So, yesterday I turned 26 years old.  Let me say that I went to bed the night before anything but excited.  I’m not big on (my) birthdays.  It’s not that they aren’t cool, and… who doesn’t like the attention.  It’s just that in the last 26 years, I only have good memories of a handful of them.  So, I don’t ever really have high expectations.  Let me say, even if I did have high expectations, yesterday would have blown them out of the water.  So, here is my recap.

I woke up around 6:30 am to the sound of my wife’s voice. I was very confused, I guess I was in a deep deep sleep.  When I opened my eyes, Andrea is standing there with eggs, Sausage, french toast and a side of syrup. (morning gravy)   Wow.  Off to a great start.  I ate it quickly, still wondering if I was dreaming, got up to  kiss my wife, and she left for work.  I hopped in the shower and did my morning routine to head in to work.

Work was good.  Only one person said happy birthday, which is fine by me.  I like being low key, and I don’t expect every person to memorize the day I was born as something special.  It’s silly to think co-workers would do that anyway.  At work, I’m really busy, and I start to fall behind on several projects I have going.  One of them is one of the few I have with a deadline.  I plugged in my iPod.  Turned on Jack Johnson and hacked away.  And before I knew it, I was ahead of schedule!  That pretty much rocked.

Around 11:30 (A total guess)  I was working away and I hear someone approaching my cubicle.  That’s pretty normal, so I turn down my music, and look to see who is coming.  Who else walks around the corner but Andrea! (Who is supposed to be at work)  I was shocked, confused and surprised.  The last person I expected to see at that moment was her.

She informed me that I was being kidnapped for the day and we were playing hookie.  Sweet!  So, I packed up my stuff, and hopped in her car, not knowing what to expect next, or where we were going.  Our first destination was an Indian restaurant, with an all you can eat lunch buffet! I should go ahead and say, my favorite style of food is Indian so this was AWESOME to me!   I ate until my pants didn’t fit, and off we went….. slowly.   Then we went to Dave and Busters.  There is always a little kid in me who wants to see how many tickets I can win.  I know it’s a little weird, but I love winning tickets.  I love it.  And, what better way/time to win tickets than with your lovely wife, on a day you should be at the office working?

We played silly gimmicky games, and “Deal or No Deal” several times, along with ski ball, basketball, trivia, and air hockey. And, for the first time in Andy/Andrea history, Andrea beat me at air-hockey.  I would like to say that I have several excuses for why she beat me, but the fact is, she won.  Fair and square.

After that, we headed home.  (I was tired)  When we got home, I smell nothing but the suh-weet aroma of homemade chili.  Let me say, I am a chili expert.  I eat chili as often as possible (Ask anyone) and my wife makes the absolute best chili in the world.  It was only about 3:15, so we didn’t eat.  Instead, we turned on the T.V. and sat on the floor and played Super Mario 3 on my nintendo.  We did that for about 30 minutes then hopped up on to the couch and dozed off for an hour or so.  What a relaxing/fun afternoon.

around 6, I woke up, we ate the chili, and let me say, it was the best of the best.  Man.  I don’t know how she sneaks all of that flavor into one little crock pot, but, MAN, is it good.

After that, we hung out, watched Wheel of Fortune and jeopardy.  Decided we wanted coffee so to Starbucks we went.  (I had a gift card, and we didn’t have cream, so we decided to not make the coffee)  When we got home from Starbucks, we watched what was left of Ugly Betty.  Then we watched Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and snuggled up in the bed.

I’ll leave my super sweet 26, right there.  But, all in all it was a full, fantastic awesome birthday.  By far the best birthday I have ever had.  And it’s all thanks to my beautiful wife.  Head over to her site, and give her some love.. (Oh, and congratulate her on her air hockey victory… I don’t anticipate her winning again.)

I was telling Andrea yesterday that when I was younger, I honestly did not plan on living past 20.  Every action I took and every decision I made was on the thought that I was going to be dead by 20.  I wasn’t planning on offing myself when the day came, I just assumed that my lifestyle didn’t really have room for more than two decades.  I knew that how I was living was going to kill me, and I was ok with that.

I told her that every year past 20, I considered ‘bonus years’.  Years that I had never planned on living.  Today is my 6th bonus year. This year is a little different for me, because now, I am not only living, I have a life!  I have a wife that loves me, I have a family that cares, and I have friends that seem to give a crap.

Days like today, I do one of two things.  I look back on my life, and think about how I haven’t really done that much with my life. (Ultimately I realize I am only XX years old, and that my life has been SO full by now that most of the stories from my life I tell, people don’t believe.)  Or, I sit down and really praise God.  I mean, REALLY praise him.  I was not supposed to live past 20.  It wasn’t in my game book.  I have died.  My heart has stopped.  More than once.  I have been to the slums, lived there, been at rock bottom.

