Lotsof Blogging Still Left To Do...

One of my Favorite 2007 Christmas Photos: Boy in the Box...

While there were many great photos taken of out family Christmas this year, this is one of the cutest.... After we had opened all the presents Elijah crawled into on of the boxes and I was able to capture this priceless memory of 'The Boy In The Box'.

Today is the last day of 2007. Wow, what a Year....! I haven;t posted in a couple of weeks and this morning there is not enough time to completely catch up and adequately wrap up the year. I have a tennis camp this morning from 10 AM to 3 PM today and then I'll be kicking back this evening, ringing in the New Year with Monica, Connor, and Elijah...!

More later... I plan to blog on into the New Year...!

Behind My Blogging Schedule

Oh... I realize that I'm behind schedule for this blog... Sorry... If I got paid for blogging things would be different. I've been spending more and more time in my prayer journal each day and the other blogs are being neglected at the moment.

I'm afraid that I may have to relegate this blog even further down the blog hierarchy and only update it about once or twice a month.

So, to catch you up on things happening since Thanksgiving...

We have stepped up our home improvement projects: finishing out the garage for Monica's workshop, and giving our kitchen a 'make-over'...

I have a really good person coming to help me at the tennis center for the Christmas break and beyond... I'm very excited about that...

We have been really busy at church helping with the Christmas program and in the nursery.

I am considering a major career shift... More on that soon...

I've bar b qued some excellent meals lately. -Have I ever mentioned how much I love to prepare bar b que...?

That's the highlights from the past two weeks...

Until next time.... Bye for now...

Turkey Day and Beyond

This is the final product of the art project my wife organized for my recent Activity Camp that included tennis, golf, fishing, and art. We held the camp the day before Thanksgiving and had sixteen participants. It was a very successful day, all in all...!

Our Thanksgiving was good. I smoked Turkey and it came out fantastic. All Monica's side dishes were excellent, too. It was a feast that we will long remember...!

The weather turned cold for Thanksgiving to give us more of a holiday atmosphere. I didn't as I normally have on previous holidays. I spent time hanging out with Elijah and Connor. We watched some movies and generally just had a good time. We also spent some time on a couple of home improvement projects we've been working on for awhile.

I've cut back on this blog to one a week or every couple of weeks right now because I have so much other stuff going on. I am trying to be faithful to my prayer journal and Elijah's photo blog, trying to update those daily.

Today Monica and Elijah are sleeping in because Elijah was up most of the night last night. he house is normally not this quiet at 8:30 AM and I'm enjoying some uninterrupted writing time.

I'm going to work on marketing upcoming programs all morning and then spend the afternoon with Elijah so Monica can work on her projects later today before we have church tonight...!

That's it. My mother and father in law are coming to visit next month for Christmas and I'm very much looking forward to that...! YEA!

I'll post more as soon as I can...!

-Coach Sam

WHO is on your Christmas List this Year?

Oops... I was supposed to post this on my prayer journal blog... Oh well, we are getting pretty close to the holiday season. It probably won't hurt to leave it here...

In all my years (42) I've never really thought of 'Giving God a Gift' at Christmas. I have always thought about God and used his birthday as my reasoning for giving gifts to others.

Have you ever heard the phrase question: What do you get the person who has everything...?

Well, Cere answers that very question in his current series: Wise Men Still Bring HIM gifts.

Cere spoke two weeks ago about the number one gift we could and should try to bring God this season is His favorite thing: Souls. Wouldn't it be nice to bring someone to salvation this Christmas?

But what else could we bring HIM...? Well, Jesus is pure and he loves gifts of Purity!

Where is Your heart? What do you dwell on...? What are your fantasies? Are they impure, ungodly, and self, or Purity, Godly, and Kingdom minded?

It's our warfare to cast down imaginations and abstract things that stand against our knowledge of God and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ... 2 Cor 10:5

Those are two things I'd like to give God this Christmas: a pure heart and mind! But I'd like to really go all out on gifts to Jesus this season so this discussion is not over. (although I'm out of time this morning...)

More tomorrow.

Haven't posted in a while...

I'm a mess again. I'm barely keeping things together these days. I'd love to blog more but I can't prioritize an hour of blog time above more pressing matters. It's all I can do to keep up with my prayer journal right now. Beginning today, this blog is going to have to be reduced to a single weekly posting over each weekend. I'll pick it up again as the Lord blesses me with more time.

My major news at the moment is that I've been facing severe heal issues lately. It's never been more physically difficult to go out there and earn a living on the tennis court like it is right now. At the end of many days I can hardly walk. Off the court I'm constantly icing and elevating my feet.

I've seriously been contemplating a career change, or at least a 'sabbatical' in order to allow my body to recover from a life time of physical punishment on the hard tennis court.

Now I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me or anything like that. I'm just reporting the facts.

I know everything will work together for Good. (see today's prayer journal entry for more detail on that...)

In spite of all the seemingly insurmountable obstacles I'm facing, I'm still optimistic. I serve a God who is capable of anything. -He's a God of miracles. And I face a future as bright as the God I serve...!

That's Coach Sam's Life Today... Check in again for another update by Sunday, November 18.

My Favorite Cool, Refreshing Beverage These Days...

This is my favorite drink now. I do add a little organic sugar, but only enough to sweeten it a little. I think back to when I used to consume all sorts of bad drinks. I've given up all sodas and any alcoholic drinks. I'm really limiting the amounts and types of sports drinks I consume, too. I'm getting rid of all the excess sugars in my diet.

Oh, I'll have an occasional dessert here and there, but for the most part I'm watching my caloric intake very closely these days. It's very important that I lose weight, I haven't been under 200 pounds in over seven or eight years!

My family deserves a thinner and more healthy daddy and husband... -And I owe it to myself, too! Hopefully switching to mainly water and an occasional herbal tea for my fluid consumption will make a difference....

That's it for now... More tomorrow...

-Chadwell Out-

More Zoo Photos

We were fascinated by the under water views at the Houston Zoo... I hope we can go visit the zoo again soon...! The weather is so nice now...!

Busy Week...

I haven't posted here for a few days... It's just been too crazy. I had a tournament here last weekend and it took every ounce of the days preceding the event to make it a success.

I have a little breathing room right now and I'm trying desperately to get caught up and then scale back my activity... -Is that possible...? The bible says with man some things are impossible, but with God All things are possible. That's an encouraging statement...!

