tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75267734215197248932024-03-13T00:03:03.336-07:00Harper TimesJust a few updates on the life and times of Greg, Lisa, and the Harper boys.Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-50491793070722619672013-02-03T13:02:00.001-08:002013-02-03T20:08:47.552-08:00Quick Winter Slideshow<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
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<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harpertimes/8441614155/">Quick Winter Slideshow</a> a video by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harpertimes/">gharper356</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-72842707287040735932013-01-21T08:16:00.001-08:002013-01-21T10:30:59.753-08:00Morning Time...<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harpertimes/8401542209/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Jackman and me big chair 3"><img alt="Jackman and me big chair 3 by gharper356" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8071/8401542209_fd374e93fc.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harpertimes/8401542209/">Jackman and me big chair 3</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harpertimes/">gharper356</a> on Flickr.</span></div>
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Most every morning while the boys are asleep, and sometimes before Lisa wakes up, I get up and go downstairs to the living room. I go down there to sit in the big chair and read my Bible and pray. When I’m done, I wait.</div>
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I know Jackman will be coming soon. Sometimes he even comes before I can get finished. </div>
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He’s over three years old now, and he’s been in his own little bed for a while. At first when he woke up, he liked to lie around in the bed like a teenager. I would have to go and drag him out. Now he’s got something that he seems to like better than that, which makes me happy. He likes to get up early and come sit with me.</div>
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He’s usually awake by around 6:00, sometimes earlier. As soon as he gets up, I hear him jump out of bed. The house is still dark then, and I can hear him walking slowly and carefully down the stairs. Then he peeks around the corner to see if I’m in the big chair. When he sees me, I just motion for him to come on and sit down. He hurries on down the last few stairs – always with Stitch and his Toy Story blanket in-hand. Then he crawls up beside me and under my left arm, and we just sit there together looking into the dark. Sometimes we sit there without making a sound for nearly and hour. It’s one of my favorite times of the day.</div>
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I wish I were like him. It occurred to me that I should be exactly like him, be as punctual, as enthusiastic, as eager to wake up every morning and go sit with my Heavenly Father downstairs in the big chair. I must admit that at times I do it out of habit or obligation. But for Jackman it never is – he just wants to come sit with me. I want to be like that so badly. We should all want that. </div>
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Jesus said, “<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2018:1-5&version=NIV">Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.</a>” I think I’ve found my role model.</div>
Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-80404895453304345662013-01-12T09:15:00.000-08:002013-01-20T17:15:39.056-08:00Give Credit Where Credit Is Due II<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
I recently
got an email that I've been anxiously waiting for – My Bachelor in Science degree in
Religion from Liberty University was officially conferred January 10, 2012. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I
received my Associates degree 14 and 1/2 years ago from George Corley Wallace
Community College Selma. Although I took a year off to work, I was still
basically fresh out of high school. I had all the time in the world to study,
and a flexible schedule. I was only taking core classes. No pressure at all. I
graduated with a 3.87 GPA. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
This
time around, almost 15 years later, everything was different. I had to learn
how to actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">use</i> a computer. I had
to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">master</i> MS Word. I never once picked
up paper or pencil. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Not
only that, I had a family – or rather grew a family. When I started at Liberty,
Jackman was a baby in the NICU at Children’s Hospital. Lisa and I were both
working then, and both driving up to see him at least once a day. Then
Brolin came along, and things got even crazier. Many Saturdays, Lisa would take
the boys to play at her parents while I spent all day working on a paper. The
whole time I was in school my mother came over to babysit these wild young’ns
so that I could get my work done. The pressure was almost unbearable at the
end. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
I should have just scraped by.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I
graduated <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">summa cum laude;</span> a 4.0 GPA. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
But I
left out something. The difference was that this time I devoted it to the Lord.
Before I did any work, I would pray, and ask God that instead of this just
being purely academic, that he would allow me to get to know him better. It’s
true that when I want something I go for it persistently (my wife and my mother
will both attest to that). I wanted nothing short of excellence, but I made the
conscious decision to seek the Lord first and put my desired perfection on the
altar, so to speak. That was hard on my pride. Now, I’m not prideful (maybe I should say <i>as</i> prideful) as I
would have been – I’m humbled.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
See,
in light of the obstacles, this wasn’t an accomplishment of my own sheer
determination. There’s no way I could have done this own my own. It was too
hard. I would have fallen short somewhere along the line. Heck, I came close to quitting. This wasn’t an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">achievement </i>at all. It was another one
of God’s many ways of showing off what he can accomplish with weak, tired, worn
out, regular folks that love him. And it brings to mind one of my favorite passages
in the Bible:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Brothers and sisters, think of what you
were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not
many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish
things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world
to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised
things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no
one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,
who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and
redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the
Lord.” </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(1 Corinthians 1:26-31)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-9111591312909765262013-01-08T13:27:00.000-08:002013-01-23T11:09:14.487-08:00Next Project On The List...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
This
will be a bit of a departure from what you’re used to reading here. Since we
found out we were pregnant with our first son, this blog has been almost entirely
devoted to the boys. It wasn’t actually supposed to be that way. No, it was
supposed to be about all of us, hence the title – Harper Times. But naturally,
Jackman became the focus of the blog for a while, then Brolin came along and
there was barely a free moment to fool with it. Well, things are a little
different now.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Since
Jackman was born I’ve been taking courses, but now I have completed my B.S. in
Religion. I have recently found that I even have some “free time,” though not
much. I’m going to tell you what I have planned, and hopefully you’ll stick
around and help me see it through.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I
started this blog in May of 2009, which was nearly 4 years ago. The blog really
took off because of Jackman’s time spent in the NICU at Children’s Hospital,
and our struggles and victories that followed – including the mad-dash birth of
our second boy, Brolin. The blog has grown all along. And all along readers have
complimented me saying, “You should write a book.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Well,
I always shrugged that off as something that people say, but I heard it a lot,
it was in the blog comments, Facebook comments, Twitter replies, et cetera. It
got me thinking… That really is something I would like to do. I’ve really
gotten to like my wife and the boys, and it is actually kind of fun to just
spend time thinking of them. I like to remember them, and more especially the
things that God has done in our little family. It has been truly amazing, and I
am still amazed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So
here’s the plan. I’m going to use all the material I can gets my hands on. The
blog posts, the comments, stuff from Jackman’s Facebook page, my sporadic
journaling attempts though the years, you name it, and put that into a short memoir
of sorts. I’m also going to write a lot of new content to tie it all together
into something smooth and cohesive. And then I plan to tease the heck out of
you with bits and pieces of it until there’s a finished product. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Make
no mistake – I DO suffer from delusions of grandeur… so it’s a good thing that
I am, as strange as it may seem, also a realist who is being perpetually
humbled by the Lord. So, I’m going to try and figure out some practical way to
get this into your hands if you want it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Last
but not least, I dread putting in writing what I plan to do, especially when
it’s and undertaking of this magnitude. I know that the probability of tiring of a
project like this and dropping it is high. I’m doing this in part to keep me
honest – so some of you will periodically ask, “Hey Greg, how’s that book
coming along?” I’m also doing this in part for help and encouragement. I plan
to ask a few of you who read this for help, and that has always been an
embarrassing thing for me to do. I’m a loner and do-it-your-self-er, but I know
when I need help. I’ll need encouragement too. I get bored with long projects
and want to move onto new ones, that’s why this one scares me a little bit. Encouragement
will help. One way you can help out right now is to join the blog as a follower
if you aren’t one already. Just go to the left sidebar and do it real quick…
Yeah, it takes a minute but hey, I’m writing a whole book.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Stay
tuned for further developments…<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-32644343435767024562012-12-31T09:51:00.000-08:002013-01-05T07:09:00.150-08:00Ten New Year's Eves Together...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyie4nUID5EOMD4sh0JP75QwttEmd7sJWD4arGPK7Vk7BWBZWmlZ8IqK7sY1xRbXoqLSllosue0mwhNdKKj_z-UWBswn7NsPHs7BNYU6KZTHvAbuN3PWdeU467xG7AEBiVlmjUTKO7D8U/s1600/harpnoedit2.001a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyie4nUID5EOMD4sh0JP75QwttEmd7sJWD4arGPK7Vk7BWBZWmlZ8IqK7sY1xRbXoqLSllosue0mwhNdKKj_z-UWBswn7NsPHs7BNYU6KZTHvAbuN3PWdeU467xG7AEBiVlmjUTKO7D8U/s1600/harpnoedit2.001a.jpg" height="301" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The younger us, over ten years ago... but the happier us just keeps getting happier.</td></tr>
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A
decade is a period of ten years. As of today – New Year’s Eve, 2012 – that’s
how long Lisa and I have been married. Happy anniversary, Lisa!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ten
years is a long time in marriage years, especially the way society has become
so comfortable with the idea of divorce. As of about 6:15 P.M., Lisa and I will
officially hit that ten year mark. That’s 120 months, or a little more than 521
weeks, or 87,672 hours, or 5,260,320 minutes, or if we could pinpoint it,
315,619,200 seconds. It’s a milestone to say the least.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll
never forget, before we got married, our pastor Daryle Nichols said to me in
our one marriage counseling session: “Greg, do you realize that God is going to
hold you responsible for…” I forget exactly what he said after that, but those
were the most important words I’ve ever heard in my life. He meant that the
vows I was going to make weren’t a joke – God was going to hold me to them. And
God fully expected me to keep them all. Marriage and family became serious
business that night, and although I don’t remember much else about that
session, it was a life-changer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Brother
Daryle married us in the old sanctuary on a Tuesday night – New Year’s Eve,
2002, at 6:00 P.M. To our surprise, it was standing room only. We had a simple
wedding; my brother was Best Man, and Lisa’s brother was the other Best Man (or
Maid of Honor as we like to kid him). We wanted a simple wedding that kind of
reflected who we both were, but we did splurge on our wedding rings. That was
important to us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We had
a verse engraved inside each of our rings. Lisa’s just has “Matthew 19:6”
because hers is so small, but mine reads, “<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. </span>Matthew
19:6.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now,
that may sound kind of un-romantic or anti-divorce, but you would be missing
the point. From the very beginning, we recognized that our marriage was
something God had orchestrated. He had brought us together as one flesh. Back
then, we just knew that divorce was off the table, but as we grew spiritually, it became
more about depending on God to preserve our marriage, through the good and the
bad.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Lisa
and I have faced some very rough… some awful times. But the worst times we’ve
faced have all ended up being the best years of our marriage. How can that be?
