Ten toughest bald guys on TV?

Read Here: TV Squad lists The ten toughest bald guys on TV. I really don't know all of them, but some of them are funny. Remember Hawk from Spencer for Hire? Gotta love the Homer Simpson vote.

Help please!

Can you all do me a huge favor? Please go to our Student Ministry website (here) and let me know what you think. If you have any valid recommendations or critiques please leave a helpful comment. If you have any positives don't be afraid to share those either.

Celebrity Apprentice

Penny and I have been watching as much of Celebrity Apprentice as possible. It's down to country star Trace Adkins and obscure Brit Piers Morgan. Here is a funny clip from last weeks episode. Trace has to meet with the Backstreet Boys about a charity event that they will be performing at. Absolutely hilarious.

Hickey conversation

A student from our ministry came up to me tonight to congratulate me on our adoption. As we were talking I couldn't help but notice some nasty red marks all over his neck, they were obvious hickeys.
Me: "Nice suck marks on your neck!"
Student: "What are you talking about? Oh, that, I was hit with some paintballs this weekend!".
Me: "You liar! Those are suck marks."
Student: "Ok, one of the marks is a hickey"
Me: "Come on dude, stop yankin' my chain!"
Student: "Ok, your right"

I have never heard that excuse for a hickey. Some I have heard: "I put a vacuum cleaner on my neck", "I was itching my neck", "It's a fungus"
Never "I was hit with a paintball"

Whats the lamest hickey excuse you have ever heard, or made up?

Great movie: Dan in Real Life

I don't do movie reviews, but I will recommend a good movie when I see it. "Dan in Real Life" is a movie I would highly recommend you watching. I'm a sucker for a good, clean romantic comedy and that's just what this is. Steve Carrel does a great job in his typical idiotic male fashion. He portrays a surviving widower, father of 3 daughters who attends his annual family fall gathering. Some of the reasons I like the film so much: Steve Carrel (of course); the cinematography was amazing! Camera angles, movements that I have never seen in this genre; the filming location (seaside of Rhode Island) was perfect! The fact that the movie was actually "clean" was a huge plus! I would encourage you to put this movie in your Netflix queue, rent it from iTunes or ever buy it! You will not be disappointed.

WATCH THIS, it's too funny!!!

Penny and I watched this video this morning and could not stop laughing. The makers Improv Everywhere have posted multiple videos that are hilarious here.

ht: marko



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Good Friday

Please take a few minutes and watch this powerful reminder of what Jesus did for us on a Friday 2,000 or so years ago. I am humbled by the sacrifice of our Lord.



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Me and my boys!

Cool article: 7 Abandoned Wonders of the Former Soviet Union

After spending a month of my life in the former Soviet Union, I found this list absolutely intriguing! Take a minute to see some of the deserted buildings, cities and more in this article. The picture shown here is of an abandoned 25 story building from the mid-80's in city center Krasnoyarsk, about 8 blocks from the hotel we stayed in. Locals say that the construction stopped on the building abruptly and it and the crane have sat there for 20 years!!

Adoption videos....

If you haven't watched our first adoption video (it was not public until today) than here you go. I have put all 3 videos up for you to watch in order. I am working on 1 more, it wont be ready for at least a few days though. Enjoy!

Trip 1



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Trip 2



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Gotcha Day



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Happy Birthday Honey!

Penny is celebrating her birthday today! She is younger than I, thats all I will say! Honey you are the best, I love you and I'm so excited to be starting this new part of our lives together. I love you!

My Bracket...

Here you go, my 2008 NCAA Basketball Tourney bracket. Notice that the ONLY Florida team in the tourney is, yes, The U. I'm so excited that the 'Canes have finally put a team into the tourney, first time in a few years. Anyway, it's always fun hearing everyone else's picks, so who are yours?

(Click to enlarge)

My boys

Today we took the boys to the beach for a quick visit, it was their first official car ride since being home. We then came home and were visited by some friends who put together our new swing set (props to Art, Marcos and Wes-Dawg!). The boys seem to be pretty well adjusted and know that this is home and we arent going any where. It feels good!