I need to claim that promise and live in it...! Fear, doubt, and anxiety do not produce winning situations and circumstances. Oh, did I mention that I was fearful, doubtful, or anxious...?

I'm not, really. But I am weary of walking in the mud for so long. I've been bogged down with 'busyness' for way too long now. It's time to step up onto solid ground. It's time to take a leap of faith...!

But how...? And what is faith, anyway...? Heavy Questions, I know...

I'm going to try to answer those questions in the next few days. Please check back...!

Who's my inspiration today...? My inspiration today is Dr Earl Brown. He has always been a positive influence in my life. I remember he would hit with me when I was a junior player and not really at his level of expertise. He would always have a kind word of encouragement for me.

Today, over twenty years later he is still a positive influence and presence in my life, attending my tennis programs and still offering words of encouragement and advice. He is one of the smartest men I know and he is not afraid to share his faith. Thanks for the Witness, Doc...!

Thursday Politics...

Thursday is my day to write about politics. I really don't like much of what I'm seeing in politics today. Especially on the world stage. Situations and circumstances are changing so fast one can hardly keep up with what's going on.

The American media doesn't report the Truth. I'm not sure who if any news source can ever be completely trusted. But honestly, I'm afraid to be too negative in this public forum. While I want to take a stand for what I believe in I also want to remain aware of my Christian witness.

This site might be monitored regularly now by the Democrats because I slammed the Governator a few days ago...

But anyway... My mission is to be faithful to my God: Jesus Christ. My mission is to honor, protect, and provide for my family. My mission is to effect those around me for the Kingdom of God. Everything else is just details...

My Favorite Season...

Is it fall yet...? I'm not sure when Autumn officially gets here but I'm sure enjoying the cooler temperatures.

It's kinda crazy how it happened, though. I remember walking Elijah in his stroller on Monday morning. It was warm and humid... Then all of a sudden, BAM... The skies darkened and a cold front blew in and the temperature dropped from about 78 degrees to the mid 50's in a matter of seconds....

Our mornings have been cool ever since then... It's actually in the 40's outside right now... We're contemplating building a fire in the fireplace... It's been a while since I blogged by firelight...

Oh well... Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love when it starts to cool down like it is now... I love wearing sweaters or sweatshirts...

Today... I've got a busy day lined up today. I need to work on my web sites a little and then spend time on the Gran Prix Tournament. I need to research all the entries, make draws and post times. That will keep me busy pretty much the whole morning.

I'm hoping to get everything wrapped up for the tournament by Noon so I can spend the afternoon with Elijah!

That's about it for now... More tomorrow...

Coach Sam

My Inspiration For Today...

My sweet little boy Elijah is my inspiration today. I have a responsibility to care for and raise this little bundle of joy. But it is much more than a responsibility. It is indeed a privilege and honor to have a son like Elijah. I have been blessed beyond measure with this young man. He is a precious gift from God who is my ultimate inspiration...!

Today I will do the best I can do with the situations and circumstances I am given...!

Coach Sam's Health Report: I still have a scratchy throat. But I'm on the mend. Yea...! There's lots to do today in the life of Coach Sam.

Hey 'Governator': What's going on here with SB 777...?

While I'll normally stay away from controversial topics, Coach Sam just can't stay silent on this one....

An international organization promoting families says California families have no choice but to abandon the public school system after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a new "anti-discrimination" bill into law, effectively making terms like "mom" and dad" obsolete.

World Congress of Families Global Coordinator Allan Carlson said the measure, SB 777, is "a blatant attack on the natural family orchestrated by the alternative-lifestyles lobby."

The exodus call had been issued just one day earlier by Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families. "We're calling upon every California parent to pull their child out of California's public school system." "The so-called 'public schools' are no longer a safe emotional environment for children. Under the new law, schoolchildren as young as kindergarten will be sexually indoctrinated and introduced to homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality, over the protests of parents, teachers and even school districts," he said.

The law at issue went through the California legislature as SB 777, and now bans in school texts and activities any discriminatory bias against those who have chosen alternative sexual lifestyles, Meredith Turney, legislative liaison for Capitol Resource Institute, said.

The World Congress noted the law prohibits "instruction" or "activity" that is perceived to "promote a discriminatory bias" against "gender," including cross-dressing and sex-change operations as well as "so-called sexual orientation."

"It will prohibit anything that suggests that the natural family – a man and a woman, married, with children – is normal or typical," said Carlson. "Thus, under this latest advance toward a Brave New World of polymorphous perversion, California textbooks will no longer be able to use words like 'mother and father' and 'husband and wife,' because they suggest that heterosexuality is the norm – even though that is manifestly the case, even in California."

The organization's statement called it "unbelievable" that teachers and students who oppose same-sex marriage and suggest homosexuality isn't innate, or disapprove of cross-dressing and sex-change operations, could be disciplined as "harassers," and students may use the restrooms designated for the gender with which they identify.

Yep... Home Schooling is looking more and more like the way to go these days...

More Later....

Status Report:

I'm feeling a little better this morning. (marginally) My poor wife is going down with a sore throat for the second time it seems, though. I pray we don't go through all this again next week!

Today is a big day for us... We have a home school camp today...! Even though I'm a little under the weather physically I'm really excited about everything that will transpire today.

I have tons of stuff to do today so I'll close for now. Hopefully I'll be up to posting some camp photos this evening...!

More later... Thanks for reading my blog!

-Coach Sam

Sick Day

Well, my body is telling me to take it easy today... My sore throat is better but I'm in no condition to teach my normal seven hour lesson schedule... I'm just resting today and trying to get as much administrative work done as I can and stay off my feet today. I may blog a little later today but for now I'm going back to bed!

As Elijah would say... Nite-Nite!

I'd Love to See More of This...

My Precious Little Baby has not been sleeping well lately. And as a result, neither have Mommy or Daddy...!

OK... I'm nursing a very sore throat today. It's going to be difficult to get very much productive done. I'll probably just try to take it easy and work from my computer most of the day and watch the weather... My voice is pretty shot for talking on the phone or coaching...

I've got a doctor's appointment this morning at 9:40 AM... Hopefully I'll get some antibiotics that will make me feel better. Then I can just go from there...

Yesterday...

I turned 42 yesterday... It was a good day. Unfortunately both Monica and I are fighting being sick... In fact I have all but completely lost my voice and very fatigued today. I'll be taking it easy this afternoon and I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel my mens drill this evening. There's a good chance it will rain anyway... We'll see.

Right this second Elijah and I are watching television together. We're watching Cailiou...

Yesterday after church we had lunch at Miyako in Pearland. It was good. I haven't had sushi in a long time....! We ended up eating out for dinner, too... (-Johnny Carinos for those interested)

When we got home I blogged a bit. I just found a new blog site: http://christianblog.com/

I really like it and will probably be recommending it a lot in the future...

Well as for my weight... I'm still working on it. Obviously I didn't worry too much about what I ate yesterday but I didn't really over do it...

I'm holding steady at 222.2 today.

My sis stopped by to visit for a few minutes on Saturday. That was a treat. She was just in town over night for a friend's wedding. It was good to see her.

My favorite thing about my birthday yesterday was just spending time with my sweet wife!

I remember the first birthday we celebrated together about six years ago... She made me this incredible german chocolate cheese cake... Wow...! That was a Mega-Cake...!

Fun with Daddy

Here's a fun photo of Elijah and Daddy on Elijah's Birthday (2 years old)

Today is my Birthday... 42...! Yea... I'm recovering from some bronchitis and not fully 100% healthy today.

I'm eagerly anticipating church today and then afterwards a group of us from church are going to Miyako for lunch... Yea... I finally get some Japanese food....!

Then, I'm not sure how the rest of the day will turn out... But hopefully it will be good and fun like the photo above...!

Oh that Elijah...!

Last night Elijah would not sleep. Monica and I were up with him off and on until nearly 4 AM...!

I know he'll sleep late this morning. -Monica too.... So that leaves me a little tired right now, but I an very much enjoying a quiet house. -I'm going to go in to the office early and work hard until about Noon, then I'm going to take Elijah off Monica's hands for the afternoon so she can work on stuff.

We're trying to get Monica's art career back on track...! YEA!

Let's see... On Wednesdays I write about something that is one of my favorites...

Well, October is one of my favorite months...! I love the fact that it finally starts to cool off in October. I like that my birthday is in October.... I enjoy the leaves beginning to change color.... Typically, October is one of the dryest months of the year... I used to enjoy baseball playoffs but I'm not into baseball this season.

OK so there it is... Now you know a little bit more about Coach Sam than you used to know. Now go out and have yourself a great day! sc

Fun Weekend at Newk's

Two weeks ago I traveled with a group of twenty juniors to Newk's Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels for the HPTA Junior Gran Prix State Tennis Championships. Pictured here with me are three team members who also participate in the Columbia Lakes junior development program: Emily Dellinger, Jill Moss, and Ryan Beene.

It was a fun weekend. There was lots of good tennis and we had a great time at the Saturday night party. I'll be posting the video of our Karaoke Competition rendition of Village People's YMCA. (Jill was our leader, and she's great with a microphone!

I missed my family that weekend but it was still a good time and I enjoyed getting to know some of the kids and parents better.

On Tuesdays I typically write about someone who inspires me. I think I may have written about this person before but I've been thinking about him a lot lately and one of my favorite bible characters is the Apostle Paul. Paul lived such a remarkable life. To put it in a lyrical perspective 'he was running a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction...' (Casting Crowns)

Before his life changed Paul was the greatest persecutor of Christians. Then God just knocked him to the ground and gave him a direct revelation about the error of his ways and then he became the most committed Christian and greatest Evangelist of all time. It is staggering to consider what all Paul went through for Christendom. He was beaten, stoned, flogged, imprisoned, left for dead, and shipwrecked not once, but three times. Ultimately, he was put to death but before he died he made a mark on this world that is still being felt today. He endured much for the Kingdom. I can't wait to meet Paul in person in Heaven one day!

Now what does the life of the Apostle Paul do for me...? Well, read any of his letters or books. They are over flowing with words of wisdom, insight, and inspiration.

I know I sort of got off track with my content today. You're thinking this sort of writing should be in my prayer journal. Well, it could have been, but I'm trying to blend the two blogs a bit these days.

The fact is on Tuesdays in 'Coach Sam's Life I write about people who have inspired me and today Saul of Tarsus, also known as the Apostle Paul gets the nod...!

Elijah's Tennis

Elijah loves hanging out at the tennis center. I will always have fond memories of Elijah running around the tennis courts with his racquet in his diapers....!

I'm fighting a bad sore throat today... I woudn't mind if it rained this afternoon. more later...sc

This is What Life's About...!

Ahh... The love of my sweet little boy...! Doesn't this photo just warm your heart...? What a beautiful gift from God...!

Elijah is really speaking a lot now. When he says 'I love You Daddy, or I love You, Mommy' it just makes us melt.

I love being a coach. I love interacting closely with others helping them learn to do things with their bodies and teaching them how to have confidence in themselves.

But the one thing I love the most is just spending time with my little baby boy, Elijah...!

Catching Up

Today is a 'catch up' day... Monica just loaded a bunch of photos onto my computer. To your left is a photo from Elijah's second birthday. We were just about to open presents and eat cake...

You have to check out some of the photos I posted on Elijah's Blog today, too. There is a really good one of Elijah and Monica.

So, as I wrote earlier, today I'm 'catching up' on stuff... I have so many little projects going on and events coming up that I hardly know where to begin. After I finish blogging here I'm going to go into the office this morning and work from my tennis shop. I have tons of paperwork to catch up on.

Depending on how Monica's feeling later today we might make a quick run into Houston to take care of a few errands...

I'm doing fairly well on my diet and exercise program. The weekend's are my biggest challenge. I'll weigh in on Sunday morning and give everyone a weight report then...!

More later... Bye for now... -Coach Sam

Missing the Boo Boo

I was gone all weekend to a junior tournament and was away from my family for over 48 hours... Boy that really stunk... I don't ever want to face that again...

I've got a very busy month ahead of me. But I do want to get back in to just working set hours and scheduling more time off. I was really good about that the previous few months. But here lately things have been getting out of control again.

Something has got to change. I can't keep living like this... I'm praying about it. I'm working on it. I know things will get better. -STARTING TODAY...!

OK, so my blog topic on Tuesdays is supposed to be Someone or Something that inspires me. Since I spent this past weekend at John Newcombe's Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels it is only fitting that I reminisce about my employment there when I was just breaking into the tennis profession.

