For the last couple of years we have made a DVD of pictures with music in the back ground to give to family members as Christmas Gifts. This years dvd will be no different but it will include a section titled Hospital. It was pretty hard to make when I realize how many times we have been there with Jackson. I am excited about the DVD but this section was challenging!
Category: Dan Gould
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Guys Night
Last night Josiah and I camped out!!! Yeah, we set a two man tent up in the living room and watched TV and slept in the tent. He was so excited about it all day. This is an easy way to create lasting memories. To see his excitement made it all worth it, even if I didn’t sleep good and my back hurts today! Here are some pics of our Guys Night!
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Thanksgiving Rewind!!!!
We had a great Thanksgiving with our family. As we drove from place to place it gave me some time to think about all the things I am thankful for. So here is a short list of the things I am thankful for:
- Jesus – I am not trying to sound super spiritual here but I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for Jesus. At a young age giving my life to Christ was something I did because I wanted to go to Heaven. At 18, when I learned more about what it truly meant to be a Christian changed my life forever. Today, I am so thankful for His grace, mercy, and blessings. Every time I look at the things in my life I am reminded of how good God is!
- My Family – I can’t imagine life without my family of 4. It has been a challenging year with Jackson being in and out of the hospital with really non-related things, but to be honest, we are so blessed and it really could be much worse. Seeing Stephanie smile and hearing her laugh still lights me up on the inside like it did the first day we met. Josiah is growing so fast! Watching him look and experience new things in life helps me remember what it was like to be a kid and experience things all over again! Jackson has a way just to brighten any situation. From his laugh to his babble, when I look at him i see the miracle of God and am reminded just how precious life is and how faithful God is!
- My Extended Family – Stephanie and I come from very different families. Our families have played such a huge role in developing us, caring for us, and helping us succeed in life. It’s always good to come home, and sad to leave because the time goes by so fast. The boys have had a blast with the family over the past couple of days. We are so blessed and the boys are so spoiled because of them.
- Our Church Family – We have been humbled and blessed by the generosity of our church family. Words can’t even explain the feelings of gratitude we have. To be loved on in such a big way spoke to the depths of our hearts. All we can say is thank you!
- Our Friends – We have great friends around the nation. Your prayers, time, and words of encouragement have been a blessing to us.
What about you, did you take time to think or talk about the things you are thankful for? What would your list include?
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Another Thanksgiving Meal, Family Portrait, & MU Football
Today started early with a nice appointment to the Chiropractor. While adjusting me the Chiropractor said “You really needed this didn’t you?” I guess was a nice way to say, “Man, you are messed up!” After about 10 minutes she was done and moved on to Stephanie. Visiting the Chiropractor seems to be the family stop when we are in Salem. I have no idea why, that’s just the way it goes.
At noon all the family showed up for another Thanksgiving meal. This time we had ham instead of turkey. The food was so good. I think I have gained 15 pounds just this week! We took tons of pictures! It seemed every time I turned around someone was snapping a picture.
Sadly, Mizzou lost to Kansas today in Football. It was an exciting game and KU played good. Sad day for MU fans but a great way for KU to end the season and hopefully get a bowl game. Yes I said it, that’s for you Mike and the Cunningham’s!
Here are some of the pics from today.
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Tractor Rides, The Farm, Christmas Gifts, B-Day Cake
One of the things that has become a tradition for Josiah when we visit Nana and Papa’s house is to go on a tractor ride with Papa. Today, he got to do that; and boy was he excited. Also one of the things that has become a tradition for all of us now has been going to the farm and having Great Papa give us a ride behind his big tractor.
Today we did things a little different! Instead of being pulled behind a tractor, we just piled in the back of Great Papa’s pickup and went for a ride through the farm. Both boys had so much fun and Stephanie’s Grandfather loves to do it. We saw cows, drove through the creek, went past the old barn, and saw more cows. Doesn’t sound like much, but the fact that the family was all together and the boys loved it, made it so worth it!!! To top it off, the weather wasn’t to bad either, it has been colder!!!
Afterward, we all came back to the house for some good ole BBQ Pork Steak!!!! It was so good! The night was capped off with Christmas Gifts for the boys. Nana and Papa said, since this is the only time we will all be together lets do it tonight. However, Nana said something about coming to Texas over Christmas. After the opening of gifts, we celebrated Rachel’s Birthday with an Ice Cream B-Day Cake. It was sooooo good, and I don’t even like ice cream that much!
Today was a lot of fun. Here are some pics of our adventure.
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Nana and Papa’s
We made it!!! After eating a ton of food, playing with, better yet, being worked over by kids, and getting my rear kicked by my nephew in Madden 09 football, we packed up, left Nixa and headed for Salem MO. We got in at about 8:15 last night. Some exciting news . . . we bought gas last night for $1.57 and saw it for $1.41 on our way here! We are excited to be here and will celebrate another Thanksgiving feast on Saturday.
Here are some pics from yesterday:
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Chinese Food, Jump Mania, and The Mall
We slept in, haven’t done that in awhile but it was so nice!!! On the agenda today was Chinese food, Jump Mania, and the Mall. Yes, we can’t seem to go to any town with out visiting a Mall.
