We got the Spirit, Yes we do!

This week Peyton has spent at Cheer Camp with the Permian & OHS Cheerleaders and all of the girls in Odessa that are Peppettes and Cheerleaders for 5th & 6th grade in Odessa.  Each day had a theme, day 1 - Team Shirts, day 2 - crazy hair (in the Odessa American newspaper), day 3 - crazy socks, day 4 - camp shirts, day 5 - uniforms.

Each day Peyton got in the car she would let me know, "We didn't win the Spirit Stick today."  The ever elusive Spirit Stick.  Just to hold it can unlock secrets of the Universe!  The power that this stick wields for a cheerleader is more than any thing that Indiana Jones ever got his hands on in one of his adventures.  Each team that won it each day got to keep it over night until it was given to the new Spirited team.  The last day, the stick is awarded to the team with the most Spirit for the week and it is theirs to keep.   Such an award!

She was puzzled by this.  The feed back from the PHS/OHS cheerleaders was good.  They were yelling as loud as they possibly could.  Their hair was indeed crazy as was their socks.  What could be the problem?  

It all came down to the final day and the show off!  This is the day that all the Odessa Elementary schools got to show their cheering and dancing that they had been learning all week.  After all the performances were over and the big announcement was made .....(is the anticipation getting you or do you see where I am going with this?)   The Reagan Texans Won!  (Let the frenzied, girl squealing begin.)   You have never seen such excited girls.  The stick was held high and every one worked to get a hand on it.  The Super Bowl award ceremony is awesome, but they got nothing on our girls.  They jump and squeal and carry pom poms all at the same time, let me see a 250 lb linebacker do that!

The coveted stick has neon curly ribbon, the handle is zebra and it has some glitter too, of course.  It is enough to make you do Spirit Fingers and Leg kicks all at once!  Congratulations Reagan Texans!  Cheer on! 

Reluctant Pilgrim

This week Kevin has had my laptop in North Carolina, so I haven't been able to write a blog.  He got back last night around 10:15 and we ended up talking about his journey until about 1 am. (Yawn* so tired today at work)  I came to the conclusion that it was the perfect time for a guest blogger.  Kevin has seen so many interesting things this week, heard so many interesting things & done so many interesting things that it only made sense to let him write the blog this week.  Besides, he actually took a writing class!  Without further adue...

Tap, tap,tap... is this thing on???

This past week I spent four days at Soulfeast in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.(about 30 miles outside of Asheville)  I went with five others from the leadership team from my church.  It was almost like a church camp for adults filled with workshops and classes set up to give you something to take home with you and implement in your church.  There was to be a morning class that I went to all three mornings and the afternoon class would be a different one each day.  So,needless to say, the morning class was what I needed to really be sure on.  The night before, as we sat and discussed the options we had, I came across a class that caught my attention. Reluctant Pilgrim. Wow!  What a name for a class! What did it mean?  What would it offer?  These two words just grabbed me. Plus, it was taught by a person named Enuma Okoro.  This name too peaked my interest.  The only drawback, that was all of the information I had to go on.  No description of the class or what it would offer.  I couldn't pass on it. I didn't want to be a "Reluctant Pilgrim."

Monday morning.  Time for class.  I have to be honest, it was the first day of school all over again.  I knew no one. Was I in the right class?  Was I even in the right building?
As I made my way to an empty seat I noticed at this point and time I was the only guy.  Now, in high school, I would have liked that percentage, at Soulfeast I was a little nervous.

Finally, the teacher enters the room.
A tall, slender African-American woman.
I don't know why, but for some reason, I was expecting a man.
As we got started and she began to talk about what we'd be doing, she asked everyone what book we had read that had an impact on our life.
Uhhh... what?
I'm really not a big reader.  Never have been.
All these women were naming book after book of which I'd never heard and how they opened their eyes and changed their life.
As it got closer to me to share, the only thing I could think of was Sports Illustrated.
Finally, Max Lucado came to mind. I had read a couple of his books and even used some of his study guides in Sunday school.
And I did like him!
Cool! I got my author, and just in time.
As I shared with the class, I heard alot of "oh yeah.  I like him too."
WHEW!  That was a close one.

Next Enuma shared that she had written a book called, "Reluctant Pilgrim".
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Ok.  She's the "Reluctant Pilgrim."  Still a cool couple of words.  I wanted to hear her story.
Then she said she was glad that we'd all signed up for her writing class.
HOLY CRAP!  Did she just say writing class?
This was not good, and I was gonna have three days of it.
I guess I could have got out of the class, but I'd just be a day behind with anything I changed to.
I thought,"Oh well, it's not like I'll be graded."