Today's inspiration is Fast Phil Hendrie from John Newcombe's Tennis Ranch. I saw Phil this past weekend at Newk's. He was giving a private lesson on Sunday morning. It was the same old Phil as I remember him from the past 20 years. He was very energetic and very motivating. He knows how to get the best performance out of someone. I'm not nearly as talented as Phil is in that regard but I can definitely say that my association with Phil most definitely shaped and molded me as a professional coach. In fact, looking back on my stint at Newk's I have to say that overall it was a very rewarding experience that really influenced my career...!

Too Busy...

Wow... Where did the week go...? It's already Thursday...? Oh my... Well, I've been too busy again.

But I am happy to report that I've managed to drop a few pounds this week. I weighed in at 222.4 lbs yesterday morning... And I haven't had an oportunity to weigh in yet today...

I've been watching the tv reality show the Biggest Loser and that has inspired me alot. I've done a good job so far of keeping my portions small and spreading out my eating eavenly throughout the day in order to keep my metabolism running 'hot'.

I didn't exercize too much yesterday because of my administrative workload, but today will be a full eight hours of lessons on the court so it's good that I'm starting off the day completely 'fresh'.

Well, I've sort of neglected my daily blog topics this week but that's going to happen from time to time.

The person I would like to write about this week who has greatly inspired me in my life is muscian Rich Mullins. Rich was one of Christian Music's greatest song writers and his life ended tragically a few years ago in an automobile accident. He ws a very strong Christian and lived his life and used his talents for the Glory of God. I still think about Rich and listen to his music all the time..

One of my favorite lyric lines from Rich was: 'The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the Giver of all Good Things....'

I'm too busy these days. And I'm afraid my busyness stems mainly from 'the stuff of earth'.

Today I want my 'busyness' to be about 'God's Business'.

Coach Sam Working On a New Level of Fitness: STARTING TODAY...!

This photo was taken a couple of months ago. I'm not sure what I weighed there. Somewhere around 230 pounds... I actually got down to about 216 pounds last month, but last night I weighed in at 226 again. Of course, that was immediately after eating a big dinner meal.

I haven't weighed in this morning. I will in a few minutes.

But I am starting a new life style today. I have to. I can't live in this condition much longer. I'm just not healthy.

My feet hurt all the time. And my job requires me to be on my feet alot. I'm about to be 42 years old pretty soon. If I don't do something about my weight, I don't think I'll even be able to walk in the next few years...!

Because of my weight I snore very loud and it makes it difficult for my wife to get a good night's sleep. I see people around me dropping dead of heart attacks and they are in better shape than me. -God has spared me so far, but I don't want to take advantage of God's Grace in that regard any longer.

I've seen my Lord God and Savior work so many miracles in my life, there's no reason to believe that HE can't or won't help me with my weight.

So With God's Help: I will change my lifestyle. I will eat smaller portions. I will eat on a regular schedule. I will exercise more. I will drink more water. I will work on my flexibility.

Please understand that I am unable to accomplish this on my own. I've tried before, many times and have moderate success. a few years ago I got down to 200, but I've always balooned back up. This time it's different.

Praise the Lord: GOD IS IN CONTROL...!

I'm going to be writing about weight control for the next few days, weeks, months, -however long it takes to change my life. I think blogging about it every single day will help me get my mind set right. I normally blog first thing in the morning and I believe there's no better way to start my day than with a lifestyle pep talk...!

If there's anyone reading my journal who would also like to lose a few pounds, let's do it together. We can encourage each other and lose weight at the same time while giving glory to God...!

OK, today's weigh in is.... 225.8...!

-Ouch! No wonder my feet hurt...!

If I had time to embed a sound byte you would be able to hear the Darth Vader theme Music playing in the background...

OK, so there it is... Please Pray for me in this endeavor. I really do consider this a matter of life or death.

-Coach Sam

Remembering Henry the Cat

Today I remember my favorite Cat of all time: Henry. I don't have photo of Henry available this morning but will scan one in this evening.

He was a great cat. He was a stray I found at the tennis courts in Bay City back around 1992. I took him home and raised him from a starving Kitty into a robust, King of the Jungle. He ended up weighing over 20 lbs and was a big grey tabby with tiger stripes, such a beautiful cat! He lived with me until November of 2000. He disappeared around thanksgiving that year and I think that someone 'cat-napped' him...!

He was an extremely friendly cat with the best personality of any cat I have ever had. ( Although Peepers is pretty close....)

I have many, many, fond memories of Henry and he was a member of Windsor Court in Friendswood, and Bay Area Racquet Club in Clear Lake on two different occasions.

His nick-name was 'Henry Topspin'....!

Ahhh.... Pets bring so much happiness and joy into our lives. And Henry will live in my memory forever...!

A Big Inspiration to Me...

Well obviously I haven't posted and article on this site for a few days... Life has been a blur since this past Thursday when the tropical storm did not come in... Wow... It seems that every day is HUGE. I mean I've always got something BIG that I need to get done or I'm behind schedule on. Of course, today is no exception... As soon as I get done here I've got to dive into the rest of my day.

I completely skipped blogging yesterday. ON PURPOSE... I just wasn't in a writing mood, nor did I have time...

I'm doing better today, though. Today is Tuesday and I write about someone who inspires me on Tuesdays.

I'd like to feature the Apostle Paul today. Besides Jesus, if there was one person I could go back in history and meet and spend time getting to know them better, it would be the apostle Paul.

Paul had an incredible, remarkable life. It was a life of dramatic changes from his old self as a persecutor of Christians to becoming God's chief evangelist to the gentiles.

Paul was a great writer. I love to read his letters to the early churches and those he was mentoring in the faith. Paul faced great hardship with grace. He was an man of earnest prayer. And Paul did not 'beat around the bush'. He told it like it was. He got straight to the point.

Any way, the Apostle Paul of the new testament bible is my featured source of inspiration today. If you'd like to know more about the Apostle Paul, email me for some of my favorite quotes from Paul. Or read the bible...!

Tomorrow: My Favorite Pet...!

Thursday:Tropical Storm Day..!

Well, today turned out to not be a tropical storm day after all... And I'm heading out to teach lessons in a few minutes so I'll post more this evening...!

more later.... sc

Two Turkeys

Here's a photo of either this past Thanksgiving or Christmas, I can't remember which...



