11-19-09

Time seems to fly by as our years unfold and God’s plan for our lives is played out usually not to our understanding but to his. This year has been an exciting one but also one full of challenges and unexpected circumstances. My boys continue to mature and adapt to life.

Austin is off to a great start in High School with all A’s and B’s and had a stellar football season on the freshman team. He played middle linebacker and fullback and once the game started he never left the field unless the score was out of hand and others could play. Greeley West who has been ranked #1 in the state is in postseason now and asked Austin to suit up for Varsity for the playoffs, he’s excited about that. The only downside it that he will go into his wrestling season late and have some catching up to do. Not sure what weight he will compete at this year he has been over 200lbs a couple times this year but with the long football season and crazy daily schedule he has I don’t know if he has kept that weight on. So 189 or 215 I guess we will see where the team needs him the most, I’m not a big fan of dropping much weight especially as a freshman and the way he has been growing so we will just have to see. I am so proud of his progress in the classroom and all around as a young adult this year.

Justin my oldest boy is still working and full time and learning some life lessons some easy some hard. When you jump right into the working world you figure out fast how much money it takes to pay bills, and living expenses. Spending almost everything he makes on bills his truck and gas leaves very little left over to do things that make life more enjoyable. He has heard from more than me that’s why you need a college education. Sometimes we just need to figure things out on our own and in our own time before they make sense. It’s difficult as a parent because we always want our kids to have it better than we did, so they don’t have to go through some of the struggles in life we faced. I have to remind myself that God has a plan for his life and it will play out the way it’s meant to whether I like it or not. God is in control.

I have been in a serious relationship for a long time now and am nearing a changing point in my life as well. I’m trying to listen and not act out of impulse or my own understanding to what the Lord’s plan for me is. I like many men want to make sure I’m doing the right thing. Sometimes the future can be a little scary, I guess if we just let go and let God work thing get put in the right place.

It’s been a long time sense I have been sidelined by an injury, but recently tore my other bicep, the same thing that happened to my right arm 10 years ago training. I have been training at Grudge in Denver with Shane Carwin and a great group of Fighters most of which are UFC veterans. Brandon Shaub and Justin Wren from the latest Ultimate fighter show are in our group as well as Nate Marquart and a host of other UFC names are in the room during our pro practice. So needless to say each training session is intense, you can’t help but to get better in that environment. I tore my bicep throwing a left hook sparing in practice about 4 weeks ago and didn’t want to believe it was as bad as it was. Finally going to the doctor and getting an MRI showed the bicep tendon was rolled 6 inches up my arm. Two days latter I went under the knife and it’s been repaired. So now I wait patiently to get back into the game. I had a fight lined up for October with WWE’s Bobby Lashley which would have been a great fight for me. I was in very good shape and training intensely for it. For some reason Lashley never signed his end of the contract and it was rumored to be on the Strikeforce card with Fedor and Rodgers. After a lot of publicity there was still no commitment from Lashley so it never took place. We will see what happens with it I guess it can always happen in 2010! It would be a big draw here in Colorado sense we are both Colorado natives.

I have begun travel with Team Impact once again and feel very blessed. It was a long 2 years not traveling with the team. After spending almost 6 years with the guys it was so good to get back with them again. I have never traveled with such a great group of men. The opportunity to share Christ and talk to thousands of kids in the schools each week is more satisfying than almost anything I have done. God is Good!