#getyourpraiseon

#429 of things I never dreamed that I’d witness in my lifetime:

Waking up late on a Saturday morning, heading into town with my wife to enjoy a cup of coffee at the local coffee shop. Driving home, paying bills, balancing our account, and beginning the deep cleaning of our house. Witnessing the fact that we’re actually growing our savings while paying off bills in mass at the same time.

Pretty cool place.

Cats are sleeping, wife’s out enjoying the day with her friends, and I’m joyfully at home. Relaxed, listening to progressive tracks of synthesized music, and taking care of this life that we have.

We are blessed.

We will praise.

getyourpraiseon

-D-

XXXI: Precious Cycles

I’m turning over the keys to you. Make the classroom yours, own it.

I wouldn’t even have believed myself a week ago if I had told myself that I would currently be in the situation that I’m currently in (did that make any sense)? It’s been a very strange week, and currently halfway through, I’m barely staying awake past 10:00 PM. For the past couple days I’ve been trying to thinking of the best way to explain what’s been going on, without of course going into too much detail, that’s brought us to this unique situation.

#getyourpraiseon

There’s no reason to believe that I don’t come up with strange, new ideas…frequently…

Mobile Minutes: Onward & Upward

I’ve only got two hours before it’s time to hit the hay, and end this weekend on a quiet, calm, positive note.

XO: @godsnotfat

Thank you divorce!
Not something I’d ever think to say in real life, but in this case…true.
When my ex-wife departed it kick started a sensation in me that I had hidden in a closet for years. A dark secret that I was fearful of letting anyone, even my parents, know about.

I love running.

One mile, two miles, five miles, more? It’s the pace, the muscles, the tempo, the fluid movements of the body working in harmony for one purpose; to run.

Soccer took its toll, I gained weight and backed off running a lot. Moving into the city didn’t help as I hate running with traffic.

However, over the past few months I’ve stopped at MC and Jim’s house after work, throw some shorts on, and take off through the cornfields. I just really like to run, it’s a hobby that’s desirable to me.

A few weeks ago Darco and I even did back-to-back 5K races in Missouri and Kansas (she broke her personal record). That, mixed with a supply box from ALO drink, got us thinking on a new family project:

God’s Not Fat.

The context is simple.

Faith, fitness, and food: Living the way God designed.

Through our personal journeys, along with others, we are striving to show Christians that God expects us to take care of what He’s given us. From Darco and her gluten free meals, to myself on the open road, we just want to be real people working on a well known topic.

I’m excited, Darco is also, for this new adventure. Follow God’s Not Fat on WordPress, Twitter, and Instagram.

More information at a later date!

-D-

XO: So Long

So long…
And thanks for all the fish…

It only seems natural to use that quotation to define what this post was going to be about. I’ve known this day was coming, at first I tried to deny it, but in the end it became about acceptance and moving on to new adventures with life.

The Kansas City Shock is no more.

Mobile Minutes: Reckless Wanderings

I’ve got fifteen minutes before I have to head back to class. For the sake of enjoyment I’ve allowed my taco induced cranium to crank away on a pretty cool daydream:

Waking up on a warm May morning. My wife is already at work, and I’m done in the classroom until August. I step into the bathroom attached to our bedroom, it’s been four years since we moved here. It’s a beautiful single floor home in the northern Kansas City area. After a relaxing shower, I walk into the kitchen and pick from the multitudes of coffees in the room; perks of having a wife with Starbucks. I step through our sliding back door and feel my feet on the freshly cut grass. Our yard isn’t huge, but it is a yard.
As I step back into the house the orange “dark one”, our cat, has awoken from wherever it sleeps. My morning is just getting started as I walk down the hall into the other bedroom. There, still asleep, lays our little girl. Silently asleep, her mom’s hair…and with the ‘pop’ of her eyes, my obvious sleeping habits. I carefully pick her up and welcome her back to reality. After getting her ready, and breakfast taken care of we hop in the truck and head north. She calls it “daddy date”, I quietly call it work. Through the new developments, passed the finished parkway, and semi-new mall we drive for another fifteen minutes. We arrive to ‘work’, a group of players are warming up, and their coach is speaking with the assistant over today’s training session. The turf is warm to the touch, but not hot. We walk over to the coaches, the players steal my daughter, and we prepare to watch another training session with the Kansas City Shock. The program has continued to grow, the complex is near completion, and our season is starting soon. It’s sitting, watching the ball streak across the sky, that I think back to when nothing seemed possible. Ideas and problems plagued life, and through a few big moments, life was forever changed.

…back to work.

-D-

Mobile Minutes: Unexpected

Had quite the little surprise yesterday while substitute teaching.

Upcoming classroom opening.
In that specific school.
In my specific content field.
In the specific section that I enjoy within the school.

The most unexpected part of this?

I’m their top candidate, and the assistant principal is seeking a way to “talk to me” about coming back to the education field.

Strange times indeed.

-D-

Mobile Minutes: Full Circle

I’m heading home to do research. Using key words like DESE, GLE, and Praxis…

Be fearful world. I made a quick note about a long term substitute position I’ve grabbed. What I didn’t know was how long, long term meant. It started with three days, then eight days, then I heard the rumor…semester…Christmas Break.

Then the question came up:

Do you have any certification?
Oh you do?
What do you think about the Praxis?

I have no idea what I’m doing, but it sure is entertaining.

Seating charts and classroom arrangements begin.

-D-

XO: Redemption

Divorce.

As of today, the word is gone. It’s not even a hashtag worth utilizing in this site. In about six hours [give or take] I’ll be married, and the concept will be merely a thing of the past.

I suppose when looking at today, personally, it just sits in the concept of redemption. I can firmly say that life has gone full circle. From the despair and heartache of 2011 to this very moment. I mean, come on, I get to marry my best friend today and I’m so down with that. While I’m thrilled to say that I’ll never be a marriage expert; I can give you a few tips that I’ve learned in the past two years of a strange, bizarre exile.

1. Marry your best friend: