As I was in the pool....

Laying on a raft and looking up the sky yesterday, I started thinking. I remembered some years ago an great aunt, on our Dad's side, told Joe and I that "we would do great things." Now as far as I'm concerned, my brother has done a great job of filling that statement. He has done great things through his art, church and some other activities. As for myself, I have been searching for what that is. But back to the start....
 I was thinking, what is it that God has for me to be great at? Then it kind of smacked me on the head. Maybe the one thing I am supposed to be great at is right under my nose. Its my home, my life, my family. Its getting this marriage right, its being who I am and enjoying it. Its living with Crohn's and making the most of it,not letting it beat me. All the other interests, are all secondary. So what if I never find that special ability.Then again maybe I already found it and am now starting to understand.
 "There are no extraordinary men...just extraordinary circumstances that ordinary men are forced to deal with".~ Admiral William Fredrick Halsey Jr

So you've been asking.....

What has Brian been up too. Well let me tell ya. Since baseball finally ended the second week in July, we've been busy. We have had a our exchange student. That has been a great experience. We have taken her to Higgins Lake, tubing on the Au Sable river, Cedar Point, to Lake Michigan and she has been to a concert. She leaves this Saturday and she will be missed, especially by Jacob. He's going to be heart broke for a few days.

 The house will be back to normal for August, then our other exchange student arrives at the end of the month. She will be here the entire school year.
 As for me, well I have been working on what I've been wanting to for a long time. I have finally convinced myself to do it and shut up. Yes I am learning......(wait for it).....guitar. Yes guitar. In three weeks I have learned E minor, D, A major, E major, Cadd9, G. Now I'm in the beginning stages of putting them together (the hard part).I'm going to say what song I am going to learn first.  To be continued.......

Fathers Day

What a good day. I woke up at 7am, had some great coffee and had some quite time. Melissa and the kids got up and had some gifts for me. There was a Detroit Tigers Wind Jacket, A U of M sweat shirt, a teddy bear from Jake and a Catcher's mit. I have been wanting a catchers mit for a while, especially Jeff is throwing harder. After that,Melissa made waffles for breakfast, YUM!                       

 We got a workout in. I got 10 miles in 40 minutes on the stationary bike. I decided I would like to go to Rockford for dinner at the Corner Bar, we ate down by the river.         

 When we got home, I went and grabbed the guitar. I spent well over an hour through lessons on an app I downloaded on the ipod. I have two chords I need to work on until perfected. Its going to be frustrating at times but it can be dealt with.  It was a great day!!!!

New Horizons

Well ok maybe the title is pushing it a little. When I say "new horizons", I'm talking about putting some old things on the back burner and putting time into things I wish I would do or better yet, should do. My whole problem is, though it sounds good, I have a hard time executing. I think I get it from my Dad.
 So I am working on putting the computer games down and spending time else where!  Don't get me wrong games are like books you can play. They are fine in a lot of ways. Now I have to fill that time with something else.

 I am learning that I like to grill. I grilled brats the other day for my Mom and Rich. I boiled them in beer and water and they came out nice and juicy. I grilled burgers tonight , though they were good, I want to make a great burger. One that makes you go "WOW!"      



 Then of course, with help from a friend, I have renewed my love for music. I have had it in my mind for a long, long time to learn guitar. Seeing how drums aren't practical right now, guitar is the next best thing. I don't need to be a wailing axe man, but just a guy that plays the occasional acoustic song. Kind of like around the camp fire. Really the only thing holding me back is......ME!                  

                                                                             

Smoothness

So I talked a while back about smoothies being very beneficial for me. Obviously when you throw fruits or veggies in a blender it breaks them way down. In my situation with Crohn's it allows me to get nutrients that I may otherwise have trouble with. Here are some smoothies that I came up with the last few days

 Sunday: Strawberries, Banana, and Spinach with vanilla yogurt, a little milk and RAW protien. I don't really measure anything out.

    

Monday was: Raspberries, Kiwi and Spinach with vanilla yogurt, and a little milk. I also add ice to all smoothies.

                                                                                                          Of course at the center of it is......

This smoothie maker rocks!!!