No Man Is Poor Who Has Friends

It wasn't the first time, but a few weeks ago, I compared my experience at my final KHS Golf Awards to that of George Bailey from the ever so famous "It's a Wonderful Life." Former golfers, friends, and family made me feel like what Harry Bailey said about his beloved brother, "A toast to my big brother George: The richest man in town!" It was a wonderful ceremony, and end to my golf coaching career. Little did I know that the parallel to this perennial favorite was only beginning.

Rewind a few weeks. I am on a bus on the way to Moscow, Idaho, home of the Moscow Invitational Golf Tournament, when I got an email from my great friend Laurie Roberts. It referenced a sermon from Ralph Lowe so I immediately began listening. The message was about having Faith and God honoring His believers in ways beyond our understanding or belief. Little did I know how applicable this sermon would be to my life. 

I am the Technology Coordinator of the Kellogg School District. I came into this job by being the new guy on the block at Kellogg Middle School when networked computers were making their initial push into the classroom. (Yes, I'm fully aware that computers have been in the classroom much longer than my teaching tenure, hence my "networked" description.) I started out as a teacher, and I moved into Educational Technology through the years.  I love my job, and as of the last 6-8 months, I've been able to really begin to focus on the parts of Educational Technology that matter to me the most, classroom technology. 

Though a series of connections, I learned that a new position had been posted at the Boise School District, "Instructional Technology Manager. " This looked very intriguing, and also too good to be true. Upon further investigation, I learned that it was indeed as advertised, so I promptly applied. Like George Bailey, despite growing up in my home town, inside I have longed to "shake the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm gonna see the world!" Well, Boise anyway. Just like George Bailey, I have been in my home town most of my life and I am acquainted with a majority of the residents of the Silver Valley! This is not a complaint, and like George, I love most parts of tiny Kellogg, Idaho, but I also long to get out and see more things and get access to other experiences. I've traveled to Boise for several conferences and always comment about how much I like the "big-little town" feel of Boise. 

Weeks later, I landed an interview. Days later I was offered the job. Just like that. At that point the elation also turned into one of the most suffocating, pressure packed decision making sequences I have experienced. This was it. This was my dream job, and it was in the city I had so enjoyed many times prior. It was a bump in pay, and also in a school district that had as bright of a future as any in America. Better yet, it fit perfectly with the sermon I had heard months before, and included many dear friends of mine that lived in the area. Perfect story, right? 

Well, I invite you to go back to Bedford Falls for one last trip. No, I'm not referring to losing any money, or jumping off any bridges, but rather other circumstance for George  and Mary that keep them close to home.  Amy and I left no stone unturned as we carefully weighed every scenario and option in making the move. It was both exciting and stressful, bittersweet, if you will. We both swung from one end of the spectrum to the other, each of us criss-crossing between a leap of faith, and pragmatic reasoning. Ultimately a couple key factors brought us to the same realization... that we should stay in Bedford F... er, uh Kellogg. It was heart wrenching, yet we knew it was the right decision. 

Would God have blessed us and honored our decision if we had chosen to take the leap and moved to Bosie? We believe so. But because of our reasons, we just felt it in our hearts to stay in Kellogg. Our decision, was a relief of sorts, but it was not easy. However, the process brought us closer together on many things, including a renewed attitude of resolve and thankfulness for the exact place and scenario God has us in right now. I work in a wonderful community and school district. I have an outstanding bunch of co-workers and I think we do a pretty good job of cultivating technology in our classrooms and schools. As one of my co-workers said last week when discussing the decision I was facing, "as much as we want them to, nothing stays the same forever." Such wise words! 

Will the dream job be available again, some day in the future? Our faith, and our beliefs tell us yes. I choose to believe that God was saying, as my good friend Laurie illustrated, "'try this on for size, and see how it feels.' It may be that this is just a chance to get a new perspective on the life you already have (not that I think you need an attitude adjustment)." Until then, we will be thankful and say thanks for "you old wonderful Kellogg, Idaho!"  

