Hooked On Phoenix

Full Circle

2005-12-16T14:17:00.000-08:00

After 3 days of following yellow and white stripes, Candess and I arrived back in Madison Wednesday night. It was a very long drive from Phoenix and we were both feeling sick. Plus our little puppy dog was obviously nervous. But we're here safe and that's really all we asked for. I had an interview today and hopefully I hear back from them on Monday about it. Looking back, I can see clearly that even though we were unsure about our move down to Arizona, our faith in God came back to us and we can both see how He worked in our lives and how we grew. I beleive that if we truely rely on God, He may take us places we don't want to go, but He's always there with us. Coming back, we're both confidant that this is where God wants us now. Of course, if He wants us somewhere else in another 5 months... we'll just have to see. We've gone on our little adventure - an extended vacation, if you will - but now we're home. We've met many good friends who we'll never forget and hopefully we'll be able to visit them soon.
And with that, we close this chapter of our lives and eagerly await God to turn the page and show us where our story will continue from here. Life is truely an adventure and it's much more interesting when you don't know where you're going.
D&C

Going Home

2005-12-11T12:32:00.000-08:00

I have to write quick since we're leaving soon, but I just wanted to ask you to pray for Candess and I as we drive back to Madison. We're leaving for Flagstaff today then continuing on tomorrow morning and will be arriving Wednesday night. The last few days have been emotional and stressful, but through it all we've had a great peace from God and that He is truely leading our steps. I'll try and give updates from the road. We'll be seeing some of you soon.
D&C

VETERAN'S DAY

2005-11-11T10:16:00.000-08:00

Blessings

2005-10-30T14:58:00.000-08:00

Candess and I spent most of the weekend with the youth group at their fall retreat. We drove up to Prescott Thursday night and stayed in some cabins for a couple nights. The kids basically got the whole weekend free, but they had to work for it. So we ended up raking pine needles and clearing out some of the trails. It wasn't stressful work, it's just that some of the kids were kinda not liking having to work. But all in all it was a great weekend. A pastor from Minnesota came down and spoke to the kids a few times. He also spoke this morning at church and he'll be speaking at another small group tonight that w're going to attend. The way we see it is that we're probably going to be moving back to Madison in about a month and a half, so we want to spend as much time with our friends from the church as possible.
Last Monday, I sent a bunch of emails and messages to all of the wedding video places in Madison that I could find. The response was pretty big. Some of them kindly replied saying they just didn't have or needed any assistance, some replied saying they could deffinitely use an extra camera person once the wedding season starts (usually April or March). But a couple were very interested in seeing my work and wanted to meet one on one. So the plan right now (if we can afford it) is that I want to fly back to Madison, probably the week before Thanksgiving, and meet with a bunch of these and any other buisnesses that are looking to hire. I'm probably going to need to get a full time job just so we can have some income before, during and after wedding season just becuase I won't be doing wedding videos every day. As far as that full time job goes, I wouldn't mind doing something that doesn't invlovle video production as long as I can stand doing it day in and day out. We'll just have to see how that all plays out.
D&C

2005-10-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

Oh boy. Sorry it's been such a long time since I've written on here. Our routine has been pretty much the same the past couple weeks. Work has been starting to pick up and Candess and I have both been job hunting. We're both hoping to head back to Madison; we've realized how much we miss our friends and family there and it'd be nice to find a good job back there. But we've also been open to other places as well. We promise to post once we find something out. Keep praying for us.
D&C

# 25

2005-09-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I've hit a landmark. Twenty-five years. I found myself thinking about how far I've come in those twenty-five years. It's hard to believe that a whole five years ago, some friends wrote birthday wishes on the Northwestern College sidewalks AND some troublemakers put birthday tidings up on the powerpoint screen in chapel. I've been thinking about all the places I've travelled and what I've done that's made a real difference in my life and in others. And I found myself feeling very satisfied. There are some things I've done that many young adults can say they've done, and there are a few things I've accomplished that very few can say they've done. I guess what makes me excited is that in just the last five years is when I've done the most travelling and other stuff. So, here's to another great twenty-five years and to whatever God has in store for us.
D&C