I've been saving this photo on my desk top for some time now. I name it two turkeys which I think is very appropriate. I published this photo because on Wednesdays I'm supposed to write about a favorite of mine... I was just thinking recently how much I like smoked turkey and was wondering why I wait until the holidays to enjoy it...? I was going to smoke one last weekend, but instead I think I'll do it this weekend.... Mmmm.... I can't wait...!

By the way, this past Monday I was just too busy to publish a journal post so I'd like to record a childhood memory here this morning. I was recently checking out my old AOL Journal and noticed that at one time I was going through my school years one by one and chronicling some of the most notable events. I left off on Seventh Grade.

Seventh Grade was significant because it was my first year to go to public school after attending Holy Cross all my life. Over all I found seventh grade boring and not very challenging. I had nearly a 100 average in all my classes that year. I had my first crush that year on Kim Kennedy. My favorite teacher was Barbara Ryan, Social Studies/Texas History. She was very positive and encouraging. My least favorite teacher was Coach Claude Tice. He was rude and immature.

I'll come back soon and post links to my aol posts from the previous school years so they are all here on blogspot and easy to find...

Well, that's it for today... See You next time... Coach Sam

Thoughts on 911

Today I'm feeling a little under the weather emotionally. September 11 does that to me. I can't help but think about how all the lives that were lost and the veen greater number of lives that were forever altered by the trade center bombings.

I read in a news post today that Bin Laden made a video proclaiming the 'martyrs' of that event as patriotic heroes.... Sorry, but I can only see them as murderers. Isn't there a better way to disagree with someone than to fly an airplane into a crowded building...?

Wow..! What a Match Last Night...!

Andy Roddick puts away a volley in last night's match against World number one. Roger Federer.


Roddick didn;t budge one inch the first two sets.... But Federer prevailed in the end....

To be continued his evening...

My Favorite Way To Relax

Ten years ago if you had asked me how I liked to relax I would say it would be laying on the couch reading a good Michael Chrighton novel.

Now, I would have to say that my favorite way to relax during the week is my quiet time blogging early in the morning when the whole house is still asleep. And for sure one of my favorite ways to relax on the weekends is to spend quality time with the family.

ButNothing beats spending quality time with Elijah...!

Tennis Role Model: Bjorn Borg

One of my favorite players of all time is Bjorn Borg. He was/is truly an amazing tennis player. Since today is the day of the week that my blog topic is to be about someone who inspires me, Bjorn Bog was one of the leading players to really get me hooked on tennis.

When I was just getting interested in tennis, Bjorn Borg was the world's number one player. He dominated tennis for a number of years and is still regarded today as one of the greatest to ever play the game. Borg had a fierce rivalry with John McEnroe and their rivalry was one of the greatest tennis rivalries ever, much like Federer-Nadal today.

He was calm, quiet, and never showed emotion on the court. He was always in control. He was always a good sport. Whenever he lost a match, which wasn't often, He always gave credit to his opponent for playing well. He never made excuses, whined, or argued.

I really can't think of many better role models for sportsmanship on the the court than Bjorn Borg.

Labor Day...

This photo wasn't taken on Labor Day, but it is a photo of a couple of workers. As I recall, Elijah was helping me in the yard the day this photo was taken.

Today is Labor Day. You know I've almost 43 years old now and I've lived through quite a few Labor Days. But what is Labor Day...? What does it mean to me...?

I know it's a holiday. But what is the origin of Labor day...? Well, here's a quick link that explains it's history.....

Apparently it started back in 1882 and was a holiday created to honor the achievements of the American worker. It is also considered a symbolic end to summer. Hmmm.... I didn't know that. In fact, I found lots of other interesting information on the wickipedia link.

For me, I don't have too many specific memories of Labor Day. Since I make a living in the tennis industry it's always pretty much meant a day or weekend of tennis for me. I'm either working a tennis event, teaching lessons, or both.

I do have some fond memories of visiting the US Open Tennis Championships in New York on Labor Day. But that was many years ago. Now the USTA is so money hungry that it sells so many tickets to the open that a person can't even comfortably walk around any more.

Today, I'm teaching my regular lessons schedule at my club if the weather cooperates...

I'll probably grill some sausage for lunch and watch the Open on TV this afternoon before going back for lessons this evening.

That's my day today. And this is my life...!

-Coach Sam

Sunday Night and Chillin at the OPEN....

Well, today was a pretty decent day. Church this morning was outstanding. Then we went in to Houston for Lunch at one of our favorite Thai restaurants. It was Connor's turn to pick our Sunday family activity and he wanted to go bowling. That turned out to be pretty fun, except that bowling always makes my arm sore.

We came home and I cooked 'breakfast for dinner', one of my favorites. Now we're just hanging out watching the US Open on TV.

I can honestly say that it has been a relaxing day. Yay...!

My goal for next year though is to be in NEW YORK for the Open and experience it in person...!

Labor Day Weekend

This will be an ongoing post throughout the day. I was up most of the night cooking a brisket for my tennis event today. I'm about to head out the door for that social right now.

I did spend a good deal of time last night updating my website: chadwelltennis.com. That's my major project for the weekend, especially if the rain forecast holds true to prediction. But If it's not too rainy then I plan to work in the yard a bit, too...!

Well, that's it for now.... More later this afternoon! SC

The Weekend Outlook:

Today starts the Labor Day Weekend. I've got a lot of work to do at the tennis shop this morning. I may have a late afternoon lesson, but I'm going to try to not work all day. I want to spend some time with the family this afternoon. Later today I plan to start smoking a brisket for lunch tomorrow.

Saturday I have a tennis event in the morning and a few privates in the afternoon. Sunday is wide open, and although Monday is a holiday, I plan to teach a regular lesson schedule in the afternoon and evening.

I'll probably try to watch a little tennis on television this weekend. (The US Open).

I'm hoping for and looking forward to a nice family weekend. My Sweet Bride pictured with me above is a little under the weather right now with a sore throat. Hopefully she'll feel better as the weekend unfolds...

Friday is a day for me to write about 'Family'. -I love my family. There's nothing more important than the well-being of my wife and boys. Sometimes it's difficult to prioritize my time. And I think this is a problem that many a daddy has faced through out history.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in 'work' justifying that if I don't work more then my family's needs will not be met. This is not easy for me but I'm learning to spend less time working and spend more quality time with my family.

I don't want Elijah to have more 'things' and less daddy. I don't want Connor to grow up with only one parent.

