I bought one!

2001 Honda S2000

I go down to Nashville to get it on June 9th! I'm excited and nervous and sick to my stomach all at once.
I've never bought something this expensive on eBay. I got a pretty good deal on it as long as the seller is being honest.

Is it June 9th yet?!?!?

eBay vs. local dealer

So... I've been spending quite a bit of time online looking at Honda S2000's on eBay. I've bid on about 7 so far and none have reached the reserve price. Don't know why I feel that this is the route to go. I guess if I never reach the reserve price, I don't have to answer that question.

I am looking locally, too. Don't seem to have many around here though.
I saw an 05 Mustang on a local used car lot tonight. One of the 8 cylinder models. If it's there on Monday (and the dealership is open) I'm taking it for a test drive. If I like it, I'm buying it. I don't want to wait until September for the Solstice. I want a car for summer fun.

I'm feeling somewhat angry about some things at home. I'm trying to find ways to deal with it, but it's a struggle. Pray for me. I think, maybe, buying the car will give me an outlet and release for some of my pent up feelings.

Why?

Why do some people have to be so hard headed? There is a guy on a messageboard I spend time on who is drawn to discussions that usually turn bad. He is fairly well spoken and knowledgable, but doesn't know when to stop. Sure, you make your point buddy, but you drive people away. This is the third time in a year that someone has left the boards because of the wounds they received from him. I will miss you chippy! Really! You are a great inspiration to me in the FDW thread and I love the way you want to create in yourself a new heart. I hope you come back after you heal.

Busy

Well, the week is progressing as expected. I haven't been sleeping much, though. Various reasons. Homelife is a bit overwhelming right now. School is almost over and all the extra activities continue to bring chaos to our home. With all the extra hours I'm working, I'm not much help to my wife. I think the pressure is getting to her. I also suspect that she has some postpartum depression on top of everything else. Some meds might be helpful for her. I try to assist, but I'm really not so good at it. You'd think after 20 years, I'd be a better husband and parent, but I'm still just as selfish as the littlest child. Pray for me - that I would have a servant's heart at home.

Lord, help me to be tireless in my caring and service to my wife and kids.

Long Week Ahead!

Today starts a very long week for me. I will be working 6 twelve hour shifts this week! Day shift is the worst rotation in this building. There are so many nuisance calls. People really don't want to take care of the basics themselves. I imagine that I will be playing "mother" to quite a few irresponsible "adults" this week.

That said, I plan to do some internet research this week in search of a cheaper way to get my midlife crisis car purchased. I've been looking at Honda S2000's that are used. I can get one that is a couple of years old with @ 22000-25000 miles on it for almost $10,000 less than a new one. That puts it closer to the cost of a new Solstice. The difference is I can get the used Honda NOW and not have to wait until September or later to get the Solstice. And even then, they are only issuing in certain colors, so if you don't want to wait longer, you have to basically take what you can get! Can you believe that!? In this day and age of car building, where there is minimal material staging and storage due to "just in time" production, you should be able to get what you want right off the line.

So anyway, I'm looking at other options right now for that summer blockbuster automobile.

In other news, I have decided to make definate plans to get out to Knoebels with the family for a couple of days in July. We've been there before and it is a wonderful family oriented park with camping facilities that are good as well.

I won't be able to get to the family reunion (my wife's side of the family) next month. They didn't nail down a date soon enough and I had to commit to some overtime at work. Everyone else can go, so hopefully they will have fun.

Still planning a trip to Alabama in August. While there, I plan to look over Mom's land and talk with the management guy about me finding a way to purchase about 1000 acres of timberland over the next 10 years to build my retirement income and provide an inheritance for the kids. If I can line it up right, I will be able to retire in 10 years from the workforce and just manage the timber. Also on the trip, I will stop by Auburn University with my daughter to check out the college for her. She is interested in seeing their Equestrian program and the rest of the campus with the potential of continuing the family tradition of attending/graduating from this great school.

If all goes well, I hope to get a little relaxation time in this summer as well. Only time will tell what the Lord has in store for the next couple of months. I hope to be able to get to lots of games and a few horse shows in support of the kids.

I can sleep plenty after retirement. ;-)

Today is the big day...

... for the release of the last Star Wars episode. My son is going nuts! He really wanted to go to the theatres to see it. Actually, 3 of my boys were bugging me about it. I think I've convinced them to wait and pool their money so they can buy the DVD when it comes out. Then they can watch it a million times and get their money's worth. Gonna be a long wait though.

Hard to believe it's been 10 days since I updated this thing. Time really seems to fly. I've been working a lot and that takes up my thoughts quite a bit, so please excuse the neglect.

I'm in the middle of a five night run. Then I get a day off and switch to day shift for six more. Hope I can make it without total burnout. I think if the shifts were only eight hours, I could handle them easily. It's the twelve hour's that gets me.

Baseball and softball games continue. My daughter is playing 4 games this week to make up for missed ones (re-scheduling). She's happy to play finally, but I know she will be tired by Sunday. She's getting a lot more aggressive on the ball lately which has been showing up in much better hitting. The boys continue to improve. Seeing much faster pitching this year than they are used to since they have moved up to the majors. It has taken them a while to catch up. Hope they can finish strong. My youngest son (that's playing-in AA) has been picked for the all star team for his age group. Pretty neat since the season is only halfway over. He really has been hitting the best on his team and probably the best in the family. I really want to get out to more games in the next couple of weeks.

