Wheat Harvest at the Howell Farm

Wish I could have gotten some more picture but did not have much time. The Howell Brothers finished cutting wheat this week. These three guys are amazing to me, Dad 80 years old, Uncle Jack 78, Uncle Jimmie 76! They get it done just like the young farmers do maybe even more so, they have NO sprinklers, yes they still move pipe everyday, just the three of them.

Memories

(Mr Potato Head! His parts came off, and you could change his looks. There was also a Mrs. Potato Head)

After reading Trey Morgans blog today, about what we remember about church when we were kids, got me to thinking a lot about memories tonight. I posted a some what long comment on Trey's blog about what I remember church being when I was a kid. One thing that I remember most was that "church" began in our congregation after we were all dismissed from the building. We were such a close group. Even after Cheryl and I were married and attending there was the same. There were no programs in place to try to make us get closer, we just were because we enjoyed each other and wanted to know each other better.

Anyway, that got me to thinking about other memories of long ago. One memory that I will never forget as long as I live is, my dad walking to the front of the church and taking me out, because I was talking and messing around during the sermon. A week later when I woke up and all the bleeding was stopped I was impressed with my dads strength.

Another memory is when I was very young, like in the 3rd grade or so. We lived on the farm North of Bovina, dad was farming and raising cattle and horses. I remember we had a lot of cattle in a pen. I decided to crawl over the 6 foot pipe fence into another area. The panel I climbed on fell over on me and hit me in the head, and knocked me out. I remember waking up and my dad was carrying me to the house through our trees. I remember feeling safe and thinking everything was going to be OK. I was in the hospital for several days with a concussion. My cousins brought me a "Mr. Potato Head" (how many of you remember a Mr. Potato Head?) to play with while I was in the hospital. Another cousin brought me a stuffed Monkey, that I called Snubby!!

I loved living on the farm when I was a kid. I remember my dog, "dot" she was a bird dog, and another dog "rusty" was a cow dog. I remember both of them running in the tall wheat fields, jumping up every once in a while to see where they were at. I remember my dad getting so mad at them when they would jump in his irrigation ditch to cool off during the summer. I remember my dad teaching me how to "set tubes" out of an irrigation ditch, and how to adjust them just right. I remember sitting in our back yard and watching the spray pilot spray the corn behind our house. At each pass I thought he was going to go right through our house. I still love to watch spray planes spray crops.

I remember a friend of mine that lived a few miles from us, Steven McCleran. Dad would let me drive my Grandads old 1962 model Chevy pickup around the farm. I did this when I was like in the 4Th grade, farm living was GREAT!! Anyway, that old pickups break fluid leaked. Dad always said, before you drive it make sure you check the break fluid. Well Steven and I drove it to his house one day, and yip, NO break fluid. Drove it right into his house. Put two holes in his parents house. His parents were not home at the time, I remember us thinking that we would drive to California. We decided not too, and ended up hoeing cotton for most of the summer to pay for the damage to the house.

I remember getting mad at my sister because she would not play baseball with me. Just as she walked into the house, I hurled a dirt clod at her, hit her on the back of the leg. It was an amazing throw, from a good distance. Dad did not see it that way. Again when I woke up later, I was impressed with dad's strength.

Well I could go on and on. Maybe more later, lots of memories from living on the farm. We moved to town when I was in the 6Th grade. Lots of memories from town living as well, but maybe later.

Why Do I Not Blog/ Senior Banquet and Stuff

I guess with all that we do, I just do not take the time to blog any more. It maybe because I do not want to put forth the thinking energy to come up with something to write that I think someone might be interested in reading. But really the blog should be for me to release what is on my mind. I have not ever really cared much what others had thought, although deep down I think that I really do.

Our lives are so busy, keeping up with our business, working with the youth at our church, staying up with Kyla and Dylan's activities and trying to find time to spend time with family. It really gets crazy at times. I seem at times to walk around with this blank look on my face, wondering what I am supposed to do next. I pray that God gives me the ability to manage my time better.

Kyla has been doing great at Nazareth, she has fit in really great and everyone at NAZ has been so great to us and her. She will finish her first year at the end of this month. We asked her if she thought she wanted to go back to NAZ next year, she left no doubt that NAZ would be where she would be graduating. Also next year she will be the Swifty, (Mascot) for NAZ. She as well as us are excited about her doing that. She will be a great one!! She had surgery on her toe the first of April. She had two cysts on her toe that had to be removed. She has been on crutches for several weeks. The last few days she has gotten off of them, and hopes to be ready to go to b-ball camp in June.

