Random thoughts...

We actually have blue skies today (which is a nice change).  Hoping that marine front will blow far enough in-land to clear things out for you as well.

Can't believe you will have been married two years (seems like just last summer..)
Looking forward to pictures of the the new daughter in her Iron Maiden onesie....try to bulk up on sleep now while you still can!

Oh good, I hope the smoke is gone for good for you guys!  No blue sky for us today but I think [hope] it's thinning...

Ha, I better buy a Maiden onesie soon then!  I shopped around and they're a bit pricey and we have a bunch of borrowed/gifted clothes already so we'll see...  I'll be sure to post pictures here regardless!

I wonder if it's going to rain tomorrow like they said. I will see it different when autumn and winter have settled in for a while, but right now I`m quite sick about summer, about that typical things about it like masses of people outside... the whole look of summer... don't get me wrong, I like summer (as the other seasons too) and it certainly has it`s magic and blissful moments. But after a while (as I`m growing old) it always seems to turn into vulgar in my eyes. Heat, overfilled trashcans, the smell of it... I just don't know what to make of my feelings for summer anymore.

I feel ya!  It was miserably hot here for a few weeks and then the smoke from the Canadian fires came in which just made it terrible to be outside for days.  But the rain washed the smoke away and now there is that crispness of fall in the air...     It's mighty nice.

Well, we're onto our second day past our baby's due date...  We are anxiously awaiting her arrival!

It didn't really rain here in months. Some times ago I went into the forest behind our house and it was devastating. It had turned into a brown steppe with additional trees. The smell was that of an old attic after months of no fresh air...


Aaaah... All the best for you! God bless you!

Kerrick wrote:I feel ya!  It was miserably hot here for a few weeks and then the smoke from the Canadian fires came in which just made it terrible to be outside for days.  But the rain washed the smoke away and now there is that crispness of fall in the air...     It's mighty nice.

Well, we're onto our second day past our baby's due date...  We are anxiously awaiting her arrival!

Glad to hear the smoke finally cleared out.  I know it's very anxious to wait for a baby (especially your first)...but try to store up on as much sleep as you can... while you can!

Tonight is a difficult night for me.  I am leaving my current church to go to a new one.  After nine years of being the youth pastor, I have resigned and am starting at a new church as pastor on Sept. 9.  I am going to miss these kids tremendously, but I know this is the direction that the Lord would have me go.

Keep my and my wife in your prayers, please!

alldatndensum wrote:Keep my and my wife in your prayers, please!

I`ll be praying for you both!

Day four after due date and still no baby...  We're getting impatient!  Nah, it's fine, she can take her time.  We're just excited to meet her finally!

Kerrick wrote:Day four after due date and still no baby...  We're getting impatient!  Nah, it's fine, she can take her time.  We're just excited to meet her finally!

Praying for you guys!

Thank you sir!

Got my drivers license in the mail today! Stoked!

Score!  Congratulations.  Welcome to freedom!

Hardcore Christian wrote:Got my drivers license in the mail today! Stoked!

Congrats man! What level of license is it? Learners, probationary, or full?

Driven wrote:

Hardcore Christian wrote:Got my drivers license in the mail today! Stoked!

Congrats man! What level of license is it? Learners, probationary, or full?

A full license

Hardcore Christian wrote:

Driven wrote:

Hardcore Christian wrote:Got my drivers license in the mail today! Stoked!

Congrats man! What level of license is it? Learners, probationary, or full?

A full license

Nice! Welcome to freedom! And paying to renew...

Last Friday I learnt that my Dutch law degree isn't exactly useless in Germany. Apparently there's not too much that has to be done for me to get into the post university law course where you already gain practical experience while getting a good income. Since I'm a EU citizen, all I have to do is letting my own diplomas be compared with the German requirements and probably do a few additional tests to even things out a bit more.

Kind of a game changer this. I'm still a bit overwhelmed

Right on!  So what do you think this means for you?

The job situation is something that's been weighing somewhat heavily on me as well...  I have it pretty good right now, but it's a temporary contract.  I've applied to a job that would allow me to continue working from home and it'd pay well, but would require up to 30% travel which I am NOT stoked about.  I have also opened up my own LLC business to do independent mechanical engineering/design contracting.  The former option (IF I even get an offer) would mean stability and good pay, but neither the job duties nor the travel aspect I'm too excited about.  Were I to pursue the latter, it would allow me great flexibility and is something I enjoy doing, though there is very little stability and it'd come with all the woes/stresses of the business side of things which I have no experience in.  Sigh...

^It's more complicated than I thought, but I think it's something I have to try at least. I'm a lazy person (because my intelligence was too high for me to be challenged at school when I was young), so it's good for me to move forward and be a little bit more ambitious. Can't hurt to try, and if it works, great!

Right on!  I wish you the best!

Well, they offered the job to someone else with more experience.  I'm quite relieved actually, though this means I need to figure out what's next...

p.s. happy Reformation Day to all!

Good luck with the job hunt by the way, hope you won't have to travel too much ^^

Thanks!

For the US citizens here, it's voting day!  Be sure to get out and vote!

Kerrick wrote:Thanks!

For the US citizens here, it's voting day!  Be sure to get out and vote!

Did my civic duty and rocked the vote! I have to admit I almost didn't want to mess with it because of all this hurricane mess still going on... But I voted... And I have to say I am disappointed in my state of Florida but I know God is in control.

I early voted.  Most of the selections I made I am pleased with.  Everyone I voted for won!

However, I had to pull the lever for one that I didn't really want.  In the US Senate race, it was between Marsha Blackburn and former TN governor Phil Bredesan.  I only voted for Blackburn because I did not want a flaming liberal like Bredesan representing us in the Senate.

