Not Everything You Read on the Internet is True
One of my favorite quotes comes from the American version of "The Office." The goofy and ignorant Regional Manager, Michael Scott, makes the comment about how he loves Wikipedia because anyone can make an entry about anything, therefore it has to be accurate.
The irony in such a statement is that we all, for so many things in life, rely on the internet. In business we can keep an eye on the stock market, participate in on-line banking, and exchange communication through email. For entertainment we can go to ESPN, read blogs, check local movie times, or even download the movie itself. The internet has truly changed the way we approach our day. In fact, with the convenience of online headlines we have witnessed the downfall, and fate, of many newspaper companies. And as I have previously stated on this blog, I am a huge fan of Google.
But such endless amounts of information must be treated with extreme caution. The simple fact that anyone can post information about anything leaves room for vasts amount of misinformation. I warn you of such, as I was recently a victim myself this past weekend.
With Baby Sher's arrival soon approaching it was necessary to get a little paint on the walls of the nursery. When inquiring with Heather as to what color we would paint, she indicated to me that she wanted a diamond pattern placed on the wall, something she referred to as Harlequin Diamonds. Something I had never even heard of, nor knew nothing about.
So the Googler that I am, I went right to the source. I typed in "How to" and "Harlequin Diamonds", of which I got a couple of hits. Trusting the wisdom provided by these sources, I purchased the two colors of paint, and began following the instructions. Quickly I realized, however, these instructions could not be complete, nor accurate...to which I confirmed about 4.5 hours later.
According to the instructions all you needed was your paint, level, and some tape. Well actually, you need a ton of tape, meticulous measurements, and an immense amount of sanity/patience. Moreover, you need a second person, as this task was impossible to do on your own. Luckily I had the help of a good friend, Jake Cain. Jake came over about 2:00, and 4 hours later, we were still working on getting the first diamond laid out. Without boring you with the detail, another 8 hours went by and we finally had the wall taped for the first set of diamonds. Things went much smoother after we figured out what the heck we were doing.
Now of course, I was smart in my approach, as I attempted this monumental task on a weekend that Heather was out of town. She was being pampered by some of Mom's good friends in her first baby shower. Thanks Ms. Drennan, Ms. Quinn, Sarah, Aunt Sharri and Jill for hosting this event! So by Sunday evening, I was able to unveil the results to Heather. I have attached a few pictures for you as well.
I am sure this is only the beginning of the "challenges" that are to come with the arrival of Baby Sher. Good thing for me I can always turn to the Google for all my answers!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
An Age of Technology
I have always been a "gadget guy." I love to always stop in at Brookstone and see what is new. I can't tell you how many "bluetooth" products I have purchased and I am always wanting the newest cell phone. I have friends that actually think I have a vested interest in Google because I am always utilizing their newest tools. I have become a High-Definition TV snob, I am addicted to Tivo (have been for years...and Tivo is better than regular old DVR) and I am one of the few, unfortunately for Sharper Image, that actually purchased the iJoy Massage Chair. In fact, just tonight, I bought a gadget allowing you to turn on/off your lamp with the flick of a wireless switch...and it worked!
Technology is impressive, and I am not talking just about the toys.
This past week Heather and I took advantage of the opportunity to get a first glance at Baby Girl Sher. How awesome it was to see the vivid images from the 4d Ultra Sound. We promptly emailed a few of the pics to the grandparents so they could enjoy them as well.
In a not as fun, but just as impressive setting; Heather's dad, via a Pet and CT Scan, became aware that his cancer had spread to a couple of spots in his spine. As a result, Jim immediately began Radiation Treatments this week. Short, but intense, doses of radiation will hopefully reduce these spots and eliminate the pain that he has been suffering in his lower back.
Also taking place this week was Heather's mom completing her last round of chemo. Karen, like Jim, is set to begin radiation, but probably not until the end of this month.
How cool is technology? It can show us glimpses of the future through things like ultrasounds. It can show us what is causing pain in the present, through PET Scans. It can fight vicious diseases like cancer through radiation. It allows us to be able to communicate instantaneously, shop at our fingertips, and predict the weather (well, maybe that's taking it too far.)