Dylan finished up little dribblers basketball a few weeks ago. He did really good for his first year playing. We tried to get him on an AAU team, but it did not work out. So maybe next year. We put in to transfer him to NAZ for next year as well. He says he wants to go, we will continue to pray for God to lead us and tell us what we need to do. He still loves to help out at the church, he helps every where he can. He has his mothers heart.

We had our Senior banquet at church yesterday, we honored Teddy Culwell, and Cole Barlow. It is amazing how fast kids grow up. In just a short few years, Kyla will be a Senior, oh boy what will we do!

So much going on this summer. Our calendar is filling up really fast. We are looking at when are we going to take a vacation with our family. Kyla has B-ball camp, Cheer leading camp, church camp, we have VBS and so much more. We may have to put an "X" on one of these things in order to be able to get away with the family. Cheryl and I got to take a trip in late March and first of April with one of our insurance companies. It was great to get away from everything for a while. We knew most of the people that were there with us, and got to meet a few new people, some that were very interesting. One gentleman from Houston, who was there by himself kinda attached himself to us for some reason. He made out trip well, lets just say, he made it in a few words, "interesting, fun, at times embarrassing, and different," we started calling him "Bob," from the movie, "What about Bob." He really was a good guy though. At times I think, "wow it would be great to move to another place, where no one knew you and you would not have to be involved in much and just sit back and relax for a while." Well that's not going to happen for a while anyway.

Well that is about all my mind can come up with, without going into overload. Please pray for Cheryl as we think she may be having some "Gallbladder" problems. We see a doctor Tuesday afternoon.

State Tournament Trip!

We left early Friday morning and headed to Austin for the State Tournament. Nazareth boys made the tournament, and there was NO WAY that we were not going to watch them play. The girls decorated the car for the trip down. The back side windows said GO NAZ! It was a great trip for our family, Kyla took a friend that goes to school with her, and Dylan was excited to see where the Texas Longhorns played at. Naz boys can really play B-ball. Some doubted them, but they truly left NO doubt that they were State Champs. They beat the #7 team, (Lipan) early in the year in the Naz tournament. They beat the #4 team, (Vega) twice, once in the reg.tournament. Then beat the #1 team in the Sate in the first round of the State Tournament (Slocum). Then beat Grady, who was ranked 13th. They really played great all year long. Congratulations NAZ!!

We ate at this place on the way. It was in Gainsville. They had the BEST fish!

Saltgrass Steak House was right next to our Motel. We ate there on Friday night after the game. It was good, but I still think Jeff's in Kress has the best steaks anywhere. The front of our Motel building at Round Rock. We were lucky to find a place to stay. Most everything was booked. Next time we will make reservations sooner to try to get closer to the Stadium. This was a nice place to stay though, it was about 15 min. away from the stadium, had to fight the traffic. But it worked good. The kids at the Capital building on Sat. afternoon. We all had a great time. Got to go in the State Capital. It was really interesting to see everything.

We played Slocum in the first round Friday night. Slocum ranked #1 in the State, Naz ranked #2. It could have been the best game we have seen this year. Naz pulled a good lead in the 3rd quarter and never looked back. Slocum was a great team. Slocum beat Naz last year in the State Finals. Rick Perry awarded the medals. Most of Naz's boys are Seniors. They had 7 Freshman on the bench from the JV. They all got to get in the State Championship game Sat. night for a minute or so. The thinking is that we will be going back in a couple of years with this group of Freshman. Celebrating after the final game. We beat Grady in the finals. Watching them play both games at Austin, you just felt like they were not going to be denied another State Championship. This is Naz boys 5th state Championship in the last nine years.

Naz's Sage Black was tournament MVP! This was a good team, they could all play ball. They really played smart. Some of the things they did ont he court amazed me. We loved watching them play!!!This is how the girls decorated the car on the way home. STATE CHAMPS!!! The State Tournament has been something that I have always wanted to go to. It was great to be able to finally get to go, and it was even better to have a team playing in it. Our hope now is that maybe we will get to go back and watch Kyla play in it one day. With the team that Naz girls will have over the next 3 years, this will be very possible. Looking forward to it.

Why Men Are Never Dpressed

Its been a LOOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGG time since I have even thought about blogging. Maybe its because I have been too busy, or maybe just because my mind can not think of anything to say. Could be both!! Anyway for what ever reason it has been a long time. 2009 really went fast! Some changes for our family in 2009. The biggest change is that our daughter Kyla started school in Nazareth. It is amazing how kids see things that are not right and realize that they may be entering into something that is not good for them. Kyla came to us towards the end of last school year, and said, "I want to go to High School in Nazareth." We were blown away, we had no idea that she would want to do this. After a lot of prayer and consideration we told her that we would support her if this is what she truly wanted to do. It has been amazing for her. She has done so good and she loves Naz. All of the people in Naz have been so good to her and to us. We thank them for accepting us like they have. Its such a great school and things are so different it is amazing. She ran cross country and is playing on the JV basketball team and is doing really well. We are hoping for a trip to Austin in the next 3 years!! That would be a great bonus to everything else that is great about her move to Naz.
Dylan still goes to school at Tulia, we are still thinking about what we want to do there. We hope to decided by the end of the school year what to do about moving him or not. Dylan has started little dribblers and is really excited about playing instead of just watching his sister play. We are excited as well.
I know that there is lots more but my mind is empty now, besides Trey Morgan says, not to let your blogs be too long. The following is an e-mail that I received and thought it was funny.

Men are just happier people: What do you expect from such simple creatures:
1) Your last name stays the same
2) the garage is all yours
3) Wedding plans are taken care of
4) Chocolate is just another snack
5) You can never be pregnant
6) You can wear NO shirt to the water park
7) Car mechanics tell you the truth
8) You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
9) New shoes never cut, blister, or mangle your feet
10) One mood all the time
11) Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
12) You know stuff about tanks
13) Your underwear is $8.95 for a three pack.
14) You almost never have a strap problem in public
15) You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes
16) The same hairstyle lasts for years
17) You can do your nails with your pocket knife
18)You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache
19) You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24Th in 25 minutes
20) Everything on your face stays its original color.

No wonder Men are Happier!

I am Second

What About Bob?

There are things that you see in your life sometimes that just amaze you. I have been working with our youth for a couple of years now. I must admit that at times I have been frustrated thinking, "are we really doing any good here, are we getting through to these teens." Then one of them does something that really makes you proud.

I first meet Bob Sunday morning at our church, when you first look at Bob you can tell right away that he has not shaved in a while and probably has not taken a shower in a while. See Bob is homeless, but he came to Tulia and to our church Sunday morning for a reason. Our church put Bob up in a local motel Saturday night and Sunday night. I went and picked up Bob on Monday morning and we had some coffee and talked. Bob started telling my his story. He was living in New Mexico. Bob has had some tough times in his life, and he would tell you that a lot of those tough times were brought on by some of his choices, no one elses. Bob decided one day that he was tired of living around drugs and alcohol and decided to leave his home and look for answers in his life from God. Bob ended up in the mountains of Colorado. He was living off of ramond noodles, living in a tent, sleeping on the ground. Bob told me in his words, "I was ready to give up and just die, but then Phillip walked into my camp." Phillip is a member of our youth group here at Central Church of Christ. Phillip talked to Bob each day that they were there and him and his family helped feed Bob each day, see Phillip and his family were on vacation in the mountains when they came across Bob. During their conversations, Phillip told Bob, "if you want to go some where and get help, you should come to Tulia to our church and they will help you." Bob hitchhiked from Colorado to Tulia over about two weeks and worshiped with us Sunday morning and then ate with us at our pot luck.

It is Wednesday and Bob is still in town, I went and picked Bob up and he came to church with us tonight. I thank everyone from our church that welcomed Bob and had conversations with him. One of our youth member gave Bob a huge hug tonight which is what Bob needs more than anything, Thank you Halle! I have spent the last couple of days with Bob trying to find him a job here in Tulia. Have not had a whole lot of luck. Bob is currently at our local Half way house. He is not there because he is currently on drugs, but it is a place he can stay and they can help him find work. Thank you to Greg Culwell for helping me with Bob and making him feel welcome. Bob did NOT really want to go here, but I told him they could help him find some work. I left him there yesterday, (Tuesday) I could tell that he was a bit scared and not sure about staying. I went this morning to check on Bob, he meet me at the door with a big smile on his face and said, "this was a good idea, i think I will be able to stay here for a while." Bob asked me to come get him to go to church tonight I did and he enjoyed it a lot.

This whole thing has really opened my eyes to my blessings. I believe that God has put Bob in my life, to help me open my eyes to a lot of things. Bob tells me all the time, "thanks for helping me," but really Bob has maybe helped me more than I have helped him, and for that I thank him. The other thing about this story, I am remined about Jesus telling us to become like little children. Phillip is not a little child, he is a teenager, actually he did something that most adults would not have done. He saw Bob as having a future, he did not judge him, he loved him and was a friend to him. Sometimes as adults, we see people like Bob and we look the other way, and judge them. One of the things that Bob told me was that the last several days has been the best days that he has had in a long time, "I got to sleep in a bed, take a shower, eat a real meal it was paradise." This real meal was from Sonic, I am so spoiled, I have never thought about Sonic being a real meal. The future is bright for Bob I believe, Phillip has planted the seed, and God will make it grow. I ask for your prayers for Bob, I will keep you updated about what is going on with him.