Crossroads

2005-09-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems we've come to another decision making point. And so soon. As of last night, there were a couple job oppurtunities that were made apperant.
About 6 months ago, I sent a resume package to Gunter Advertising in Madison. I didn't hear anything back from them... until last night. The new Creative Director sent me an email about a job. At first, I thought it was a full time gig. I emailed him back and told him I'd give him a call this morning and I did. But then I found out it was pretty much a contracted position. I mentioned to the Director that I'm currently living in Phoenix. That changed things a bit although in the future, he'd still be able to send me projects I could work on by myself and send back to him. So even though it's not a full time position, it's still editing work which is really fun.
Now, on the other hand, my dad sent me an email about a possible job in the Pittsburg area. A fellow he knows and I breifly met told my dad to send him my resume. That's pretty exciting, too. It's a very good company and I'd hope that the work would be challenging and fun. Of course, it's Pittsburg where we know almost noone and we don't know the city. But still, I would hope that a position with them would help get me further to my professional goals.
So anyway, some prayer would be great. Even though Candess grew up here, she's pretty anxious to try somewhere new, especially where there's work. We'll keep you up to date on what happens.
D&C

The Day the World Changed

2005-09-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

We all have stories about where we were 4 years ago. We remember where we were, what we saw and how it made us feel. We also remember how the nation reacted and how the world changed.
Just two weeks ago, we all saw when the storm hit. Once again, the nation reacted. It's interesting how some things happen. We've had hurricane disasters happen before, but the response we've seen is so similar to what we saw in New York. Maybe things would have been different if we hadn't gone through what we did when we were attacked. Looking back, we know some things are preventable, others are not. We can't change the past, but as Americans, we know how to build a better future for our fellow citizens.

The Battle Over New Orleans

2005-09-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

There are so many words that can describe what's happening right now in New Orleans; unbleiveable, insane, chaotic; etc. It really is like a movie. It's hard to comprehend what's happening in the city. If I could, I would put on my Army uniform and head into Louisiana and help out any way I could. But I know I'd just be getting in the way. The sooner they can get people out and take care of the crooks who are trying to take over, the sooner they can try to rebuild that city. It's just so heart-breaking that these people, who have also lost much of what they have, go out and try to stop the rescue efforts and attack the police and military. I know this may sound harsh for saying this, but if I were in charge, I would activate the military and send companies of troops sweeping through the city rescuing the citizens and destroying anoyone who thinks they can shoot at desperate people who need to get to safety. For anyone who served in the Mid East, they know how it feels; these people have nothing and the troops and police are trying to help. Their own townsfolk are getting in the way. I never thought I'd see what I saw in Iraq happening in the U.S. It's sad.

BLUE ORLEANS

2005-08-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

It's sometimes hard to really grasp devestation hearing it from people or reading about it in the news. But ever since the TV broadcast 9/11, it seems it becomes easier to get a sense of personal involvment when things go wrong in our world. God has dealt out some major weather this past year all over the globe, and just this morning, Candess and I were watching rescue efforts in New Orleans. Not many people I know have been to New Orleans, but I went down there on a missions trip my freshman year of college. What was so fascinating about this city is that it's the first time I'd felt like I had left the U.S. but was actually still in the States. The only way I can describe the culture down there is that it's rich; not as in wealthy, but thick. You can feel the vibe of the city. It's amazing.
I've always wanted to at least spend another weekend there checking out the French Quarter and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Now it seems it's going to be a while before everyone there can get back on thier feet. If you're the praying type, send a prayer south for them. They're really going to need it.

