I'm A Big Baby

Somehow I have made it through four days now without my family around. I was even able to do a couple of loads of laundry! Crazy! You never know how great you have it until your wife and kids head across the nation for a few weeks.
I had fun in DC on Friday night at the Nationals game. Ronnie Belliard hit 2 home runs and a double, which was a total surprise to me. Last time I saw him play - on assignment in Double A, probably recovering from injury - he totally dogged it, coming in late for the Harrisburg Senators, barely swinging the bat at the pitches he struck out to, and making a few errors in the field. He started at third for the Nationals, then moved over later to first, a position I totally had him pegged for weeks ago - a position more suitable to the effort I had seen before.
To help fill up the time, there are 6 softball games this week for our church, although, I will probably only make four of them. Tonight we had a double header. I finally got a couple of hits, and I made some plays at second on D. I had been so out of rhythm since getting back from Phoenix. Before taking two weeks off from softball, I was finally hitting everything, getting on all the time, but since then, I don't think I hit it out of the infield until tonight. Hopefully I still have some hits in me for the game tomorrow and on Thursday.
Finally, I'll leave you with one last story. Tonight, I had a chance to sit down and watch some of the home run hitting contest on ESPN, and saw Josh Hamilton hit 28 home runs in the first round - a new record. He was totally locked in and crushing the ball. It was fun to watch, and such a great story, especially with his high school and American Legion coach there pitching for him.

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So Lonely, So Lonely, So Lonely

The kids and Nicole flew out west yesterday. Nicole will be gone for 2 1/2 weeks and the kids will be gone for a month. Sucks. At least I will be busy, but that still doesn't make up for a silent home.

After I got home from Baltimore yesterday, I had a softball game, but when I got home it was kind of depressing, I just sat at my computer, read some news and ate some ice cream. Not much else going on. Tomorrow I head to DC for a Nationals game and I think on Sat I may try to hit the Holocaust Museum in DC. After that it will be a silent night on Sat back home and a silent Sunday. At least I have work next week and 4 softball games. Next weekend I'll be in Philly for a conference and then the week after that I'll be in Lancaster for a week long conference that Pennsylvania Family Institute puts on for high school students.

Blessed

I suppose I should try to post more than once a month here.


For those of you that know, I am finally working this summer. I have an internship with the Alliance Defense Fund. As a 'Blackstone' Intern, I got to go to Phoenix for 2 weeks and stay at the Ritz-Carlton as the ADF taught us more useful ideas in two weeks than law school taught me in a year. I should clarify this - I did learn much in law school this year, but most of it from a liberal slant, surrounded by mostly liberal students. At Phase I of the internship I got the conservative slant. We had many of the best conservative professors and minds of today, as well as some leading researchers on the constitution (yes, it actually means something :), and not whatever the current Supreme Court justices are in the mood to make it mean). We even had Father Pavone, one the most outspoken pro-lifer out there, come and speak to us and give us great encouragement, as well as great insight. We also had Hugh Hewitt come and talk to us as well as the top attorneys from ADF that are trying many of the important cases on religious freedom these days.

Now in Phase II, I have been placed with Pennsylvania Family Institute and the Independence Law Center as an Intern. So far, after one week, I have helped out at a fund-raiser for a current lawsuit and have done much research on religious freedom cases.

Overall, I am blessed. Blessed to have been chosen by ADF to participate in the Blackstone program. Blessed to share this experience with 107 other like-minded individuals that are a joy to be around. Blessed to have such a great mentor to work with in Phase II. Blessed. (I could go on, but I think you probably get the picture.)

Soli Deo Gloria.

Antietam

Elijah and I drove down to Sharpsburg, MD today to check out the Antietam Battlefield. It was not as much of a tourist trap like Gettysburg is, but was definitely worth the trip. Whereas Gettysburg was fought over 3 days, this battle lasted only 1 day, with more casualties in a day then America has ever seen.

Ballet of Jackie

Here is Jackie putting together everything she learned for her performance. Rumor has it she helped out with the choreography. The teacher asked for ideas, and Jackie was the only one that suggested anything.

Another Catchin Up Post

Here is a video from awhile ago - from Easter. Elijah shares the story of Easter and then gives quite an unexpected spin at the end - you'll have to see it for yourself, I don't know whether to call it blasphemy or proper celebration. You decide.

Elijah and Nicole Hangin Out in the Hammack

The wonderful photography in the last three pictures are courtesy of E. Mau.

Now that I have finished my first year of school, I have come back to the real world and have been able to spend some time with the family. Wednesday Jackie had a program at school where she sang 'Yakety Yak' and 'Rockin Robbin.' That night both Jackie and Elijah had their year end program at Awana where they both received awards for finishing their books this year. On Sunday Jackie had her Ballet Performance for the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Below are some pictures and video from Awana and the Ballet. Enjoy.


Jackie - Awana year end awards

Elijah Awana year end awards
Jackie and Nicole warming up at Jackie's Ballet Performance



Video of Jackie and Nicole warming up at Jackie's Ballet Performance on Sunday. They had one of the parents come up to see how hard it was for the children. (I'm sure Nicole will be delighted that I was able to share this with all of you!)





This is one of the many little moves the children showed everybody at their performance.

Umm, I made it.

I am now officially done with my first year of law school. Crazy! Now starts the write-on competition for the law journals, so I am not completely done yet. Maybe now I can return to reality for a bit, re-introduce myself to my kids, show them that I am not the scary man with a book attached to his nose.