How can I honestly say that times when I have seen my wife in pain, times when
I have seen her suffer, times when I have seen her heartbroken as we left our
son in the hospital were the best years of our marriage? Because from Day 1,
ten years ago, God has had our marriage in His hands, protecting us, lifting us
up, and making sure we knew it was Him doing it all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We
are not special, and are not particularly strong… but God is. Today isn’t a
celebration of us. It’s a celebration of Him. He took two polar opposites and
made them inseparable. He has brought us through the impossible… repeatedly! We
are just plain, messed up folks like everyone else, but we have entrusted our marriage
and family to God instead of ourselves. Who better to preserve us that the One
who joined us together? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Thank
you Lord.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d85c6;">“Who am I,
Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">2 Samuel 7:18</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-58453663926124396252012-12-02T17:31:00.001-08:002013-01-04T12:52:13.999-08:00Keepin' Up With The Harper Boys...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's been hectic around here, so here's a little picture blog update to catch you up on the boys. Things are going well around here. Check out the pics and see for yourself. I just wish the boys could get some shots of me and Lisa having this much fun!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvtCCvcTAaaDqlDWlNiqqeBFn59oMHwn5fa_sQ5EC09WPuhV5rCudYP-caC9uS7RQzZllZMPjZXQZkDS80iTDxhxwQpQT7mWm1c4XpPFC_X0lPKdAO-bPuYk45JZtDzzp8savNukxHSA/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvtCCvcTAaaDqlDWlNiqqeBFn59oMHwn5fa_sQ5EC09WPuhV5rCudYP-caC9uS7RQzZllZMPjZXQZkDS80iTDxhxwQpQT7mWm1c4XpPFC_X0lPKdAO-bPuYk45JZtDzzp8savNukxHSA/s1600/001.jpg" height="400" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that a choir boy? Is that an angel? Heck no! It's Brolin in one of my old dirty tee shirts, trying too look all innocent and stuff. I've got my eyes on you, boy...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdZhgpzCxO-VoQQY56vHBU9u6Z5koQOTNmn137kFoyd6pvebv_4szaD3s8OjbFu0r42EZiQaqV4yLUlTFW8m7c8q2bQRNvHiQ0dGGZGV85G_3TgzaKnv8TERJAoQpj2Njp4Ebj-sfUx0/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdZhgpzCxO-VoQQY56vHBU9u6Z5koQOTNmn137kFoyd6pvebv_4szaD3s8OjbFu0r42EZiQaqV4yLUlTFW8m7c8q2bQRNvHiQ0dGGZGV85G_3TgzaKnv8TERJAoQpj2Njp4Ebj-sfUx0/s1600/002.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The littlest cowboy... Not sure if he was a sheriff or an outlaw, but he ain't got no badge on that I can see. I'm guessing the latter.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk_XxryiBYIWf3qFt-YFQoSZVtJV7Fwq8UrAi3gZ3S3Vr5lhgC-F4K9O2xsWIJuTIHZqy1d1mHQbCjXcaf7NG4sKVq1NmPF70Wt15SfGzVGWSHLU7R6iZ2L4859nnXX3XALrd2bl0Inc/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk_XxryiBYIWf3qFt-YFQoSZVtJV7Fwq8UrAi3gZ3S3Vr5lhgC-F4K9O2xsWIJuTIHZqy1d1mHQbCjXcaf7NG4sKVq1NmPF70Wt15SfGzVGWSHLU7R6iZ2L4859nnXX3XALrd2bl0Inc/s1600/003.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay, this one is most certainly an outlaw, and probably an accomplice of the former. You can tell by the bandana (criminal apparel). Don't let that grin fool ya.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz0_JKmuZXmAD8rzc6qhuP7qj2A4SNs5kOrblR34Epe8AnE5HLB3c5eMLmMk3Brqh12tXmKsT-ZcEFnncC3CIU5FxbwTfTMsOm_ED_jPhIX89Bv7r7JAjOHXsCHDgbdfuPFLRdo7d9YM/s1600/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvz0_JKmuZXmAD8rzc6qhuP7qj2A4SNs5kOrblR34Epe8AnE5HLB3c5eMLmMk3Brqh12tXmKsT-ZcEFnncC3CIU5FxbwTfTMsOm_ED_jPhIX89Bv7r7JAjOHXsCHDgbdfuPFLRdo7d9YM/s1600/004.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best Halloween shot of the year. Our lil' bad boys, always in character. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv_Bf6o0dDzDHMqbVy4BPEwU3mOtdEn5UCSaZAxOgNb8QTSf83E3bEnj7sCnmaCKYGbnk8slil87ErucPNFHzMa_zkoT5o0P_ZUFkwYw5p8qEeupDoSJj2AvaMNW7XkPXvSabltOCMn0/s1600/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv_Bf6o0dDzDHMqbVy4BPEwU3mOtdEn5UCSaZAxOgNb8QTSf83E3bEnj7sCnmaCKYGbnk8slil87ErucPNFHzMa_zkoT5o0P_ZUFkwYw5p8qEeupDoSJj2AvaMNW7XkPXvSabltOCMn0/s1600/005.jpg" height="331" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackman in complete awe of his first, up-close-and-personal firetruck.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgeYWEU_r6GBnZq_TrRP4J2pUq3ZNTECWYslsseazaFMHMCKGDbQ9IPeUZLtpzIuI1srlipCYuUMDfYsnWByEzs-8jj1xhdEkLojJRytCeWKx9WE05ACF4Xjvd5omUUCc_9B-90OiEYs/s1600/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgeYWEU_r6GBnZq_TrRP4J2pUq3ZNTECWYslsseazaFMHMCKGDbQ9IPeUZLtpzIuI1srlipCYuUMDfYsnWByEzs-8jj1xhdEkLojJRytCeWKx9WE05ACF4Xjvd5omUUCc_9B-90OiEYs/s1600/006.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bro-bro, on the farm.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgzKbggDvvzwyhBRQr7pkGOhPpqRVTnvJShkbBGosofSDQEXpOfw5K45AVqWOgCR1XdkRvb6x99Ax0O7CfnzW_uxZo0WqnC4F3Fl3_e3zcUaP8hTP2yJLdmJz8_PEuk-huRs79U7RBJs/s1600/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgzKbggDvvzwyhBRQr7pkGOhPpqRVTnvJShkbBGosofSDQEXpOfw5K45AVqWOgCR1XdkRvb6x99Ax0O7CfnzW_uxZo0WqnC4F3Fl3_e3zcUaP8hTP2yJLdmJz8_PEuk-huRs79U7RBJs/s1600/007.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little man walking the forty like me and Jeff used to.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyckXLIEE_fV5rchHc-tUM3roYRNhGB5k31u2-uERW2_07lyamEnG1UD6p3iv40a0WhITxqkJWzHwLNm1PeIFPDb43loxSrGF5EzhwN082-g9suU_p4jUb7kyr-Q1F6qI2hV4ejJb1es/s1600/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyckXLIEE_fV5rchHc-tUM3roYRNhGB5k31u2-uERW2_07lyamEnG1UD6p3iv40a0WhITxqkJWzHwLNm1PeIFPDb43loxSrGF5EzhwN082-g9suU_p4jUb7kyr-Q1F6qI2hV4ejJb1es/s1600/008.jpg" height="203" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for the Harper cousins to throw some rocks in the pond. Life's good.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglflPTCrEd6m7DOwrykrE28wV3xcvQuDC4a9ixmURxWuGNCscEuzGN2xSoTTsZzSUBi8vJze2GiqHgqsswmJR8jTEFT_JtW2EkL8NRJuNb2KxId-JbSk1jpaKTIGWlxJE9wCLhsRUsBAE/s1600/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglflPTCrEd6m7DOwrykrE28wV3xcvQuDC4a9ixmURxWuGNCscEuzGN2xSoTTsZzSUBi8vJze2GiqHgqsswmJR8jTEFT_JtW2EkL8NRJuNb2KxId-JbSk1jpaKTIGWlxJE9wCLhsRUsBAE/s1600/009.jpg" height="297" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We didn't plan to put 'em in order of age, but it worked out that way.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCK99CU3w0E7Rd71BmrhoQBWUk08YwiI8pkWJjYdZ_JzBGj2mbfo7b09VurRxHd68MoSFpFiK94MecFd1V2TzkyJSLVEiusAtVW_IKMOlWpOMO7fjH_G3Ejq0GffeJOuPbgguYLGTXLFI/s1600/010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCK99CU3w0E7Rd71BmrhoQBWUk08YwiI8pkWJjYdZ_JzBGj2mbfo7b09VurRxHd68MoSFpFiK94MecFd1V2TzkyJSLVEiusAtVW_IKMOlWpOMO7fjH_G3Ejq0GffeJOuPbgguYLGTXLFI/s1600/010.jpg" height="400" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackman: The woodsman... He just needs a beard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7f1_PqOF6uZmLAt-G7oMVg9sHxx8KnSuTF1xUknUkj7I9YLzIkTVwc7ZEF1JYltr3qdbYstVZ0zrFMb6OuldaSnJFXv5rK55oYXtRF8hQ8m7F-72oR0HpTMISOdcu4ADJam3yUoPRCo/s1600/011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7f1_PqOF6uZmLAt-G7oMVg9sHxx8KnSuTF1xUknUkj7I9YLzIkTVwc7ZEF1JYltr3qdbYstVZ0zrFMb6OuldaSnJFXv5rK55oYXtRF8hQ8m7F-72oR0HpTMISOdcu4ADJam3yUoPRCo/s1600/011.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brolin: He likes to beat rotten logs with sticks, and ask Pop to "open" them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqoVTjTQCHP_F6V1fmmBd6AcBI-7ebG6Uv1KITlKZ2k57g-FD4HMaQVui9X-UXrEBhqS6wj_iR-xyUPumxWryoVzOai5Vt2HYSXLuXJCbxRSmZsHXGR_G9bLK54gxi5238mcHm9Nea8k/s1600/012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqoVTjTQCHP_F6V1fmmBd6AcBI-7ebG6Uv1KITlKZ2k57g-FD4HMaQVui9X-UXrEBhqS6wj_iR-xyUPumxWryoVzOai5Vt2HYSXLuXJCbxRSmZsHXGR_G9bLK54gxi5238mcHm9Nea8k/s1600/012.jpg" height="400" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The thousand yard stare. Those eyes could burn a hole right through you.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wzLTHCpGWAcULlaquLxSdvBDGxdMc_c9CgWkAasguvn9TrGA-EhDZCnz93XyDRBAM95Mdd71HCpr0x7rlv7XJVe6FQdvvxU48P00XCrnqMLmmxYI5V-4iNjMVTXuF507e6N10chvz6s/s1600/013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wzLTHCpGWAcULlaquLxSdvBDGxdMc_c9CgWkAasguvn9TrGA-EhDZCnz93XyDRBAM95Mdd71HCpr0x7rlv7XJVe6FQdvvxU48P00XCrnqMLmmxYI5V-4iNjMVTXuF507e6N10chvz6s/s1600/013.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serious to silly... it happens just that fast, and Brolin is just checking things out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-afRgoGZ0WX0HTFshLnpI_td-0sKg-ZSoQlhrDC2dzXKwRg44nMEWKVeBLwRFIaeytD3gU_1dYNJoBvK0u06vLiQ89vpIp-MQIX82evsQbT8QNAZ7eDEMaByqIUXjgkYOyailjoqyAtI/s1600/014nightvision.001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-afRgoGZ0WX0HTFshLnpI_td-0sKg-ZSoQlhrDC2dzXKwRg44nMEWKVeBLwRFIaeytD3gU_1dYNJoBvK0u06vLiQ89vpIp-MQIX82evsQbT8QNAZ7eDEMaByqIUXjgkYOyailjoqyAtI/s1600/014nightvision.001.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every daddy needs a $500 set of night vision goggles. This is what little boys do... take mama's iPhone in the middle of the night and watch Curious George on Netflix.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-pmyvo2omccP476q5Zg171o-eZUgbxQv745YXbKAuM6DjB1xPlP4VQ6dmBtg_cTcfGLH8e8p-87elEu0YwGCfuORcM-OxBrQ4qJ405FpIGT3W5-m2Y3MgfiA_WLAOytuEzfBR2IN87s/s1600/015broknightrider.001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-pmyvo2omccP476q5Zg171o-eZUgbxQv745YXbKAuM6DjB1xPlP4VQ6dmBtg_cTcfGLH8e8p-87elEu0YwGCfuORcM-OxBrQ4qJ405FpIGT3W5-m2Y3MgfiA_WLAOytuEzfBR2IN87s/s1600/015broknightrider.001.jpg" height="222" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knight Rider: A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a toddler who does not exist. Brolin Harper, a young loner on a crusade, to champion the cause of the innocent - oh whatever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MlvoTtCt9troHLljJJHDwMjyzkee47sl6ZwfFpRoFmRtNG7aG2efD6n9IOL3uF8aoX5mHaqQgWecvGpwWksP2VRM0Rx4XWZ28roLH0f1ClrQ5mUFsqn1RR1LOC9FcJ67oWKj1JqXrRk/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MlvoTtCt9troHLljJJHDwMjyzkee47sl6ZwfFpRoFmRtNG7aG2efD6n9IOL3uF8aoX5mHaqQgWecvGpwWksP2VRM0Rx4XWZ28roLH0f1ClrQ5mUFsqn1RR1LOC9FcJ67oWKj1JqXrRk/s1600/photo-1.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good to know someone is getting in the Christmas spirit!</td></tr>
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Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-27438656688719667392012-10-29T07:30:00.000-07:002012-12-30T08:39:10.146-08:00Must Read!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlg2U7P7UO66638zePRw-xv2yzbP7nL8v7Wzwawz7-4W8fCq2BWBpXnviCxb7CFrrdKWTm68i5YGscw6KhnpKTixAq5yulJUR5CXnyusyaQXAL_cbTD-ymJNZztIcXYhHzhyffhxEdo8/s1600/family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlg2U7P7UO66638zePRw-xv2yzbP7nL8v7Wzwawz7-4W8fCq2BWBpXnviCxb7CFrrdKWTm68i5YGscw6KhnpKTixAq5yulJUR5CXnyusyaQXAL_cbTD-ymJNZztIcXYhHzhyffhxEdo8/s400/family.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackman's Doc, Dr. Erik Hansen and his family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Some of you know this already, but one of Jackman’s surgeons
is no longer at Children’s Hospital. He is now on staff at a somewhat smaller
hospital… Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, East Africa. Dr. Hansen and his family
moved there not long after Jackman was released from Children’s Hospital in
2010.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve heard some people comment that he was crazy, because
he’s a young guy. But Lisa and I are so proud to have had a man of God care
after our son for six months, and then see him move on to take care of babies
and children that simply do not have the luxury of the same treatment Jackman
did. Babies are born all over the world with the same thing Jackman was born
with (EA/TEF), but they die because it cannot be corrected soon enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Please… read this post on the Hansen’s blog:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://uncommonroad.blogspot.com/2012/09/milestone.html">Milestone. </a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Dr. Hansen briefly recounts the first successful surgery –
like Jackman’s – at Kijabe Hospital.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Take a moment to consider the sacrifice and adjustments the Hansens have had make. Leave them an encouraging comment to remind them that they are highly esteemed. </div>
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Also, consider supporting this family. They are radically
obeying the Great Commission.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">You
can send a tax-deductible contribution to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">World
Medical Mission<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">P.O.