I'm trying

This week has been crazy, to say the least. We have been trying to get the boys into the swing of things, it has been tough. Yesterday and today have been really good days for sleep. Jadon had been struggling with all of the changes but has seemed to make some big strides. Roman is the most submissive loving child and has had very few set backs. Today my dad came over with his truck and we picked up a swing set from Toys R Us. We used some gift certificates that friends have so generously given to us. We appreciate everyones prayers and support. Hopefully over the next several days I will start posting more often with the typical posting flavors you have grown used with this blog.

From Red Square...

Raise 'em up!

By adopting 2 kiddos it means that there are 2 new Hurricanes in the world. Our first day together on US soil meant breaking in their new Hurricane t-shirts.

Sleepy time

We have had some serious sleep deprivation in our home. Since leaving Moscow on Monday the longest consecutive sleep I have had is 3 hours. Welcome to fatherhood, right? Please pray for Jadon, he has been struggling with sleep, add to that my sleep issue. Things are tough, but I'm excited about my sons getting settled.

Chance meeting

While between flights at the Atlanta airport I was walking Roman in a stroller and I saw a face I recognized walking right next to me. It was Randy Shannon, head coach of the University of Miami football team. I said to him "Coach Shannon!". He stopped and we chatted for a minute. We actually were on the same plane to MIA. If you don't know his story, it will inspire you more than you can imagine, read it here.

We're Back!!!

Around 8:50 PM last evening we landed at MIA and were greeted by about 30 friends and family. What an exciting evening as Roman and Jadon met their Granny, Grampy, Mamaw cousins Mollie, Andrew and Ben as well as our church friends and kids. So amazing! We are so blessed to have so many people who who have had our back through this whole process. Thank you all for your prayers and participation. Please continue to pray for us as we start this new life with our sons. They truly are a gift from God!

Picture of the Day

Dave is holding Roman and have little Jay-Jay on the Moscow Metro. Exciting stuff!

Picture of the day

I'm getting ready to hit the sack but I wanted to show off a picture from todays venture into Red Square with our sons. Here is Roman in front of St. Basils Cathedral. Beat that!!

Trip 2 Video

Another video for our family and friends. This video is from our first 2 and half weeks in Russia. Enjoy.



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Gotcha' day video

For our friends and family. Enjoy!



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Starbucks on Arbot

Yesterday Dave (my brother-in-law) and I went on an excursion of the city of Moscow. We jumped on the Metro and hit the city. We found the Harley Davidson shop (a bizarre experience), ate a Big Mac at McDonalds and drank a chai latte from Starbucks on the famed Arbot Street. Moscow is a beautiful city that seems to never end. We closed the evening out with some pizza at Sbarros. It was the first time ours sons ever had it and I'm proud to say, they loved it!!

Moscow: city of billionares

We are staying in a hotel that is about three quarters of a mile from Red Square, the famed staging area for soldiers during the Cold War. This city is massive and is bustling. Here is an interesting article describing the wealth here. Unfortunately, the wealth has driven the cost of a cup of coffee to over $5. No lie. A meager lunch for the 4 of us yesterday costs of $90. Ouch!

Back on the main-land

After a couple of weeks in the middle of no where we are back in Moscow. Being in Siberia was kind of like being on an island in the middle of the ocean. It was so nice to eat an omelet for breakfast this morning! It's also nice knowing we will be back in America next week. It could come sooner. The boys have been great for the given situation. Considering they have left an orphanage they have never been out of, been in a car for the first time, flown an airplane and slept in several different beds in less than a week, we cannot complain. Here are some pic's from the flight. You should have seen Romans face when we were boarding, it really was priceless.

Uncle Dave and Aunt Bethany

Beth and Dave flew in to Kras this morning, how exciting!!!! Here are a couple of pic's of the boys with their aunt and uncle.

It's gettin' old.

Honesty alert. I'm sick of Russia. Ready to come back to the good ol' US of A. There are some many things I could complain about but I will abstain, it's just bad blogging. I will say this, I'm overjoyed to be a father! Our lives have instantly changed. From 9 years of an empty nest, to a family of 4. Not bad eh? I still can't believe I'm in Siberia. Siberia.

Penny has posted some pic's on our adoption blog, but heres one for my blogging friends.