Generations 2

One that that my Grandpa loves is singing with his sons:

Generations

Last weekend we went to visit my grandfather, my dad's dad, in a nursing home. Ever since the car accident over a month ago Grandpa hasn't been home. Here you can see 4 generations of Yoder men:



Abraham Samuel Yoder 93, Titus Abraham Yoder 64, Jeffrey Scott Yoder 32, Aksel Charles Titus Yoder 2.

God has been faithful to us and He remains steadfast in His care over our fragile humanity.

My Grandpa was born on April 9, 1915 and grew up Amish. He was saved at 39 or 40. Most of his life he farmed. He raised my dad to trust and love God and the church. A heritage for which I am most grateful. In 1995, 80 years after he was born, he went to Zimbabwe to be a missionary. Several years ago they moved to Arizona to be house parents at half-way house. Now they are back in Pennsylvania.

He is ready to see the Lord face to face. I'm excited for him.

The second pic is the house I remember my Grandpa living in when I was little. There were pigs and cows and chickens. A water pump was right outside the kitchen and I still remember the old outhouse in the back yard.

Effin Blog

Fireworks, Fabulous Friends, First Friday, Fun:

What did you think the title meant?

In the past couple of years they built a minor league baseball park three blocks from my house. They just had their first game and finished with fireworks. I have a bay window on the second floor of my house and Eden and I watch the fireworks from there. It's fun.

Every First Friday of the month all of the art galleries downtown have artist receptions and new art. So every First Friday my parents watch the kids and we have a few friends over for a martini or a glass of wine and then walk down to the galleries. We end up eating out or coming back to our house for food. Sometimes there are 6 of us and sometimes there are 15. It is always a blast.

A Little Help From My Friends

Heart Rate = 165

MPH = 7.1

Time = 5:19 am

So I'm on the treadmill close to the end of my run. Each treadmill has it's own little flat screen tv with your own controls. I started my run with MTV a little Radiohead, then Death Cab, then some Snoop D O Double G. Half-way through Snoop I flipped it to VH1 to catch some Counting Crows.

Side note: If you want to watch actual videos on MTV or VH1 of bands that are actually good, you have to watch them at 5am.

Side note 2.0: This is reason number 248 why I go to the gym, because I have ghetto cable with only 25 channels; 2 of which are shopping channels, then all of the major networks have 2 channels each, a spanish channel, and something called ESPN, anyway so I really get 4 channels when it is all said and done. So I go to the gym to watch VH1, Chelsea Lately, Talk Soup, History Channel, Top Chef, and Fox News (Side note 2.1 just kidding on FN, ever since the excluded Ron Paul from a Rep Debate FN can bite me)

Where was I? Oh yeah, so 19 minutes have past, 6 more to go. This is when I need something to draw me away from the fact that I am actually running. I flip back to MTV, regular MTV, and who should be on my screen but The Myriad singing Clean Shot. I beamed with pride, wishing everyone the the world were up watching MTV right then.

They used to play at the Chameleon Club and we would put them up for the night. One night John Roger and I sat on my front porch sharing a bottle of a nice dry Cabernet discussing theology and culture til the wee hours of the morning. As Regina Spektor sings, "So sweet and juicy!" They just played Philly last week, but I wasn't able to go.

Cheers!!!

Saturday Morning Pancakes

Saturday Mornings

are the most special morning for my family of any other day.

Why? you ask. Well, it is because Dad, that's me, makes is famous

homemade pancakes from scratch. I cook them

in a ton of oil so they get all crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Some maple syrup, butter, and powdered sugar top off the event.

For me I must have my coffee and I have been devouring the pancakes with the kids, but I'm fat now, so I started the zone again. So I did eat some pancakes this morning, but they were made from oatmeal, cottage cheese, and egg beaters. Here's to living healthy.

Scholar in the Making

This week Eden, my 4 year old, had her testing at Veritas Academy, the school which we have wanted our kids to go to for years.

It was the strangest feeling leaving my girl with a teacher I did not know, even though I had heard wonderful things about her, to be tested to see if E could get in to the school. I could not filter the flow of information coming to my little girl and protect her from what I deemed inappropriate. Nor could I encourage her when scared or apprehensive.

I left the room with a, "Have fun Eden, you'll do great!" and pit in my stomach. But yesterday we found out from the headmaster that Eden will start kindergarten in the fall at Veritas Academy.

I am so happy, and proud, and jealous of the education she will receive. I do look forward to learning everything I should have learned in public school. www.veritasacademy.com

Ka Ra Te

Tonight I actually got home in time to have dinner with the fam. Fun times.

After dinner we read about the Israelites finally getting to the promised land.

I made a rich, frothy espresso and we headed outside to our vast backyard.

But tonight was karate night. I never knew my spawn were mini ninjas. Now I know. I am happy for them.