Box 3000<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Boone,
NC 28607<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Account
# 003900 on memo line<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/giving/wmm_doctors/">Or you can give online</a> –<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">just type in Hansen and select Hansen, Erik. You can set
up a recurring or one time gift.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_e86jw11A3Yqf0BKbUCEhyphenhyphen-JYf_rhXsHu0HHjrv8tcvOlmQkN_yix9Fzvl2gdMKCqfZIrdA7Xrr8DZTpVWq_Xmt6z3zMujzVZgmIUl4MGcnf2C204w1SJZz77X-t7NPBN04Z7ZjFEIdk/s1600/moses1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_e86jw11A3Yqf0BKbUCEhyphenhyphen-JYf_rhXsHu0HHjrv8tcvOlmQkN_yix9Fzvl2gdMKCqfZIrdA7Xrr8DZTpVWq_Xmt6z3zMujzVZgmIUl4MGcnf2C204w1SJZz77X-t7NPBN04Z7ZjFEIdk/s400/moses1.jpg" width="377" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby "Moses" - EA/TEF patient like Jackman</td></tr>
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<br />Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-74690658802042217562012-10-27T09:01:00.000-07:002012-12-30T08:39:10.206-08:00Picture Update on the Boys...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here's a little picture update. The boys are doing well, as you can see. Jackman is eating more, and we've cut back on his tube feeds just a little to make room for some hunger per his nutritionist's instructions. Now he wants to eat. He's not eating anything solid yet, but he's eating some, nonetheless. He's also making leaps and bounds in his speech. Speech is tied very closely with the mechanics used when eating, so he has been behind other kids his age. But his speech therapist says he is a few years ahead of others in the sounds he says, and his counting, etc. It's just the pronunciation that he has to work on. He hasn't been refluxing (or throwing up) at all. He's about 50th percentile in weight and height - awesome for a tube-fed kid. He doing great right now. Brolin is doing really well. Talking up a storm, eating everything except strawberries. He's in the 75th-100 percentile in height, and 50th in weight, and still growing like a weed. He likes reading books, then tearing then to shreds. The boys are great together. Check out the pics. Hope you like them.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiqNOedCSYlV1kM-4Jg0yJQcBj7B0ZGq3_caftENnSRP2MgB36yfQC_VBlOi2-2WdTYEknKBSYeHdR33xPaksMA6IC26pdXlNFpauykVNXVwvPo_hFLkKDDyHCCRVrN7fOtMaEitD0WA/s1600/IMG_1624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMiqNOedCSYlV1kM-4Jg0yJQcBj7B0ZGq3_caftENnSRP2MgB36yfQC_VBlOi2-2WdTYEknKBSYeHdR33xPaksMA6IC26pdXlNFpauykVNXVwvPo_hFLkKDDyHCCRVrN7fOtMaEitD0WA/s1600/IMG_1624.jpg" width="516" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackman is kind of a depressed kid. Sometimes he can barely get out of bed and go to work. All he does is complain and whine about the economy... No wait... he's pretty much like this all the time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkFkN6T2WX9OdEH5SCUwZDYJDFkfxd4aWO6aTUK_-WEWzvIRzGIqCXjJU3yiemfYIk83HwToeWwVqfHvw0zci8U7d3BFSU8-EybwtoDFeWlDJrpWpT1zKEfaIEYV_Pa3jwG2gygcpsfM/s1600/IMG_1625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkFkN6T2WX9OdEH5SCUwZDYJDFkfxd4aWO6aTUK_-WEWzvIRzGIqCXjJU3yiemfYIk83HwToeWwVqfHvw0zci8U7d3BFSU8-EybwtoDFeWlDJrpWpT1zKEfaIEYV_Pa3jwG2gygcpsfM/s1600/IMG_1625.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lately, because of this towel that that was given to Jackman by a good friend of ours, Brolin pretends to be a dog all the time. And Jackman loves it, because he has a pet. It's kind of like a two-for-one deal, so if you have a second kid, forget the pet, just get yourself a dog towel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwngWJDpu5OjYBqrJnhOPErRNIOqm7WxATWAgo3FEUt5uMCXO3g7nd9VVzZ8dkMm5vkWqo0UK7glq7zxLUu_7aW05GurQp5imF_WuUnF9iTKznBg-l6NfCH0NLHTnb09PlNYRHootwq3I/s1600/IMG_1628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwngWJDpu5OjYBqrJnhOPErRNIOqm7WxATWAgo3FEUt5uMCXO3g7nd9VVzZ8dkMm5vkWqo0UK7glq7zxLUu_7aW05GurQp5imF_WuUnF9iTKznBg-l6NfCH0NLHTnb09PlNYRHootwq3I/s1600/IMG_1628.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rare photo opp indeed! This was taken without the use of duct tape or Benadryl. I merely hypnotized them with a new cartoon, and jammed them into the chair with the footstool. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0xF4enX6iKWusn_3fAR3pkbcSqZdWiRNIQgscf032QhHOLB0ECL5wdIl-P0sGI0n7HldypkCgDHVyh0c2OZY33B0Kw6LucRcwbLGciliasb-AiPL97pgajIxo0DVwmd-hu7hiQxNqRs/s1600/IMG_1650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0xF4enX6iKWusn_3fAR3pkbcSqZdWiRNIQgscf032QhHOLB0ECL5wdIl-P0sGI0n7HldypkCgDHVyh0c2OZY33B0Kw6LucRcwbLGciliasb-AiPL97pgajIxo0DVwmd-hu7hiQxNqRs/s1600/IMG_1650.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay Einstein, I need my specs back... Jackman was taking my goggles for a test drive. Lisa liked this one so much, it earned a spot on the lock screen of her phone.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuni3IFdrUcCW2yHVilJtensYOA74vOMBeKDUz7xpv7HjWgyEDRCwkc3y0Yy9Ltdf8A0WyF7iguz-vzG7cZG45YRDa8zzgC5CBBzRFip-Lk_b-x7th7w9vU26N7Xf8vxwiNyOuDpwSjA/s1600/IMG_1656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuni3IFdrUcCW2yHVilJtensYOA74vOMBeKDUz7xpv7HjWgyEDRCwkc3y0Yy9Ltdf8A0WyF7iguz-vzG7cZG45YRDa8zzgC5CBBzRFip-Lk_b-x7th7w9vU26N7Xf8vxwiNyOuDpwSjA/s1600/IMG_1656.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe Brolin will be an archaeologist. That sure sounds more promising than being a dumpster-diver. This is one of his favorite pastimes. <br />
Step 1: Climb in the toy box. <br />
Step 2: Dig the to the bottom of the box. <br />
Step 3: Beg for help out of the box.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOO_OB6kVGOVKfsA9neeR-YHqZ_qn3Duab5EXoBlH3s2XlYmYjZxTIDqJS3rVOAv8mU5y-c5Mu23goXkTzFIH0nd5k9EbpUy_Ef-618WdBaJl6UhBE_8c3qTjhRB-NHpwiBgvUMd1UWQ/s1600/IMG_1657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOO_OB6kVGOVKfsA9neeR-YHqZ_qn3Duab5EXoBlH3s2XlYmYjZxTIDqJS3rVOAv8mU5y-c5Mu23goXkTzFIH0nd5k9EbpUy_Ef-618WdBaJl6UhBE_8c3qTjhRB-NHpwiBgvUMd1UWQ/s1600/IMG_1657.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma Brenda had a good idea - Jackman's first Happy Meal. He may not have swallowed much of it, but he sure enough chewed it up, and drank a lot of that shake. He's come a long way since we brought him home.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHiQ6XKa6m4Y0eUg-RERoMo6HhTLJF8Mh1kLWJlTd4_EusbH6ks01vkotM0mY5dfv3FnUrSRIX_3uvHGeFYq11rokliVAwoIe4fcFHVI5BeM1_iFbg_7P9eYMWs4vyJPZn4AIWfEOu4k/s1600/IMG_1658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHiQ6XKa6m4Y0eUg-RERoMo6HhTLJF8Mh1kLWJlTd4_EusbH6ks01vkotM0mY5dfv3FnUrSRIX_3uvHGeFYq11rokliVAwoIe4fcFHVI5BeM1_iFbg_7P9eYMWs4vyJPZn4AIWfEOu4k/s1600/IMG_1658.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Walmart diaper just can't contain all that manliness. Well, if he doesn't become an archaeologist, maybe he can fix your sink! Brolin exudes potential from every direction.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-veVsjVnzO5WGw9iUoDxgNOms4Bo2IBQJgJZbnYJzERQG26i0a3PHZoTdUpzYNFJSbJFPLLs6p_0DBsHqAv9U9rhA0EYbgL81r0Th3yDt-gAhyq66msAswDNuxT3yHEsOHNzYDl4R68/s1600/IMG_1684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-veVsjVnzO5WGw9iUoDxgNOms4Bo2IBQJgJZbnYJzERQG26i0a3PHZoTdUpzYNFJSbJFPLLs6p_0DBsHqAv9U9rhA0EYbgL81r0Th3yDt-gAhyq66msAswDNuxT3yHEsOHNzYDl4R68/s1600/IMG_1684.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Priceless! Taken on the road at Lisa's grandmother's house, in South Alabama. Long day of traveling, playing, rambling, and finally, crashing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrqaJCRL0S2dgWfXfPh4mE021NFMrL_kmGbdL4dsRTq_EiPLGyUIzuLgP6AomzTfzLpPosJj4UbtO1eFwgsX-SSxpfTM3BMsRB0aFeLd8rBAyFMnJrb-jS6XZA0Fr07DU_SVylHkgAgo/s1600/IMG_1686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrqaJCRL0S2dgWfXfPh4mE021NFMrL_kmGbdL4dsRTq_EiPLGyUIzuLgP6AomzTfzLpPosJj4UbtO1eFwgsX-SSxpfTM3BMsRB0aFeLd8rBAyFMnJrb-jS6XZA0Fr07DU_SVylHkgAgo/s1600/IMG_1686.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guess which one Daddy dressed? Both of them! Jackman specifically asked for the dinosaur pants, and he's been working hard on his speech, so he got what he asked for. Now, dressing Brolin before bedtime is like trying to skin a cat. You want to make sure that you have on long sleeves and eye protection before you start that battle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4FconyEKiXDTPUfxroQwh7Ib8WzG6Idwh9ez1tG8xhQB88hCjv3xVinZiHFCNRSzS0qQLiNDqZgpMJJ1BmpUDgk9lxzdqhuBLWdE8jfsFehBtVL8SKySZfnI5fxk9fO6vyZxSvJnvAk/s1600/IMG_1694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4FconyEKiXDTPUfxroQwh7Ib8WzG6Idwh9ez1tG8xhQB88hCjv3xVinZiHFCNRSzS0qQLiNDqZgpMJJ1BmpUDgk9lxzdqhuBLWdE8jfsFehBtVL8SKySZfnI5fxk9fO6vyZxSvJnvAk/s1600/IMG_1694.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is amazing how fast those little plastic things can get coming down that driveway. It's a good thing we have a chain link fence to catch'em before they launch off into the woods. Jackman is pretty daring on his little red car at three years old, but Brolin (one year old) gives me multiple heart attacks trying to keep up with his big brother. There's nothing he won't try five times.</td></tr>
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Be sure to check out <a href="http://publicservantsannouncement.blogspot.com/">my new blog</a>. Please follow, bookmark, and add it to your favorites:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://publicservantsannouncement.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Public Servant's Announcement</span></a></div>
Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-87130409294475133772012-10-25T11:05:00.000-07:002012-12-30T08:39:10.219-08:00Brand New Blog!<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Hey
Folks,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
You
may have noticed that this blog has always kind of focused heavily on Jackman,
and Brolin managed to squeeze his way in there just a little bit before I got
too busy to keep it up. I don’t guess I’ve ever explained, but since Jackman
was born, I’ve been back in school. For three years now I’ve been working
toward a B.S. in Religion – Biblical Studies at Liberty University, and now I
only have a few weeks left before I graduate. That is one big reason I wasn’t
able to keep up the blog after Brolin came along. It was a tough choice – pick
two out of three: blog, family, homework. Well, the blog lost out for a while.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Anyway,
there are still things I’d like to write about, and things I’ve learned that I
would like to pass on. But the boys just aren’t quite ready for that stuff yet,
and I really don’t have a platform for that at the moment either. Hence, the
new blog: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://publicservantsannouncement.blogspot.com/">Public Servant’s Announcement</a></i>.
