...SoCal Scardicat...

Most, if not all, of you know that the Orange County area was rocked by a moderate earthquake on Tuesday morning.  So, being relatively new (almost four years) to SoCal, I thought I'd give a play-by-play of the event, as I experienced it.

I was in a staff meeting with the Summer Conference Staff in a second floor conference room in the Student Center building here on the campus of HIU.  As we were beginning to wrap up, what felt and sounded like somebody dropped a truck onto the roof of the building shook the entire building.  It was like a pop, similar to what you'd think a car bomb going off outside the building might feel and sound like, with a concussive feeling.  Immediately after this most of us around the table either froze or sort of half stood up.  I looked out the window to see the trees violently shaking, unlike from a wind.  At that point, I knew it was an earthquake, but before I could even process the thought it felt like the entire building slid about a foot to the left and then swooshed back to the right.  Right then I yelled for everyone in the room to get under the conference table and I didn't have to say it twice.  As I dropped to the ground and squeezed under the table, I seriously thought the building was going to collapse, based on the violence of the shifting of the building.  I imagine there are some people that, when a situation arises they believe is a possible catastrophe, immediately fear death or think they may die.  But, as I seriously thought the building would collapse, I never once thought I would die.  Rather, my mind did a shift to a place of survival at all costs; duck, grab, run, push... whatever was coming my way, I felt hyper-aware of.  It was a bit of a strange feeling, emotionally, yet also gives me a sense of confidence.  I think some people freeze.  I felt the opposite of frozen.  I felt... totally engaged.  The rumbling continued for about another 20 seconds or so, gradually tailing off.  While I was under the table I realized the building was not going to collapse and began to pray (out loud) that God would protect Stephanie and Madeline.  My fear was for them being in 42 year old dorms that are falling apart, regardless of earthquakes.  As soon as the shaking seemed to stop I told everyone to stay put and I opened the conference room door to see what the Student Affairs lobby was like.  Many people were coming out of offices making their way to the lobby, toward the doors to exit the building.  I heard good friend and co-worker, Chris Williams, holler from down the hallway for everyone to evacuate the building, in case there was any structural damage.  I turned and told everyone in the conference room to get out and make their way to the parking lot.  At that time, I ran as fast as I could down the stairs, out the front door, and to the dorm where my wife and baby were.  As I barged through the door hollering my wife's name, I heard her shakey voice saying that they were alright coming from the back yard.  I followed the voice and hugged my wife and baby girl for a good long time.  Steph was pretty shaken up, no pun intended.  But she did great in getting to Madeline and getting them both to safety.  She was scared for the dogs too.  She doesn't remember exactly what they did, except that they "freaked out."  Madeline, on the other hand, never even woke up!  

Ok, I know this must sound a bit over dramatized for a "moderate" quake.  But, I'm telling you, I have no problem telling you that it scared the CRAP out of me!!!  I really don't want to experience that, or worse, ever again.  The one thing you always feel you can count on, the ground under your feet, is no longer safe.  Tornados and Hurricanes you know are coming... earthquakes?   Uh, no.  I told Steph last night that she needs to begin looking into other places in the country she wants to live, because I REALLY don't want to experience "the big one." (I was partially kidding)  Someone told me this afternoon that there is a 99% chance that "the big one" will hit SoCal in the next 30 years.  Yikes!!!!

... thankful father

So, last night was a bit frustrating.  We put Madeline down at about 10:00 pm and she wasn't having any of it.  She cried until about 11:00 as we held her, fed her some more (in case she hadn't gotten full on the first feeding) rocked her, swaddled her, unswaddled her and generally did everything we, as new parents, know to do to calm her down and get her to sleep.  Then, I took her to her bedroom and was walking and swaying her (while she continued to cry) when I impulsively pressed play on her little stereo/CD player.  One of Tommy Walker's CD's was in there and the song "I Have a Hope" was playing.  Since she was crying good the song was fairly loud in order to hear the music over her.  Within 2 seconds she was completely quiet silent, eyes closed and seemingly asleep.  I was astonished.  We stayed in there and listened to the entire song.  When it was over I foolishly thought she was really asleep and took her to her cradle and laid her down.  Well, she wasn't asleep deeply and within minutes was whaling again.  It was fun while it lasted.  

I quickly grabbed the computer, bringing it into the bedroom and, as fast as I could, opened iTunes, found Tommy Walker and hit play.  It didn't have quite the same response, but when I picked her up, began swaying and sang along with Tommy and the rest of the worship team (including her auntie Becca), she quieted right down again.  As I held her swaying, listening to the songs and singing along, I began to really worship the Lord.  During the song "To God Be the Glory" I began to do exactly what the song says, giving God the glory for this little bundle of beauty, joy and blessing.  Tears began to flow and I couldn't continue to sing.  But my heart was singing loud and clear as I was as thankful for God's provision and blessing as ever.  May He receive all the Glory of Madeline's life and our happiness with her.   *

... astonished young father...

... astonished young father.

Well, Im a new father!  On July 3, 2008 at ten minutes to 9:00 in the morning my little princess was born.  Apparently she didn't want to come out, as what was supposed to be a 5 minute extraction, took about 20 minutes due to her being so high up in Steph's abdomen (she hadn't dropped yet) and the doctors having a difficult time gripping Mad's head (the anesthesiologist said is was like the docs trying to grip a wet basketball).  Since they couldn't get a grip, they chose to use the vacuum.  They tried with that dumb vacuum at least 10 times before tossing it out due to it's persistant malfunctioning.  They had the nurses break out a brand new one and out she came on the very first attempt.  Although she was covered in blood and caked in this white gunk... she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.  When she cried out for the very first time, her mother and I glanced at each other with grins the size of the Grand Canyon and both of us cried at hearing the most beautiful sound in the world.

Since then, Steph and I have been learning a ton every day and loving every minute of it.  Madeline has her days and nights flip flopped, but we're working that out one day (and night) at a time.  

From the moment Steph told me she was pregnant I was more convinced than ever that children were a true miracle.  But this last Wednesday this idea was driven home to a whole new level.  Mads had developed an eye infection on Monday and Tuesday, to the point where her eye was sealed shut with an orange gunk and was very swollen.  So, we made a docs appointment (Mad's first) for Wednesday.  We're sitting in the waiting room of the office and I received a phone call from my friend, and mentor, Nick Saltas.  I told him what we were doing and what Mad's issue was.  He told me a story about when he and his wife, Karin, had their first child in South Africa.  Karin's midwife told her that whenever any of her children got an eye infection she should "squirt" breast milk on the eye and it should clear it up.  When I heard this info., I laughed heartily and told him he was nuts.  He reassured me he was serious and that this treatment has been used on all three of his girls with amazingly positive results.  We hung up and I told Steph about the proposed treatment and we both got a good laugh.  

Five minutes later we were in the exam room and the doc verified that it was, in fact, an eye infection (didn't take a genius to figure that one out).  She immediately turned to us and asked if Steph had tried putting any breast milk in her eye yet.  We both just about fell out of our chairs!  She told us that she wanted us to put breast milk on Mad's eye each time she was fed for the next three days and if that didn't take care of the problem to fill the prescription she would give us before we left.  

Well, in less than 48 hours, the eye had completely cleared up and the swelling abated.  Who would have guessed!!!  Amazing!  Anyone who doesn't believe that God created us is ignoring facts that are more obvious than the sun in the sky.  And that creation is so intricate and perfect that I'm more amazed each day.  We truly are created in His image.