Who invented crab soccer? Have you ever pondered this question? It struck me yesterday as I was remembering this game.

If I had not been in the seat next to her, I would not have believed it. My daughter is now driving; the one I rocked, and sang to, and tickled, and with whom I enjoyed many tea parties, has taken yet another step toward independence. I have to ask again, “Is it true?”

And so it is. The picture proves it all.

I know I sound like my parents or my grandparents when I ask, “How is this possible?”  Various family members and friends have warned me about the fleeting moments, and that this day would be here in a snap. So here it is. Right before my eyes, my little one is no longer little.

While this is a sampling of an imminent greater sadness – a sadness that will come when she takes that final step away from the protection and warmth of the arms of her mother and her father, I have also been filled with a magnificent and overwhelming revelation of pride.

I do not speak of the pride a painter has when he has labored to complete the masterpiece. Nor do I point to the pride a sailor feels when he has rushed his ship headlong into a squall, and emerged from its clutches with his life and his ship. The pride I feel is different. I think it is the pride that a mother duck must feel when she sees a new desire in the eyes of her duckling; it is the desire for independence.

I sit in the passenger seat now as the father duck, proud as can be of a duckling taking her step away. I thank my God for this adventure through which he has led me, and continues to lead me. He promises never to leave nor forsake. For this, I praise His wonderful Name.

Had an interview

Should know in a couple days

Praying and waiting

James Dickey said that a writer is,

…someone who is enormously taken by things anyone else would walk by…

I read this in a book I found on our shelf in the school room. It is called The Art of Teaching Writing, and it is written by Lucy Calkins. This is one of those books I remember as a “must have” among elementary teachers. Of course, I have never read it cover to cover. The elementary teaching schedule just would not allow it. But I have read it in pieces, a little here, a little there. And what I have read is compelling.

Then (in the elementary days) I read it with a desire to teach others. Now, I read it with a desire to teach myself. I have this passion to write. To communicate well and beautifully. But I often find myself with the same frustrating cry that my fourth graders back in the ’90′s held to with such abandon – “I don’t know what to write.” And so it is. And so it has been.

But this quote above liberates a writer. And at the same time, it commands, “If you are to write, you must notice,” it almost seems to say. It is in the little things each day that mammoth things are written about. I think of William Carlos Williams, and the extravagance he found in the plums or with that wheelbarrow beside the white chickens. Forgive me if this sounds too dramatic, but those simple words just seem to melt my heart and jellify (I know that’s not a word) my legs.

And I think of the John the Apostle, and his elementary language. How the Gospel of John has left me speechless so many times. Just the things John noticed and wrote, seem to act as a lever for me – getting underneath the Scriptures, and heaving them up, that I might look beneath for buried treasure.

So I am left with the desire to do the same. To notice things that others miss. And to write about these things. I am thankful for so many writers before me who have had these same pangs. These that are only relieved by the beauty of simple words.

Technically, this is not post number 100, but that’s ok.

1) I was born in San Antonio, Texas.

2) I was born in March.

3) I was born at the Nix Hospital, near the famed Riverwalk.

4) I was not at all impressed with the Riverwalk at the time of my birth.

5) I am a little more impressed with the Riverwalk at this moment.

6) I was given a name that I rarely use (I use my middle name).

7) My dad used to put me in a pillow case and suspend me about 5 feet off the ground by closing the door on the pillow case. The more I think of it, the more I realize how precarious a position I was in.

My dad often enlisted my assistance for the purpose of frightening my mom.

9) As a youth, I dreamt of becoming a pro football player.

10) I played football and baseball for the YMCA.

11) My team was named the Seahawks.

12) We won many games. But we lost our last one.

13) I climbed a tree in my backyard when I was about 8. When I reached a certain branch, it broke. I fell to the ground on account of gravity, and my nose became close with a root. The root was harder than my nose, causing breakage, and much blood flow.

14) I immediately went inside my house with one query: how do I tell my mom about this, without causing a stir?

15) So I said upon seeing her in her room, “Mom, I feel out of a tree and hit my nose, but I’m alright.”

16) Perhaps it was the blood issuing from my nose, or perhaps it was the larger volume of blood taking up residence upon my shirt. Whatever it was, my mom was not convinced. We went to the hospital.

17) On many subsequent occasions, I have broken my nose.

18) If you look at me from a crouching position, you can tell that my nose has been broken. I think it turns a bit to the left. My left.

19) I forgot to mention that at about age 4, I ate a melted Starburst that I found on a sidewalk. It was a strawberry-flavored one.

20) Before #19, everything about me was pretty much in chronological order.

21) I was in a talent show in the first grade.

22) I starred in a short musical with two other friends. The song was called “I Love Trash”.  It was originally sung by Oscar the Grouch.

23) I am not that fond of trash.

24) My first pet that I can remember being attached to was a mix between a Weimaraner and something else. Her name was Missy.

