TORNADO ALLEY

Top left photo...looked odd to me. Top right...where's National Geographic??

Where I said.."Oh crap it's spinning."

Had to adjust the lighting here...photo was dark on camera...contrast picks up the funnel really well here. Passing just to the north of my house...approximately 100 to 200 yds.

This past week we've received a blessing from God in the form of much needed rain. What I didn't expect however was to look off my front porch and see a tornado forming less than a quarter mile away and coming towards our neighborhood. Well...it wasn't a tornado...yet. It was however a funnel/rotating wall cloud that later dropped a quarter mile wide tornado just approximately 30 minutes later to the northeast and about 10-15 miles. I've attached the photos in progression from essentially birth to "adolescent" as it passed just to my north approximately 200 yards away. Way cool. Wish Will had been here...we'd have had to administer oxygen to him when it was all said and done.

Ducklings.....

I'd hate to be the duck when Steven lets loose.

Of course, just a few months ago Steven would not even come near the ducks...he'd hide behind your legs and yell "here duck" from relative safety.

Softball

My baby's now in softball at the age of 5. I'm fully vested in this deal as well since I've been signed as an "assistant coach." I deal with unruly and potentially dangerous inmates on a daily basis...but get me in group of 5 year old girls and try to teach them about softball just makes me want to curl up in the fetal position, suck my thumb and cry. No kidding.

I guess the big key is PATIENCE...of which I inherited none. Seriously. Nothing frustrates me more than showing the kids how to hold their glove and catch the ball...toss the ball and then..."OW...that man hit me...WAAAAAAAAAAAAH" Then I'm like..."Oh sorry...I told her to catch it." As if a kid is going to listen. Then Sierra gets mad because I'm throwing ball to the other girls...she huffs up and throws her glove down and emphatically states "I don't wanna play...you won't play with me." That's when I had call time-out and sorta have one on one time with her. Of course she really hated me after that because I started throwing too hard...like she's already on Team USA. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Hah.

Sierra Birthday...Cinco Anos

Sierra proudly displaying her gifts...such as eating sweets...

Hannah Montana seems to be the perennial favorite...


Cool cake though....better than a girly girl cake.

Lil Brother Steven gets in on the action as well...never without a smile.

What we did not show you is the finger marks where Steven had decided to sample the wares ahead of time...hah.

Well, my baby's five years old as of March 30. Miss Sierra actually had two birthday parties...one at the house on the aforementioned date and then another one just recently at the local pizza joint since we were extremely tied up that first week and her friends couldn't make it. Anyways...she had fun...as the pictures show.

Next big hurdle...softball.

Tribute

I recently received an email from a coworker who is sponsoring this year's Relay For Life for Cornell Companies in Big Spring. One of the things she asked is that we put a honor board or memory board up for those family members who are or have been affected by cancer. At first I didn't pay too much attention until it dawned on me that I have two very influential men in my life who passed due to cancer. The first is Harold E. Powell, my maternal grandfather, who passed away on Aug. 24, 1971 from lung cancer. Although this was 2 years and 355 days before I was born, the influence on my life has always been present. I can't always put a finger on it but there are sometimes where I find myself contemplating the "what-ifs." What if he was there whenever I was young? Would I be where I am today if he never had passed away before I was born? What if? I do feel an influence occasionally...I even had a dream about him not too long ago. Of course I didn't know what he looked like but in my dream I knew it was him and I remembered hugging him and he would quietly smile as if to say "I know who you are...I've watched you all along and I'm proud of you."

Papa Ed Willis stepped into some very big shoes when he married Meme. He basically took all the children under his wing...blood or marriage...it did not matter. He didn't play favorites. And with God's strength and guidance to lead him, he did an outstanding job with Meme in raising all of the kids, grandkids, and greatgrands in the way things should be...in church..in Christ.

So on March 7, 2007 when Pop passed away, I often like to think that he woke up that morning and saw my grandfather Harold sitting there with a big smile on his face and saying "Thanks Ed...you've done well...let's go Home."

Happy Easter

I know this is several days late...although the message of course is always perfectly on time regardless of when or where.

We had our first services in the new building this past (EASTER) Sunday and the emotion was palpable...as soon as you walked in you almost wanted to cry from happiness.

Our Youth pastor does the Sunday morning prayer time each Sunday but this Sunday he deviated slightly...he said "If you came here this morning to find Jesus you are looking in the wrong place...for He is not here...He is Risen." Appropriate words to remind us of the message told to the disciples who went to the tomb early that first morning of the week to see the "dead amongst the dead." Instead they found an angel admonishing them "Why do you seek the Living amongst the dead?"

Happy Easter