Super Blogger

2005-08-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

So I decided to start posting on my Xanga blog site for a change. I just started realizing without correspondance from other bloggers, it's just not as fun. Since many of my friends have blog sites on Xanga, I figured I'd maybe get more responses that way.
But don't feel left out; feel free to check it out: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=drewfunk123

Support Our Troops; Stand With THEM, Not Cindy

2005-08-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since I posted, and emailed, that letter to Mrs. Sheehan. And even though lack of response doesn't neccsarily mean lack of readers, I was expecting more input or comments; especially on such a controversial issue. In the past week, I have learned more information about this woman. First, I read quickly one day on CNN.com that her husband has filed for divorce. Secondly, not only is her husband trying to get free, but her sister is also making it clear that she does not support what Mrs. Sheehan is doing. It's one thing to have people driving by and shouting thier protest against this vigil, but her own family are condemning her actions. Finally, I saw something last week that both infuriated me and then made me proud later on. On my way to work, I saw a large yellow sign taped to a tree that read "America Stands With Cindy". That was not a good start to my day. I wished I could have jumped out of the van and torn the sign down, but traffice moved and I was running late. BUT, later that day I was driving back to work after a depo and I passed the same tree; some noble patriot had ripped the sign from the tree and made it very clear that America does NOT stand with Cindy. -SIGH- Okay, I think I've said all I need to about that... for now.
For those of you who read this and can remember, Candess' birthday is tomorrow. So please give her a ring if you can. I know she'd appreciate it.

Invasion in Southern Wisconsin

2005-08-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to the news about a storm system that tore through Stoughton, WI. After watching the news footage, I called my cousin, Grant, about it. He himself saw a tornado just as he was heading home from work. Crazy. I don't anyone personally who lives in Stuoghton, but I hope they can clean up alright and get life back to normal as soon as possible.
I was telling Grant about the storms we get down here. We live in the south-eastern part of the valley and usually get to watch as the clouds roll on in. They usually don't hit until they reach a more northern town, but we've had our share of rain and lightning shows. Maybe someday I'll be able to post some pictures of them.

I usually would not do this...

2005-08-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Sheehan,
In the Spring of 2004, did your son call you or write to you and ask that if he should fall in combat, that YOU, his own mother, would make it your life's duty to protest his actions, and to protest his sacrifice?
I served in Iraq from February to December in 2003, the first year of the war. Although I was shot at and almost blown up and we were in harms way almost every single day, I am thankful that I personally knew none who lost thier lives in the line of duty. But everyday we heard of the sacrifice our brothers and sisters in arms were making. Our job was not put ourselves on the front lines, although we were there anyway. Our job was to provide supplies and support for those men and women who knew that each day could very well be thier last.
There is no more honorable way to die than to sacrifice one's life for another. That is what it means to be a soldier. Everyday, we would watch each other's backs. We take care of each other. And very frequently in a war situation, we lose our brothers and sisters. But that is what sacrifice is.
Our nation was birthed from the sacrifices of our fathers, grandfathers, and thier fathers before them all the way to the Revolutionary War; a war that was forged because of a people who were being oppressed by a mighty and relentless dictator. That is what lived and breathed so many years in the heart of Iraq. That is what the very people of that nation were so afraid of, they could not muster their own strenght to revolt against it.
It is THAT reason, and that reason ALONE, that we entered into this war. It is by the ULTIMATE sacrifice of God's own son, that ALL men deserve to live without the shadow of fear. ALL men of ALL nations deserve to raise thier families without the fear that someday someone may try and take thier lves away from them by radical means.
It was this very idea that started the United States Army. Although I did not know your son, I will forever remember him and all those who give thier lives daily for the better of man-kind. Why? For one, it is my American duty to always remember those who have given thier lives - from the fields of Gettysburg, the shores of Normandy, the sand and dust of Baghdad. But mainly, he is my brother. If by God's will, I had served with him, I would have done everything within my power to save his life because I have faith he would have done the same for me.
All the songs or poems that this world has to offer will never still the pain of a lost family member. Only by taking the time to allow ourselves to grieve can we truely continue with our daily lives. I do not believe what you are doing now is bringing honor to your son's memory. More than 1,500 soldiers have sacrificed thier lives for the past two and a half years. Are you so selfish that you would call for an end to the combat for just your own boy? What about the other 1,500 mothers and fathers who have buried thier own children? Are you so selfish that you would dishonor THIER sacrfice by demanding an end to the combat?
I may be speaking for myself, but I would not have to look far for soldiers who would support me in this; the only way we can honor them, the only way we can honor your son, is to continue the fight. We MUST continue what we have endured for this long and we must make safe the people of Iraq. It will take time. History has tought us this and many of us have been so foolish to forget it.
Please, Mrs. Sheehan. Go home. Be with your family. Mourn with them more if you must, but live with them and laugh with them and remember your son as the hero he is. And please, honor him by giving your support to those who continue to serve our nation everyday and those who will die to protect it.
I pray that the peace of God will envelop you and give you rest. No parent should have to bury thier own child, but no grief should last so long to kill our spirit before our body.

