. He was followed closely behind by a third car with a bumper sticker of the Hawaiian Islands. I don't know about you, but I thought that was pretty weird to see representations of much of my past all converge for a second or two on the way to the interview. Let's also not forget that Michelle is coming into town to help us out with the kids during her summer break. The dates? Probably the exact week or two that I would start this position and Jules starts pre-school. Now that's what I call good timing.
17 July 2011
WWC Final Twitter Style
00:00 - Watching the Stars and Stripes being paraded out for a World Cup Final (even if women's)...priceless
00:00 - Trying not to laugh as the shortest player from Japan is barely taller then the boy in front of her
05:00 - Can't believe we almost score in the first 45 seconds! We've looked good so far - lots of possession
10:00 - Should have scored at eight minutes - inches wide by Lauren Cheney! We're doing well - lots of space
15:00 - We've had two great chances coming down our left side. Two (four in total) more chances wasted
20:00 - ANOTHER great chance down the left. Rapinoe is causing them a lot of trouble
25:00 - Shots: USA 10, Japan 2. We're averaging a shot every 150 seconds. Things seem under control now
28:00 - WAMBACH LEFT FOOTED ROCKET OFF THE CROSSBAR! What a rip! Totally one-sided now
30:00 - Almost got burned. That's how fast this game can change. We were lucky the shot was poor
35:00 - OK, this is getting scary. Cheney missed a wide open header. This could have been over already
45:00 - Halftime. Well, that was a pretty good first half performance. All we didn't do was put the ball into the back of the net. Japan has shown how dangerous they can be if we let them control the game. I like the strategy of pressuring them when they have the ball. It has really disrupted their game. I don't think there is anything else that needs to be done differently in the second half except for our finishing. The longer we let them hang around, the more likely they are to burn us
48:00 - ALEX MORGAN HITS THE POST! Is this one of those games??? We've got to get one of these
60:00 - So weird. Poor in the semis versus France, yet scored three. Tonight, best performance and no goals
68:00 - GOAL!!! USA!!! 22-year old Alex Morgan puts the USA ahead! What a counter-attack strike! Beautiful play and shot. Nice left foot into the side corner. THAT was a long time coming! FYI, she was born in 1989. Totally
75:00 - Last quarter of the match. Do we make any changes? I'm not so sure unless someone seems tired
80:00 - Goal Japan. Unbelievable. What a mistake to clear it back to the center five feet from goal. Just like I thought, all it took was one mistake and they scored. So frustrating. Game on AGAIN. Unbelievable
90:00 - End of regular time. Well, 30 more minutes to be played. Let's hope we can score in ET again like we did against Brazil. This game can be so cruel. I think that as this game has gone on, the more even it has become. We still have the best chance to win in my opinion, but you just never know in this game
103:00 - GOAL!!! WAMBACH FROM MORGAN!!! 2-1 USA!!! She's now scored 4 games in a row with her head. BTW, the injury at half that brought Morgan into the game has proved very fortunate. Need to hold this
111:00 - Heart attack time. A handful of errors almost cost us there. We're so close to number three...
115:00 - We need just need to keep possession and slow this game down. Only need to kill off five more minutes. Good grief. Another chance by Japan that almost went in. Rampone with the clearance off the line
116:00 - Goal Japan. I can't believe what I'm watching. Good effort but it deflected in off a USA player. This is just like the Brazil game except that the roles have been reversed. 2-2 - only four minutes from more PKs
119:00 - Wambach should have ended it there! Now a red card for Japan! Probably too late to effect anything
120:00 - Could have scored from the foul. So close! Well, we're headed to PKs just like against China in 1999
End of game - Japan wins on PKs. What a heartbreaking loss. I knew I had a bad feeling about how this game was progressing earlier on in the match. We let this one go. Well, I guess this WAS about destiny, just for Japan. So against the run of play. I can't believe we didn't win this game.
