Introducing...

Come on, Robin, to the Bat Cave! There's not a moment to lose! - Batman

Planting a timebomb in a local library is a felony. - Batman

It's sometimes difficult to think clearly when you're strapped to a printing press. - Batman

Careful, Robin. Both hands on the Bat-rope. - Batman

Thanks for the mask batgrandma!

Books I want to read (sometimes again...)

Christian (not in a certain order)
1 - "Amazing Grace: The Story of America's Most Beloved Song," by Turner, Steve
2 - "Bringing up Boys," by James Dobson
3 - "Lord of the Rings"
4 - " Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ" by Neal Anderson
5 - "Another Gospel," by Ruth Tucker (again)
6 - "Shepherding a Child's Heart,"  Ted Tripp (again)
7 - "When God Doesn't Make Sense," James Dobson
8 - "Choosing to See," by Mary Beth Chapman
9 - "Too Small to Ignore," by Wes Stafford (again)
10 - "Fathered by God," by John Eldredge
11 - "Mere Christianity," by C.S. Lewis (again)
12 - "Miracles," by C.S. Lewis 
13 - "How Now Shall We Live," by Colson (again)


Other
1 - "Rockets, reactors and computers define the 20th century : a firsthand look at the century's most pivotal innovations" by Charles L. Bradshaw
2 - "Skunkworks," Ben Rich (again)
3 - "Earthbound Astronauts," Bernie Lay (again)


Looking for suggestions of book that have shaped/influenced you life.  If they are listed twice, I loved them and would read it again.

Keel Mountain Farm and Abby's Birthday

Last Sunday morning sunrise.  I got up to the mountain at 5:20AM to hike to a bluff on our property with David.

Anna, Abby, Norah and Josiah Celebrating Abby's Birthday

Thoughts from the mind of a 4 year old

Josiah Example #1
Yesterday, we were discussing ideas to keep deer from eating the birdseed in the yard at my parents house.  Below is a synopis of discussion as I best can remember it...

Josiah:  "I have an idea!"
Daddy: "What is it buddy?"
Josiah: "Welllll, we could play a really scary movie on the TV, then take the TV and put it against the window and the deer would be so scared they would run away and not eat any more birdseed!"

Josiah Example #2
We were riding in the car back from swimming last night...

Josiah: "Daddy, do you know why I still suck my thumb?"
Daddy: "Why Josiah?"
Josiah: "You see some little boys have super powers for sucking thumbs and they need to do this for a long time before they stop."

The Prayer

Rat Race

Well the rat race in Chattanooga finally got here. I got up at 3:20 AM my time (central) and drove a few hours to Chattanooga to compete in a 4.5 mile open water swim. A bit of history: I started back swimming in January after about a 18 month break for our 3rd baby, Levi. Yes, 18 months is a bit long but some of that was pregnancy and the rest was laziness. This is the race I had trained to compete in for about 5 months (see post). Ok, back to the race. What I did expect was that the Chicamauga Dam would be releasing water. Had this been the case, as was last year, I would have finished in a reasonable time. However, the dam was NOT generating and 50 swimmers swam 4.5 miles with no current assist. I finished in 2 hrs 3 min and first in the 30-39 age group.

In other news, Abby is doing much better after uncontrollable seizures, emergency shunt replacement surgery and a lifeflight trip to Birmingham Children's hospital. School is out which means fewer appointments and more family time with the kids. This week she started a special summer camp for CP kids.

Josiah, is doing great. He is such intelligent, handsome boy, and is turning into quite a swimmer. Maybe he will do the rat race in a few years.

Levi, what can I say. We love having a baby. He just brings so much joy into our life. He is also learning to swim. Mommy and I have finally gathered the courage to let him go in the water for about 10 seconds.

Patty, well she is just perfect. I think she was made to fit me and this family. Thank you Lord for her.

Delayed Update

Workouts Week #12

Swim: 4000 yards

Pullups: 0

Pushups: 0

Situps: 0

Workouts Week #11

Swim: 15000 yards

Pullups: 200

Pushups: 400

Situps: 400

Well last week knocked the breath out of me. It all started about 3 weeks ago, we noticed that Abby seemed sleepier than normal and she was throwing up some. We both thought she was just getting sick. Fast forward 2 weeks and the problem only seemed to get worse. An appt was made to check on her and look at a swollen spot on her back, we were worried that it was her shunt. Her Dr. referred us to her Birmingham Children's neurosurgeon the next day. Within an hour of our arrival she was in surgery to replace a shunt. The Dr. there told us that she could have died anytime during the last few days. I do not share this lightly, next to the NICU it was the scariest time of my life.

Then, two days later she had a status seizure, this followed by and ER visit and lifeflight to Birmingham for a double check on the shunt.

All is well for a few days now. I was never one to look fwd to boring, instead I strived for exciting. Now I just long for dullness

That was a mouthful. Praise the Lord for Patty! She saved our Abby's life.

