A few days ago, our middle son, Isaiah, got the chance to be a ball boy at the Sporting KC match. We were all pumped about it, ready for an evening of soccer thrills. But, as it turns out, soccer games and the weather don’t always play nice together.Shortly after he got to the stadium, the rain started—not just a little sprinkle but a full-on downpour. The kind of rain that makes you wonder if you ..read more

A few days ago, I set out on one of my favorite weekend rituals—mowing the lawn. Now, I know mowing the lawn might seem like just another chore, but for me, it's a cherished time of reflection and satisfaction, capped off by a well-earned view of the freshly cut grass from my porch.Armed with my earbuds and an inspiring podcast, I was ready to tackle the yard while soaking up some wisdom. Lately ..read more

Today is Sophia’s 20th birthday….so first things first, Happy Birthday! ? If you know Sophia, you know she lights up every room and adds joy to everyone she meets. She is an aspiring pilot and college soccer player…but her journey hasn’t always been smooth.When Sophia first began playing soccer, she had more enthusiasm than skill. Her early games were a mix of hustle and happy accidents. I still r ..read more

This week, Leigh-Ann and I celebrated our 25th anniversary. Wow-I have always remembered “old people” celebrating their 25th…and we are not old ?. In one sense, marriage is a bit of a rollercoaster ride-filled with laughs and love and also some sadness and sobriety.Overall and without a doubt, I’ve loved the journey we’ve shared—complete with its share of conflicts, misunderstandings, and yes, som ..read more

This past Sunday was a day of both heart and hustle as we took our oldest daughter to medical school in Orlando. The alarm went off and within a short time, we were walking out the door at 5 am, to start our cross-country trek. With coffee in hand, tears in our eyes, and excitement in our hearts, we set off for the next stage in Lexi’s life. It was a long haul, and the clock had struck midnight by ..read more

Last week, our community lost a remarkable person, Phil Cagle, in a tragic carjacking incident. Phil was a good friend, a devoted church member, and a passionate motorcycle and moped enthusiast. His sudden passing has left a void in our hearts, but his legacy of kindness and generosity will be remembered.Phil and I first crossed paths over five years ago, thanks to a scooter for sale on Craigs Lis ..read more

Since coming home for the summer, our daughter Alexa’s car hood has been looking pretty rough. The once sleek surface had become blotchy and, frankly, a bit embarrassing to drive around. With her upcoming move to Florida, I wanted to make sure the car looked its best before she left. And since Dallas and Isaiah were away at camp, Ian and I took it upon ourselves to tackle the job. The process began with a lot of sanding—more sanding than I ever imagined! We sanded and sanded some more until the old paint was nearly gone. Next came the tedious task of taping everything off, followed by a coat ..read more

Last night, when most of the world was asleep, Leigh-Ann had an unexpected encounter that left her heart pounding. She walked into our bathroom and was met with a sight that would send shivers down anyone’s spine—a large, brown spider. But this was no ordinary spider; this one seemed to have a vendetta. I woke up to this text, “I walked into our bathroom and a large brown spider aggressively charged me. I ran back, grabbed the glass off my sink, and trapped it. It’s by the right bottom of the ironing board.” I smiled as I read her message, because I knew killing this spider was now front an ..read more

Vacations are typically synonymous with relaxation, lounging by the pool, and indulging in good food. However, this year, we decided to spice things up by signing up for the "Run for Freedom" 5K at Big Cedar on July 3rd. Yes, you read that right—we voluntarily chose to lace up our sneakers, and tackle a race in the sweltering summer heat. The race master claimed to be Richard Simons…and since I haven’t danced to the Oldies for a while, I had to ask Leigh-Ann if it was really him….it wasn’t….bummer. The whistle went off, and so did we—up and down the hills, our legs pumping like pistons. Th ..read more

This past week, our family managed to escape for a much-needed vacation. We swam, floated, read, and competed in all sorts of fun activities. But one of my favorite moments happened last night, and it lasted past midnight. It all started when one of the kids was out on the deck, gazing up at the stars. After much coaxing, he finally convinced the rest of us to join him. There’s something truly magical about sitting outside at night with family, staring at the stars. We spotted everything from airplanes to planets, the Big and Little Dippers, and shooting stars, and we think we even saw Orio ..read more