Needless to say <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Harper Times</i> has
become “sacred,” so it will remain devoted to the family and what God is doing
with us, through us, and for us. This story ain’t over. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
The
new blog, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://publicservantsannouncement.blogspot.com/">Public Servant’s Announcement</a></i>,
will tackle some things that would just seem out of place and awkward here.
Please check it out, and please follow the blog. There’s also a gadget on the
right sidebar so that enables you to follow by email. Keep in mind that I will
be covered up with homework (both kinds) until December 14th, but I am almost
finished with school. I’m looking forward to this. If you have any suggestions,
let’s hear ‘em. <o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-85976271372563651672012-06-19T15:47:00.001-07:002012-06-19T16:03:49.465-07:00All Was Quiet…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpj6QNNMd9_XFc6MfZTbZQONuBAGvQJForIPKH4pJel2cdsDDX-5COIbUB_qf7IXTnd3bhdOODqY2y24C4Ck-WJHegQnVPzcgo8NukIMDBmx5p16HpmfP4HmSfjhWcheQwDxi3GqdilY/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpj6QNNMd9_XFc6MfZTbZQONuBAGvQJForIPKH4pJel2cdsDDX-5COIbUB_qf7IXTnd3bhdOODqY2y24C4Ck-WJHegQnVPzcgo8NukIMDBmx5p16HpmfP4HmSfjhWcheQwDxi3GqdilY/s320/photo.JPG" width="270" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Harmless... Right?</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Those of you who
have kids know (and those of you that may should know) that when there is silence mixed with two little boys, more than likely, a good ole-fashioned
diaper-dusting is soon to follow. It is like the calm before the storm. Like the eye of the hurricane. That is the preface to this little
episode.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The boys were
having a grand ole time as usual this morning, playing in the cardboard bathtub
box my pop drug in the house and left last week for them – all the while ignoring their
toys like they were works of art in a museum. Well, they can only run through the box so
many times. There are, in fact, a limited number of scenarios that two
diaper-clad boys can imagine while chasing each other through a tub box. So, I
figured I would be a hero. I gave Jackman a big, black plastic spatula, and Brolin a matching big black plastic spoon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And I
commanded the boys, saying, “Of the cardboard box you mayest freely beat:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>But of the furniture
of the rest of the house, thou shalt not beat it: for in the moment that thou beatest
thereof thou shalt surely get a spanking.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Jackman got it.
He grinned his signature grin, and led the charge. Brolin immediately picked up
on it, and they commenced to beating that box like a redheaded stepchild. I
peacefully returned to my now soggy Cheerios and the Hunting, Fishing, &
Guns section of the Mule Trader, confident that this latest enterprise would
satiate their appetite for destruction for at least an hour or so. But just as
I finished my mush, all was quiet…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In an instant,
my heart sank. I knew <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they</i> were up to
something. Where was all the beating? Where was that noise that told me their exact location and what they were up to when my eyes weren’t fixed directly on
them? Was Jackman snapping the window blinds in half? Was Brolin climbing the
bookshelf? Had they already discovered the boyhood joys of fire? Do I dare even
walk in the direction of absolute silence?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The moment of
truth… the point of no return. As I rounded the corner I saw them, with the very
tools of destruction that I had given them, excavating a half-dead plant in the
hallway, and merrily heaping the soil into a large mound on the hardwood (anyone
remember those field trips to Moundville?). For just a split-second I was
conflicted. I didn’t know whether to be angry, or proud. I didn’t know whether
to chase them off, or take a picture. Then it occurred to me: “They ain’t gonna
shovel this mess up!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I gave chase…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">…and then I cleaned
up the mess.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They were already into
something else before I was finished, and never missed a lick. They ain't got time to slow down. Anyway, although it was somewhat
aggravating, this wasn't quite one of those “spank-able” offenses in their far-reaching spectrum of their punishable little-boy-crimes. So I just took’ em
upstairs to our bedroom and spent a few minutes teaching them how to perform
various forms of the powerbomb on the bed. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEKqgpxZzKk">They got to be the Hardy Boyz</a>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-58736759936912929982012-06-13T19:33:00.001-07:002012-06-13T19:33:23.290-07:00Happy Birthday, Brolin.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TMr_GfKR1BfTxF3kKi5G-peCXNAqzytNERwy5120R29fWMIwYDHcq3OPKH-q73tqyx-pbYBwlNt0T07DnUUHvx0XwR5UCzB-WKRzGYLdRgnu3LBTc16CCsICrxDb0a0aM3s86vibHvg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TMr_GfKR1BfTxF3kKi5G-peCXNAqzytNERwy5120R29fWMIwYDHcq3OPKH-q73tqyx-pbYBwlNt0T07DnUUHvx0XwR5UCzB-WKRzGYLdRgnu3LBTc16CCsICrxDb0a0aM3s86vibHvg/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(nobody panic... those diapers back there are new ones...)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As I figured, Brolin has not been featured nearly as much in the ole blog as Jackman was. But since tomorrow is his birthday, it's about time he gets another day in the sun.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Feast your eyes on the one-year-old Brolin, or as he has been affectionately nicknamed by Jackman, Bro-bro. He's getting big and shaggy. He's been walking for months now. He's even saying a few words. The really crazy thing for us is the way he eats. Even though he is a year old now, we can't get used to the way he puts away food when we have worked so hard with Jackman to teach him just to taste things. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He's a completely different person than Jackman. Somehow, I guess I was under the impression Brolin would end up being like having another little Jackman around. Man, was I ever wrong. I can say this much... Brolin's name suits him. There ain't nothing mild-mannered about him. (I know what you're thinking - He's so cute and looks so sweet). This boy has got everyone fooled except his old man. He is as bossy as they come, and can be as mean as a snake. He will tear through a wall to get what he wants. If you try to put him down for a nap too early or too late, he will scream bloody murder. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But he also has a soft side that surprised us. He loves teddy bears. The first thing he does before every nap, after every nap, and every night before he goes to sleep, is squeeze that little teddy bear in his bed. (That's him in the left-side background - his name is Hammer). He also likes to share with his brother... yeah, and I'm a Chinese jet pilot.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I can't believe a year has gone by already. I can barely remember what it was like for him to be an infant... he already seems so tough. One thing that he has in store is a haircut. Unlike Jackman, who got his first haircut not long after he got out of the hospital because it was down his back, Brolin has not had one yet. He's going for that seventies look, and rockin' it pretty good. When he wakes up from his nap in a bad mood, he looks just like Lou Ferrigno as the old Incredible Hulk with that frizzy, shaggy hair. When Brolin gets that haircut, he's really going to look grown up.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don't grow up too fast.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jackman certainly loves having Brolin around, and we do too. Happy birthday, Bro-bro. We love you buddy.</div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-41361426635215027222011-12-20T06:19:00.000-08:002011-12-24T19:22:07.675-08:00Merry Christmas...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGlZ7IUGrRBnvkCK-zfBba0nFEZRk-Co0j9kCaimpcLT82ZzX86FSst58PzVFwvc2HzlgxMPE6EDMaSZIrixlkZx0InXnY6AndPZo_OzppbAJJ-jqxN-63xVCx4pbCw3BpikqRqsGWOs/s1600/MerryChristmas.001.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGlZ7IUGrRBnvkCK-zfBba0nFEZRk-Co0j9kCaimpcLT82ZzX86FSst58PzVFwvc2HzlgxMPE6EDMaSZIrixlkZx0InXnY6AndPZo_OzppbAJJ-jqxN-63xVCx4pbCw3BpikqRqsGWOs/s400/MerryChristmas.001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688215518568574338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">From the four of us, to all of you. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for keeping up with us. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Christmas is a time when we gather with loved ones, but Christmas is only about one thing... that is God's gift of His son as Savior and Lord to all who believe. We wish you all a merry Christmas.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love, </div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Greg, Lisa, Jackman, and Brolin </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-21287347071611729822011-06-17T20:12:00.000-07:002014-06-14T18:24:45.427-07:00Brolin...The Story Behind The Name...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEH2YTspdr2oc_flrocGBMzaO_PsG7HIXfs8KUwfiRaxmSBkr5h7oLNx5X_3OAZzxLGyxvyCHshVjUl4pBpqD5hc7RCIowiBfqAC_9nGbivYSMa69ODMRsfLIaOQblD_gSVsW254RzAE/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEH2YTspdr2oc_flrocGBMzaO_PsG7HIXfs8KUwfiRaxmSBkr5h7oLNx5X_3OAZzxLGyxvyCHshVjUl4pBpqD5hc7RCIowiBfqAC_9nGbivYSMa69ODMRsfLIaOQblD_gSVsW254RzAE/s1600/001.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, our long awaited new-baby-name-guessing-game
was a colossal bust. In the mad dash, the contest lasted all of 10 minutes at
around 8:00 am, so naturally we had about zero guesses, with no correct
answers.... Much different results from our first go 'round with Jackman. As
most of you know by now, we had some fun with the naming process of our
firstborn. It might help to go back and read "<a href="http://harpertimes.blogspot.com/2009/08/jackmanthe-story-behind-name.html"><span style="color: #0000f5;">Jackman... The Story Behind The Name...</span></a>"
before you dig into this. You'll need a frame of reference if you weren't there
for it, or didn't at least read the blog.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Anyway, a brief introduction is in order.
Apparently when we named our firstborn 'Jackman', we knocked one out of the
park. As it turns out, his name has been Hugh-ly popular (get it?). The only
problem is when you knock one out of the park your first time at bat, everyone
expects at least that much the next time up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, obviously we never gave any thought
whatsoever as to how difficult it would be to come up with a name that
complements 'Jackman', and it all its own at the same time. With Jackman, it
was apparent that we went with a movie star's last name - that would be the
theme, although we did not know it at the time. It's qualities were that it was
highly unique, yet down-to-earth and friendly. Jackman sounds like it could be
every boy's name on earth, but I guarantee you don't know another one - that's
what we were looking for in a name. Set the bar mighty high I know, but we
definitely cleared it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Rewind a few months - now we've got the Deuce on
the way, and he needs a name... what do we do? I had another list this time,
and it had several of the actors we love who just didn't make the cut, plus about
a thousand -man names, plus the name Mitchum... my brand of deodorant. Hey,
what's wrong with that? It's so effective you can skip a day... or at least
that's what they used to say.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, the criteria that had to be met were as
follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Actor's last name<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. Nobody's first name - unique<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Sounds like anyone's first name - simple<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Works with the middle name 'Cody' - Family name
on Lisa's side<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5. Sounds good when you yell it paired with the
name 'Jackman', as if two little boys just did something they were not supposed
to do, and are now in a stink-storm of trouble. Example: Jackman!!! ______!!!
Get out of the garbage and get your rear ends in here right this instant!!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now you see why we just couldn't just name the boy Tom.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So what was the only choice possible in a world full of names?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2b9KBGrRJUvHBwqeNb7MGTP49qsKzhowv89IiY-xFhk7rgBXSCRFAaTHqOQ_esNDOXmWwqtGtQmbxUHc3r0u4EL9nj8N3Lz5oGtu9KjcDz552ImFYySNW78lQ7vZkyBJkMfCTG4bav8/s1600/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2b9KBGrRJUvHBwqeNb7MGTP49qsKzhowv89IiY-xFhk7rgBXSCRFAaTHqOQ_esNDOXmWwqtGtQmbxUHc3r0u4EL9nj8N3Lz5oGtu9KjcDz552ImFYySNW78lQ7vZkyBJkMfCTG4bav8/s1600/002.jpg" height="112" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just look at how cool that looks. Just the grouping
of letters alone looks tough enough to give you a black eye. And think about
it... when you say the name 'Brolin'... we are talking about a name that is
versatile enough to suit anyone from a broom-pusher to a brain-surgeon... the
sky is the limit. Just read this aloud, listen, and you'll see what I mean.