25) I was lieutenant of the safety patrols in fifth grade.

26) I had to use spell-check to spell lieutenant.

27) As a safety patrol, I once ran down the hallway after school with a few other patrols. There was no need to do so. It was just done because we always wanted to do that. The others got caught by Mrs. Marsh, the safety patrol leader. I stopped just before the others were caught. They were not happy with me for not being caught. I sometimes wonder if other law enforcement agents do the same thing we did that day.

28) I often have a recurring dream that I am once again in school, and that I am unable to open my locker.

29) I played football and basketball while in middle school.

30) I enjoyed basketball more than football.

31) I was not nice to my 7th grade drafting teacher.

32) He was not nice to me consequently.

33) I recently tried to defend my behaviors in class by stating that the teacher had a habit of throwing things at students. My brother-in-law, who was present in the class, said that the teacher threw things because of our behaviors. He might be right.

34) I had an Atari game console when I was in middle school.

35) Asteroids was my favorite game.

36) I burned my tongue really badly while drinking hot chocolate one day.

37) I bought the hot chocolate at 7-11.

38) I did not sue the 7-11 attendants for their negligent behavior.

39) I recall that I could not taste anything for a few days.

40) It was scary.

41) While playing football in middle school, I scored a defensive touchdown by running in between the quarterback and the running back just as the quarterback pitched the ball. I caught the ball on my shoulder, and kept running.

42) During a basketball game, our team was in the lead, and the time was running out. Our team was instructed by the coach to not shoot the ball unless we had an easy shot, like a lay-up.

43) I heard the instructions, but decided to shoot a very long shot for some reason.

44) As I began to shoot, I heard my coach say, “No!”

45) When I made the shot, I heard my coach say, “Yes!”

46) After the game, my coach asked me what had gotten into my head. My response was that I had been inspired. He said that if I felt inspired like that again I would find myself on the bench. My smile faded.

47) I remember thinking about the concept of eternity as a youth. Whenever I would think about it, it seemed like my mind was doing flips inside my head.

48) I got my first job as a ball-boy at Batter Up of Texas on Recoleta.

49) I was in charge of making sure that baseballs were loaded in the automatic pitching machines.

50) When people whistled at me to tell me that the machines were empty, it angered me, but I did not retaliate.

51) I would ease my frustrations by putting on a baseball helmet after hours, and standing in the path of the pitching machine as it threw baseballs.

52) One of my duties was to use a blower to clean off the miniature golf greens across the street. The blower leaked oil. The oil often landed on the back of my leg as I worked, and it did not feel nice.

53) There was a man who would frequent Batter Up to retrieve aluminum cans. We called him the Can Man. He would use some sort of a gadget with a claw on the end of it to pick up the cans, so he did not have to bend over to pick them up. One day, we nailed a can on a bench to see what he would do. He struggled to get the can for a few moments, and then left without his reward. I know – that was not nice.

54) Bertha was the name of the machine that sat so lonely in the back of Batter Up, behind the nets.

55) She was brick-red, and we used her to repair nets. She was a cherry-picker, which means that there is a bucket on the end of an arm that extends so higher places might be reached. The bucket can be controlled by the person in the bucket.

56) To my surprise, I was once given the chance to operate the bucket with the simple instructions, “Don’t extend the bucket all the way.” I thought, ” That sounds easy enough.”

57) However – I extended it all the way accidentally, and found that when that happened, I could no longer control the bucket. I was trapped in the bucket about 25 feet off the ground. This normally would not be a problem. Just holler and someone will notice, and come to your rescue, right? True, if Bertha had not been such a loud machine. I think I waited 20 minutes until someone noticed that I was stuck.

58) I also held a job at Foley’s selling table linens. I don’t have any exciting stories nor do I have recollections of this job.

59) I graduated high school with an 89 average.

60) I began to enjoy reading and writing during my senior year in high school after taking a British Literature class.

61) I learned to block out the pain inflicted upon me by my mathematics instructors.

62) I still have a dream that I have enrolled in a math course, but forgot to ever attend it. In the dream, I am perspiring, sitting in the math class taking a final exam.

63) I attended college at UNT, in Denton, Texas. Eppie the Eagle was there.

64) My mom sent a Bible with me to college, and one night, while alone in my dorm, I began reading it. It was that night that I met my saviour, Jesus Christ. My life has never been the same.

65) I am not British, but I like adding the -our ending to words, because I think it is beautifulour.

66) I met the woman who is now my wife while in college. Within two months of knowing her, we knew we wanted to marry one another. We were married two years later.

67) I worked at a peanut butter factory while in college.

68) I worked at Wolfe Nursery for a few months as a result of my interest in Botany.

69) I also worked at UPS for about 3 days during college. It was the most physically demanding job I have ever held.

70) Another job I held was with Upright Installations. I helped to install lockers in schools.

71) I also worked at Blockbuster Video.