00:00 - Trying not to laugh as the shortest player from Japan is barely taller then the boy in front of her
05:00 - Can't believe we almost score in the first 45 seconds! We've looked good so far - lots of possession
10:00 - Should have scored at eight minutes - inches wide by Lauren Cheney! We're doing well - lots of space
15:00 - We've had two great chances coming down our left side. Two (four in total) more chances wasted
20:00 - ANOTHER great chance down the left. Rapinoe is causing them a lot of trouble
25:00 - Shots: USA 10, Japan 2. We're averaging a shot every 150 seconds. Things seem under control now
28:00 - WAMBACH LEFT FOOTED ROCKET OFF THE CROSSBAR! What a rip! Totally one-sided now
30:00 - Almost got burned. That's how fast this game can change. We were lucky the shot was poor
35:00 - OK, this is getting scary. Cheney missed a wide open header. This could have been over already
45:00 - Halftime. Well, that was a pretty good first half performance. All we didn't do was put the ball into the back of the net. Japan has shown how dangerous they can be if we let them control the game. I like the strategy of pressuring them when they have the ball. It has really disrupted their game. I don't think there is anything else that needs to be done differently in the second half except for our finishing. The longer we let them hang around, the more likely they are to burn us
48:00 - ALEX MORGAN HITS THE POST! Is this one of those games??? We've got to get one of these
60:00 - So weird. Poor in the semis versus France, yet scored three. Tonight, best performance and no goals
68:00 - GOAL!!! USA!!! 22-year old Alex Morgan puts the USA ahead! What a counter-attack strike! Beautiful play and shot. Nice left foot into the side corner. THAT was a long time coming! FYI, she was born in 1989. Totally
75:00 - Last quarter of the match. Do we make any changes? I'm not so sure unless someone seems tired
80:00 - Goal Japan. Unbelievable. What a mistake to clear it back to the center five feet from goal. Just like I thought, all it took was one mistake and they scored. So frustrating. Game on AGAIN. Unbelievable
90:00 - End of regular time. Well, 30 more minutes to be played. Let's hope we can score in ET again like we did against Brazil. This game can be so cruel. I think that as this game has gone on, the more even it has become. We still have the best chance to win in my opinion, but you just never know in this game
103:00 - GOAL!!! WAMBACH FROM MORGAN!!! 2-1 USA!!! She's now scored 4 games in a row with her head. BTW, the injury at half that brought Morgan into the game has proved very fortunate. Need to hold this
111:00 - Heart attack time. A handful of errors almost cost us there. We're so close to number three...
115:00 - We need just need to keep possession and slow this game down. Only need to kill off five more minutes. Good grief. Another chance by Japan that almost went in. Rampone with the clearance off the line
116:00 - Goal Japan. I can't believe what I'm watching. Good effort but it deflected in off a USA player. This is just like the Brazil game except that the roles have been reversed. 2-2 - only four minutes from more PKs
119:00 - Wambach should have ended it there! Now a red card for Japan! Probably too late to effect anything
120:00 - Could have scored from the foul. So close! Well, we're headed to PKs just like against China in 1999
End of game - Japan wins on PKs. What a heartbreaking loss. I knew I had a bad feeling about how this game was progressing earlier on in the match. We let this one go. Well, I guess this WAS about destiny, just for Japan. So against the run of play. I can't believe we didn't win this game.
16 July 2011
Splishy Splashy
The backyard patio doubles as a swimming pool foundation nicely. Jules and I spent about two hours in the pool this morning, mostly scooping out little bugs and the occasional cheddar bunny. If you'll notice in the pictures, Julia put on her swimsuit all by herself. Is the tag supposed to be in the front?
15 July 2011
Tree And Tree Years
Odd topic for a post, but the tree in our front yard is officially taller then the gutter above Julia's bedroom. I climbed out on the porch roof this morning to confirm.
I think the reason why it's a big deal to me is that the tree was half dead when we moved in. The entire main branch was dead, so I hacked it off and hoped for the best. By pulling back the grass, mulching the area around the trunk, and regular food/water, it's now the biggest on the block.
From top to bottom, left to right, I've posted pictures from 2006 - 2011. In the coming years I'm going to have to keep it trimmed and away from the house. This type of maple is supposed to grow about 40 - 50 feet tall and 20 - 30 feet wide. My guess is that it's only halfway done.
I think the reason why it's a big deal to me is that the tree was half dead when we moved in. The entire main branch was dead, so I hacked it off and hoped for the best. By pulling back the grass, mulching the area around the trunk, and regular food/water, it's now the biggest on the block.
From top to bottom, left to right, I've posted pictures from 2006 - 2011. In the coming years I'm going to have to keep it trimmed and away from the house. This type of maple is supposed to grow about 40 - 50 feet tall and 20 - 30 feet wide. My guess is that it's only halfway done.
14 July 2011
Get Your Schwerve On
I had a little fun starting and stopping the music. This video is proof that no matter what you are doing or what position you are in, there's always some way to get your schwerve on.
13 July 2011
Dad's Turn
What? I didn't want to miss ANY of the USA women's semifinal. He made it to the crib at halftime...
12 July 2011
Jonathan's Development
Over the past few weeks Jonathan has really started to develop - both physically and mentally. It's fun to witness him growing up since I've been able to spend so much time with him over the past year. So you all know what's going on and so we can have a record of it, I decided it's time to make a post about some of the more memorable things he's now doing at 1 year old.
1. He definitely understands words. Cheerios, fan, stinkies, hungry, eyes/nose/ears, etc. I don't know everything he comprehends, but it is substantial. Although he doesn't speak much yet, he seems to know what's going on. For example, today we were in the basement while feeding him. The entire time he was playing. When we finished I asked him if he wanted to go upstairs. He made a beeline for the stairs and climbed all the way up them to the main level. Not only can he climb stairs, but he obviously knew was I was referring to when I said "stairs".
2. He's got a serious temper. Well, at least much more then Julia ever did. If we tell him no or take something from him or prevent him from getting something he wants, he throws a little fit. Now that he's walking it's pretty funny to watch. He'll get really mad and randomly take a path over to the closest wall, door, or piece of furniture and pound on it. That, or he'll just lay down and flail on the floor. We are pretty much just ignoring it. This is something Julia never really did, so it's funny to see him get so worked up about something.
3. He's really walking well now. In fact, he's probably walking more then crawling now. I think he prefers it since his balance has quickly improved.
4. He waves at cars that drive by...and airplanes. When he hears one of them while we're walking outside, he starts to wave. Today he got a wave back. He probably learned this one by watching Julia wave at the cars and garbage trucks that go by. The fact that he waves at airplanes because they make noise just shows you how innocent the entire waving act really is.
5. He likes to yell out open windows. Julia also taught him this, but now he does it on his own. From our bedroom window sounds echo back of off the neighbor's house. Although I asked Julia to stop yelling out the windows, he still does it on his own and thinks it's funny.
6. Headstands. Ever since he started crawling he's gotten a kick out of putting his head on the floor, straightening his legs, and looking back through his legs like a center in football. This gets a lot of laughs and a lot of peek-a-boos, and even sometimes a flip over on his back if I get a hold of his hands.
7. Ni-Nights. He goes gown for naps and at night like a champ. All we have to do it tell him it's time to go ni-nights and he goes straight down without a sound or a fight. I really think this started when we got him his own blanket for his birthday. I could be wrong or it could just be coincidence, but he does like his blanket and at least now it is a big part of him going to sleep. There must really be something to the concept of a security blanket. He reaches for it when it's time to go to sleep and that's all he needs.
1. He definitely understands words. Cheerios, fan, stinkies, hungry, eyes/nose/ears, etc. I don't know everything he comprehends, but it is substantial. Although he doesn't speak much yet, he seems to know what's going on. For example, today we were in the basement while feeding him. The entire time he was playing. When we finished I asked him if he wanted to go upstairs. He made a beeline for the stairs and climbed all the way up them to the main level. Not only can he climb stairs, but he obviously knew was I was referring to when I said "stairs".
2. He's got a serious temper. Well, at least much more then Julia ever did. If we tell him no or take something from him or prevent him from getting something he wants, he throws a little fit. Now that he's walking it's pretty funny to watch. He'll get really mad and randomly take a path over to the closest wall, door, or piece of furniture and pound on it. That, or he'll just lay down and flail on the floor. We are pretty much just ignoring it. This is something Julia never really did, so it's funny to see him get so worked up about something.