"Hey Brolin... you missed a spot over by those tables." Now try this
one: "Hey Brolin... mighty fine work doing surgery on that dude's
brain." See what I mean.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, you may ask "Brolin? Brolin who? Who's
Brolin?" Granted, he doesn't have the same kind of status Hugh Jackman
does now, but he does have the added advantage of being a super value pack - a father/son duo.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XCBxp-QES0D21s7NdSK3prA5HcYE6SPbB4flNda5AkPWygT9VyGV9JrBEoQmDhvYM3o8hlS4g4ymaLQKecK-ClBCy-pzDcqS-_V2omN-jK9ZMi8eBvcGT2HKEse9WOJBWdPsKAkdKZ0/s1600/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XCBxp-QES0D21s7NdSK3prA5HcYE6SPbB4flNda5AkPWygT9VyGV9JrBEoQmDhvYM3o8hlS4g4ymaLQKecK-ClBCy-pzDcqS-_V2omN-jK9ZMi8eBvcGT2HKEse9WOJBWdPsKAkdKZ0/s1600/004.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You probably know the younger Brolin, Josh<i>.</i> Brolin exudes pure meanness as the infamous
drifter, Tom Chaney in <i>True Grit.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQ200FXxNkuiHKXrHu24bmE9SPPMrCs3edVdBkdxC7VhVsCX-zYbx-gc-aBLHVkqPhI7KhOuI6jNyxPcgwGyjyC3xOqBhbWhNAFgum6ryipPIj3qGz4IxW90cKOnzMtLCkDzPI58FVLc/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQ200FXxNkuiHKXrHu24bmE9SPPMrCs3edVdBkdxC7VhVsCX-zYbx-gc-aBLHVkqPhI7KhOuI6jNyxPcgwGyjyC3xOqBhbWhNAFgum6ryipPIj3qGz4IxW90cKOnzMtLCkDzPI58FVLc/s1600/003.jpg" height="291" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He is Llewelyn
Moss in <i>No Country For Old Men, </i>brimming with confidence, either due to
the nickle-plated .45 or the circa '80's 'stache. These are by far the younger
Brolin's best efforts of his entire career. Sadly, most of his work is
terrible... I mean pure bilge. I think the last thing he was in that I really
liked was <i>The Goonies</i>... a solid 25 years ago. I guess he bought into
the Goonies code - never say die! Well, like the old-timers say, even a blind
squirrel finds a nut every now and then. The Coen Brothers got Brolin, and the
rest is history.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As for the elder Brolin, his work is probably not
nearly as well known to my culture-poor generation, even though his career is
wrought with as much stinkiness as his son's. He was in a lot of TV stuff that
I don't really remember. The one thing I do remember him in was his crowning
achievement... <i>The Amityville Horror.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Brolin played George Lutz, a dude
that got totally ripped off by his realtor and subsequently possessed by evil.
You could actually smell his Old Spice in this flick. He was rockin' that late
70's bulletproof hair too. This was the baddest the elder Brolin ever got, but
he's still awesome in it. I mean he's sharpening his axe,
and he ain't planning on bustin' wood with it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHNnE010wQcFPvdehGp58L7IeIK-aM16F9UiENecegYulmZ1i-0gpOp9e4Yq-fzrGwIkzLNIqLVjsNPQQnoea-RWa57MTdJDpXKpmKvGvhnyTAP06MegQxwUvnZaQNy-m5Vyiu54ilNY/s1600/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHNnE010wQcFPvdehGp58L7IeIK-aM16F9UiENecegYulmZ1i-0gpOp9e4Yq-fzrGwIkzLNIqLVjsNPQQnoea-RWa57MTdJDpXKpmKvGvhnyTAP06MegQxwUvnZaQNy-m5Vyiu54ilNY/s1600/005.jpg" height="270" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He's also sporting that late 70's
lumberjack style, both pictures from <i>The Amityville
Horror.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tue_azIrBblAwDXKryfaZ4yX87wJK9kKZscLfQsFUtrGxfajxh3R-2URQ5KddNpmEezgc-Zm5SPptIONE7H3nfK-DcAm7z885cRLtdnn9NYhmshXSJBJgrxF-2Ao4WiD5L5i9KfOCJE/s1600/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8tue_azIrBblAwDXKryfaZ4yX87wJK9kKZscLfQsFUtrGxfajxh3R-2URQ5KddNpmEezgc-Zm5SPptIONE7H3nfK-DcAm7z885cRLtdnn9NYhmshXSJBJgrxF-2Ao4WiD5L5i9KfOCJE/s1600/006.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And by the way... I did my homework just to make
certain that we got a unique name. The name Brolin isn't even really real, so
to speak; or at least it wasn't until Craig Kenneth Bruderlin changed his name
to James Brolin. Apparently, Bruderlin isn't a cool name, but Brolin is. It was
cool enough to jumpstart a man's otherwise lifeless Hollywood career. If at
this point you are wondering why we named our son after a pair of actors whose
good movies over the course of a combined half-century could be counted on one
hand, I'm afraid you missed the point. It's not about them... we liked the
name.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the end, I hope
both of our boys' names are characteristic of who they are to Lisa and I now,
and who we are confident they will become as they grow up... Each of them,
matchless and one of a kind, yet unpretentious and down to-earth.</span></div>
<br />
<div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-51568789957335907542011-06-14T15:43:00.000-07:002011-06-14T18:40:51.349-07:00And This Is How It Happened...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViJfr85DiORFk9uMtYo-lvJTY1pVRw00-_M0ZuFCMy0gLMbvFpLLLsKuFTNxqVKv0id-wpnYuqdI6gwa5JSzkt235Yy9kHKk4_67kzXnsNHXeyhuNcuuXQC3DtrSopOiqhROWrjiIBQc/s1600/IMG_0225.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViJfr85DiORFk9uMtYo-lvJTY1pVRw00-_M0ZuFCMy0gLMbvFpLLLsKuFTNxqVKv0id-wpnYuqdI6gwa5JSzkt235Yy9kHKk4_67kzXnsNHXeyhuNcuuXQC3DtrSopOiqhROWrjiIBQc/s400/IMG_0225.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618213420787211618" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Brolin</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1StN9JcZhzJ1reXnJRYo916mkFt6A0KGbLXLyjpYVNM6KkAo2FW9O1eW-oRD_Ao-mBA6onvex1vfrMGUtbikIxPpcwPNmQaZ2qLjAMfo_U24ZV3faMOOwBp22FZVQJka-Bj8CY5iG3Ds/s1600/IMG_0231.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1StN9JcZhzJ1reXnJRYo916mkFt6A0KGbLXLyjpYVNM6KkAo2FW9O1eW-oRD_Ao-mBA6onvex1vfrMGUtbikIxPpcwPNmQaZ2qLjAMfo_U24ZV3faMOOwBp22FZVQJka-Bj8CY5iG3Ds/s400/IMG_0231.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618212781587964050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Me and my son, Brolin (the Deuce)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n3OPWUdGmB78MKREsvN8e8UR9B6ciMJuDjbowHbojMM8BO_AOoFZEjBqgzXwgerLLf38Uz6-mKWNHPJQQg6gEZwsoyPC-Eb7HZyeMs7LRj5m9GYfqwEemFS8WDa94ng5eQt0Fr2IeaY/s1600/IMG_0241.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5n3OPWUdGmB78MKREsvN8e8UR9B6ciMJuDjbowHbojMM8BO_AOoFZEjBqgzXwgerLLf38Uz6-mKWNHPJQQg6gEZwsoyPC-Eb7HZyeMs7LRj5m9GYfqwEemFS8WDa94ng5eQt0Fr2IeaY/s400/IMG_0241.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618212158982900498" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">He threw us a curve with that brown hair</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tIKYLQ2RqVIJuU5Oo0cjIErGna-F3b-SNiISyvfsMHVCVvfBeFsZSAdwkNIN5j3o0g8rGu494w-45f1jt28X4LZA2TVlM4MNR4Za4tlDmsJDtqsktELuntmRWy8MncQOUTeasJ3udW4/s1600/IMG_0252.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tIKYLQ2RqVIJuU5Oo0cjIErGna-F3b-SNiISyvfsMHVCVvfBeFsZSAdwkNIN5j3o0g8rGu494w-45f1jt28X4LZA2TVlM4MNR4Za4tlDmsJDtqsktELuntmRWy8MncQOUTeasJ3udW4/s400/IMG_0252.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618211658633454034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sang a little tune earlier...</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEc8vdpINO4TFdSX6yuqFhbCF12FkALFOUPm7-t0UOZ1gkZqdB7ZzVi_0xzJZuHgzGhpzkaBjbuZgHxRMEEhd0pIA0RXxkf3rEy4wObVj9NMqGMM1r7PayWxe6Pxivv4FsPAJ1J8BeBg/s1600/IMG_0262.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEc8vdpINO4TFdSX6yuqFhbCF12FkALFOUPm7-t0UOZ1gkZqdB7ZzVi_0xzJZuHgzGhpzkaBjbuZgHxRMEEhd0pIA0RXxkf3rEy4wObVj9NMqGMM1r7PayWxe6Pxivv4FsPAJ1J8BeBg/s400/IMG_0262.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618210366428375618" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Lisa, playing with her son</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes things don't go according to the plan...</div><div>You would think us, of all people, would be prepared for the unexpected. Well, we were just a little bit surprised today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rewind to yesterday, the 13th. Brolin was already a day overdue, and we went to the baby doc to see what's up. He said he had a full load of inductions the next day (today, the 14th), so he lined us up to be induced at 6:30am, Wednesday morning, the 15th. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, me and Lisa decided to go buck wild with our <i>guaranteed</i> extra day (at least that's the way I went about it). We didn't go throw a party or anything, just got some lunch together, one last time before the kids go off to college, and picked up some necessities, like cookies and frozen chicken sandwiches. We enjoyed the evening with the Boy, and went off to bed, knowing full well we had another day to mentally prepare for the new addition.</div><div><br /></div><div>From my point of view, the story picks back up around 4:3oam, when I heard Lisa on the phone with a baby doc, explaining that she was having unbearable contractions. You have to understand neither of us have slept well for about a month, because if Lisa ain't sleepin', I ain't sleepin'. After a minute or two, I came to grips with the fact that this was actually happening, NOT according to the plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>I soon found out Lisa had been up since 2:30am having contractions. The doc told her to hold tight, and come in later when they got closer together (they were over 15 minutes apart, and sort of sporadic when she called). Within 30 minutes they were clicking like clockwork at 6 minutes apart, and the cliche', chick-flick, mad dash to the hospital was on. We virtually passed my mother on the way out the door (still not ready to leave Jackman at home alone - too mischievous).</div><div><br /></div><div>I saw a new side to my loving wife on the way to the hospital... the fire-breathing side. Rush hour traffic will bring out the worst in all of us, but you should try it one day while you're having a baby. Seriously, Lisa did really well. God was smiling on us this morning. No kidding, if we had left five minutes later, Brolin would have been born on I-65 North.</div><div><br /></div><div>We checked into the hospital at 7:07am. Lisa was at 7cm. They called for the anesthesiologist immediately. Lisa was screaming in pain just like in those bad acting movies... I promise, no one slept late in Homewood/Mountainbrook this morning. Well, he came in approximately 7:30, and the nurse told him Lisa was already over 9cm. I remember her saying, "It's too late to give her an epidural". You have never seen a wave of hopelessness rush over a human being like it did my wife in that moment. She went pale, her bottom lip rolled out, and her eyes started welling up. This was BAD. There was that uncomfortable silence that lasts a lifetime, then this old-timer, renegade, cowboy anesthesiologist said, "lay the bed flat and roll her on her side, I'm gonna make mama feel better". He made anesthesiology look cool, just like Run DMC did for Adidas. That dude is gonna get a Christmas card.</div><div><br /></div><div>The baby was ready to be born when we got to the hospital. At this point we had to wait an extra 10 minutes for the medicine to take effect. Then it was finally time to call the doc in. It literally took less than 5 minutes. He just walked in and caught the boy. It was over so fast I wondered if I had missed something. Brolin was born at 8:01... 56 minutes after we walked in the door. </div><div><br /></div><div>We both breathed a silent sigh of relief after Brolin got to stay in the room with us past the 10 minute mark. We've had him with us all day. We just look at him and each other, and wonder what to do next. It's kind of neat. It's such a unique experience - our second-born is like a first-born. We're tired, but really looking forward to all four of us being together.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to all of you who have taken care of us, kept up with us, and prayed for us.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm thankful God does things his way.</div></div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-9797235597366884852011-06-12T07:56:00.000-07:002011-06-12T10:03:10.595-07:00ETA... Unknown<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VvZkuLx4gEo3rQZhDX92fswLOrjmHn85GUZrnvsZhQD5Ss1j9blVKyujMkQuSAiqsy2RLwqpee8d1ffLVdEY106nIBO118-gApWDG3nogjTjsVQbFy_qHAl4o9bF7k1u39tw8T5zlNk/s1600/IMG_0202.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VvZkuLx4gEo3rQZhDX92fswLOrjmHn85GUZrnvsZhQD5Ss1j9blVKyujMkQuSAiqsy2RLwqpee8d1ffLVdEY106nIBO118-gApWDG3nogjTjsVQbFy_qHAl4o9bF7k1u39tw8T5zlNk/s400/IMG_0202.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617379015669579570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Lisa feeding the Boy while he's passed out cold</div><div><br /><div><br />Well, so much for keeping everyone up to date. All I can say is that "Cyclone" would have been a fitting name for my firstborn. That should go a long way towards explaining the difficulty I have had with keeping the blog current, and provide sufficient reason for why I probably won't update it everyday after the Deuce is born. Now that the excuse-ities are out of the way...