U.S. Army Reserves Veteran
Private First Class

Another busy week

2005-08-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

I figured I'd be able to keep up a weblog regularly, bit it seems I'm not so much getting around to it as much as I maybe should. This past week was a nice break before what starts tomorrow; another five days of depositions. Also, today after church, I was able to spend some time with Nate and Pastor Tom at his house. We talked about me possibly heading up the junior high youth. Now, I would not, and do not, consider myself a youth pastor (although, technically I DO have a Bible degree). I had some ideas while working in Madison and I hope we can work on some great stuff down here. I was suprised to learn today that they don't yet have names for the groups. I also have some ideas for those; STRYVE (for junior high) and THRYVE (for senior high). But hey, we'll see what happens...

Third time

2005-08-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Okay. I screwed up. I didn't get to post every night. And I did have a relaxing weekend. I'm not working until Wednesday, so we can get some stuff done around here.
I found out my car was victim once again to thiefs. A few years ago my car was broken into the first time. They tried, but didn't get anything. A few months later, they tried again. They couldn't get the deck out, but they smashed it anyway and also smashed a rear window when they got in. But this past weekend, they got the stereo. And in a small suburb in Madison, no less. That kind of shocked me.
Well, once Candess and I head back to swap out vehicles, we may have to stop by Best Buy.
D&C

2005-08-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

Dangit! I screwed up. I forgot to post yesterday. Well, it's been kind of a normal past couple of days... work is going well. Candess went back the doctor today and she might have mono. Yeah.
Okay, so since there hasn't been much lately, let me make a first(I think) critique of our popular culture. Case in point: Aston Kutcher. Now, I've seen enough of his movies and his iconic character on That 70's Show to decide that he's a pretty decent actor. But I believe that his most valued contribution to our society through the entertainment media is a little show he runs; we all know it as PUNK'D. For those of you who don't know, the premise of the show is that Mr. Kutcher plays practical jokes on all our favorite celebrities. And it's funny, but not always in a "ha-ha" sort of way. You know, when you or I, let's say, accidentally knock over someone's motorcycle or aren't allowed into our favorite night club, we all act in different ways. And when celebrities get stuck in these predicaments, we expect them to act in a civilized matter, as they should; they are "representatives" of our popular culture. People know them. They go to thier movies, watch thier TV shows and listen to thier music. But when Joe Shmoe accidentally rear ends Hot Shot Oscar winner, he blows a gasket on national television. Of course they'll act all so graciously once they realize they were pranked, but by then we all know how they really are. So there. Now we know how the other side lives. Thank you, Mr. Kutcher. You have opened our eyes.
Okay. I finished my first rant. How about that? Well, until tomorrow.
D&C

2005-08-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

Okay. Today wasn't too bad. I had a deposition that was five hours long which isn't unnatural; most depos are about 4 hours long. But this one today started at noon. So it was a later day than usual, but it went well. I was nervous and a little jittery, but luckily everyone was patient with me.
Tomorrow is another day; I have a depo that starts at 9 which means I need to be there around 7:45. It'll be another great day.
D&C

Busy Little Bees

2005-07-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

I really must apologize. I can't believe I went a whole week without updating the site. Well, if it makes you feel any better, we have been VERY busy. So I DO have an excuse.
My week of training was filled with a lot of review. All the equipment I was familiar with and it was good practice setting it all up and taking it down everyday. The good news is that I start working tomorrow. The uncomfortable part is I work all week and honestly, I'm a little nervous. I'm working with lawyers; a species of man which I have very little association with. That also means I have extremely little room for error on these projects. It's a good thing I already know the technical side of it all.
Candess has also been working very hard. She's been putting in full time hours and on Thursday, she got a tonsil infection. According to her doctor, it's not Strep and according to her symptoms, it may be more than a tosil infection, as well. But that's my wife; the modern medical mystery.
Well, just to make up for wiating so long to post, I'll try and write a note everyday this week.
By the way, "The Island" was great!
D&C