First assignment: Write about your name.

She gave us ten prompts to follow.
1. In English my name means_________.
2. It is like the number___________.
3. It is like the color__________.
4. It makes the sound of __________.
5. I was named after__________.
6. The person who named me was_________.
7. My name comes from__________.
8. Some people call me__________.
9. The name of my secret self is _________.
10. One thing I'd never do is_________.

What the *&^%$ had I gotten my self into?!?!

I'M NOT A WRITER, NOR EVER WANTED TO BE!

I decided I'd just do my best to answer the questions and try to some how make it sound like a story.  I wasn't looking forward to it, or the next day when we got to READ IT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!

Tuesday morning: Class started with Enuma reading what she had written about her name.
Poetry.
As a few others read theirs, some were very good. Some ok, and some, didn't understand the assignment and lacked.
I thought, "Well, mines not great, but at least I got the assignment right."
That was a comfort.
So when it came to be my turn, I took a deep breath, and officially started my writing career.


I am Kevin. I don't know why I am, but I am.
Kevin means: handsome, gentle, attractive, lovable and beautiful.(not my words...Google's)
I can't imagine being any other name.
I didn't choose my name, but I wouldn't change it.
It's who I am.
Kevin reminds me of the number seven. I suppose it's because it rhymes. Seven is suppose to be lucky  so, I'll take it.
My name is like the color maroon.  It's not uncommon, but you come across it every once in awhile.
My mother gave me the name "Kevin".  I suppose I am named after another "Kevin" she came across somewhere along her life.  I don't know.
Some people call me Kevin, Kkidd, Kman... my kids call me dad. I won't tell you what my wife calls me.
One thing I would never do is change my name.  It's perfect for me.  Although it was given to me by my parents, it was given to them by God.  It's said, "God knew your name before anyone."
And I TRY not to ever question God.

I did it!  I was proud of myself.  It certainly isn't gonna get me a book deal, but it was well received by the class and one line even got a big laugh. (I owe you Lainie!)

I was the Reluctant Pilgrim.

Busy Bee

I have been a busy, busy bee since the last time I wrote a blog.  My kids went a way for a week to church camp. This is the lecture I gave when we were getting them ready to go:

Even though your parents aren't there, we expect you to handle yourselves like you would if we were there.  Remember, you represent your family...(does this sound familiar, I'm pretty sure I heard that lecture from my mom.  It's standard camp rhetoric.  Now onto the part of the hygiene portion of our show)  You  must take a shower, wash your hair, brush your teeth, wear deodorant, brush your hair, change your socks, wear clean underwear EVERYDAY.  (You gotta cover all your bases on this one, one thing left out and you have a kid who wore the same socks everyday & reeks of walking death!  "What's that smell?  Do you smell curdled cheese and Frito's?") 

So, I pick them up Friday and Peyton is wearing the same shirt she left for camp in and has a wicked case of van head.  Hayden is wearing his swim trunks that he slept in the night before!  Thanks for representing kids!

Back to busy bee.  Since the last time I wrote we have baked 4 cakes & 3 pans of brownies for church.  Peyton got a wicked sun burn on the 4th of July just on her back because she sun screened her front very well.  There is literally a line down the middle of her arm like we cooked her to long on one side and left her raw on the the other.  Ouch! Not good for sleeping. 

We spent the 4th at my sister-in-laws & brother-in-laws swimming and grilling out.  I am so thankful to have family that I actually enjoy doing things with and look forward to spending time with them, I know that is not always the case for every one.

My kids have had rehearsal each night and last night they were there from 6:30 to 10:00, tonight it is after 11 and they are still not home.  The show opens Friday and they are working out the kinks.  These guys are working so hard, come and see the show.  They will be performing through the month of July every weekend at 8 on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 Sundays.

Today Peyton got her molds taken for braces and we found what kind of price tag we were talking.  Ouch!  I could buy a really, really nice piece of jewelry for that!  I had to be on my best mom behavior not to take a photo of her when she had the lip holder on.  It cracked me up.  She told me I was not allowed to post any embarrassing photos of her.  Darn!

Last but not least, after the play begins this weekend, Kevin will be leaving for a week on Saturday to go to North Carolina.  Busy time ahead!  Breath in, breath out.  I think this is one of the busiest summers I have ever had.  Serenity Now!  This to shall pass!  Insert helpful saying here! 

Last but not least, since the theme of this blog is "Busy Bee", I am including a picture of a dude wearing a bee hoody and leg warmers because it cracks me up!  It puts questions out there for me like, " Why don't the bees want to make this a full on bee jogging suit?" & " Why wear a bee suit?" also " What do you have under your bee suit sir?"   ENJOY!