<div><br /></div><div>Today marks the official due date of the Deuce (Baby Boy Harper II). It is also exactly two months before Jackman's second birthday. That's a lot of twos. Maybe too many. </div><div><br /></div><div>If the Deuce were born today, it would complete my perfect would of easy-to-remember dates. He and the Boy would have the same birthday, just different months. Lisa's birthday is September 17th, the same as my bro's. I proposed to her that day - on her birthday. We got married on New Year'e Eve - a Tuesday; easy to remember. My birthday, November 5th, is the same as Roy Rogers', Ike Turner's and Kevin Jonas'... who couldn't remember that. Perfectionness.</div><div><br /></div><div>It looks like the Deuce will make his own special day. That will be okay. I can memorize another birthday I guess, I'll just have to forget one of your's to make room. But Facebook has that covered, so everything is just peachy.</div><div><br /></div><div>You probably want to know how Lisa is feeling, and probably haven't had a second thought about yours truly. That's okay... I've had 2 years and 9 months to get used to it. She's feeling "very pregnant, very hot, uncomfortable, and ready". She's done really well as far as I'm concerned. As tired as she is, she still puts me and the Boy first. Don't worry, I'm taking care of her and making her get rest. The Bible teaches that my wife is an even higher priority than even our sons, second only to God himself. I take that pretty seriously.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, in any event, the ETA on the Deuce is... SOON. We are thinking between now and Wednesday. Once things really get rolling, I'll post updates on Twitter, and they will show up on the righthand side of the blog, and on my Facebook status - so stay tuned.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-65643393949475507442011-03-21T05:11:00.000-07:002013-01-21T20:13:23.139-08:00The Family That Prays Together...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our little family prays together every morning... even on Saturdays and Sundays. That hasn't always been the case though. For years before the boy came along, me and Lisa didn't pray together. I actually thought it was good enough that I just reminded her to pray. I'm not sure at what point we realized it was important to pray together, but we have done it ever since. <br />
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When Jackman was born, praying together became even more important to us. Don't get me wrong... prayer itself does NOT make us stronger - God does that. Prayer just puts us in touch with the One who gives us grace, strength and peace. Well, praying together did a lot for helping us to communicate with each other as well. I'm not talking about some kind of psychiatrist-type communication garbage either. I'm talking about discussing hard issues about our baby boy that neither one of us even wanted to think about. Back then, the possibilities were really scary at times. In hindsight, I can see how if we had not been praying together we would have been too afraid to even speak to each other about the possibilities, but since we were praying about them together, we were able to encourage and comfort each other through a tough time. </div>
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After the boy came home (and especially since he has become mobile and vocal), praying together as a family has entered into a whole new realm. I confess that all three of us peek during our prayer time together... but it is all because of Jackman. Besides, I've never found the verse in the Bible that says "no peeking", and I'm almost certain it does not exist. Jackman actually likes prayer time. We do it in the morning to start the day. I have to admit, I love to see the look on his face when he watches Lisa pray. He just watches her and smiles like he knows something special is taking place. When we finish, he claps. That means something too, because he doesn't just clap for anything.</div>
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I guess a good question for anyone who reads this blog is: do you pray together as a family? If so... good! If not... why not? We've learned there really is no good reason <i>not</i> to. Think about it this way - most people spend a lot of time thinking... even worrying about who they need to talk to about important matters, most of whom probably won't really be listening anyway. What if you and your family could have a few calm and easy minutes with someone who actually cares about those things and can actually do something about them? It doesn't hurt that He also created the entire universe too, so He is more than qualified to handle whatever we can lay on Him.</div>
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The best thing is that He's glad to do it for us because it frees us of worry. Instead of complaining and groaning to everyone we see, we're free to brag about Him. And its hard NOT to brag on God for taking care of our problems... at least that has been our experience.</div>
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Anyway, if you and your family aren't praying together already, don't wait - start today. </div>
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Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-73402487048789142252011-01-21T19:04:00.000-08:002011-01-22T11:31:43.279-08:00The Overdue Update...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYl7MH8gPB-HWKjFOUBfCN0osBLp9GwsFtMXld5Q3mgDhtTpttuRxEfCBmFXh_00qUaHrH5iduNa7CdOtfcw6WurHE9at_EPQ-ZCbMwJU5otaripM3vNuR6KCNHblkcLL3rMUo77wSusk/s1600/2baby01.17.11.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYl7MH8gPB-HWKjFOUBfCN0osBLp9GwsFtMXld5Q3mgDhtTpttuRxEfCBmFXh_00qUaHrH5iduNa7CdOtfcw6WurHE9at_EPQ-ZCbMwJU5otaripM3vNuR6KCNHblkcLL3rMUo77wSusk/s400/2baby01.17.11.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565094071263689490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The 2nd Baby Boy Harper as of 01.17.11</div><div><br />Well, it has been quite a while since I last posted an update. Jackman has finished college and has a nice little family of his own now. Of course I am kidding, but time is flying around here. As soon as he was walking, he was running, and into everything. That was just about the time the blog slowed down.<div><br /></div><div>The boy is doing good. He's learning how to drink through a straw and also out of a cup. He actually likes milk... sort of. He's still not eating yet, but he is progressing. Lisa and I have seen pretty amazing progress over the past few months, especially when you consider the fact that when we began trying to teach him to eat, all he would put in his mouth was a generic, green, hospital brand pacifier (good thing I picked up all those that fell on the floor while we where there - I know the nurses will love that).</div><div><br /></div><div>Jackman still has reflux, which causes him to throw up a lot. Sometimes he will have a good few days in a row, and sometimes it won't be so good. But every time we go to the doc, they are thrilled about his growth, and the surgeon is also very happy with the way his esophagus looks. We aren't anticipating any kind of surgeries at all as of right now.</div><div><br /></div><div>The boy recently said his first word: baby. Now he says it approximately 800 times a day. Today I taught him "Bob". I know, not a big stretch from baby, but I expanded his vocabulary by 100% today, so that is worth something. I have been trying to teach him "mama" while Lisa is away so she would be surprised. When he is in the high chair, I get a picture of her, point to it, and say "mama"... you know the drill. Well, a couple nights ago I told him to go to mama. Of course he took off running, ran straight past Lisa without so much as a look, and straight to the bookcase where the picture sets. He was quite proud of himself.</div><div><br /></div><div>He's a big help too. He likes to help out with laundry. He laughs his tails off. He likes to help load the washer. The other day he handed me every stitch off clothing out of the basket, piece by piece, and when he was finished, gave me my crocs to throw in too. Folding clothes is more of a challenge because he like to swoop in like an attack jet on a bombing run and make a mess of things. Or sometimes he does does his "fox in the henhouse" technique, and flies in and steals some folded clothes and runs off with them, all the while laughing like a madman. Never a dull moment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Probably the biggest development for the boy is that he is going to have to get used to sharing the limelight. Turns out, the new addition will be a little boy (name yet to be determined). He and Jackman will be the same age difference as me and my brother, and while some people may have a different opinion (which, of course, would be wrong), I think we turned out pretty good. I like the idea of them being close to the same age, and I think it will be good for the both of them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned. I'll be picking up the pace on the blog again as we get closer to D-day (that means delivery-day). There's always the possibility we'll spill the beans on the name, but right now there is 0% chance for two reasons. First, we don't have one yet, and second, where's the fun in that?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-12601586911215957872010-08-20T18:59:00.000-07:002010-08-20T19:41:02.538-07:00Now and Then...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcP8vGIwVF7wulSyBDpyY98JW433P912fkI824sMPj6u2xNDtNcgOqb86RJQpEC73MZ3MjR4N7r9ZXnh4fLS9pAHp-jdAvBmts24svnF8b8m4JlbgRgjlN-cHx6DhAlYaHU-F-MqaHlM/s1600/gregjackmanbirthday.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcP8vGIwVF7wulSyBDpyY98JW433P912fkI824sMPj6u2xNDtNcgOqb86RJQpEC73MZ3MjR4N7r9ZXnh4fLS9pAHp-jdAvBmts24svnF8b8m4JlbgRgjlN-cHx6DhAlYaHU-F-MqaHlM/s400/gregjackmanbirthday.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507677060702742946" border="0" /></a>The picture above was my mother's idea. The original is on the left. That's me, back in the day when all pictures looked yellow. That was our clock that sat on top of the 600 lb, 25 in TV console which permanently indented our disco-shag carpet. It is set at 8:10... the time of my birth (a.m. if you were curious). You guessed it - that's yours truly behind the clock, rockin' the hair with my pajama top tucked in like a good boy, sleeves rolled up like a bad boy.<br /><br />On the right is almost the same picture, with a different actor - Jackman. The clock survived me and my brother (although is doesn't seem to work). One of the columns is loose, and the clock face wants to fall out, but it's still hanging in there. It is noticeably set to 11:29, the time of the morning Jackman was born. That's the Man, the Myth, the Legend in the background sporting a size 3 pamper and his new birthday shirt. Nowadays if Jackman is awake, he's either grinning with that tongue stuck out, or laughing.<br /><br />I'm not sure how much work it was for Ma to get that shot of me, but I'll tell you... that one of Jackman didn't happen in just one shot. Unfortunately, he had just learned how to sprint like an Olympian a couple days before, so getting him to be still was next to impossible. Setting his high chair in the background next to the dining room table was the easy part.<br /><br />Even after all that, I really only took a few shots. Its amazing to me the little similarities between us in this picture: the grin, the hands, the way we're standing. But then again I know he's going to be different from me. I already wonder what kind of person he will turn out to be. Right handed or left handed? Math and science or art and literature? The band or sports? Car or truck? Alabama or .... well, let's not get carried away.<br /><br />Anyway, even though he's only a year old now, we're starting to get little glimpses of who he is, and who he's going to be. I realize he's going to be different from me, I just hope I can always remember that's okay. I hope I can always remember God has it worked out who He wants him to be, and its mine and Lisa's job to mold him into that person.Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-74579672095613789772010-08-15T18:10:00.000-07:002010-08-15T18:34:30.817-07:00The Birthday Cake...<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyIQtax8zMyWbk4TN-SNGaKUwQgbh_R9yHnz8oBxid5FLQuK_SYZUsQOFHQqhO26EwlqN_TYFmgPhMp3zchkoeANXJVf9UBtjqcMCRZgbZL6tmkswOQ8RUfb2PAduB-AfonsKfSd3v4I/s1600/DSC04870.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyIQtax8zMyWbk4TN-SNGaKUwQgbh_R9yHnz8oBxid5FLQuK_SYZUsQOFHQqhO26EwlqN_TYFmgPhMp3zchkoeANXJVf9UBtjqcMCRZgbZL6tmkswOQ8RUfb2PAduB-AfonsKfSd3v4I/s400/DSC04870.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505811064308205106" border="0" /></a>Bob and Larry... Jackman's favorite's<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFltJYG7STtAgslsK3QnLW6iO75dEZDq2vibPvTfJZD6cXCfYzRrWjFqOseuhQanV2EV1N5dgZsDotEcOkey1_8Y-61a-P44P0Ryh1T5fLgR7thDYsA6z_eRxEFOwjKwJmRv39PtB8kPg/s1600/DSC04872.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFltJYG7STtAgslsK3QnLW6iO75dEZDq2vibPvTfJZD6cXCfYzRrWjFqOseuhQanV2EV1N5dgZsDotEcOkey1_8Y-61a-P44P0Ryh1T5fLgR7thDYsA6z_eRxEFOwjKwJmRv39PtB8kPg/s400/DSC04872.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505810531963524578" border="0" /></a>The boy got a swipe at the cake...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoEtZsVdsKksZj8f47ZRSgy70yIHTwALuj7AayFU5STOsRlMJj1W5D6yJCVvmJJBSSP3gCwiLhRaw6SZwYYmBsokCr2WvCUL075uoek7Ex1mDvFmEuU3UTVu_SVHFoMSsJi7tiYOxe0U/s1600/DSC04877.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoEtZsVdsKksZj8f47ZRSgy70yIHTwALuj7AayFU5STOsRlMJj1W5D6yJCVvmJJBSSP3gCwiLhRaw6SZwYYmBsokCr2WvCUL075uoek7Ex1mDvFmEuU3UTVu_SVHFoMSsJi7tiYOxe0U/s400/DSC04877.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505809717808597618" border="0" /></a>Workin' on Bob...<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnslnY_Mi_NdW_X_Ur9goWx7juMgyscvNOI9NfkG-tohcpROVAOnza7yhKA6RvsSIKVi4tZl8pQJhyphenhyphen6tlPjt-Lw0ptzIwM26iEXP_ZsWP9veiZ6y6-7nwKX-LgybPPBkmlu-DaOOaQS0/s1600/DSC04890.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnslnY_Mi_NdW_X_Ur9goWx7juMgyscvNOI9NfkG-tohcpROVAOnza7yhKA6RvsSIKVi4tZl8pQJhyphenhyphen6tlPjt-Lw0ptzIwM26iEXP_ZsWP9veiZ6y6-7nwKX-LgybPPBkmlu-DaOOaQS0/s400/DSC04890.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505809194784117698" border="0" /></a>Crashed...<br /><br /></div><br />I'm afraid the pictures just don't do the cake justice.<br /><br />I'm torn. I don't want Jackman to have another birthday for at least a year, but I could handle another one of those cakes by the middle of the week (when we polish off this one). It was one of those cakes that you kind of felt bad about cutting into because it looked so nice... until you tasted it, and then you went into caveman mode and absolutely destroyed the artwork. Good thing we got pics.<br /><br />Stephanie Douglas, a friend of our family from church, made the cake for Jackman. When you need some sweet stuff you should give her a call.<br /><br />Sweet Tooth Fairy<br />Stephanie Douglas<br />205-541-7226<br />mamadouglas@gmail.comHarperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-17954908524373370342010-08-14T16:50:00.000-07:002010-08-14T17:55:59.706-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Jackman's First Year</span><br />Over the past few days, I've been remembering Jackman's first days of life. During those days I couldn't have imagined what we've been through and where we are today. Jackman is a true miracle. One of his doctors even said so and that means a lot. I can't begin to imagine what he's seen in his career. <br /><br />Jackman is your normal 1 year old, well kind of. He's walking everywhere, playing chase and peekaboo with his cousins. He's the happiest little boy! We are still working with him to relearn to eat, which is still really strange to me. Hopefully this time next year he will be eating fried chicken and mashed potatoes.<br /><br />Thank you to all who prayed and help us during this past year. God has truly blessed us with so much. I can't say this enough.<br /><br />I hope you will enjoy this video of Jackman's first year. In making this video, I've watched it countless times and still tear up. So you've been warned.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Lisa</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw70OmkVMHLHSv6D4BRoSu0WmgfG1y3P7uDV9dcMESZ_BoH1Ct4_KXr3CjQiE51qxCYY7PjC95WPcNfOu3w-w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-81615268846262198782010-08-12T17:41:00.000-07:002010-08-12T19:46:08.374-07:00Birthday Boy...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksHEncZ8RRHqP2YVE2v-W_h1ln8mGNvEMTnolCW__h4qtfgGIajODQU8xYH8ReBdqyn6aqIuYZPWxZpY-BtTSbeVZIqjEb8Hxdgk86bP-P9SvHKPb8-YOz0fY06f1telweobNh5vDy0Q/s1600/J+9+Alt.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksHEncZ8RRHqP2YVE2v-W_h1ln8mGNvEMTnolCW__h4qtfgGIajODQU8xYH8ReBdqyn6aqIuYZPWxZpY-BtTSbeVZIqjEb8Hxdgk86bP-P9SvHKPb8-YOz0fY06f1telweobNh5vDy0Q/s400/J+9+Alt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504689048405092258" border="0" /></a><br />This time a year ago, my world seemed to be spinning out of control. My mother was in one hospital, my wife in another, and my newborn son was in a helicopter on the way to Children's. I was riding with my brother and father to go find out what was happening, and trying to figure it all out.<br /><br />Jackman was a week and a day late. We went and visited my mother in the hospital before we went and checked ourselves in. It was a long night for Lisa. The next morning when we knew it was getting close, I posted his initials on facebook and got almost 200 guesses at his name. I was thrilled and excited.<br /><br />He was born at 11:29am. We each got to hold him for just a couple minutes. Then the nurses noticed he was kind of choking and not breathing well. They tried a few things, and then told us they needed to take him to another room. Before I knew it, I had doctors telling me they needed to send him to Children's right away. I was by myself with my son, who I barely knew, and all my family was with Lisa wondering what was going on.<br /><br />I cannot describe how afraid I was in those first few hours of his life. We were all supposed to be together, receiving guests loaded down with junkfood, squealing at the sight of the new baby boy... but that never happened. What was supposed to be the best day of our lives all the sudden wasn't looking so good.<br /><br />A year ago today, I never imagined us here. Then we didn't know what would happen the next day. I honestly didn't know whether or not Jackman was going to live until I got to Children's that night. After going back and looking through the blog post of the first few weeks, I realize today is a special day.<br /><br />As I was re-reading some of the old posts, I remembered how weak and helpless we both felt to do anything. I remember how I would cry during the day when I was by myself so that I wouldn't do it in front of Lisa that evening. I remember struggling to drive to Birmingham twice a day for months. I remember being physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted... Yet people would say they were amazed at how strong we were!?<br /><br />It might surprise you to know this past year has been the weakest we've ever been.<br /><br />The strength people see is God's. It is not Him giving us a dose of power like some kind of booster shot, but His Spirit literally carrying us along, especially when we were at our breaking point. What people don't understand is that we are still the same weak and worn out parents we were from the first hour... the difference is we've come to depend on God more. There are times when we temporarily forget what He's done for us, but He reminds us.<br /><br />Today is one of those days for us.<br /><br />Well, the boy is 1 year old. He had a happy day today. God's been good to this little family, and we know He always will be. He's proven Himself in impossible situations in the past. He's blessed us with the things we need. We know we can depend on Him in the tough times that will inevitably come. We've got it made.<br /><br /><a href="http://harpertimes.blogspot.com/2009/08/resting-in-god.html">http://harpertimes.blogspot.com/2009/08/resting-in-god.html</a>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-66371705505229851362010-05-21T17:09:00.000-07:002010-05-21T18:22:07.216-07:00Something New Every Day...<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4w5zoU7jsVy8HUYy7-NPbS57R7pPO8WBggurRX7H1IBQg3QiEmfLc_S5cxInvg8Kc78P-ZZtdD4IGmOnIEbgr7Dl0fLUByzMOs6p_hHGl6XgZvcuEhisCFSdYy04kS_O672afMKx2Ms/s1600/DSC04594.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4w5zoU7jsVy8HUYy7-NPbS57R7pPO8WBggurRX7H1IBQg3QiEmfLc_S5cxInvg8Kc78P-ZZtdD4IGmOnIEbgr7Dl0fLUByzMOs6p_hHGl6XgZvcuEhisCFSdYy04kS_O672afMKx2Ms/s400/DSC04594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473897807484668562" border="0" /></a>Gift from Uncle Jeff, Aunt Leslie, and cousins Max and Greenlee...<br />He loves it<br /><br /><br /></div>Well, the boy has officially been at home for half as long as he spent in Children's Hospital, which puts him at nine months old. As you might imagine, a lot has changed since our last update.<br /><br />Last Wednesday, May 19, at exactly 1:00pm on the nose, Jackman became independently mobile. I am not kidding. When the clock struck one, he made a bee line for the DVD collection, then pulled out all the diapers, then headed for the stairs (which lead up, not down). The way he did it was what was so funny. he had the intensity of a getaway driver (hope it's no indication of his future profession). At 12:59, he did not know how to crawl, but at 1:00, he was setting new land speed records. We just didn't know what to think. guess that's just how it works.<br /><br />He's virtually walking too. He does it all except walking completely alone. We really thought he would walk before he would crawl. Good thing I didn't place any bets on that.<br /><br />Nap time and bed time have changed drastically. Now that the boy knows he can get around, he likes to really mess up the nest before he goes to sleep. Sometimes we will lay him in bed upstairs and come back 15 minutes later to give him his medicine, and he will literally have turned 180 degrees without making a sound over the monitor. One would swear the other came in and turned him as a practical joke, but it's happened too many times. Sometimes, he like to play the joke on us, and grab the monitor and breath into it like some kind of obscene phone call. It's pretty funny when you're downstairs, minding your own business, and then hear that heavy mouth breathing over the monitor.<br /><br />One of the craziest things has to be the latest challenge in diaper changing. I just thought it was hard when he was a little thing. Now, I feel like the late Steve Irwin wrestling a crocodile every time I change one. No sooner do I get the old one loose, and it's like someone threw open the gate at the Kentucky Derby. He goes into overdrive. He's flopping and twisting around like some kind of wounded animal. At times I think it would be easier to put a diaper on a cougar than that little boy. But we both kind of enjoy the competition I guess (he takes it easy on the women folk).<br /><br />Yep, the age of "No" has officially begun. If he ain't supposed to be in it, that's where he's headed first.<br /><br />Everything is going good. He isn't eating or swallowing yet, but we're working on it. An occupational therapist comes to the house twice a month to check his progress and help us advance without sacrificing the progress we've made. He's getting to where he's okay with new tastes, which is huge compared to last month, when he wouldn't tolerate anything but the taste of water and plastic.<br /><br />Anyway, we've had some stressful times, but we try to remember what all the LORD has seen us through up to this point. When you do that for even just a minute, the things that cause us anxiety seem to fade out. God's definitely been good to us, and we know we can count on Him.Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-90775769361116336442010-05-16T19:05:00.000-07:002010-05-16T20:05:35.637-07:009 month update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQN6YX4mZ_0Z202RCi7BRDgcPhEFD_woaEYxNhx4CGoTMSGLUjilU3PMmKl-lYsA37swGcGsWtbfqozvyi-kAYbyxWfwcWxDMPK9lVAhYuKMjYsShR7m6-zr6sNeUJ_DZp591P_iH-73o/s1600/DSC04489.JPG">Short and Sweet</a><br />Since our little man has been home, Greg and I have little time to update the blog. I actually should be in bed right now so . . . you get less commentary and more pics! Here are some of our favorite recent pics and a video of what bedtime looks like these days. Enjoy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4ty9R01ak4XY31hhyphenhyphenRPjxmvmbzcv4UzrmpPMThP4ikN9m6KA0kZgmNq87PJfX7a8uQheqmgucBWMfHv1JGg_04c9KU-Q5fxovhgG2HAi9tWUkCwkHTlBHCsPDJU3ILQryezf37zg4zY/s1600/SSPX0152.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4ty9R01ak4XY31hhyphenhyphenRPjxmvmbzcv4UzrmpPMThP4ikN9m6KA0kZgmNq87PJfX7a8uQheqmgucBWMfHv1JGg_04c9KU-Q5fxovhgG2HAi9tWUkCwkHTlBHCsPDJU3ILQryezf37zg4zY/s400/SSPX0152.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472056913247245458" border="0" /></a>Big boy haircut<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavtwgyhsAItDKN-Y6LyrSgqDsYNBzNBPwHqN1XaIQ4ljWtkvHu6AlbbR89n_lF7FAMzNMaEORzuRWKqyCGRLbpSC-yN1ZwdS8Mjs4NUh5FX4vjtLlJZIxrpFtVU0cwvnq8HoIlo-RuPs/s1600/DSC04509.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavtwgyhsAItDKN-Y6LyrSgqDsYNBzNBPwHqN1XaIQ4ljWtkvHu6AlbbR89n_lF7FAMzNMaEORzuRWKqyCGRLbpSC-yN1ZwdS8Mjs4NUh5FX4vjtLlJZIxrpFtVU0cwvnq8HoIlo-RuPs/s400/DSC04509.