72) For a short time, I sold Canadian Lottery tickets for a telemarketing company.

73) I finished college with a GPA of 3.71.

74) I was invited to join a group called the Meadows Scholars to study Education.

75) I earned a Master’s degree in Education.

76) I began teaching at Creekside Elementary in Lewisville, Texas, in 1993.

77) I taught fourth grade that year. I remember a lot about that year, but what is most notable is that there was a girl in my class who, when angered, would pick up her desk and throw it. We tried not to anger her.

78) My first child was born in December of 1993.

79) We moved to San Antonio in the summer of 1994.

80) I grew a beard for the first time. I was not impressed, nor was my wife.

81) I taught a summer program called JumpStart at West Avenue Elementary.

82) I taught fourth grade and second grade at West Avenue for about 7 years.

83) We purchased the home in which I had grown up, and lived there about 5 years.

84) On some occasions, I would walk to work.

85) I built a tree house for my children in the back yard of the house where I grew up.

86) I held a side job as a furniture mover for a company called Too Good to Be Threw.

87) I transferred to Olmos Elementary and taught second and fifth grades for three years there. This is the elementary where I went to school. Go Owls!

88) In 2002, my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, and a few years later, my wife had open-heart surgery. That was a wild ride.

89) We moved to a larger home to accommodate a growing family.

90) I began a lawn and tree trimming business that I still maintain.

91) I have cut down several trees.

92) A friend taught me how to fairly accurately fell a tree by using a notch system of cutting.

93) On one occasion, my dad and I agreed to remove a tree that had fallen on a fence.

94) While in route to dispose of the wood on my trailer, I lost control of my vehicle and knocked down a telephone pole.

95) I walked away from that accident unharmed.

96) My second child was born in 1995.

97) My third child was born in 1997.

98) My fourth child was born in 1999.

99) My fifth child was born in 2000.

100) My sixth child was born in 2002.

So today is the day. Nineteen years ago today we made the commitment before God and our friends and family to love each other unconditionally. And I am thankful beyond description that I took that step. And I am thankful you took the step too.

What a wonderful day that was. It began as a 70 degree day in Lewisville, and there was snow filling the sky by the end of the wedding. How much like a dream it was. I still need to pinch myself sometimes to make sure it isn’t a dream.

In my soon-coming post of 100 things about me, I comment about how we both knew we wanted to be married soon after we knew one another. I marvel at this, because not every one is blessed in this way. I am so glad to have found you. I bless God for leading me to you.

Thank you for these nineteen years.

It’s a strange time of year to set the lawn mower to its lowest setting, but it really does make life easier.

I remember that day, 16 years ago. It was a day of snow. A day when God opened the skies and delivered blessings. And you were the greatest one of all that day.

I remember holding you and watching you breathe. You stared at me silently, and I at you. God gave the first portion of your life to me. And I devoured those minutes like a starving man would a feast.

I remember the nurse calling you a baby pterodactyl because of your little noises.

And I remember our first Christmas together. We brought you home from the hospital that day and we must have stopped the car three times to make sure you were breathing.

I remember how terrified you were when Big Bird paid you a surprise visit. I am still apologizing to Momma for that.

And I remember how foolish I was to think I could safely transport you across a slick floor on a bath towel like a magic carpet ride. Sorry for that too, Momma.

I remember how you “offered” your fist to Michelle, and how you grew to love her.

I remember how you diagnosed yourself with “stwep thwoat”, and how you ran into an open file cabinet and required a staple in your head to close the gap.

How can I use the word “remember” to describe the day Dr. Patel called our home? It would be like having fathomed the depths of the sea and saying, “I got a little wet.”

I remember embracing you that day like it would be my last day to embrace you. And I remember that God had bigger plans.

I remember the shots you had to take, and the pain on your face.

I remember the radiation treatments, and the chemotherapy, and the nausea, and the leg cramps. And I remember your smile as you endured.

I remember the “all clear” phone calls that held us in the prayer mode as we waited.

I remember the last scans.

I remember the relays we’ve attended, and the way you have given hope to others still in the midst of the fight.

I remember the spelling bees and how hard you worked.

I remember you – my precious daughter.

So I have worked four days now at this new part time job as a tutor at a local learning center. Day one was rough as I expected. Day two was worse than rough – didn’t expect that – considered quitting. Day three was much better. Day four was the best. I hope I have slid into a trend. I think it will be a great part time job.

It has been exactly a week since I dressed like a cow twice in one day for the purpose of getting a free meal. The answer to your question is “yes”. I have no shame. Last year, I refused to bend and thus refused to dress like a cow while my family did. This year was different. I agreed to go through with it, as a favor to my wife. But having now walked away from what I thought might be a disaster for my pride, I can report that I have a change of heart. I actually enjoyed the experience. Who knows, maybe next year I’ll even sing a song like my wife and children did this year. Baby steps.