2005-07-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a pretty relaxing weekend and I'm very grateful for it. Yesterday morning we woke for breakfast and I was challenged to make pancakes for my wife. Now, as far as I can remember, I have never attempted this before and was a little nervous. But she said she believed in me; which means she was sick of cereal and didn't want to make anything else. So there I went mixing eggs, milk, and Bisquick and throwing them into the frying pan. They weren't the most ugly pancakes I had ever seen, but it was close. I ran out the first batch to her and she liked them. I liked them too once I made some for myself. Yet another simple meal I can add to my list of "Things to make if Candess can't cook."
After that, I decided that this is too nice of a house to living in dog hair and dust. So I pulled out the Dirt Devil and had at it. Let me tell you it took a while to get a lot of the hair up and off the furniture, but I worked away at it and achieved my goal of a cleaner, dog-hair free home. It really is a shame this these things ruin such a beautiful home. More on that later...
Last night we went to dinner at Candess' grandparent's house. It was meatloaf (yeah.), but it wasn't bad. Plus they're the kind of family that engages in cinversation from the moment you set foot in the door till you leave. It was a grand time. Plus, during our after dinner conversation, a huge storm rushed through. It was like tropical storm or something. When we went outside afterward, the sun was just setting and the sky was so amazing to look at.
Candess' dad, Jerry, got some movies on the way home. One that we watched was "Saints & Soldiers". It was a winner of 7 independant film awards for Best Picture and I believe it rightly deserved them. But afterwards, Jerry asked if it was an LDS movie. I thought, "LSD? What???" Then it hit me; "Latter-Day Saints". Now, usually the Mormons like to plaster all their work with labels so you'll know they did it. But we didn't see any, until I looked up Excel Entertainment Group that helped produce the film. They're a Mormon industry out of Salt Lake City. Plus, almost all of the actors had starred in Mormon movies (such as the blockbuster hit "The Book of Mormon! Volume 1: The Journey") So there you go. Who knew?
This morning was a real treat. We attended the 2 Rivers Church in Gilbert. This is a very small church that was started almost one year ago by many friends from Lake City Church in Madison. We had told the lead pastor that we were coming down, but not until August. So we was joyfully surprised to see us here early. We also saw some old friends and met some new ones. Candess enjoyed it a lot and we've decided to get involved and see where God would like to plug us in. I'm pretty sure, though, that we'll be put to good use; like I said, it's a small church and everyone there is very friendly.
Candess talked to her sister and found out they're getting a townhouse in September. Know what that means? The dogs are getting out of here! Hallelujah!!! I was so excited I started jumping and dancing with them. They didn't know. They were just like, "The new guy is being silly. Let's be silly with him. We're dogs."
Since Candess' grandma gave us some movie passes last night, we decided to go see "The Island" tonight. I'm pretty excited about it. I know it's going to be one of those glorified B-movies (such as "ID4", "Minority Report", "I Robot", and "War of the Worlds"), but I tend to enjoy those.
Tomorrow it's back to the daily grind. Candess is working pretty hard at the preschool and I go in at 8 tomorrow morning to assist with a recording of a deposition. The more I think about this job, the more I'm liking it. Plus, once I get my camera fixed and I can invest in some new/extra equipment, I may just go into some business for myself on the side. We're really starting to see many God's blessings in out decision to come here. And it's only been one week!
D&C