My Hometown

Today, the 18th of May is Saturday. Additionally it is the day of the Annual Elks Roundup Parade. It's a rite of Spring in Kellogg, and rain or shine, it is a signal that Summer is right around the corner. Today I, and a few of my golfers got to ride on a firetruck to celebrate and recognize our recent State 3A Championship, Kaceelyn Pouttu's 4th consecutive Individual Title, and our boys had a pretty successful season too. I'd like to thank the Fire Dept. and Chief Dale Costa for letting our teams ride on a firetruck in the parade. We were honored to get to do that. Nonetheless, the whole parade experience, as well as walking through uptown Kellogg before and after the parade, really got me thinking. 

Now, before I start, I need to establish a few things. I'm not judging anyone in this post, but merely making some observations. I have friends and family all over Kellogg and the Silver Valley. Ultimately I realize that behind every situation is a person or group of people that are most likely doing the best they can with the limited resources available. Also, I know the economy is in the tank, and I know the economy in the Silver Valley is even worse. Regardless, there are a few things that really give me concern regarding my home town. 

As I walked up McKinley and then Main St. before the parade today, I was really taken aback at the amount of debris, weeds, and junk that lined the streets. It was really obvious and a tad embarrassing actually. Now, remember, my post is not meant to be judgmental, as I know city resources are surely limited. But would it be overly difficult for each business owner uptown to take a push broom and spruce up the street in front of their business(es) and maybe even get the adjacent spots as well? Some business even had huge chunks of metal and wood right out on the main sidewalk in front of their  storefronts. Again, not judging, as I probably don't know the circumstances, but if everybody chipped in a little bit of work, it would go a long way. 

The next thing that struck me was how unsightly the empty storefronts on Main and McKinley were. Yes, I know the economy is not good. I know sustaining a successful, profitable business is difficult now days. But do the owners of these buildings even care anymore? I understand times are tough, and finding businesses to rent/lease is as difficult as it has ever been, but I think if you own a building, regardless of whether or not it is occupied, you should be responsible for keeping it clean and attractive looking. Peeling paint, grimy, cracked windows, weeds, and dilapidated storefronts are such an eyesore. Again, it's not only embarrassing, but also a primary reason for not attracting businesses to the uptown area. It seems like there are plenty of codes, ordinances, and requirements for everything else, but are these building owners required to maintain a certain level of condition? Can't we do better? 

The next thing I noticed was the attendance and participation at the City Park at the end of the parade. No the weather wasn't perfect, rather it was cool, and a little wet. But the atmosphere was not very festive, at least in my opinion. Nothing made me want to get my family and stay and enjoy the festivities. On another note, I realize that there were other events happening in the Silver Valley, such as a Shriner's ATV Benefit Ride. That's great, but couldn't these events be coordinated better so people could participate in both? Maybe not, and no I don't want to volunteer to address this issue. But I'd highly recommend people take a trip East about 12 miles on I90 and check out tiny Wallace Idaho. Same economy, less people, but the streets are clean, buildings are attractive, atmosphere is welcoming, and when they have an event, it is always well done and well attended. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit envious of their ability to do these things. 

I've lived in this great town my whole life. I certainly don't have all the answers. I also realize that times are tough. But as I drive around I can't help but wonder, "can't we do better?" and "don't we want better for our town?" I know the economy is never going to be the way it was during the Bunker Hill days, but I believe things can improve. People are tired and worn out. I know there is a group that is actively trying to address a lot of these issues to attract businesses to Kellogg. I also realize that Silver Mountain is once again for sale. Who knows what will mean. And yes, my place of employment is asking for another facilities levy, to hopefully address similar issues throughout our buildings and grounds. I know people are already sacrificing and paying more taxes as these areas increase in need. There are so many challenges around us, the tasks seem all but impossible. But I think that if people would work together, instead of tearing each other apart online, and people would stop finding axes to grind around every decision, event, and election, things would improve. 

Things may not begin to thrive immediately, but cleaning up and sprucing things up could go a long way in restoring some pride and even new businesses in the area. But then again, maybe not. Maybe things are as good as they are going to get.  Personally, I'm proud to get to live here, where I grew up, but it hurts to see such struggle everywhere. I would like to see things improve, and why not start with the little things? 

My Wife

Today is a special day. It is my beautiful wife's birthday. She doesn't want much pomp and circumstance, but she very much deserves it.

There are no words to explain how blessed I am to be married to Amy. From the moment I met her, I've known she is a gift to me from God. To some, that may sound corny, or even far fetched, but it is very much the truth.

