Phins Do It!!!!!!!!

So can you believe it, cause I still can't believe that after a 1-15 record last year the Dolphins have bounced back to end the season with a 11-5 record and a division title. Not only did they make the playoffs the knocked out the Pats and the Jets what a glorious day. What a story for Chad Pennington who was dropped by the Jets after the they acquired Brett Farve who was to put them over the top and the last game comes to Chad leading the Phins to the playoffs and Farve throwing 3 picks, and all this happened in New York to boot. Do you think the Jet fans are loving that decision cause I know I am. Chad should be considered for MVP cause he was key for us. Now we move on, can we continue this miracle season, I don't know, but I sure am having lots of fun finding out.

Merry Christmas

So we had a nice Christmas this year as usual. We went to Nashville to visit the in laws or as Kaiya puts it Grandpa and Mutti. We had a splendid time there basically relaxing, eating good food and enjoying the company of family. We had Christmas a few days early cause Alana's sister was leaving the Monday before Christmas and we were traveling back to Cali on Christmas day (cost). Got to see Chris a good friend of mine become a new dad, he had twin daughters in Chattanooga so we visited him they are tiny beautiful angels. Congrats Chris. Though we had Christmas early and we traveled on the actual day is was still a nice Christmas day I woke up without the thoughts of gifts on my mind went down to have breakfast and as I did the radio was playing Joy to the World, which I enjoyed listening to as I reflected on the first Christmas as the celebration in heaven was on cause of that little baby being born. As I sat there, ate and reflected I felt joy for that day long ago and had a good breakfast with God.

My christmas haul

So here is a pic of my Christmas haul, a brand new Epiphone Les Paul standard electric guitar, nice huh. Also received the ds game space invaders extreme some cool football and mickey mouse pez, Prince Caspian DVD and the Wall-e DVD. Some good stuff huh, just for those who might be curious. I still hope to get one late Christmas present though, a Dolphins win this Sunday to get into the playoffs, GO PHINS.

Thanx

So I hope all had a good thanksgiving even though times may be tough for some. I can't help but just count my blessings, but I look at what is going on in the world these past few days and hope that we haven't forgotten that not all have a lot to be thankful for. I see what's happening in India and the terror of what they are going through; I think of a student here at my school who lost her brother in a car accident right before thanksgiving break and I wonder what should we be thankful for really? That I am ok, I haven't lost my job or no terror attacks threaten me or that my family is safe? Now all that is great for me, but I hope I never lose sight of the big picture that there are many around me suffering even if I am not. Today I heard a story of a Walmart attendant getting trampled by the rush of shoppers who couldn't wait to get their new tv, and were so blind by their wants that they took a mans life? I was out shopping today too and had to laugh at the attitude of people who were so mad cause of their place in line or that fact that it was so crowded or something, how quickly we turn from thanks for our blessing to why can't I have more. Is a blessing really a blessing if it comes at the expense of others? Don't get me wrong I too do the same things and I know this is a bit of a rant but I just want to focus myself on the real matters in life and not just my own life. I am truly thankful for the blessings God has given me and I just hope that if some day I am not as blessed as I am today that I will still be as thankful for the gifts God has given. May God bless us all.

Hope in 08

So tonight we have seen history in this country. Today is a new day in America, whether you liked Barak Obama or not you must realize the history that has been made. For the first time I can tell my half Latino daughter and unborn son that they can truly be president of the USA, thanks to the boundaries broken today. We have a new president that represents more than just a change in party or fiscal policies but now represents hope for any American and their dreams. May God bless not only America but us all.

Jonah's a coming

So my wife is expecting again and today we discovered we will be having a boy. We decided a long time ago it would be named Jonah after the pet name my family sometimes call me. Here is a pic to the young lad at 19 weeks old. Look at links on the side to see coming pics of the boy. I thought for sure I was destined to have just girls but no, a boy is on the way and I think its cool to have one of each.