FINALLY! Something my degree is good for

2005-07-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

Good news. Yesterday I called a woman my mother-in-law knew about a job position. I set up an interview this morning and it went very well. I still have some training to do, but once I get that done, I'll be good to go. It's a contracted position as a Legal Videographer. Basically, I shoot video for depositions, testimonies and other things lawyers need for cases. THe pay is great, but I'd probably only be working a couple days a week. So it's a good start anyway.
I can't say it hasn't been fun sitting around the last few days. I've watched a considerable amount of Poker on Cable TV, reviewed many of my script ideas (which I really need to get cracking on), and played Warcraft II which is a really old computer game, but I've been enjoying it. The third Warcraft, including the expansion pack, is one of my favorite all-time games (right next to Final fantasy VII).
So supposedly we're supposed to be getting a ton of storms this weekend. From what Candess tells me, it's nearing the Monsoon Season. I guess it just rains like crazy. I can deal with that. As long as I don't have to worry about any tornados. Really, besides the blistering heat in the summertime, there really aren't many natual disasters that can befall us here. No earthquakes (I hope). No hurricanes. Just good ole' rain. Plus, if I miss the snow this winter, all I need to do is head north to Sedona or Flagstaff. It's pretty sweet.
D&C

40 degrees cooler than Iraq

2005-07-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

So I was looking at the news today on CNN.com and there was a headline that said "How hot is Phoenix? Hot enough to kill!". Sounds like a tagline for "CSI:Phoenix". Rest assured my friends; not only am I alive and well (duh) but I am no stranger to blistering heat. Since we arrived, I've spent a maximum of maybe 5 minutes in the heat before either retreating to a house or car with A/C. Even still, this heat doesn't bother me. Why? Because of the war. For those of you who haven't heard this already, our hottest day in Iraq was... ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE DEGREES! Believe it, kids. Now was I crawling through frontlines and dodging bullets at this time. NO; I was sitting in an Army tent in shorts drinking water ALL DAY. PLUS, we did NOT have A/C at the time. So there! I can't say the war never helped me in any way.
Other than that, we were without internet for a couple days. Candess is the office manager at the old preschool she used to work at. She's enjoying her time there.
I am still waiting back to hear if I'm getting hired. If not, it's back to more job hunting. yeah.
D&C

...at last

2005-07-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

We've finally made it to Phoenix. After a LONG day of driving on Friday, we arrived at Candess' dad's house. It's been two days since and I'm still exhausted. But we made it. Now comes the unpacking and figuring out where everything is going to go. Shouldn't be too bad.
Candess starts her job right away tomorrow morning. That puts me in the hot seat. There was a job that I had called about but hadn't heard anything about since before we left. But now that I'm here, I can just walk on in and talk to them.
It's exciting finally being here and getting started, but the thing I'm most nervous about is the size of the city. I've usually prided myself on having a good sense of direction, but everything here looks the same and it's so huge. It's going to take me a long time to get used to it. Although, unlike the Twin Cities, the main roads aren't woven together like the human circulatory system. For that, I am thankful.
Well, there's still so much to do. So, I'll do my best to update you often as possible.
By the way, "Yes, it IS very hot down here." and "Yes, the low humidity does make it a little easier to bear." Reminds me of Kuwait...
D&C

"Saint Fe"

2005-07-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

Today started alright, but things didn't go as planned this afternoon. About 30 miles outside Las Vegas, NM, something went wrong in the engine and we had to pull off the road near a small town with one repair station. After waiting on a tow-truck, we got the car to the station and Sam, the mechanic, took a look. Well, basically all he did was yank out the the belt that snapped and showed me that due to a malfunctioing water pump, part of the engine had just died... Ultimately it was my father-in-law's call and he decided the effort to try and save the car cost more than the automobile was actually worth.
So currently we're waiting on our rescue team; Candess' sister and her husband, Livia and Scott, are on thier way here from Flagstaff. We were supposed to be staying with them this evening at thier apartment, but now we're going to be sharing a hotel room and heading back to the shop tomorrow to get the rest of our stuff... and THEN we can finally head to Arizona.
It's challening trying to find what good will come out of having just one car while trying to start new jobs. We will save money on gas... but right now that's all I'm getting. Hopefully in a few months, we may be able to afford to get something to just use around Phoenix and not take cross-country.
I suppose another way to look at it is that nothing severe happened on the Interstate. There could have been a major accident AND it's a good thing we had two vehicles so we were able to drive, not walk, to the nearest town for help. And Pecoes, NM didn't seem like the most exciting place to spend the night... no offense.
Laters,
D & C