I've always known that she is an amazing wife.

And an awesome mom.

Her Faith and her passion to care for our daughters is nothing short of amazing.

And her heart for orphans is indescribably inspirational!

But the more of Amy God reveals to me, the more AMAZED I am.
She's faithful.
And beautiful.
And loving.
And warm.
And thoughtful.
And organized.
And devoted.
And full of compassion.
And if you take the time to get to know her,
you'll know that she's an amazing person, inside and out.


Not only is she willing to take on the challenge of teaching full time--
which is sometimes thankless and challenging, by the way.

But she's also willing and dedicated to being an amazing Wife and Mom.
Which also takes sacrifices... over and over.

This woman.
Oh, how I love her!

Happy Birthday Amy Faye. ILY

This Man

Words cannot describe how blessed I am to be married to this man. 

I've always known that he's a wonderful husband.

And a great dad.

But the more of Simon God reveals to me, the more AMAZED I am.

He's humble.

And kind.

And caring.

And selfless.

And virtuous.

And full of integrity.

And if you read his last post on our blog,

you'll know that he's courageous.

Not only is he willing to admit a failing of his--which is courageous, by the way.

But he's willing to allow God to change his heart. 

Which also takes courage.

This man.

Oh, how I love him!

And how I thank God for the man that he is.

A cold day in ..... Boise

Vandal Bilers reunited... My great friend Eric and I.

For those who know me, my Twitter username and profile say it all: @vandalgrad:  Husband, Father, Musician, Educator, Runner, Cyclist, Swimmer, Golfer, Blogger, Tech Geek. Further, those who know me, also know of my stubborn disdain for certain things such as Apple Computer marketing, pretentious Apple users, and even certain sports teams, specifically, Boise State University Broncos. I've made no bones about it repeatedly, ensuring that my stubborn and polarizing opinions were well known by all, even going so far as to make it a point of pride wherever I went. "Who do we hate?? Boise State!" was one of my mottos and I often made it a point to let people know that my 2nd favorite team ever was anyone playing Boise State. But rather than elaborate further on the hate, I'll move on.

Recently, a few events have drastically changed my feelings and opinions in these areas and I think you'll probably be shocked to learn. First, I have been seeing some significant gains by my daughter, Gemma, due in large part to the myriad of iPad applications available on her refurbished iPad (1st generation). Seeing that progress has prompted me to encourage, foster, and implement iPads throughout our school district. This was further reinforced by a presentation I gave to an elementary staff on the iPad and Apple TV in the classroom.  Unlike many presentations I have given in various settings, the Apple TV and iPad performed flawlessly. No, seriously, I don't think I can emphasize this enough. I have never given a presentation where every piece of technology worked as intended and advertised. After that moment, I began to value and appreciate how well those things worked and vowed to have an open mind for future possibilities. Now, parts of Apple's marketing and attitude still really makes my skin crawl, and some very condescending Apple users still bother me to no end, but I really think there are some wonderful benefits that Apple products can provide. I also began using a Macbook Air that we bought to manage the increasing amount of iPads throughout the district and I didn't hate it! In fact, I rather enjoyed the simplicity and efficiency. More on that later. 

Move forward to January 28-30. A group of teachers, administrators, and some of my IT Staff made a trip to Boise for the IETA Conference, which was held at... wait for it.... Boise State University. I kid you not, when I disclose that one of the primary reasons for me not attending the last 2 years was due to  them moving the conference from downtown Boise, to the BSU campus. Yeah, I was pretty intense that way. On the 2nd day of the conference, I decided to pay a surprise visit to a very good friend of mine, whom I met at THE University of Idaho, and now works in the Athletic Academic Advising Dept at BSU. My wandering miraculously took me directly to his office and the look on his face was worth the trip in itself. It felt good to reunite after many years of not seeing each other. Schedules were tight, so we snapped a quick picture and went on our way. But the story does not end there. 

