Summer

Long time, no post.

Angie has six more weeks of school left. It seems like she's been doing it for years. We can not wait until she is done.

The kids start school around that same time, on August 15th. Only 5 more weeks left to their summer. Alex will be starting at DMACC Boone Campus around that time as well.

Here are a few photos from this summer. Some are from my phone camera, some are from Alex's camera (which I am currently "borrowing").

Take care and have a great July.

Peace-
Matt

Deer Lake

Got back from my fishing trip yesterday. The fishing was a bit slow, but the weather was perfect and it was very relaxing. It's always nice to be home though.

Madeline had her 1st Communion last Sunday. Alex graduates this Sunday. It's been a busy spring so far. Lots of life going on around here.

Peace-
Matt

Prom

Alex has her senior prom tonight. We just got back from taking photos. This year she asked Jared to go with her. He is 15 and they are going as friends. Cool with me.

Peace-

Matt

Rut

Madeline and I went camping last Saturday night. We talked about it for a week and it got in our heads. We just had to get out there. Angie had tons of studying and homework, so we got out of her hair and into the air. It was damn nice to be outside for 30 hours straight. There's something about a camp fire that feeds your soul. We needed it too.

I'm still in a photographic rut. I need some inspiration. Maybe I need to take some acid or something, hahaha. I think the change in seasons might help with the rut. We'll see.

Abby has started track. Madeline has started softball. If I promised to give you game/meet schedules, I will. Alex's first grad party is on Mother's Day, 5/8, in Huxley. Invitations will be coming soon.

36 days until the fishing trip.

Peace-

Matt

Sprung

Long time no post. Sorry about that. I'm still here. We all are. We're all doing fine too. It's going to get real busy around here very soon. Angie is in her last month of her second to last semester in school. She will be studying non-stop for the next month. Abby is running track again this spring. Her meets are in April. Madeline will start softball in April as well. I am not coaching this year. They asked, but I said no. I will be assisting though.

Alex is preparing to graduate. She wants to go to college, which is awesome. She would like to go to an expensive private school though, which is probably not going to happen. Well, it could happen if her long lost rich uncle comes out of hiding and pays for it. If only. Her grades are not really good enough for a major scholarship. She won't get one for athletics either. I wish I could afford to pay 30-40 grand a year for school for her. I can't. I'm trying to talk her into starting at the local community college. She has no idea what field she wants to focus on, or if she'll even like college. She likes the idea of moving away from home and hanging out with friends though. I remember the end of my senior year in high school. It was a stressful and scary time. It's a big change in life.

52 days until the annual Troutslayer spring fishing trip. This year we're going north, to Deer Lake in Minnesota. We'll be walleye fishing. I'm really looking forward to it, as usual. I hope they have a warm spell while we're up there.

I finally got my Verizon iphone. I really like it. I use the heck out of my ipod, my phone, and my camera. I thought why not have them all in one device. This thing is great. The camera really isn't that bad for a phone either. There are lots of camera apps. I've yet to scratch the surface really. I've attached a couple photos from my phone. I apologize for the crappy photos this time. I haven't had the photo mojo lately. I probably took 6 photos in the last month. This is all I got.

Spring has sprung. Time to go camping. Who's with me?

Peace-
Matt

Squirrel

Back in this post, I told you about an angel channeler that spoke with the son of a friend. Today we got the transcript of part of it:

Kyle: Can I ask you about a person in Heaven? Robby Miller.
Ann: Yes, he doesn't seem old. He looks to be your age.
Kyle: He died when he was a baby from SIDS.
Ann: Ah, he decided to age in Heaven. We are souls first. When you're on the other side you can choose what form to take. He has a good sense of humor! He said that it's for your sake because talking with him couldn't work if he was sucking his thumb. :) He's kind of a smart aleck.

Ann: He said that his life and death were for his parent's sake - not his. They needed to learn about forgiving themselves. They felt that they had a part in causing his death. They had to learn to not be perfect.

Kyle: Can you ask him about firetrucks?
Ann: Did you two used to play with firetrucks? When you mentioned them he smiled.
Kyle: I talked to a Native American and he mentioned a firetruck when I mentioned Robby.
Ann: It must have been in a past life because Robby is showing me a full size firetruck. Not a toy. He's showing me firemen and the Chicago fire. You were friends in a past life. You've always been friends.

Kyle: Can I call on him? What would it be like if he was still alive?
Ann: You would be buddies. He knows that in the soul, there is always more to life than meets the eye. He says that God is bigger than people think - He's more than people can handle. Robby knows that he is a soul.

Ann: Yes you can call on him. When you see beings that are out of place - like a squirrel or something - that is him.

I'm not sure what to think of this. On first thought, what she says sounds hokey and fake, like she used what Kyle said and made it up as she went. I don't really believe in this sort of thing, conversing with "souls", at least not the way this lady does it. I do believe in heaven though, and know that Robby is there. I talk to him sometimes. I think I can feel him listening to me too. I can feel his presence. I swear the little windmills at the cemetery blow harder when I'm talking to him. I don't hear him speak to me though, not in the traditional sense.

I'll have to read this a few times and give it some thought before I can really make up my mind about it. One thing I know for sure though, I should stop shooting at squirrels with my bb gun just in case.

Peace-
Matt

Fever

I was in Florida for a few days last week, mainly just sitting in the sun. It was extremely pleasant, and probably very good for my blood pressure. I have great inlaws and really appreciate their generous hospitality. I'm a lucky guy.

Two of the mornings, I was able to get to my favorite spot on the beach to watch the sun rise. It's been a long time since I've been able to watch the day begin like that. I sure love doing it though. Most of the photos in this post are from my mornings at the beach. I'll probably post a few more in later posts. You can find photos from previous years' morning beach outings in the last few February sections. To some these will all look the same. Not to me though. They all speak to me in different ways.

We've been having unusually warm weather this week. 50's & 60's. This, and the 70's in Florida, has given me (and many other people) a bad case of spring fever. Bye bye winter, please don't come back.

Don't forget to do your taxes soon. We've still got to get ours done. Talk to you later.

Peace-
Matt

(PS - A reminder for my new friends: you can click on the photos to see a much larger size)