A Green Black Car

So we have joined the family of Prius owners. We just bought it a couple of days ago and it's pretty cool knowing your car is

green and you are saving green at the pump all at the same time. This last trip into town we averaged 49 MPG, wow that's cool. It takes getting used to driving because the engine is not always powering the car giving it a interesting feel when it kicks in and out. It has keyless entry and push button start, all you got to do is have the key in your pocket and the door will unlock for you then you just press the brake push the button and off you go. The car also has a sweet navigation system that gives you tons of info on your car. So that's whats new this week, hope my next post comes sooner than 2 months.

Journey to Kalkutta

After saying goodbye to the kids at the school, which was very sad, we took our last few days to visit Kalkutta (once Calcutta) to visit the Mother House where Mother Teresa lived and work for much of her life. It was an inspiration place to visit and see. I learned a lot about her visiting there and seeing her quotes and the way she dedicated her life to the Lord was inspiring. She gave so much of herself and I so little, her life along with the whole trip showed me I have a long ways to go to be the man God wants me to be. It was a great end to a great trip.

New Clothes

Sorry its been a while since my last post, but here we go again. Here is a pic of the kids getting some clothes we brought them, they got to pick what they wanted and the smiles on their faces when receiving these clothes were amazing. Most of the kids only had one or two sets of clothes so this was great for them. As soon as they got the clothes they tried them on took the picture and then they immediately got into their old clothes which at first I thought was odd, till Sabbath came around. On Sabbath morning for church all the kids showed up in their new clothes, it was to them the best stuff even though some of their new clothes were not really that great to us, but to them it was. Seeing them receive this clothes really opened my eyes to the things I have, and a real touching moment.

The building projects

So here are pics of the three building projects we did in India; a church in a village about 40 minutes away, a wall around the faculty housing at the school and a playground for the school. The work was hard and the days were hot. The students did a great job staying focused and working hard and we were able to get a lot accomplished. In the end we finished the church and the playground, and the wall will be finished by the Ultimate Workout this summer.

Blessings?

So the locals thought that we were blessed and brought blessings with us. The first couple of days we were there it rained and the locals all thought that it was because of us and that good things were following us. In many of the villages and churches the locals would want us to bless them by putting our hands on their head and praying for them. It was a humbling experience to have them come up to you and ask for a blessing when it was them who were blessing you by their interactions with them. Here is one of our group after a church service blessing on of the church goers.

Montes Hair

So here is a video I did for the staff talent show at Rio.

Sabbath visitations.

So sabbath afternoon after church we got into different groups and went to different villages to do visitations. During the visitations we gave little presentations on the Bible and on health followed by a walk through the village were we saw peoples homes and prayed for them. Here is a pic of the village I visited. Sorry bout the delay on the posts I will try to be better.

Village Church

So on Sabbath after we had the church service with the kids we went to a local village to join them for their church. It was a nice service which included them singing hymns with about 7 stanzas and them telling one of our group to preach with five minutes notice not to mention a special music on the spot. It taught me always to be ready so the next sabbath I was with a talk and wouldn't you know it again they asked and it was me this time. The next post will be about the sabbath visitations.

Singing smurfs

So here you see the little kids sitting down for the church service sabbath morning. They all filed in do nicely and sat down in an orderly way so well behaved. You should of heard them singing, it was awesome so loud and joyful, they sounded like a bunch of tone deaf smurfs singing at the top of their lungs. To here them sing was a joy and a privilege.

Holy Cow

So in India the main religion is Hindu and they love their bovine, so everywhere you go you see them hanging out enjoying the best parking spaces. Love your cattle well go to India and treat em like kings.

We Were Stars

So after getting settled in at the school we went into one of the local towns to do a little shopping for some local cloths. As soon as we got out of the vehicles we were surrounded by the locals who would gather around us in droves and just stare at us. It is obvious that they don't see many white people. From store to store we would draw big crowds of Indians staring and following us, and occasionally on of them would try and communicate with one of us, but mainly just stare. It made you feel a little like a star with all these people following you except instead of them wanting to take your picture they wanted you to take theirs.