The next day, we had some time to kill. So I contacted my friend again. I told him I'd love to see him again, and although lunch didn't work out, he came and picked us up (my wife and one of my co-workers were with me) and proceeded to take us on a full tour of his dept and the BSU athletic complexes, including Bronco Stadium (Yes, the smurf turf) and the Stueckle Sky Center. The entire time we visited and toured, I kept remembering how great of a friend this was, and how he also was a Vandal. We even visited about some of the hateful comments I had made on Facebook and Twitter about BSU. All of this caused me to really examine how juvenile my attitude had been. Although I'm far from a BSU fan, I did gain a tremendous respect for what they have accomplished over the past decade or so. Knowing the exceptional character of my friend, and his attitude, really forced me to rethink my feelings. Actually, when it came down to it, I realized that most of my negative attitude towards BSU was caused by my disappointment in my own Alma Mater, and their decade plus of sub mediocrity. I'll stop there, as I could elaborate on the failings of my mighty Vandals for paragraphs. 

Yep, that's me, on the blue turf. Shattering stereotypes every day!

So, to summarize, a lot has changed over the past few weeks, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm vowing to put away my harsh attitude towards things such as Apple and BSU. Where I'm not ready to proclaim Apple the best thing ever or adopt their motto "It just works," I'm very interested in learning more about how iPads etc can enhance our teaching and learning. Similarly where I still may not root for the Broncos when they play out of state foes such as Georgia, Washington, or TCU, I'm definitely going to appreciate and respect what they have done and enjoy and respect what they have done for the State of Idaho. 

Eric and I  pose on the blue turf. Great experience. Impressive facility! 

As a co-worker commented this week, as I set foot on the blue turf and even jokingly donned a camouflage BSU Bronco hat, "is hell freezing over?" Another friend commented "I have renewed hope for world peace." I'm sure I'll get my share of ribbing from friends. But I'm simply choosing to stop spending energy on juvenile hate, and rather appreciate and respect things that are worthy. Life is too short to let bitterness and negativity consume us. Heck, if I can take that step, surely others can. 

Grace Like Rain...

This phrase came to me today. After about a week of struggle, I am exhausted. Simon asked if I was feeling sick. I replied, "No. I'd just like one day without a Gemma meltdown."

Truth is...I've had more meltdowns than Gemma has.

In fact, the other day after a particularly frustrating meltdown, I begged the Lord's forgiveness, and told him that I needed a spanking. (I think I heard him chuckle.)

Anyway, yes, there are struggles with Gemma. But mostly, they're struggles that a normal, average, 5-year-old-with-a-stubborn-streak has.

Today, I was transported back to August 15, 2011--Gemma's Gotcha Day. I looked through our blog archives and found my post from that day. More than the post, the pictures spoke to me. And I mean spoke to me. So much so, that I had to run to the restroom (I was at school, mind you) because I was BAWLING.

God reminded me right then and there of ALL that Gemma has gone through and overcome. From that first day of extreme anguish...fear...grief...sorrow...to today, Gemma is an overcomer.

And it's all because of HIS grace. Grace like rain.

So, because HIS grace is sufficient for a frightened 4-year-old who's been thrust into a new family and has overcome WITH GREAT JOY AND SUCCESS all that has ensued, his GRACE is sufficient for me and my meltdowns.

Praise God.



"And hallelujah,
Grace Like Rain falls down on me
And hallelujah,
And all my stains are washed away -
They're washed away..."

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/t/todd_agnew/

Happy December and Merry Christmas!!

At Rusty gate tree Farm to cut down that most important of Christmas symbols.

Here we go!

 

Gracie places her favorite ornament--Noah's ark.

Gemma places the angel.

The Miller Family Christmas tree--2012.

Simon and I visited Leavenworth, WA (alone!) for a weekend. It was beautiful!

We got to see the Seahawks annihilate the Cardinals: 58-0!

Making Christmas "smash" cookies.

Our 2 little angels take birthday presents to Baby Jesus.

The Gs enjoy some swimming at the Mullan Pool for cousin Owen's birthday.

 

Christmas Eve silliness with cousin Hannah.

 

Christmas morn--I think we're ready!

Impatient girls waiting for Christmas to start.

Gracie shows off her princess gloves.

Gemma likes her new lip gloss.

Favorite gift: a new horsie

Favorite gift: 2 pink lemurs

The Gs open their stockings at Grandma Dee's house.

 

Stompeez are a hit!

 

Gemma spent hours putting this pony castle together.

 

Gracie spent hours putting her Lego kit together.

 

The Gs got to celebrate Christmas with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa.