Update

Prep for Ohio (photo by Aaron Beeson)

I shoot bows. It gives me great joy to make an arrow go exactly where I want it to. I practice as much as possible so that when fall rolls around, I will not miss. Deer season is here and I will likely post about it every day until the Ohio trip.

Now, on with the weekly random update...

I am fired up because:

1. I have a date with Lisa Friday night.

2. We have a new nephew in less than one week.

3. It's likely we have secured funding for the clinic.

4. It's likely we have secured a location for the clinic.

5. The hunting trip is 3 1/2 weeks away.

6. Noah is really working hard in school and developing some great habits.

7. Summit continues to be awesome every single weekend.

That is a very good week. This particular one could not have been much better.

God is good. All the time.

God and Alligators

Florida is cool because you can take pics like this without going to the zoo.

When I was running on Saturday I saw a 7ft. alligator. I stopped on the boardwalk I was on and watched her for a minute as she lay there completely motionless. I was trying to figure out what the heck her problem was and why she was not moving. After a couple of minutes I saw little bits of motion beside her in the marsh. The motion came into focus and the little camouflaged outlines of baby gators came into view. They were about 6 inches long and as big around as a quarter. After I saw the first one I figured out there were about 20 in all. It was amazing to watch. The mom was there to protect and she wasn't about to move.

I pondered ('cause the is nothing else to do when you are running) the amount of time it took me to see those baby gators and how cool it was to be able to see them once I knew they were there. I am pretty sure I miss a lot of life because I don't take the time to really look hard at what God has done. I am trying to do that better. I want to make sure I see where He is. This past week He has been really easy to see everyday, but I know He is just as present the weeks that He blends in to everything I am doing.

Clearly, this is another sign it is time for me to be in the woods. Somehow, that is where all my stories end.

Amazing.

It appears that we will get to take this picture together yet another year.

Yesterday. What an awesome day it was. I needed it. I haven't had a day like that in a long time and the battle had been wearing me down a bit. I certainly didn't have any real complaints and there were plenty of great things in my life...so, I am not complaining. I am just sayin' yesterday was exceptional.

2 Awesome things happened:

1. The bank has agreed verbally (so it could still fall apart) to fund all we need to get Hunter Vision up and rolling. It is potentially such a weight lifted off that I am not even sure how to react. It feels surreal. They were complimentary of us, excited about the project, and said nice things about all of the hard work I'd done. That was nice to hear too...most of the people that I show spreadsheets to prefer not to look at them. They don't ask interesting questions on cell 15 and ask if I meant for the numbers to do the tricks they do in my masterpiece of a spreadsheet. I would have been ok with just the compliments. But, then they actually said they would fund us. I believe it, but I can't. If you are new to this blog, feel free to read back over the past 2 months and see how many times I bring up money for the clinic. I only wrote about it once for every 2000 times I thought about it. That should give you an idea of what the possibility of funding means to me.

2. My amazing sister-in-law (I have two amazing ones, but I am only currently referring to one of them) Lizzy, has arranged for Dr. Joel to come on the brothers' hunt for 4 days. Yes, that is correct, 9 months pregnant and going to have a baby in 8 days- she does the most amazing thing in the history of childrearing. She arranges for Kaci, her sister-in-law to come visit her 2 weeks after Luke is born so that Joel can come and hunt with us. Unbelievable. Kudos to Joel for marrying Lizzy. I believe this act of awesome confirms that she is carrying the child who will pull the sword from the stone. Yes, you heard it here first, Luke will be King of England.

As you can see, yesterday was incredible. I thank God for the gifts. Pretty much if those two things hold true, my car could blow up or I could get turf toe and it still couldn't ruin my month.

Now, I gotta get back to work. Much to be done.

Blupdate...

Bank meeting went as well as it possibly could have. They agreed in principle to fund all we need! The process begins now, but we should be funded by November 1st if all goes smoothly. Thanks to any and all of you who were praying. God is good and I am humbled by His blessing. This must mean we have a lot to do. Holy cow....what a morning.

Bank Meeting

Another Hunter Vision bank meeting this morning. I've had several to this point and none quite as promising as this one. However, I know very well that this could turn into nothing. That's how bank meetings go. But, I am always excited and nervous as I head into one of these. I need to spend some time praying this morning about making sure I give everything to God. It's my tendency to take these things and make sure I am as in control as possible. We have other funding options on the list if this doesn't work out, but I would sure love to not use them. This process is crazy stressful. I just want this part to be over...then we are good to go!

Random Updates

4 weeks until the big Ohio hunt. I hope to see another one like this deer from 2007.

This week has been non-productive. Not un-busy...just didn't feel like I actually got anything done. That is hard on a Type A- introvert. I should start this out by confessing my workout schedule has been crappy this week and that may have a lot to do with how I am viewing this.

Summit was a week filled with meetings. Seemed like one after another all week long. There were so many meetings I have actually posted about it in two blogs this week.

I have spent more time thinking about deer hunting in the past 2 or 3 days than I have anything else. Sad, but true.

Hunter Vision had a couple great meetings that may help get some funding traction. We will see where that goes on Monday of next week.

I am looking forward to getting some house stuff caught up this weekend. Last weekend wasn't exactly awesome for getting housework done. I don't think there was a good reason, I just didn't do it.

Noah signed up for flag football this week. That should start in November. That will be awesome. I can't wait. Also, the blog should have some fun pictures.

Lisa, Rhonda, and Lizzy completed their first chapter(s) of the book they are writing with mom. I am pretty sure the book is gonna be great.

I started my beard on Saturday. It is now a real beard. If I can run a Refractive Surgery Practice as well as I can grow facial hair, we are gonna kill it.

Other than that...normal week.

Ava sings "Poop Song"

These are the things that are funny when you are 4. Unfortunately, if you are me, they are also funny when you are 34.

Some people may think...oh Josh, don't post a video of your daughter singing about poop on the internet. She might be embarrassed or maybe even frustrated with you. To them I say this..."no she won't." This video makes me laugh. It's part of what I love about being a dad. The joy my kids get out of the goofiest stuff adds a little levity to my day. Don't even try to understand the lyrics to this song. It's impossible, as are all of her songs....but boy are they fun. If you ever get a chance to hear her in concert, you should not miss it. Potty songs from a 4 year old are about as hilarious as you can get.

I found this quote and it made me laugh too. I guess I woke up in great mood this morning :)

"A child's laughter is the greatest sound in the world. A child's laughter in a cornfield is the creepiest sound in the world."

Hilarious.