Give Thanks

I have helped coordinate our efforts for the last few years at my school in the spring of the year for an event called Math-a-thon where we have our junior high students raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. St. Jude is the leader in helping children find hope for a new tomorrow. This add is one you may have seen on TV lately. If you get a chance please visit their retail partners this holiday season or donate directly to their home page. God bless.

The Hogs

Well it was a total meltdown by Dick. He looked awful. I have become a pretty big fan this season of the Arkansas Razorbacks - mostly because of my devoted wife a native Arkansan. They looked at times great today against the Tigers of LSU and at times they looked like they hadn't prepared at all!

I am still unconvinced that Houston Nutt is the best coach Arkansas could have right now. He has had a great season and I know that as the head coach he is in charge of producing wins but those ten wins this season seem to me to be a product of Darren McFadden and not Coach Nutt. Just my humble thoughts from a disappointed Nittany Lions fan. I hope to see PSU play well in the Outback Bowl but I won't get my hopes up. They have been up and down this year as well but their main problem is at quarterback. Morelli is not the leader of a big time D-I program. I'm sorry but he just isn't.

Happy Feet

Well it wasn't the greatest movie I've ever seen but it sure was a fun one. We went with Amy, Jason, and Lee to see Happy Feet today in Mt. Airy. The best part of the whole film was the music. I haven't had so much fun listening to a movie since Moulin Rouge. I know that sounds weird but I actually "enjoyed" Moulin Rouge because of the soundtrack to the movie. It was a blast. Really weird (aka eclectic) but fun. This was just fun, no weird to it at all. Macy had a good time in the end watching the movie although there were a few scary parts.

So I get home one night this week and my 5 year old has a neighbor friend over playing (probably on Sunday after my trip up to Louisville). As soon as I walk in the door I am thrown into a wedding where I am about to marry Macy. She is all dressed up and there are blankets down for Macy to walk on for her trip down the "aisle". Her neighbor friend also throws down some fake flower petals to complete the scene. So her friend gets a Bible and says something about being her awful wedded husband and to her to be my awful wedded wife. It was so cute. So we say "I do" and I am told to hug my new bride. I love being a dad of two girls.

Thanksgiving 2006

I will post some pictures when I get back home from this Thanksgiving but I just wanted to share what I am thankful for. I know at Christmas I will recall days of old growing up in PA in the wonderful white snow and around New Years I will remember fun times with my home congregation (the Zelienople Church of Christ). But right now I wanted to share...like I just said above (I'm already repeating myself, I apologize).

I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for my two daughters that are full of energy and full of wonder. I am thankful for my wife of almost seven years. She makes my life worth living right. She is my Garfunkel.

I am thankful for my job. I have an opportunity and responsibility to convey the message of Jesus to a bunch of really good kids. I get to do this through mathematics and through wrestling. I couldn't ask for a better place to work everyday.

I am thankful for my friends. Friends from Harding, from high school, and from my time here in Atlanta. I got to see my friends from Harding just last week. These guys keep memories alive and also keep me accountable for how I'm living.

I am thankful for the time I spent with Reid Moon (minister at the Zelie Church of Christ). He was much more than a minister to me and my family. I fondly remember many times that we shared visiting places throughout the northeast for youth rallies.

I am thankful for my parents and brother and sister. We don't always see eye to eye but I am amazed how God has provided for and directed each of us in our lives. Thanksgiving time is a great time to be thankful for my family.

Steelers v. Browns

What a rivalry. Here's a great article from the Steelers homepage on the Steelers-Browns rivalry.

The Steelers-Browns rivalry is one of the classic ones in the NFL, dating back to 1950. The two teams have played each other over 100 times, with some amazing games in their storied history. There have been close games and there have been blowouts.

"It's a special game," said head coach Bill Cowher. "There is no question about it. Rivalry is all how you want to view it. You wish both teams were 6-3 playing each other and it would take on more significance. But it is very significant with both teams being 3-6. When you look at the history and rivalry of how many times these teams have played and how some of the games have come down to it."

The distance between the two cities, only about 120 miles, and the passion both cities fans have for their teams, and dislike for the other, has added to the rivalry.

"The cities mirror each other from the standpoint of blue-collar people who have a great passion for their team and identify with their team," said Cowher. "That's the way Cleveland is. That's the way Pittsburgh is. You just have the two-hour distance apart. I think it's a very natural game that a lot of people get into. We understand that."

In the last meeting between the two teams, the Steelers defeated the Browns 41-0 in Cleveland on Christmas Eve. Browns players have been quoted this week saying they haven't forgotten that sound beating and are looking for payback.

"It's a very important game," said Cowher. "It's a divisional game. Certainly where we are we have no margin of error. It's a place where you need to start fast. Once they get started it can make for a long afternoon."

Louisville

Chism, Meyers, Cox, Magar, Hudelson, Short and I had another good weekend together this time we were up in Louisville but things didn't go quite as planned. We try to get together once a fall and once during the summer just to reconnect and have some fun together. Magar opened up his home to us this time and we will remember this trip for a while. I won't go into details but here are a few quotes from the weekend together.

1. It's like printing money...
2. I feel like we're stealing...
3. You have to stay with the system...
4. It's like a 401K

Peace