Jesus Christ came down, picked me up and pulled me out.  Jesus Christ was my intervention.  Because of Him, I am living my 6th bonus year.  Because of Him I sit here this morning, not just worried about being 26 but I actually think about when I turn 30 and 40 and 50.  I think about my children, and my children’s children.  I think about spending the rest of my life with a beautiful woman.  I think about living, I think about serving, I think about HIM.

Today, on my 26th.  I am not going to get down on myself because I haven’t done this, or I haven’t done that.  Today, on my 26th, I am going to move forward to live a life of serving Jesus Christ with my whole being.  Today I am going to celebrate the life that He has given me, (and it is a BEAUTIFUL life.) Today, I am going to look forward to serve.  Today, I am going to appreciate every heartbeat, every breath, and every thing, good or bad that happens.  This life is in ‘bonus years’.  I am not going to sit around and waste any more of them.

Thank you Jesus for saving me.  Thank you. Thank you.  Thank you! I love you God!

Amen!

It’s Thursday.  It’s September 25th.  It’s the day after my (step) father’s birthday.  I received a text yesterday at 1:33 pm, that said, “Reminder, Dad’s Birthday, September 24th.”

So.  in honor of my step-dad, but REAL father, Jerry T. Dennis, here are some stories I remember about him, and a little bit of his history.

If you don’t know my dad, I compare him to SuperMan, and RoboCop.  He seriously will live through just about anything.  My dad is in a wheelchair from a car accident he had, as a result of heart attack while driving.  (They said it’s a wonder he lived.)  As a result of that accident, they had to rebuild the left side of his body.  His insurance didn’t cover it, so, he didn’t get his hip, or the metal things he needs in his leg.  About a year ago, he suffered a stroke, thus, losing most of the right side of his body.  The doctors said he would completely recover, but from his lack of motivation and depression, he did not do the excercises.  He used to tell me, “I buried my wife, and a daughter, I am alone and I’m old, I am a recovered alchoholic and drug addict,I will eat what I want and do what I want.”  My dad is stubborn as a mule. (He’s from Texas.) My dad also has small fits of dementia, probably brought on from diabetes, which can make life with him interesting. He also suffers from Hepatitis C.

My dad is funny in the fact that, with all of that going on, he knows his kids so well.  I called him yesterday to explain that I honestly thought his birthday was the 26th. To which he replied, “I know, you think that every year.”  Wow.  It’s amazing that my father is able to do that.

He is also the man who sat me down a year ago, when I started drinking again and Andrea left me and said, “Son, I don’t interfare with your life, and I let you make your own stupid decisions.  But, Andrea is the one for you.  I don’t know what you’ve done to screw this up, but I am sure you did something.  If you have any brains in you, you will straighten out and get that girl back.”

Before that, my father never once told me what he thought about any of my girlfriends.  He never once said anything about my decisions.  He simply told me he loved me regardless, and would support any decision I made.

I am starting to think my dad has always known whats best for me.  He has always known what I need to do to grow up.  My dad is…. My dad is…. I don’t have words.

When I was 10 years old, my mom got sick of my dad’s drunken stupers.  She told him if he did not quit drinking she was taking the kids and leaving.  That was a Saturday night.  The next day I woke up and my dad was gone.  We were certain that he had left us.  about 2:30 in the afternoon, my dad showed up with more life than ever.  He had all sorts of goodies he had gotten from a church.  He told us that he had quit drinking and accepted Jesus Christ into his life.  My dad has not had a drop of alcohol since. (15 years)  Looking back, that was probably my first experience with the Holy Ghost. If I only knew then.

One day, my mother and I got into a HUGE fight.  My dad grabbed me, took me to his jeep and started driving.  (Like he always did to break the tension.) In the middle of one of his long LOOOONG lectures, I inturrupted and said, “Dad, you’re an idiot.  Mom is cheating on you! She has been for a long time!  Why don’t you just leave.  She is using you! She doesn’t Love you!”

That’s when he looked at me and said something I will NEVER forget.

“Son” He always made sure I knew he considered me a son. “Son, The day I married your mother, I promised you, Adrienne, and God that I would never leave your side, I would never let you down, I would always be here for you.  I am not going to break that promise.  I love you son, that is why I am still here.”

wow.

My dad, now is weak.  My dad now needs someone to help him.  In all honesty I get annoyed.  When he calls I dread it.  I love hearing his voice, but I still kind of dread his long stories.  As he grows older, he makes a little less sense.  I can’t wait to hear the end of the conversation when he says, “I love you son.” Still reminding me that my father didn’t abandon me, just a guy with some sperm and a temper.

His ability to forgive and love unconditionally is a true example of Christ’s love.  And I guess my relationship with him sums up my relationship with God sometimes.  He is strong, has always known what’s best for me, and has always always loved me, unconditionally.  A lot of his suffering was so I didn’t have to. I dread to hear what God has to say, because I might not like it.  But I long for the end of the conversation when he says, “I love you son.”