I hate voting when one choice leaves a bad taste in your mouth and the other one is worse.  Yes, there were some independants, but I had never heard of them and didn't know what they wanted to do if they won.

In Québec's October election, out of the 4 main parties (the others being independents, or Green Party, or Bloc pot [which is exactly what you think it is], or the Null Party), I voted Liberal. The other three choices were a far left group who have unrealistic notions of free stuff, the separatist party that's less and less relevant, and the sort of right-wing folks who are environmentally unconscious and looking to reduce immigration and banning religious symbols in some public situations -- except for the cross, because it's part of our heritage, apparently. (I honestly don't have a huge problem with the ban, but if you're going to do it, then be consistent! Anyway.) The right-wing folks won a majority, and it was going to be between them and the Libs anyway. The Libs had been in power for about 15 years, except for one chaotic year where the Separatists went in and out, so people were tired and voted them out.

Since it was so warm today and because we don't have night time services on Sunday, I put out all my Christmas decorations that I am going to this year.  It isn't a big display, but it is festive!

Oy, work is quite stressful right now and even though I was exhausted yesterday from a 13 hour day [I'm working two jobs currently...], I woke up in the middle of the night last night and took over two hours to fall back asleep due to a racing brain thinking about work.  I'm grateful to have work and a functioning coffee maker though.  

Don't die Kerrick.

Thanks Driven, I'm still alive. 

For my birthday my parents got me snow shoes.     It's snowing really good right now.  I hope we get some decent snow and maybe this weekend I can try 'em out!

So the Nashville statement has been translated into Dutch and was publicized last weekend. The outrage machine is raging.

The creepy thing is that the public prosecution service is looking into it if it is legal. Gay activists have also started civil cases against at least one person who signed (I can't sign yet, so I'm safe for now), which is pretty ridiculous since civil law in the Netherlands almost never accepts claims of which the damage can't be objectively determined (so hardly "emotional damage" or such legal nonsense). The outcome of these cases will tell us a lot though, and might have a lot of influence on the question if I will ever move back to the Netherlands with my family.

^Any updates Andreas?

Whoa, last night I found out that a family friend (~my age) murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself over some fight they had.  I only met him once or twice when I was younger, but his parents have been best friends with my aunt and uncle for decades.

^Nothing yet. It doesn't look like it will be forbidden, and even a few secular journalists have ridiculed the drama produced by pro LGBT lobby groups.
Either way, the Dutch are way more afraid to risk insulting others than Americans, who tend to be way more expressive in their convictions. That's why we invented the Polder model I guess. But finally a part of christianity in the Netherlands is growing some sort of a spine.

I see.  I hope the trend continues and worldwide we as Christians gain our boldness back...

In other news, I did such a great job of shoveling the snow on our driveway and steps up to our front door and now there's probably six more inches of fresh snow covering all my hard work!  I guess this is what we signed up for when we moved to Idaho hahahaha...

Kerrick wrote:
In other news, I did such a great job of shoveling the snow on our driveway and steps up to our front door and now there's probably six more inches of fresh snow covering all my hard work!  I guess this is what we signed up for when we moved to Idaho hahahaha...

  Same thing happened to me (only it was two more inches of fresh snow).  Thankfully it has started raining here and is slowly washing away some of the snow (very slowly).

Oh lucky you!  It just keeps on coming down...  It's actually snowing harder now than it was earlier.

Kerrick wrote:Oh lucky you!  It just keeps on coming down...  It's actually snowing harder now than it was earlier.

Finally getting some real winter!
Hope your actually enjoying it a little man!

Thanks!  Yeah it's been a pretty wimpy winter up until now, but this might make up for some of that haha.  I did get to use my new snowshoes this weekend and go on a little hike with my dad which was fun.  The shared lawn out behind our place hasn't been cleared and there's at least a foot of snow there.

Hey how was the show?  I'm bummed I didn't make it but my wife greatly appreciates that I stayed home. 

Sorry about me only lurking lately, life is pretty hectic right now, so I don't post as much as I'd like to. Anyway, I can say that we had our first practice session with Parakletos for Rainbow Rock Festival. It went better than I expected, but there's still quite a bit of work to be done. It's a good thing there's still time

HenrikB wrote: life is pretty hectic right now, 

I understand. A Northern Flame album doesn't finish itself 

Good to see you here Henrik!  Any updates on Northern Flame or Parakletos?  I'm really looking forward to hearing the new albums from both!

Glad I didnt get alot of snow last night

Snow? What is that? It was 75 here yesterday.

Kerrick wrote:Good to see you here Henrik!  Any updates on Northern Flame or Parakletos?  I'm really looking forward to hearing the new albums from both!

No new updates yet. I'll have to see where we're at with NF. And Parakletos will probably be only Niclas, I'm just a session bass player there

Right on, thanks Henrik.

Summon fish to the dish, although I like the Chalet Swiss I like the sushi 'cause it's never touched a frying pan

We have had flooding all over Tennessee for days now.  Luckily, it has been spread out some, but we have now officially had the wettest February on record.  We are right at the 13 inch level for the month with more to come tonight and again on Thursday.

I am sick of rain for a while.

We had a bit of rain today to follow up the morning's freezing rain. There are puddles on the road, but no flooding.

How's your basement?

alldatndensum wrote:We have had flooding all over Tennessee for days now.  Luckily, it has been spread out some, but we have now officially had the wettest February on record.  We are right at the 13 inch level for the month with more to come tonight and again on Thursday.

I am sick of rain for a while.

Sounds like me with snow and ice

Nobody cleared it with me to get another inch of so of the evil white stuff overnight