But as hip as technology is, we must be careful that it does not become our source of hope. Now, don't get me wrong, I want the radiation to take this cancer by the horns and....but I am not going to just sit back with my fingers crossed. Rather, I believe (and pray) that this radiation will do what the 22 rounds of chemo did not; shrink these tumors. You see I like technology, but my Faith is in God.
We have been overjoyed, that by God's grace and power, the 13 months of chemo therapy prevented the tumors in Jim's body from growing; however, our prayer is bigger than that. We still firmly believe that God's will is for healing, so our expectation is nothing less than for Him to heal Jim and Karen's bodies. I hope you will join with us in that prayer for healing. (Maybe you can set up a prayer reminder via Google Calendar.)
I have always been a "gadget guy." I love to always stop in at Brookstone and see what is new. I can't tell you how many "bluetooth" products I have purchased and I am always wanting the newest cell phone. I have friends that actually think I have a vested interest in Google because I am always utilizing their newest tools. I have become a High-Definition TV snob, I am addicted to Tivo (have been for years...and Tivo is better than regular old DVR) and I am one of the few, unfortunately for Sharper Image, that actually purchased the iJoy Massage Chair. In fact, just tonight, I bought a gadget allowing you to turn on/off your lamp with the flick of a wireless switch...and it worked!
Technology is impressive, and I am not talking just about the toys.
This past week Heather and I took advantage of the opportunity to get a first glance at Baby Girl Sher. How awesome it was to see the vivid images from the 4d Ultra Sound. We promptly emailed a few of the pics to the grandparents so they could enjoy them as well.
In a not as fun, but just as impressive setting; Heather's dad, via a Pet and CT Scan, became aware that his cancer had spread to a couple of spots in his spine. As a result, Jim immediately began Radiation Treatments this week. Short, but intense, doses of radiation will hopefully reduce these spots and eliminate the pain that he has been suffering in his lower back.
Also taking place this week was Heather's mom completing her last round of chemo. Karen, like Jim, is set to begin radiation, but probably not until the end of this month.
How cool is technology? It can show us glimpses of the future through things like ultrasounds. It can show us what is causing pain in the present, through PET Scans. It can fight vicious diseases like cancer through radiation. It allows us to be able to communicate instantaneously, shop at our fingertips, and predict the weather (well, maybe that's taking it too far.)
But as hip as technology is, we must be careful that it does not become our source of hope. Now, don't get me wrong, I want the radiation to take this cancer by the horns and....but I am not going to just sit back with my fingers crossed. Rather, I believe (and pray) that this radiation will do what the 22 rounds of chemo did not; shrink these tumors. You see I like technology, but my Faith is in God.
We have been overjoyed, that by God's grace and power, the 13 months of chemo therapy prevented the tumors in Jim's body from growing; however, our prayer is bigger than that. We still firmly believe that God's will is for healing, so our expectation is nothing less than for Him to heal Jim and Karen's bodies. I hope you will join with us in that prayer for healing. (Maybe you can set up a prayer reminder via Google Calendar.)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Double Digits
So today Heather informed me she was in her third trimester; and according to the baby clock countdown (courtesy of JoePa) we are within double digit days (99 to go). YIKES! All this to say, this baby is coming whether we are ready or not.
Sure the nursery is not painted, the glider is not covered, the bedding is not made, and the changing table has not been delivered, but those are just details, right. Sure we haven't picked out a name, haven't started shopping for all of those things we will need that we currently don't even know exists, and haven't made the "simple" decisions like stroller or car seat. But us Shers are professional procrastinators; so by our time-line we still have three months before we need to get serious about this "baby stuff". However, one thing that I have managed to get planned, my 2 golf trips and las vegas trip, prior to the delivery. (priorities right?)
On a side note, these past few days have been filled with seeing old friends. Some of Heather's best friends (college roomates) came into town for a girls weekend. Seeing Kinsey, Emily, Lauren and Jamie together was fun; although I was pretty much exiled from the house. Then on Sunday evening, and again on Monday evening, we were able to spend some time with the Waggoner family. Tony and JJ Waggoner have been a couple we have looked up to for many years now and we are honored to be able to be apart of their family. I have truly enjoyed getting to be a God-father to their son, Kade, and equally enjoy seeing the girls. Since we have been in Tulsa much of our relationship has been carried out via email or phone calls. So seeing how grown up Abbie, Kade and Madison have become is quite incredible. And after meeting their newest addition, Jennifer, their adopted daughter, we immediately fell in love with her as well. It's good to have friends!
So today Heather informed me she was in her third trimester; and according to the baby clock countdown (courtesy of JoePa) we are within double digit days (99 to go). YIKES! All this to say, this baby is coming whether we are ready or not.
Sure the nursery is not painted, the glider is not covered, the bedding is not made, and the changing table has not been delivered, but those are just details, right. Sure we haven't picked out a name, haven't started shopping for all of those things we will need that we currently don't even know exists, and haven't made the "simple" decisions like stroller or car seat. But us Shers are professional procrastinators; so by our time-line we still have three months before we need to get serious about this "baby stuff". However, one thing that I have managed to get planned, my 2 golf trips and las vegas trip, prior to the delivery. (priorities right?)
On a side note, these past few days have been filled with seeing old friends. Some of Heather's best friends (college roomates) came into town for a girls weekend. Seeing Kinsey, Emily, Lauren and Jamie together was fun; although I was pretty much exiled from the house. Then on Sunday evening, and again on Monday evening, we were able to spend some time with the Waggoner family. Tony and JJ Waggoner have been a couple we have looked up to for many years now and we are honored to be able to be apart of their family. I have truly enjoyed getting to be a God-father to their son, Kade, and equally enjoy seeing the girls. Since we have been in Tulsa much of our relationship has been carried out via email or phone calls. So seeing how grown up Abbie, Kade and Madison have become is quite incredible. And after meeting their newest addition, Jennifer, their adopted daughter, we immediately fell in love with her as well. It's good to have friends!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
55 weeks, Valentines Day and Baby's First Sounds
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| From Tomlin |
So according to Heather, there is a certain point during the pregnancy that the baby becomes capable of hearing the outside world. I am assuming, she being a nurse and all, that Heather knows what she is talking about; however, I tend to also believe, she may tell me such things to make certain that I think before I speak.
In the rare case that what she says is true, we celebrated this milestone of the baby's first days of hearing with a Chris Tomlin concert. What a wonderful way to break in the ol' ear drums. I mean considering the alternative, like Heather singing in her car with some Broadway show tune blaring through the stereo, or my american idol auditions (of which consist of me attempting to sing most the songs as sung by the contestants on the show), I am certain Baby Girl Sher was quite grateful to hear Tomlin.
Happy Valentines!
So this year, being our last Valentines without kiddos, Heather and I decided to do something special for V-Day. Complete with reservations, white linens, candlelit tables, and romantic entertainment, we had a special dinner at one of our favorite restaurants...Chickfila. That's right, there really is nothing better than those chicken nuggets or a classic chickfila sandwich; except when they are served to you by a waitstaff in tuxes! Of course, the night would not have been complete without our picture with the Cow.
One Year Later
It has been over one year since Jim was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer and given only weeks to live. Well, the Drs. were correct, he was very sick, needed immediate surgery, and only had weeks to live; its just that we are at 55 weeks and counting! Go Jim! In celebration, Jim and Karen, Heather and I, sister Holly, and the Hill's best friends, Steve and Lori Lindsey had a delicious meal of food at Charlie Newtons in Nichols Hills. And Jim's cancer enzyme scores continue to decrease, once again hitting an all-time low of less than 275! This makes four consistently decreasing scores; Praise God for working and breaking down this cancer!
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| From Cancer 1yr |
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
13 growing on 15
It is quite an experience to get our crew of 13 together. Being that brother Chris and his family live in San Antonio, Drew and his family in Coppell, and Heather and I in Tulsa, such a gathering happens only once to a few times a year. And when we are together, it is chaos. Chaos that I wouldn't change for the world. Now add the element of trying to get all of us to smile at the same time, and you are in store for a true challenge. I particularly love the shots of Kristen...her smiles come so naturally, however, just not in front of the camera. So when you capture a genuine smile, you cherish it.
With the arrival of Baby Sher and Baby Kerr we are only a few months away from being a crew of 15. Can't wait for the next time we get together for portrait shots...I imagine it will be something that sitcoms could be made of.
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