So how was the food you ask? Awesome, the food was delicious, they had a cook just for us who cooked some delicious Indian food. Some of my favorites were the samosas which were great, the naan or flat bread, and daal or lentil curry. If you like Indian food you would have loved the food on this trip.

The Great Welcome

So when we finally arrive at the Cuddapah Seventh-Day Adventist school we are greeted by 100 little kids placing leis on us and throwing flower petals at us while saying "welcome to India". It was a great greeting. The School will officially open in June, the 100 kids there now are orphans, have only one parent, or are extremely poor and thus are at the school already. The plan was to enroll 1000 students but when they opened up for applications 2000 kids enrolled, but they could only accept 1600 and that will stretch their facilities. Keep in mind that most of these 1600 students will be in the dorm. It costs $25 dollars a month to attend this school, now take in mind that the average income for a normal family is less than a dollar a day making this education almost impossible for these children. So how do they do it? Through sponsorship, you can sponsor a child in India for $25 a month and that includes dorm fees, food and a private education all in English. If you are interested (and trust me I met the kids that will benefit and it is worth the money) just visit Adventist Child India to find out more.

Travel to Cuddapah

So after about 30 hours of travel we finally arrive in Chennai India where upon we load on to a bus at around midnight and start a 9 hour bus ride to Cuddapah where the school is located. Along the way we had to of course have a couple of potty breaks the first of which took place in the wee dark hours of the morning. We stopped and as I awoke I saw a building and was thinking it was time for a potty break. I got out along with a number of others and the girls were instructed to go around one side of the structure while the boys were to go on the other side. As I'm standing there taking care of business I realize we are at a persons house and then we hear a dog barking in the house, one of the boys then thinks the sees movement in the house. At this point I realize there are a bunch of Americans standing on the lawn of an Indians house relieving themselves, boy this felt awkward. I finish up and quickly start moving to the bus at which time the gentleman of the house comes out and his little dog in toe. Then the girls come around the other side of house as the man stares and motions to either them or the dog (who was yapping) to cease or leave. It must have been weird for this poor man to have over a dozen Americans use his yard as their latrine. Well from there we went on and the next potty stop was the more conventional yet filthy gas station. The second pic is the sign for the bathroom, notice the female is in a sari, I thought that was cool. Next time our arrival in Cuddapah and the school.

Stop in Singapore

So here are a couple of pics of us at the Singapore airport which is amazing. As you can see the have foot massagers (free of cost), gardens, free Internet stations with computers and many other cools things like a free movie theater. It is the best airport I have ever been in and I think is the top rated airport in the world and if you see it you know why. We had about a nine hour layover and were able to take a short tour of the city. The Singapore airport was a nice respite from the long travels. When our group went to check in for our next flight however we were informed that 19 of us including myself were not on the list and had to be on stand by. After some waiting and prayer we all were able to get on the plane last minute, but the stress was worth it seeing that as a result 17 of us including myself again got to ride our last leg to India in business class. Can I tell you how nice that was.

Kaiya's B-Day

So yesterday Kaiya had her 2nd birthday, she is growing fast and time is just flying by. She has been and joy and a blessing in our lives and we're trying to enjoy every moment. If you want to see some pics of her big day just click her picture link on the side bar.

Back from India

So this past Wednesday I got back from a mission trip I took with the school. It was quite the experience, both enjoyable and eye opening with some hard work sprinkled in. We went to a school in southern India, that is being built by Maranatha, and will be opening in June. I have never seen so much poverty and so much trash as I did in India. If anyone thinks they lack anything or are not blessed I suggest you visit India especially rural India and you will realize the blessings you have and maybe how we should use those blessings for human kind. I plan on uploading a pic a day for a while and sharing a little more so stay tuned for the story.