It's not an Island... and it's not very Grand

2005-07-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Nebraska. Candess and I survived our first day on the road driving approx. 10 hours from Madison, WI to Grand Island, NE. We spent most of our day trekking across Iowa looking for a Mobil station (with no succcess!). When we finally crossed over into Nebraska, we were in luck. See, we have a generously donated Mobil/Exxon/Chevron gas card and that's why we were getting so frustrated that Iowa apparently boycotts those gas stations. But hey... the sooner we got out of there, the better. We were also pretty lucky to find our Motel 6 was right off the Interstate.
Tomorrow holds another exciting day of driving to Colorado Springs. Hopefully we'll be able to give you an update from there.
D & C

Last Weekend In Madison

2005-07-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

What a scorcher! I know I'm moving to Arizona in a few days, but today was WARM. Candess and I went to the Art Fair on the Square today. We couldn't stay as long because of the progressing heat and crowds, which was a shame, but from what I did see, there wasn't too much new this year. Maybe it'll be cooler next year.
Tonight is our going away party. It won't be too crazy, which is fine by me. Then tomorrow, Candess and I are taking Sam, my little brother, to "Fantastic 4". I can't wait.
Our movie pass is up next week so we're getting all the use out of it that we can. There haven't been many good new movies out so we've been getting some older ones we haven't seen, or at least not recently. We watched "The Sword and The Stone" and then "Excalibur". Two very different movies yet equally entertaining. As far the Arthur legend goes, I have to say "King Arthur" is my favorite.
I'll try and post once more before we leave. After that, you'll be hearing from us later this week from Phoenix.
Take it easy,
D & C

5 Days to Go...

2005-07-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

So there's not really much else to do to prepare for the move. We have almost all of our belongings still packed up from when we moved out of the apartment last week. The only reason we're still here is because my mother decided to volunteer me to speak at a Christian conference this Monday night about my expereinces in Iraq. I haven't really talked about it since last year and I'm kinda unsure on what to share. It's an all women's conference and I've already talked to college and elementary students. Oh well. We'll see how it goes.
We watched a documentary the other night called "Gunner Palace". For anyone in the Army or for anyone who want's a non-political fresh take on the war in Iraq, I highly recommend this movie. It is very entertaining and there are some strong messages. You know what's crazy, though? The day after we saw it, I ran into one of my old platoon leaders, Sgt. Hassing, AND I got an email from my buddy Spc. Tupy who's getting married in October. When I stop and think about the war, there are so many memories. It was without a doubt one the best... and frequently worst times of my life. I'll never forget it.
Alrighty. I want to try and keep these posts as short as possible so you all don't waste your days on this little site of mine. Until next time...
D & C

Hooked On Phoenix... Works For Me

2005-07-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

And so it starts... I've joined the ranks of "blogger". But unlike teenybopper pig-tailers or sleep deprived internet addicts, I actually have some purpose to my weblog. My wife, Candess, and I are moving down to (you guessed it!) sunny Phoenix, Arizona! After spending nearly a year looking for an occupation to apply my college degree, we've decided to try our luck elsewhere. Seeing as how Candess is from Phoenix, and taking into serious consideration and prayer to God's direction in our lives, we deccided it was the right move to make.
So the purpose of this blog is for all our friends and family we left behind in the Great Lakes States. We are both really excited about what God has in store for us and we hope you (as in our friends and family who are reading this right now) will take some time out of your day/week/month and so on to check up on us so you know we're just wasting away in the desert.
Speaking of desert, some of you may be thinking "Drew, didn't you have enough sun and sand in Iraq?" Well, "yes", but I think maybe my time there prepared me for living in a high-temp (but low-humidty, mind you) environment. Plus we do have friends and famliy who are already living down there, so we won't be completely alone.
I could go on, but then I won't have anything to talk about tomorrow. Plus as time goes on, maybe I can find a way to dazzle you with witty movie quotes or pithy anticdotes...
Later,
D & C