Due to the work schedule, I have determined that I will be missing the family vacation in Virginia this year. Not much could be done to salvage it. Everyone else will be going. I will stay behind and generate the funds for the family to live on. I'm sorry to miss this trip, but the time by myself will be nice too. I have a lot to do around the house and this may give me time to do some of it without the kids around.

Speaking of work around the house. We have contracted to have the driveway replaced. That will happen in June. We are also getting estimates to replace the Heater and Air Conditioner. This could happen as soon as next week. The deck guy comes for an estimate tomorrow. Then I need to get some topsoil for the backyard and till it in to the old pool area (sandy) so that we can get some grass growing. I need to reflash the roof on the addition and possibly replace the shingles on that area. The skylights need to be sealed better, too. Once all that is done, we can redo the ceiling and walls in the kitchen and breakfast area. Next will come new wood laminate flooring in the kitchen and replacement carpet everywhere else (where there is carpet already). Sure is a lot of work, but it will make the house so much nicer and increase the resale value. I also want to build a sleeping area in the basement for a couple of the boys.

And then there is the car... I still haven't made up my mind. The Pontiac Solstice has been in production delay. They are saying it will be September before any are ready now. I don't know if I want to wait that long. I could probably buy a Mustang GT or Honda S2000 in time for summer cruising. I just can't make up my mind. I will go test drive the Honda later this week.

Well, that's enough for y'all to digest in this serving. More to come.

It's Mother's Day

Did you contact your mother today? I worked last night and slept today (out of necessity since I am working tonight - right now in fact). I was hoping to have time to get over to her house and give her a card and flowers, but ran out of time. I called her on the phone a spoke with her a few minutes, at least. We need to pray for our mothers - and for those who have lost theirs.

I think my kids all made cards for mom, but I didn't check. Is that bad of me? I think I treat all holidays this way. It must be my work schedule that dulls me to any special significance of any particular day. I have worked on so many holidays in the last 8 years that every day seems the same as the next. Pray that I will become better at relaying the significance of these standing stones in our life so that the kids will have a foundation to start their own families. Christ has given us days to reflect on things of importance. Honoring our mothers is one of them.

My oldest came by today to do massive amounts of laundry and visit with her mom. I hope they had a chance to talk some. She is still struggling with a lot of stuff. I pray that she will open her eyes to what is really missing in her life (relationship with the Lord). She had to leave before I went to work - seems the boy in the house she is staying in got jealous of her whereabouts again and was throwing her stuff out on the yard. This kid needs to be shaken by his father and informed about the right way to treat girls. They're not even dating. They never have. He just thinks there may someday be a possibility and has become possessive of her. I would go over and shake him myself, but my involvement in her life is limited by how much she will allow me in and that is very little still. Pray for her.

I must admit that I have become increasingly jealous of my neighbor over the last couple of years. He is one of those dads that always seems to be out playing with everyone's kids. He's a great guy and a solid Christian. It just doesn't seem fair that he seems to have all this time to just play. I guess he has gotten his priorities straight and is seeing the fruit of that. I know I shouldn't be jealous. It just doesn't seem right that he gets all the fun. I guess I need to do some more examining in my life to see what I can do differently so that I can be "that dad" more often. Pray for me.

Work continues. It isn't hard at all. Mostly just checking equipment and monitoring the building. Really nothing I should be complaining about. There are some relationship issues with co-workers. Some of that is probably my hardened heart. I really haven't given much evidence of the Reason for which I live lately. I know what to do with my head and what my heart should feel, but I don't seem to have it in me lately. I just seem to be going through the motions of living with minimal joy. Pray for this situation. I need to feel the starvation that my Spirit is going through.

I do have some joy though. The kids sometimes do the funniest things and I am grateful for the laughter. They desperately desire my love and affection and will do the silliest things just to get a smile from me. I think I am more hands on than I used to be, but still not enough. I need to make sure I hug and hold them more often. I'm sure that would help me too.

Since I'm reading nothing from anyone else...

...except Missy on Xanga, I figured I'd give a little update.

Work.

There, that about covers it. I begin today what will be 23 twelve hour shifts in the next 31 days. Some nights, some days. Never with more than a day or two break anywhere in the month. I also have to fit in some of the items on the "honey-do" list and an occasional cutting of the yard. Not to mention ongoing household maintenance and electrical work from the business that I have pretty much put on hold.

I praise the Lord for providing for my family. He certainly has never let us down. I just wonder sometimes if all this work is more distraction put in place by satan. I know it is when the kids (in full understanding of the demands of a large household) protest that I am never home. I will try to make the most of every moment I get to be with them.

We are also in the midst of a busy baseball/softball/horse show season. Having five kids actively involved in activities that they love can really stretch the limo service. I need to hire more drivers. Looks like my 16 year old is gonna get the keys sooner than expected just so she can get where she needs to go. She has proven herself to be a consciencious driver over the last few months. I think we can release her with confidence soon. That will help some, but doesn't excuse me from attending her events.

I am also in the midst of creating more accountability in the house as far as chores and general cleanliness goes. This is a somewhat painful job since I need to work top down and everyone needs a tough review. My wife works so hard. Unfortunately, most of it is her seeing to jobs that the kids either ignore or don't do well enough. Time to shake things up! I will probably step on a few toes, but the extra (fun) activities are gonna stop until these kids start contributing more. I've got to make sure my wife knows that she is not to do the work, just supervise and see that it is done by the kids. Often it is just easier for her to do the work herself, but that is not teaching the kids the lessons I want them to learn. So pray that I will use grace in my dealings with everyone so that I may be a reflection of Christ rather than a dictator.

Is that enough of an update for now? Well, it's all I have time for anyway.

Grace and Peace.