Favorite #5

So what happens when you mix A Tribe Called Quest with some folk music add a little rock sprikle in some Motown soul and top it off with positive lyrics, K-OS happens. I usually don't listen to much hip hop due to the suspect content of the message which includes disrespect of women, love of money and word fit for the potty, but in 07 I came across K-OS and his album Atlantis: Hymns for Disco and I was blown away by the artistry and the positive vibe. It seems that now genre of music is off limits for his inspuration and his lyrics have a spiritual feeling much like those of a switchfoot. Some standout songs of the album are; the folk inspired Ballad of Noah, the soulful The Rain, Born to Run with its Davie Bowie flavor, and Sunday Morning which will make you want to move it. Trust me on this one this is a great album and artist whose music is not at all chaotic but rather a beutiful mixture that produces K-OS.

Favorite #4

HDTV

So right at the end of last year our TV died and we go a tax rebate which together led us to get a HDTV. When your in a store and you see HD programing you don't think its that great, but when you get your TV home and compare the same program your impressed. The normal channel looks downright blurry, muddy and unispiring, and the HD channal looks like your looking out a window at the real thing. When a show I want to see is not available in HD I'm dissapointed and I can't wait till all of TV goes digital and there is more HD programing.

I Endorse Obama

So super tuesday is over and we have a dead heat in the democratic party between Hilary Clinton and Barak Obama. Just in case you were wondering I endorse Barak Obama, he is an inspiring canadate that offers hope and unity and in the political landscape I would love a president who isn't divisive but rather inclusive, one that can bring people together to get things done. Now the Clinton years were good but to be honest I just don't trust the Clintons there always seems to be something shady with them and their politcal contacts and tactics. On top of that Hilary is a very polorizing person and after 8 years of president with that same trait I'm ready for somthing new. I know that Obama might not have the experience of Clinton but I'm ready to give change a chance I've had enough of the old Washington and would love to see what Obama can do. If you haven't had your chance yet, please consider carefully and I hope you see the qualities the Obama.

Favorite #3

The Wii

So for number 3 I give you the Nintendo Wii the new video game sysem that brings motion control gaming. It is the first system that I have showed to a varity of people who have all enjoyed playing it. Usually I play games and I get ignored or looked at like, "aren't you too old to playing games", but with the Wii I have been able to get others to play due to the accesabilty of the system. I have always liked Nintendo for having quality family games that aren't about killing or questionalble content. I have enjoyed the system all year long and will continue into the future thus the Wii is one of my favorites of 07.

Favorite #2

Ratatouille

So I love childrens movies especially Pixar films and this year Ratatouille did not disapoint at all. It may have been in the theaters in 06 but I didn't see it till it was on DVD seeing as having a baby limits the time you have to go out. Ratatouille was great from the characters to the story to the humor all of which were great for the whole family. If you haven't seen it do yourself a favor and enjoy this great film.

Favorites of 07 #1

So I hope you all had a great holiday season, I've been gone for a while and am putting together my favorites of the year list a little late but better late than never.
Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass

Last year I had the Nintendo DS as a favorite and it continued to be a favorite due in part to my first entry this year; Zelda The Phantom Hour Glass. I have always liked the Zelda series but never got into the portable ones till this one. PHG is awesome the gameplay is fun the worlds are expansive especially for a hand held system. It kept me playing till I finished and the game felt immersive and engaging the whole way through, and is the first game of this kind that has me wanting to play it again. Not to mention it is a beautiful game and the graphics along with the scope of the game are an impressive feat for the DS hardware.

Thank you Giants

So the Super Bowl was super this year and I want to thank the Giants for keeping the 72 Dolphins as the only team to run the table. The Pats were great this year but they just couldn't finish it off. It was also a very exciting game especially in the fourth quarter and it was the first Super Bowl in years that kept my attention pretty much the whole game which is a little bad considering that I wanted to see the commercials too. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.