Now I do respect that my dad provided an existence for the family as I was growing up. But in so doing, he did deny me any kind of quality relationship with him. Now that I'm a dad myself, I see very clearly the mistakes my daddy made. And there is good that has come from my dad's mistakes: they serve as an example to me to do things differently.

I don't know exactly how I'll get all the bills paid this coming month, but I'm leaving that up to God. God's in the miracle business.

Sam and Ken

Here's a photo from back in February 2007 during the TTA-TPTA Awards Banquet at the Woodlands Conference Center. The gentleman to my right is Ken Coulter. Ken is responsible for the founding of the Brazoria County Tennis Association.

Wow, look how full my face was back then... I've lost nearly 30 pounds since February.

to be continued....

Aug 30 Update: I got too tired to continue last night... I did decide to abandon my 'political' topic... -That's just not 'Me'.

Seeing that picture does encourage me to continue working hard on my weight loss. I've sort of plateaued in that area. I haven't gained a lot of weight back, but I've sort of been holding steady in the 'two-teens'....

Wednesday: My Favorite Day of the Work Week

I like Wednesdays best of all the days of the work week. Right now it's my least full lesson day and I can always count on Wednesdays to get caught up on stuff. And it's a short work day too because of Church. -And I really like going to church...

So there it is. I've fulfilled my obligation to write about something that is a favorite of mine...

Tomorrow's theme is supposed to be something political but I'm not really having peace about that topic. While I'm not afraid to defend what I believe in, I think that I'm looking for trouble going out on a limb every Thursday with some kind of potentially controversial topic.

So we'll see. I may change my Thursday topic to something else... I welcome any suggestions.

OK, so this will be a short post today... If you want something of more substance please check out Monica's post from yesterday, or my prayer journal. Until next time.... Bye for now...

Tennis Ministry at the US OPEN

The photo above is of Pastor Bob Kraft and family, Christmas 2006

The US Open is under way. This will be the third straight year that I have not attended our country's national tennis championships. I miss it. The Open has been a big part of my life for over twenty years. Hopefully I'll make it back next year.

I'd love to go not just for the tennis action, but to meet up with the man in the photo above. Pastor Bob Kraft is a tennis pro who ministers to other tennis pros. His mission is to spread the gospel to pro tour players and to put a bible in the hands of every tennis professional.

Here's a man who has a tremendous passion for the Lord and is living his love and passion day in and day out serving the Lord with his unique skills and talents.

He shares his life, his love for tennis, and his heart for ministering to ATP and WTA pros on this website: http://tennisministry.org/

Since today is the day of the week that I normally write about someone who inspires me it is appropriate that I feature Pastor Bob Kraft. I love how he has meshed his passion for tennis and the Lord.

I want to increase public awareness of Pastor Bob's Ministry, especially within the tennis community. He is an inspiration to Christians everywhere and particularly to Christians in the tennis industry.

If you'd like to send Pastor Bob a word of encouragement you can email him at Kraft@tennisministry.org

Please pray for Pastor Bob, his family, and his ministry.

Connor's Starting High School Today!

Wow... I can't believe Connor is going in to High School today. Those Junior High years went by very quickly...! By next summer Connor will be turning sixteen and will be taking driver's ed and getting a car... That's absolutely nuts...!

Today's Journal Feature is Childhood Memories. I'd like to recall my freshman days at High School.... I was a freshman at Bay City High School in 1980.

I remember being nervous. For some reason I missed Freshman orientation and I was scared about getting lost. Luckily I was involved in summer band camp so I did have some familiarity with the layout of the school prior to the first day. The first day was very exciting. I felt very grown up going to high school. I wasn't girl crazy but I was beginning to notice girls and there were sure quite a few of them running around...!

I was already really in to tennis back then and between tennis and band my schedule was completely full. We lived just about six or seven blocks from school so I walked most days.

My best friends back then were Kenneth Davis and Jeffrey Dziuk. My most memorable Freshman teachers were Miss Becky Walters, my English Teacher and Mrs McSwain, my Computer Science Teacher. We had Commodore 640's back then. Isn't that crazy...? Computers were just being invented back when I was in high school. There was no such thing as a cell phone or i-pod. There were no hand held video games. How in the world did we get by...?

My Family

This photo of my sweet family was taken Mother's Day 2007

Before I get any negative feedback from my post yesterday I want to do some damage control. I didn't mean to come across so negative towards public school or kids who attend public school.

I've been working with home school families in my tennis business for many years now and I just prefer that kind of culture for Elijah. Now, we have given Connor a choice regarding what he wants to do and he chose public school which is probably the best route for him at this time. When Elijah is older we will give him an option, too.

Today's blog topic is 'family'. That's a big and broad topic. Family is important to me. I'm looking for a different family life culture than the one I grew up in. Now I'm not going to sit here and write about a negative childhood experience. It wasn't horrible. But we just weren't 'close'. I know that there are no 'perfect' parents out there. My parents definitely were not perfect, and neither am I. But the main parenting resource I have been drawing from is my own memory of how my parents handled things.

Well, yesterday Monica and I visited one of the pastors at our church and were really given some excellent Godly advice and suggestions about our parenting skills and strategy. I am very excited to implement the suggestions. We started last night with a good family discussion and we are definitely off to a good start...! YEA!

I mentioned above that family is important to me. Let me rephrase that: It's the most important thing to me! Right now, 'Family' is my mission field. God's not going to work in my life in any other area until I get this first assignment right!

Rylee The Dog

Oh that Rylee is such a character...! Sometimes I love her and sometimes I hate her... She can just be too hyper at times...! But she is a very sweet and loving dog at heart.

Today my blog topic is something political... Last week's topic: NAFTA, didn't provoke any comments or discussion. Today my topic is Home Schooling.

Monica and I plan to Home School Elijah. I'm kinda excited to be the principal of 'Chadwell Pre-K'...! You know, The bible says We are called to be in the world but not of it. And we are not for one second considering placing Elijah in the world of public school. And honestly, our experience with private, Christian schools has not been all that satisfactory, either.

We don't think that anyone is going to put the same kind of quality time and effort into the development of our son like Monica and I will.

And I'm not slamming public school teachers. I do believe that there are some outstanding individual teachers in the public school system, I know several. None the less, we are planning to keep Elijah close by and will train him up ourselves...!

My Sweetie

Well, today is Wednesday and it's the day I write about a 'favorite' of mine... Monica is my Favorite Sweetie...! Well, she's my ONLY sweetie.. But still, she's my favorite. I've known Monica for just about going on seven years now and she has captivated me from the very beginning. She's an awesome wife, mom, and best friend...!

The Outlook For Today, Aug 22, 2007: I'll be working from the pro shop most of the day. I've got to finalize the Gran Prix Master's Tournament this morning and I've got a few private lessons this afternoon. Then We have church tonight. That's it for today...!

Someone I Admire....

Well I missed yesterday's post... I was too busy. So I'm getting on track first thing this morning to start my day.

I think I'll combine the 'someone I admire' topic with a childhood memory. I admire a gentleman named Bob McCulley. He used to organize Sunday afternoon tennis socials in Bay City back in the late 70-s and early 80's when I was growing up. He was always very encouraging to me. I remember that he took me to my first professional tennis match in Houston when I was in high school. I remember that he wanted the tennis courts to look nice so he was always picking up trash and one time he even brought his own edger/trimmer and edged the side walks when whoever was responsible for that task was not keeping up with it.

I remember that everyone in town perceived him to be more 'lucky' than skilled in his tennis game.. In fact, to this very day when ever a tennis shot just barely hits the net and falls over to the other side I still think of it as a 'McCulley'!

We had fun playing tennis together. His encouragement to me as a young player is one reason I am where I am today...

A Familiar Pose

This was me back in Februay. You can't see under the blanket, but I have either a heating pad or an ice bag on my knee. Elijah is enjoying an episode of the Wiggles. And we are covered by a Wiggles blanket... This is a comfortable, cozy scene.

I'll have to get back to this blog a little later today or this evening because I'm running a bit late to preare for my trip to League City this morning.

I've got a busy full day ahead of me rain or shine... ( I hope it shines, though...)

Thursday:Tropical Storm Day..!

It's raining today. I doubt I'll get on the court much if any...! But that's ok I've got plenty to do right here at home. My body could use the rest anyway. I'm going to blog a bit, update my websites, send and receive some email, and make some phone calls. Later this morning I may make a run down to Galveston to pick up some t-shirts for the Gran Prix tournament this weekend. That's my day!

Today's photo is from Elijah's Birthday. He loves his new computer 'laughtop'.

Now, since today is Thursday my journal topic of the day is 'Something Political'.

Today's Political Topic: NAFTA

Let me start out by saying that I don't consider myself a political person. But there are a few topics I do feel rather strongly about. One topic that I am rather concerned about is NAFTA. Unfortunately, don't know enough specific to make a lengthy post about NAFTA. What is NAFTA, anyway...? NAFTA stands for the The North American Free Trade Agreement.

As I stated earlier I am not well versed on this topic but what I have heard concerns me. I may show my ignorance here and if anyone would care to post and set me straight on the subject I ask that you please do so. (gently)

Basically my understanding of NAFTA is that it's ultimate purpose is to open the borders between Mexico and Canada, thus blending our three countries into one. I know that's a pretty broad interpretation, but is that very far from the truth...? It sounds like it would be a good deal for Mexico and Canada but not for the United States.

Can anyone give me their condensed of NAFTA, and in their opinion is it good or bad for the US...?

Here's a link I found about NAFTA... I've only briefly looked over that link but it looks like it is NOT in favor of NAFTA, either....

Right this moment, I oppose NAFTA, but again, I am not well versed on the topic. Anyway, one thing for sure... This is a VERY political topic. I hope I get some comments on this one. Perhaps we can discuss NAFTA next Thursday, too...

That's it for this morning... Until next time... Bye for Now....!

One of Coach Sam's Favorite Ways To Relax: Cooking Bar B Que

Cooking Bar B Que really is a fine art. I'm getting better and better at cooking ribs... There are no complaints at this dinner table...!

Prepping the meet is important. And coming up with the perfect rib rub is something that I'm forever experimenting with...

Getting the smoke right is another challenge. I like to use apple wood for my ribs better than mesquite. But more important than the smoke is the temperature. Maintaining a constant 185-200 degrees for hours can be a challenge on a charcoal grill, but I'm a traditionalist and think that REAL Bar B Que has to be made from charcoal...!

Nothing Beats tender, meat falling off the bones, smoky, spicy, pork ribs...! MMMmmm....!

Well, that's my journal entry for today... I enjoyed it and I hope you did, too. Tomorrow's topic will be something political... See you then...!

Coach Sam

New Blogging Topic Schedule Today..! Read On

Daddy and Elijah, January 2007-

Sorry, this photo has nothing to do with my blog topic today. I just wanted to publish this photo because it is one of my favorites. And I have been thinking lately, who am I really writing this journal for any way...? Well Elijah, of course. I want Elijah to be able to go back to these journal entries and know exactly who his daddy was. I want him to know what was important to me and what I stood for. It's easy to forget stuff. Here I am only 42 years old (almost 43) and I have to strain for childhood memories. !

Honestly, this blog is for me too. Who knows, if I live to be 82 will I have trouble remembering my life at 42...? Maybe. -So if I ever get Alzheimer's disease then perhaps this journal can be of assistance to me then...

OK... Here's the weather report:

Wow, it's been hot lately. We had a very mild summer up to this point but it's been in the 100's the last few afternoons...


I've got a pretty full schedule today. I'm about to head to the tennis center for a few lessons and then I have a break in the early afternoon, then back on court this afternoon for a 4 hour block of lessons... I'll definitely be ready for a shower after that!

I've been thinking about blogging lately and I don't want to get into a routine of just writing down my schedule for the day. I think I'm going to try to figure some topics for each day. How's this sound...?

Mondays... I'll write about someone who inspires me.

Tuesdays... I'll write about a childhood memory.

Wednesdays...I'll write about something that is a favorite of mine.

Thursdays...I'll write about something political.

Fridays... I'll write something about my family.

Saturday and Sunday... This will be potluck... Sometimes I don't write on the weekend...!


OK so today, I'll write about a childhood memory.

One of the favorite houses I remember living in growing up in Bay City was 2912 6th street. There were several cool features about that house I remember:

• It had a finished attic that was like a spare room...


• It had a detached garage with a small workshop in the back.


• There was a big shade tree next to the garage in the back yard.
  

And the best thing was that there was a pomegranate tree on the east side of the house. it actually belonged to the property next to us (I think), but I know I ate a lot of pomegranates growing up as a kid!

That's a cool memory! Neat, huh? Now don't you think you know Coach Sam a little better?

I hope you like this new blog topic format... I'm excited about it...

OK, tomorrow I'll write about my favorite past time... Bar B Que...! -You don't want to miss it!

Connor Returns...!

Connor comes home Monday at around 4 PM... He's been gone almost a month...

Church was interesting this morning. We got up early and went to the Truth Project then we served in the nursery during the second service. Now that was an experience... There were about fifteen 2 year olds for Monica, Myself, and 'Mindy'. It was kind of crazy at times but over all it went well. Elijah was a bit jealous at times. He did not want Monica or myself holding or paying attention to anyone else.

We spent the afternoon and evening preparing for Connor's return. He's going to have a newly remodeled room... Yea...!

It's about 10 PM... I'm going to try to get to sleep early tonight so I can get up early in the morning and dive into my day.... More tomorrow.... -Coach Sam

Quick Sunday Morning Blog: Hanging Out With Elijah

My Sweet, Smiling Little Boy!

Elijah and I are watching the Mickey Mouse Club this morning while Monica is getting ready for church... I have only got a few short minutes before I have to get ready for church myself so I thought I'd get a little blogging in...

Yesterday was pretty busy. I had lessons in the morning, then I helped Monica get Connor's room ready for some contractors who were supposed to come install new carpet in Connor's room. Unfortunately the contractor did not come and it threw our whole day's schedule planning off...

That's the second time in a row that the carpet installation fell through.... Agghhh... How frustrating...! I'm very disappointed in humanity right now. We're under the gun to get that work completed before Connor gets home.... I can't see how it will work out at this point but I know that it will...!

Today after church we're going to run some errands and then just stay close to home this afternoon. -Perhaps I'll blog some more this evening...!

That's it for now... More later!

-Coach Sam

Friday Evening Blog Time...?

This is kind of a rare evening. Monica is running an errand, Connor is out of town, and Elijah is napping... I have some quiet time on my hands...

I thought I'd kick back and relax this evening. I still have some work I could do, but I'm slowly getting caught up. There's always tomorrow for work, right...? I did put in a full day today. So I;m nit feeling convicted about it or anything...

It was a good day. I got up early (3 AM) and blogged in my prayer journal, updated my website, and got caught up on processing entries for the HPTA Gran Prix next weekend. I left the house by 6:15 AM in rder to get to League City for a home school camp. The camp was well attended and went very smoothly, by the way...

After the camp I ran a few errands, then headed home where I worked in the office until about 5 PM. Monica has been really busy lately doing artwork and a few home improvement projects. We've almost finished remodeling Connor's room. I say 'We' loosely because I really haven't personally contributed too much time hands on time to that project, but i did provide lots of back up support watching Elijah while Monica and my brother John did the dirty work...!

Tonight we normally hang out as a family and watch the sci fi channel. I've been halfway watching 'Dr Who' as I compose this post, but Im not really into that series this year.

Grapes...

Where are all the grapes stored in our house...? -Elijah's Cheeks...!

I know this photo could have gone in Elijah's Journal, but I was editing photos last night and this one was just too cute to pass up...!

Wow... I have a busy day today... There's a lot of interesting stuff going on that I need to comment on but it will have to wait for this evening...!

More later.... Coach Sam

Celebrating Four Years With My Bride...!

Here's a photo of my sweet wife and I celebrating our Four Year Wedding Anniversary. (June 28) We enjoyed a delicious meal at the Columbia Lakes Country Club Restaurant that evening and our server 'Gary' took our picture...! -Ahhh... What a happy, good looking couple!

8/7/2007... I have a lite day of lessons today and will be working from the pro shop office most of the day until my afternoon lessons... I'm glad it is a lite day physically because Elijah woke up this morning at 3 AM and it's already been a pretty long day!

The Days of Eating Corn While Sitting in Mommy's Lap...

This photo was taken at the grand opening of the tennis shop in May 2007. We had boiled shrimp, corn, and potatoes. The corn was Elijah's favorite as you can see...

8/6/2007 -I had a great weekend of rest and family time and am ready to dive in to the week. And that's good because I have a very busy week ahead... There's not a lot of time to blog this morning. I need to get to work...! Bye for now... More tomorrow morning... -Coach Sam

The Weekend

One of my favorite things to do is to just spend time with elijah and just 'Play'. Here's a photo of me helping him learn how to ride his new tricycle. Elijah loves his Bike...! Check out more of Elijah's Bike Photos on his own blog, The Days of Elijah.

Today I'm teaching tennis lessons until 12 Noon. Then if no more lessons materialize I'll be spending some time in the afternoon getting caught up in my office. After that I'm heading home to relax with some yard work... -Hey, I ENJOY Yardwork...!

I'm also going to cook something on the grill... Maybe my favorite, RIBS..! And I'm also going to log in lot's of quality Elijah and Mommy time. Sounds like a pretty good day, doesn't it...?

Gabriel

Gabriel is the newest addition to our family. He adopted us a little over a year ago. He is a sweet kitty although he meows a lot at night and wakes us up at times. He loves Hobbes, our oldest cat. It's neat to watch their relationship.

Cats are pretty cool, I think. And we've got the 'coolest' cats around town...!

8/03/07... Today I have a long day on the teaching court. I'm about to pack up and head for League City for a home school camp, then I've got private lessons scheduled throughout the day back at Columbia Lakes. I'm looking forward to relaxing at home this evening with my family...!

Thanks for reading my blog. Some days it will be more lengthy than others but today is one of those days where every moment is precious and I can't spare any extra time here because I have to post in Elijah's Blog before I pack up and head out.

Bye for now.... -Coach Sam

Looking Back on Mother's Day, May 2007

I'm so far behind on my blogging right now... I'm just now going back through some old photos and posting now what I should have done months ago...

This past Mother's day we took Monica to a nice, country home style cooking restaurant in Wharton, Texas. We went to the same restaurant the year before and were so impressed with it that we decided to make it a tradition. The 2007 Mother's Day spread was more impressive than the year before. In the photo above Elijah is finishing off some home made chocolate pie... MMMMmmmm... Yummy, Yummy...!

I recognize what an awesome mommy that my sweet Monica is. (-She's not a bad wife, either...!) She's a very gifted, talented, caring ,compassionate individual and I am greatly blessed to be her husband...!

I love you, Monica...! I hope this photo brings back some fond memories for You.

-Love Always, Sam