3. He's really walking well now. In fact, he's probably walking more then crawling now. I think he prefers it since his balance has quickly improved.
4. He waves at cars that drive by...and airplanes. When he hears one of them while we're walking outside, he starts to wave. Today he got a wave back. He probably learned this one by watching Julia wave at the cars and garbage trucks that go by. The fact that he waves at airplanes because they make noise just shows you how innocent the entire waving act really is.
5. He likes to yell out open windows. Julia also taught him this, but now he does it on his own. From our bedroom window sounds echo back of off the neighbor's house. Although I asked Julia to stop yelling out the windows, he still does it on his own and thinks it's funny.
6. Headstands. Ever since he started crawling he's gotten a kick out of putting his head on the floor, straightening his legs, and looking back through his legs like a center in football. This gets a lot of laughs and a lot of peek-a-boos, and even sometimes a flip over on his back if I get a hold of his hands.
7. Ni-Nights. He goes gown for naps and at night like a champ. All we have to do it tell him it's time to go ni-nights and he goes straight down without a sound or a fight. I really think this started when we got him his own blanket for his birthday. I could be wrong or it could just be coincidence, but he does like his blanket and at least now it is a big part of him going to sleep. There must really be something to the concept of a security blanket. He reaches for it when it's time to go to sleep and that's all he needs.
11 July 2011
Drama Queens
I've been debating whether or not I should make a post about the amazing game I watched on Sunday between USA and Brazil in the Women's World Cup. Since these posts are eventually printed out, I've been trying to only include posts that will be worth reading about in the coming years. However, considering the reaction on ESPN and other mainstream media outlets, I wasn't alone in how I felt about such a memorable match.
Our local news covered it. NBC news showed highlights before their coverage of the Women's Open at the Broadmoor. It was all over ESPN as the lead story on multiple shows. The World Football Daily podcast spent the entire first hour of today's show talking about it. Before I get too carried away, I must say that I really don't care that much or follow women's soccer. Compared to the men's game it can't compete on the same level physically (as with every other sport), but that doesn't mean it doesn't provide the viewer with everything else in terms of excitement, drama, passion, and the fact that these ladies are still representing our country.
In case you haven't heard, 12 years to the day that Brandi Chastain ripped off her jersey after winning the first World Cup for the USA from the penalty spot, we also beat Brazil in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks. Abby Wambach scored the lastest goal ever recorded in the Women's World Cup...in injury time...in extra time...after USA had played with only 10 players for over an hour. Everyone knew after the goal was scored that the USA would beat Brazil in a shootout.
The drama really stemmed from the fact that the USA should have won in regular time had it not been for some seriously questionable calls by the referee. First, the red card sending off probably wasn't even a foul. The ensuing penalty kick was saved to keep it 1-0 USA but the referee made the players take it again because someone from the USA had their toes in the box a fraction of a second before the kick was taken. You hardly ever see that called. Of course, the second time the ball went in the net. Brazil's second goal originated from a player in an offside position, yet again leaving everyone else feeling like fate was conspiring against the USA. When the Brazilians started acting and feigning injury, the crowd (and presumably the neutral fans) started to boo the Brazilians and got behind the United States.
Everyone watching the game had the same feeling - that is, that we were all witnessing a serious injustice happening before our eyes. Yet, the ladies just kept trying and trying instead of giving up. They fought until there wasn't any time left on the clock and were eventually rewarded, albeit with practically the last kick of the game. When it went to penalty kicks, I was very impressed with all 5 of the takers. All of the kicks were perfect shots and were executed flawlessly. Hope Solo saved another penalty kick and that was all we needed to advance.
A lot has been made about this game and the comparisons to the American spirit. That never say die attitude was readily apparent in this performance. I think one would be hard pressed to find another game where a team had to overcome this much adversity to win. Actually, the stats probably back it up. This was the first time in Women's World Cup history that a team down to 10 players and losing the match came back to win. I don't know if this has ever happened in the men's tournament, but I'm guessing it probably hasn't. This sort of thing on this big of stage just doesn't happen very often. This was a special performance and I'm glad that it got the recognition it deserves. If you don't believe my biased opinion, the fact that the average joe sports fan in this country was talking about the game should be enough to convince you. If male non-soccer fans are talking about a game and a team performance in the Women's World Cup, you know it had to be something special.
Unfortunately, no one will really remember this unless we go on to win the entire tournament. Just like the Miracle on Ice, it won't carry as much historical weight if we don't seal the deal against France on Wednesday and win the Final this coming weekend.
Our local news covered it. NBC news showed highlights before their coverage of the Women's Open at the Broadmoor. It was all over ESPN as the lead story on multiple shows. The World Football Daily podcast spent the entire first hour of today's show talking about it. Before I get too carried away, I must say that I really don't care that much or follow women's soccer. Compared to the men's game it can't compete on the same level physically (as with every other sport), but that doesn't mean it doesn't provide the viewer with everything else in terms of excitement, drama, passion, and the fact that these ladies are still representing our country.
In case you haven't heard, 12 years to the day that Brandi Chastain ripped off her jersey after winning the first World Cup for the USA from the penalty spot, we also beat Brazil in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks. Abby Wambach scored the lastest goal ever recorded in the Women's World Cup...in injury time...in extra time...after USA had played with only 10 players for over an hour. Everyone knew after the goal was scored that the USA would beat Brazil in a shootout.
The drama really stemmed from the fact that the USA should have won in regular time had it not been for some seriously questionable calls by the referee. First, the red card sending off probably wasn't even a foul. The ensuing penalty kick was saved to keep it 1-0 USA but the referee made the players take it again because someone from the USA had their toes in the box a fraction of a second before the kick was taken. You hardly ever see that called. Of course, the second time the ball went in the net. Brazil's second goal originated from a player in an offside position, yet again leaving everyone else feeling like fate was conspiring against the USA. When the Brazilians started acting and feigning injury, the crowd (and presumably the neutral fans) started to boo the Brazilians and got behind the United States.
Everyone watching the game had the same feeling - that is, that we were all witnessing a serious injustice happening before our eyes. Yet, the ladies just kept trying and trying instead of giving up. They fought until there wasn't any time left on the clock and were eventually rewarded, albeit with practically the last kick of the game. When it went to penalty kicks, I was very impressed with all 5 of the takers. All of the kicks were perfect shots and were executed flawlessly. Hope Solo saved another penalty kick and that was all we needed to advance.
A lot has been made about this game and the comparisons to the American spirit. That never say die attitude was readily apparent in this performance. I think one would be hard pressed to find another game where a team had to overcome this much adversity to win. Actually, the stats probably back it up. This was the first time in Women's World Cup history that a team down to 10 players and losing the match came back to win. I don't know if this has ever happened in the men's tournament, but I'm guessing it probably hasn't. This sort of thing on this big of stage just doesn't happen very often. This was a special performance and I'm glad that it got the recognition it deserves. If you don't believe my biased opinion, the fact that the average joe sports fan in this country was talking about the game should be enough to convince you. If male non-soccer fans are talking about a game and a team performance in the Women's World Cup, you know it had to be something special.
Unfortunately, no one will really remember this unless we go on to win the entire tournament. Just like the Miracle on Ice, it won't carry as much historical weight if we don't seal the deal against France on Wednesday and win the Final this coming weekend.
08 July 2011
07 July 2011
06 July 2011
Sanctus Real - The Redeemer
Sometimes I just wanna start over - Cuz everything looks like a wreck - And I need the courage to carry on - Cuz I can’t see what’s ahead
And there are places I’ve wished I could be - Battles I’ve wanted to win - Dreams that have slipped through my hands - I may never get back again
But I’m still a dreamer - A believer - Oh, I lost my faith in so many things - But I still believe in You - Cuz You can make anything new
Sometimes I just wish we could say - All the things that are easy to hear - Ignore the injustice we see - And explain every unanswered prayer - But I’d rather speak honestly - And wear a tattered heart on my sleeve - Cuz in the middle of my broken dreams - Redemption is here
And I’m still a dreamer - A believer - Oh, I lost my faith in so many things - But I still believe in You - Cuz You are the answer - The Redeemer - Oh, I’ve given up on too many things - But I’m not giving up on You - Cuz You can make anything new
I don’t have every answer in life - But I’m trusting You one day at a time - Cuz You can make a weak heart stay alive forever - And this is where heaven and earth collide - I lift my hands, I give my life - This is how my weary heart stays alive
Oh, I’m still a dreamer - Still a believer - And You are the answer - The Redeemer - Cuz You can make anything new - Yeah, You can make anything new
03 July 2011
Jonathan Walking
By popular demand, here is some footage of Jonathan walking around the house. He actually does a lot more walking versus crawling then this video indicates. At least you'll be able to see his dog walk.
We've got to make sure he's either wearing shoes or barefoot when he walks on the wood floor, otherwise it's like a newborn fawn on ice. Check out the hands while he's walking - they are going a mile a minute too.
We've got to make sure he's either wearing shoes or barefoot when he walks on the wood floor, otherwise it's like a newborn fawn on ice. Check out the hands while he's walking - they are going a mile a minute too.
02 July 2011
Breckenridge
This weekend we dropped the kids off at my parent's house for some much needed downtime. Our weekend without the kids started on Friday afternoon and will end on Sunday afternoon. It's been so long since we've had time alone that we had forgotten about all the simple pleasures. Thankfully, we were able to do a lot of things that we otherwise haven't been able to do.
On Friday night we ate dinner on the front porch and then took a walk around the neighborhood. In the summer, being outside in the early morning or late evening is pretty nice. We ran into some neighbors we know and chatted with them for a little bit. Saturday morning we slept in and then headed up to Breckenridge. It's amazing how quiet and how easy it is to hop in the car and take a short trip by ourselves.
The weather was pretty good up there. Since we arrived in the late morning we walked up main street in search of a nice place to eat lunch. We found a little cafe hidden from the street and had a nice lunch outside together. After that we hopped on the gondola and took a free ride up one of the mountains overlooking the town. There weren't many places to stop except hotels, so the views were from inside the car. We pretty much just wandered around town the rest of the afternoon looking for a nice coffee shop but had to settle on Starbucks. We both nursed our iced drinks for over an hour while sitting outside, something we wouldn't even consider with the kids. It was fun to people watch.
Towards the end of our afternoon espresso break we witnessed one of the more entertaining events of the day: watching a local policeman in a Suburban trying to parallel park right in front of us. There was plenty of space to park, he just didn't know how to do it. Since the crowds were out this weekend, there were plenty of other people that saw this too. At first the police truck pulled up and tried to back it in. The first time was close, but he didn't quite make it. He had to wait for cars to pass and then pulled back into the street and tried again. This time he went the wrong way and was practically sticking his nose into the street. After a few more tries he got the vehicle far enough in that he was able to go back then forward over and over again until he inched his way around. That was funny enough but it got better. At the end he tried to straighten the vehicle out and sent the car in front of him lurching forward a good six inches when he hit the rear bumper. To top it off, I realized a few moments afterwards that the car he hit was brand new. Have you ever watched a policeman put a note on another car? I told Stacey he should write himself a ticket. I guess if he goes to traffic court he can represent himself and be the officer filing the report all at the same time...
We drove around town a little bit in the late afternoon and then headed back to I-70. Along the way we checked out Frisco and the marina from the car. It was nice. While taking the back way to Castle Rock we discussed what to do about dinner and the rest of the night. When we saw a movie theater we spontaneously decided to go see a movie since we are never able to do that either. Part of the reason why is because the cost to see a movie these days is a rip off. Regardless, we enjoyed some popcorn and a good showing of Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. We arrived home at about 9 p.m., after a very pretty drive thanks to the perfect combination of light, clouds, and mountains on this summer evening.
We need to do this again.
On Friday night we ate dinner on the front porch and then took a walk around the neighborhood. In the summer, being outside in the early morning or late evening is pretty nice. We ran into some neighbors we know and chatted with them for a little bit. Saturday morning we slept in and then headed up to Breckenridge. It's amazing how quiet and how easy it is to hop in the car and take a short trip by ourselves.
The weather was pretty good up there. Since we arrived in the late morning we walked up main street in search of a nice place to eat lunch. We found a little cafe hidden from the street and had a nice lunch outside together. After that we hopped on the gondola and took a free ride up one of the mountains overlooking the town. There weren't many places to stop except hotels, so the views were from inside the car. We pretty much just wandered around town the rest of the afternoon looking for a nice coffee shop but had to settle on Starbucks. We both nursed our iced drinks for over an hour while sitting outside, something we wouldn't even consider with the kids. It was fun to people watch.
Towards the end of our afternoon espresso break we witnessed one of the more entertaining events of the day: watching a local policeman in a Suburban trying to parallel park right in front of us. There was plenty of space to park, he just didn't know how to do it. Since the crowds were out this weekend, there were plenty of other people that saw this too. At first the police truck pulled up and tried to back it in. The first time was close, but he didn't quite make it. He had to wait for cars to pass and then pulled back into the street and tried again. This time he went the wrong way and was practically sticking his nose into the street. After a few more tries he got the vehicle far enough in that he was able to go back then forward over and over again until he inched his way around. That was funny enough but it got better. At the end he tried to straighten the vehicle out and sent the car in front of him lurching forward a good six inches when he hit the rear bumper. To top it off, I realized a few moments afterwards that the car he hit was brand new. Have you ever watched a policeman put a note on another car? I told Stacey he should write himself a ticket. I guess if he goes to traffic court he can represent himself and be the officer filing the report all at the same time...
We drove around town a little bit in the late afternoon and then headed back to I-70. Along the way we checked out Frisco and the marina from the car. It was nice. While taking the back way to Castle Rock we discussed what to do about dinner and the rest of the night. When we saw a movie theater we spontaneously decided to go see a movie since we are never able to do that either. Part of the reason why is because the cost to see a movie these days is a rip off. Regardless, we enjoyed some popcorn and a good showing of Larry Crowne with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. We arrived home at about 9 p.m., after a very pretty drive thanks to the perfect combination of light, clouds, and mountains on this summer evening.
We need to do this again.
01 July 2011
Rough Week
I haven't posted much this week. In all honesty, this week has been one of the most stressful since Stacey and I have been married. That's the reason for my recent silence. It's just been one of those "when it rains it pours" periods most of us go through. Every day, and even multiple times each day this week, things were happening. We're pretty spent.
I'm not going to go into too many details, but the issues surround the topic of my next job and medical insurance relating to Jonathan's hospital stay. At least the letter we received on Thursday from the IRS helped the situation in the end. Physically, mentally, and emotionally I feel like I've been given a beat down. What made this week so tough was that some pretty significant things we're happening left and right all while we were trying to make some important decisions. The timing of events was uncanny and not a coincidence. Whether it was an attack or a warning, we didn't know. All we knew was that someone (good or bad) was trying to tell us something. Each time we'd pray and talk about something and finally come to a decision, all hell seemed to break loose.
I realize the vagueness of this post makes the week we had hard to understand. In the end, it's looking like the week from hell was a warning. Who knew the tax man would be the final nail in the "direction we were headed coffin"? I guess what I needed was to be scared straight. There are still so many things up in the air, but at least we think we're now headed in the right direction (fingers crossed).
I'm not going to go into too many details, but the issues surround the topic of my next job and medical insurance relating to Jonathan's hospital stay. At least the letter we received on Thursday from the IRS helped the situation in the end. Physically, mentally, and emotionally I feel like I've been given a beat down. What made this week so tough was that some pretty significant things we're happening left and right all while we were trying to make some important decisions. The timing of events was uncanny and not a coincidence. Whether it was an attack or a warning, we didn't know. All we knew was that someone (good or bad) was trying to tell us something. Each time we'd pray and talk about something and finally come to a decision, all hell seemed to break loose.
I realize the vagueness of this post makes the week we had hard to understand. In the end, it's looking like the week from hell was a warning. Who knew the tax man would be the final nail in the "direction we were headed coffin"? I guess what I needed was to be scared straight. There are still so many things up in the air, but at least we think we're now headed in the right direction (fingers crossed).
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