So we accomplished all of these things however, the Chinese place that I was craving apparently was having a bad day. As we walked in a guy told us that the food wasn’t very good today that he eats here all the time but today it made him sick and he was getting his money back. Whether the story was true or not, we left and went to a different Chines place. I was so excited until I got there. They had a great Buffet but the Cashew Chicken wasn’t the kind I was craving. So needless to say, I didn’t get my Springfield style Cashew Chicken that I am still craving.
From eating Chinese we went to Jump Mania. A place a Larry Stehr, one of my former teachers in College and Youth Ministry friend recommended. It was so much fun and it only cost us $5.00. Both boys had a blast and Stephanie and I were able to play with them. I must say, that it wore me out. I have a feeling I am going to be sore tomorrow.
From there we went to Battlefield Mall, a place I know all to well. It’s the only real Mall in Springfield. It was nice just to walk around without an agenda or time frame. The only problem . . . my wife decided to close the Mall down. Yes we were there for 5 hours. Jackson was soooo good, and Josiah, well he wanted to go home with Grandma Sheila after Jump Mania, so it was just the three of us. Maybe that’s why we were there for 5 hours.
So tomorrow will be our last day here at Grandma Sheila’s. We will have our big Thanksgiving Day meal and then leave early evening for Nana and Papa’s. It’s only a 2 hour drive but its not very entertaining. Here are some pics from today.
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It’s Quiet . . . until tomorrow!!!!!
WOW, my sister and her entourage of 5 kids just left. Having that many kids in my mothers house, that is not child proof, was very challenging. 3 of the 7 kids are under 2 and all of them are under 10. This is why I work with teenagers!!! Anyhow we did have fun! We played in the leaves, bowled, played hide and seek, got in trouble, ate some chicken noodle soup, all while making as much noise as we could. As I sat and ate my soup I felt like i was on an episode of Super Nanny with Jo walking in at any minute! Both Jackson and Josiah had fun playing with their cousins. Tomorrow sounds like we do it all again. Here are some pic’s from tonight!
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The Gould Invasion has begun!!!
Well after getting a later start than we wanted too we left McKinney last night at 7:15 and arrived at my moms house (AKA – Grandma Sheila) at 2:30 am. The boys slept most of the way, and of coarse when we got here, they both woke up and didn’t want to go back to sleep. I think everyone finally fell asleep around 3:30am.
So today, we tried to sleep as long as Jackson would let us, but both boys decided that both Steph and I needed to be up a 7 this morning. So needless to say, neither of us got much sleep. However, today was a good day with the family. This morning I hooked the router up to my mothers cpu so we could have Internet, a process that took much longer than it should have. But we have connection now, thanks to the AT@T service guy.
When we come to Springfield there are always three places we want to eat,
- Mexican Villa – my favorite Mexican Restaurant
- Lamberts – Just plain good food and family fun, if you can catch a roll being hurled your way!
- Chinese Food – Springfield style – It’s much different in Springfield than anywhere else in the Nation, I promise!!!! I miss it so much!
Today for lunch we ate at Mexican Villa. This place is like no other Mexican restaurant I have been too. If you know me, you know I don’t like Mexican food; but this is one place that is to good to pass up. Grandma Shelia joined us for chips and salsa and my favorite dish a Sancho enchilada! It’s so good.
Tonight my sister and her 5 kids are coming over for dinner. Stephanie is making her famous Chicken Noodle Soup. My favorite. I am sure its going to be a fun evening, especially since there will be 3 kids under 2. I’ll let you know tomorrow if we survived!
Here are three pictures so far. The room all of us are staying in while at my mothers house, my plate at lunch and Stephanie posing with her plate at lunch.
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What a Week!!!
It’s seems that the last two weeks have been crazy busy. It has really impacted my blogging . . . I just haven’t had time to write so here is a highlight of the week looked like for us.
Both boys have been sick. Not running a fever sick but we took them both to the doctor on Monday to find out that Josiah had croup and Jackson was put on an antibiotic. On Thursday, after the antibiotic seemed to be making no difference for Jackson and his congestion was causing him to throw up, we called the doctor and explained the symptoms and what we saw. Based on our visit and the symptoms the doctor said he had a sinus infection and changed his medication. Today he seems to be doing a little better.
Josiah missed two days of school this week but wanted to make sure he didn’t miss his teachers B-day on Wednesday. He made it on Wednesday and on our way to school we stopped to get her a little gift and Josiah picked out flowers. He is going to be a Womanizer when he get older!
Stephanie has decided to turn our house in to Christmas wonderland over the last two days. She called me scrooge earlier today because I was complaining about putting the lights on the tree. (FYI – I hate putting lights on a tree) What happened to Thanksgiving?
Tonight we watched Kung Fu Panda. It was really good!! Now Josiah runs around the house, like he didn’t before, karate chopping and kicking everything. He reminds me of me when I was a kid.
At small groups we made a music video and will show it Sunday during the Big Give. Tomorrow I go play paintball with the 8th and 9th grade guys! Should be fun I let you now how it goes tomorrow!
Dan Gould 