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472061046204494914" border="0" /></a>Experimenting with spaghetti sauce<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8y-xoioXBx1JwI10vWtqoco5jUlyS0oDsYJRITlcsrvxZMyRE418NeJIGi4u26vrxbRtj-brNtgE5WQrHBKwIEdb6znR8bIAwap7utTadSTlAXPw37ZIGED7Vy-nicREBKIf7zrn7bYA/s1600/DSC04516.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8y-xoioXBx1JwI10vWtqoco5jUlyS0oDsYJRITlcsrvxZMyRE418NeJIGi4u26vrxbRtj-brNtgE5WQrHBKwIEdb6znR8bIAwap7utTadSTlAXPw37ZIGED7Vy-nicREBKIf7zrn7bYA/s400/DSC04516.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472061051740817490" border="0" /></a>Chewing on everything<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGl-KMfv_8lQnmLhUfX9xjcU3xJMzwNDww8pWQwEZHfVwCdwuvmQqX0z5ioQXYgmkWzsKgrEr7uw3IhDZDQKx-7y2ivXirZpeyBV7vRie31z7sVBtTm9Mf-k3aCx932WMBKJ22VV0jr4A/s1600/DSC04615.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGl-KMfv_8lQnmLhUfX9xjcU3xJMzwNDww8pWQwEZHfVwCdwuvmQqX0z5ioQXYgmkWzsKgrEr7uw3IhDZDQKx-7y2ivXirZpeyBV7vRie31z7sVBtTm9Mf-k3aCx932WMBKJ22VV0jr4A/s400/DSC04615.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472061063890823026" border="0" /></a>Chillin' in the pool<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQN6YX4mZ_0Z202RCi7BRDgcPhEFD_woaEYxNhx4CGoTMSGLUjilU3PMmKl-lYsA37swGcGsWtbfqozvyi-kAYbyxWfwcWxDMPK9lVAhYuKMjYsShR7m6-zr6sNeUJ_DZp591P_iH-73o/s1600/DSC04489.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQN6YX4mZ_0Z202RCi7BRDgcPhEFD_woaEYxNhx4CGoTMSGLUjilU3PMmKl-lYsA37swGcGsWtbfqozvyi-kAYbyxWfwcWxDMPK9lVAhYuKMjYsShR7m6-zr6sNeUJ_DZp591P_iH-73o/s400/DSC04489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472061038686048770" border="0" /></a>Peek-a-boo<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6DYk36feyW2XLolfrKQbcYDvwYXy51vAWGJAGpIhkPbkpgUF9QEPlh-QetXBGH52-Vh1a4-99pHhv_wx-d7MSRLpLQVnxTxgRpEd-2K-Nzkulb6fT7B8lZAXYq88gXTeO5js1DbH5-M/s1600/DSC04496.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6DYk36feyW2XLolfrKQbcYDvwYXy51vAWGJAGpIhkPbkpgUF9QEPlh-QetXBGH52-Vh1a4-99pHhv_wx-d7MSRLpLQVnxTxgRpEd-2K-Nzkulb6fT7B8lZAXYq88gXTeO5js1DbH5-M/s400/DSC04496.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472067553542107890" border="0" /></a>Watch out! He's on the move.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzD8cU6-q3LJqdA5C1krTzlkLXgZM1b_q7a_AVkk1q0kzQifPVq0f85vu9YjAE2CibEOV99ub7QFougPTQjd1syN23hyphenhypheno2Mr8mt5lCrZb4e9by4I3bhG-Q-vc7UFXD1SuI6uqNWDLRrU/s1600/DSC04592.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzD8cU6-q3LJqdA5C1krTzlkLXgZM1b_q7a_AVkk1q0kzQifPVq0f85vu9YjAE2CibEOV99ub7QFougPTQjd1syN23hyphenhypheno2Mr8mt5lCrZb4e9by4I3bhG-Q-vc7UFXD1SuI6uqNWDLRrU/s400/DSC04592.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472062523406497938" border="0" /></a><br />Gotta love this boy!<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />This is naptime and bedtime these days. <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_lxs54Y-3R8l3gna9iYb6MHKPXygZ8mfX4Px2HBN35J_Dv5bmX9DaEW6TAPS0YlTW1cSHbnmBJxTRUEXMrA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-51557608129763270422010-04-24T05:55:00.000-07:002010-04-24T06:56:23.856-07:00Been A While..<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7AOpqpNGi8_L5Hy09B6myB_pgefduIslMnfWPrUCS17b1fjZksBkz3rK7bU26uRcgcd5FDNu1fOXz8JksGy4HdlS_zFvUk4mrAugRstMM47AsPYdOJdsQb46kgoy0Gdm1563q7qnZ28/s1600/IMG00329-20100423-1155.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7AOpqpNGi8_L5Hy09B6myB_pgefduIslMnfWPrUCS17b1fjZksBkz3rK7bU26uRcgcd5FDNu1fOXz8JksGy4HdlS_zFvUk4mrAugRstMM47AsPYdOJdsQb46kgoy0Gdm1563q7qnZ28/s400/IMG00329-20100423-1155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463701589323387250" border="0" /></a>Picking out a movie to watch<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MZvyHb074f3ymkN4alRUnNNbPurjEUb-_fZtUq60RESHOqYVwQK3mg3Xvn0hwdm02I9xmO8UER8wm7gCPypAUjhAiFCHMrDzWJO-bSAc15EXacvGlLpDz4ApHsAfcojjUGa6r7Rv_Mw/s1600/IMG00328-20100421-1456.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MZvyHb074f3ymkN4alRUnNNbPurjEUb-_fZtUq60RESHOqYVwQK3mg3Xvn0hwdm02I9xmO8UER8wm7gCPypAUjhAiFCHMrDzWJO-bSAc15EXacvGlLpDz4ApHsAfcojjUGa6r7Rv_Mw/s400/IMG00328-20100421-1456.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463701373992008082" border="0" /></a>Busted playing during nap time<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVhmKGxU8YqIqnj_XS3RRUR1iQCQnTV2uqbJirYp5RtFhU5KwKcCG_uFGzDeu8rBp5Sezlc6xrcVPMbDttH9loNUzSHoiGd_o74DPj6eP4B2boCw2QLoemHiK1WCXAYjg9uaHSFI1Klo/s1600/IMG00324-20100419-0757.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVhmKGxU8YqIqnj_XS3RRUR1iQCQnTV2uqbJirYp5RtFhU5KwKcCG_uFGzDeu8rBp5Sezlc6xrcVPMbDttH9loNUzSHoiGd_o74DPj6eP4B2boCw2QLoemHiK1WCXAYjg9uaHSFI1Klo/s400/IMG00324-20100419-0757.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463701249256295378" border="0" /></a>Is it just me, or does he look like he's posing?<br /><br /><br /></div>Okay, so it's been just a shade under a month since I last updated the blog, but all that means its that we've had plenty going on. Never a dull moment in the Harper household anymore.<br /><br />If I remember correctly, the last post recounted an episode of Jackman's g-tube button coming out, and yours truly replacing it like one of those dudes from the show ER. Well, it happened again, but this time it was my fault, and I couldn't get it back in.<br /><br />Jackman was sitting in his high chair, and almost finished with his first feeding of the day. Because of his reflux, he gets pretty miserable toward the end of every feeding, so he doesn't feel well. He was slumped over in the high chair, so I tried to straighten him up. When I did, I heard a faint click under the lip edge of the table top of the high chair, and got a sinking feeling. I quickly took the top of and checked his shirt... it was already soaked. The g-tube button got hung up under the edge of the top, and popped right out, and his breakfast was leaking out all over the place.<br /><br />I sprang right into action. i was confident I could replace the button because I had done it before, but this time it just wasn't going in. I started to get nervous. I called Lisa, told her to call the hospital, and I was trying to get out of the house.<br /><br />Lisa met us at Children's. They had to dilate the hole which was horrible to watch, but Jackman took it like a man. I never felt so low in my whole life... to know the reason he was going through that was because of my mistake. But the boy didn't hold it against me, and I think the best thing was that Lisa didn't either. I think she felt more sorry for me than him.<br /><br />Anyway, in true Jackman fashion, three minutes after the ordeal was over you would have thought he was at his own birthday party. I'm really thankful he has such a good disposition and attitude. It really helps keep me and Lisa from dwelling on the not-so-good things that could so easily bring us down.<br /><br />Otherwise, the boy is dong pretty good. He's still not eating by mouth yet, but the truth is me and Lisa aren't near as concerned with that as we are his reflux. He has bad reflux now that his esophagus is fully dilated. Also. I don't know exactly what the problem is with his fundoplication, but it something that may have to be repaired later because it's not doing the job it's supposed to. Basically, if you or I lay down after we eat, all our food stays in our stomachs. Well, Jackman's would leak backwards into his esophagus, and make him start throwing up. Jackman even has bad reflux sitting up. It starts when his belly starts filling up. Every time he eats, he gets miserable, and there's a high probability that he will throw up. By throw up, I don't mean normal, baby-style spit up, I mean forceful vomiting. We just really want that part to go away. We can't stand to see him not feel good.<br /><br />Don't get the wrong idea, the boy spends most of the day, happy and playing, and doing a little sleeping to power up for more play time. He's been learning some new stuff. We figured out he knows how to put on a shirt by himself now, which was a surprise. He can stand up, and king of walk along the edge of the couch... be it slowly, and with some hands ready to catch him. He's also already figured out how to get into the cabinets and the DVD collection. I have a feeling this house is going to look like they test the missiles here in a few months.Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7526773421519724893.post-76750555546576431042010-03-26T05:40:00.000-07:002010-03-26T06:35:17.361-07:00Going On Two Months...or Eight Months...As I type, I am watching Jackman wallow around on the floor like a pig in the mud, having the time of his life. If ten percent of the world's people woke up in as good of a mood as Jackman does, the world would be buying each other Cokes, and there would be peace in the Middle East.<br /><br />Things are starting to settle into some sort of crazy routine around here. Obviously, keeping up with the blog doesn't fit in well with that routine at the present, but I'm sure everyone understands (since of course, it is the boy who's always wanting to play).<br /><br />We had a little excitement last week. Jackman still has the g-tube. The one he has comes with a detachable tube, so when it's not in use, there is just a small port beside his belly button into his stomach. It's held in place by a balloon filled with water. As he grows, sometimes they wear out or get too small and have to be replaced.<br /><br />Well, last week I was getting ready to feed the boy at noon. He threw up everything he ate at 9:00am, so I figured he was hungry. Just as I was about to get started hooking him up to get fed, his g-tube button started coming out. The balloon inside had completely deflated.<br /><br />Well, being somewhat of an amateur surgeon after our week long stay at the hospital, I got ready to replace the button. We have spares here at the house. My mother just happened to be here, so she was assisting me. I got all the stuff I needed, plus a big black Buck knife I carry around everywhere I go. I knelt down beside the boy, and flipped the knife open, and Ma looked a little nervous. The I took the knife and cut the box open and got the new g-tube button out. (I know what you were thinking).<br /><br />Next, I took the old button out and pit the new one in. It takes a steady hand and nerves of steel. Have you ever played the game at Cracker Barrel with the little golf tees? You take one out, and put one in... it's like that.<br /><br />After that it was time to test and make sure it was in the stomach. There's always the risk that somehow it went into the abdominal cavity instead of the stomach, so you have to hook up the line with a syringe and try to draw out some enough stomach contents just to confirm it's in the proper place. Well, I did all that but the problem was his stomach was empty. He hadn't eaten in three hours, and he threw up everything he ate then. Just like I figured, I got nothing. I rolled him on his side and tried again... nothing.<br /><br />Now I should mention that I had no doubt that it was placed right. Its slid right in place effortlessly. It's kind of like putting in an earring, it should just slide right in, and if it doesn't, something is wrong.<br /><br />Even though it went in perfectly smooth, I called Lisa and we talked it over and decided it was best to call Children's. She called for me, then they called me at home and walked me through a few more things to try, but I still got nothing. Then they said, "you need to bring him up here right now for an x-ray".<br /><br />I guess I was about due an exercise in humility, because this was a blow to my stubborn pride. But when it comes to the boy, there was no way I was going to knowingly put him at any risk for the sake of being right. So we packed up and hit the road.<br /><br />Four hours later... it turns out I was right. Some good came out of it. I realized I have to stop thinking like I used to. I never hesitated to take him to get him checked, but if it had been anything else besides him, I would have never backed off (you can ask Lisa). Maybe it wouldn't hurt for me to bend a little sometimes, except when it comes to mayonnaise or Auburn football.<br /><br />Also, the boy got to visit some of his nurses on the way out, since the evening shift was already in. He always gets a kick out of seeing them, and they do as well. There's still one of his nurses we haven't run into since we left the hospital that we have to see to make sure we get everyone covered.<br /><br />The boy is doing really good. He's over 18 pounds now. I think he's almost 28 inches long. He can stand up with his hands propped on something (even though he hasn't started crawling yet). I have a feeling he will walk, talk, scoot, and eat in that order. Yep, were still working on eating. It's just going to take a while, a lot of work, and patience.<br /><br />Well, I think I hear a baby waking up. Until next time....Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com1