Workouts Week #10

Space and Rocket Center - S-IC F1 engines behind us

Swim: 20100 yards

Pullups: 200

Pushups: 400

Situps:400

I have forgotten what it was like to lose a tooth. I really hope never experience it personally again. We now have two loose teeth in our home that belong to Abby. She will let me wiggle them some, but she is also very protective. How do you nurture a little girl who is loosing a tooth who cannot hear or see? There is still so much that I take for granted that Abby teaches me every day.

It is very discouraging when your child does not communicate, spend time talking, sharing, asking for help... I believe I am getting a glimpse of how God must feel about us.

Workouts Week #9

Swim: 15,700 yards
Pullups: 250
Pushups: 400
Situps: 400

Psalty is very dear to our family. Patty chose to accept Christ while listening to "Come into my heart" and Josiah can often be heard softly singing Psalty's songs. He now prefers to take his naptime/quiet time to listen the gospel as shared by this fictional blue songbook.

We as a culture are enamored/addicted to entertainment, whether it is internet, movies, music, sports, video games, etc. So how do we raise children and (husbands) lead our family with biblical values in a society that is so focused on entertainment... We are challenged by that, partly because we (Patty and I) LOVE to be entertained. We intentionally do not have cable, video games, etc. Please don't take this the wrong way or think I am condemning anyone who does have those things. What I know from our time married is that we spend much less time as a family and our kids (esp. Josiah and Levi) will be inclined towards things we disagree with. We did have unlimited Cable for about a year in an apartment and during that time Patty and I communicated less.

Challenge: Be intentional in what you allow into your home, consider the influence it has.

By the way, Patty and I compromise and make poor decisions about this constantly.

Workouts Week #8

Swim: 20,000 yards

Pullups: 200

Pushups: 400

Situps: 400

Praise to the Lord for His son Jesus! He has risen, He has risen indeed! We stayed here, worshipped with our church and enjoyed a quiet Easter dinner together. This was topped off with a visit from the Powell family.

This is a short post due to, swimming 3.2 miles today followed by work and a visit to our Farm... bedtime

Engaged

My brother in law Lee wrote this song. He mentions in the 3rd verse about a boy selling his favorite toy (my convertible) and buying a diamond ring with it. My mom and dad bought a 1969 Buick Electra Convertible new and gave it to me at 16/17. We worked on it, painted it, etc. But finally traded up.

Patty and I have been married for over 9 years, we were together for 3 before that. We have never broken up, separated, etc. For 12 years it has been US and it has been great! We have had plenty of challenges...

- When we were first married , I was paid $500/month and the electric bill in the house we were living was $400

- Going through school, I was in for 3.5 years solid after we were married

and the biggest, Abby - 188 days in the NICU. There is still not a day that goes by that we don't hurt for her. What can she understand? Why is she upset so much of the time?

Going through life with Patty has/is a pleasing and "good" thing.

Workouts Week #7

Swim: 13,400 yards

Pullups: 250

Pushups: 500

Situps: 500

We had Josiah's 4th birthday party with our family in Oak Ridge, TN last weekend. Patty an I got him a spiderman scooter with a matching helmet and kneepads. We made the mistake of wrapping them in an old diaper box. You see J has worked very hard to get out of diapers, he stopped completely on his 3rd birthday and has done excellent. But when he opened his gift what he saw was a diaper box. Well, we bruised his spirit and embarrassed him in front of a lot of people. Josiah is a great kid, he helps out with Abby and Levi much during the day, cleans up his toys, changes clothes, is completely clear spoken and intelligent in his conversations. When he was 18 months he could sign over 150 signs. So, Josiah I am sorry for embarrassing you, it will not be the last, but I promise I will NEVER do it on purpose! I love you buddy.

Workouts Week #6

Swim: 17,000 yrds

Pullups: 300

Pushups: 600

Situps: 600

We went to OR this weekend to visit the babysitters (grandma and papa) and the aunts/uncles. It is definitely challenging to get the yards in at the pool. My goal is >20,000 a week and I have yet to accomplish that. Right now I am getting up at 4:19AM, why that specific time? Well the morning is the nector of all sleep and I know if I get up at that time I can leave the house by 4:26AM and get to the pool a few minutes early. In other words I am trying to sleep as much in the morning as possible, however it is a different set of rules for bedtime. How to explain that?!?

Workouts Week #5

Swim: 11,400 yards

Pullups: 250

Pushups: 500

Situps: 500

Why am I blogging about working out every week? Well, two reasons... 1st: I am competing in a 4.5 mile swimming race in June, 2nd: You see Abby is in a wheel chair and will always need someone to lift her into the bed, bath, car, pool, etc. If I cannot do it then who will. It has been suggested by a few that we should send her away to a special school where someone can take care of her. She will NEVER leave us as long as we are able.

Patty has started doing this also (though not preparing for a open water swim), this week she did 12 pullups (no jumping, but from a dead hang), 60 pushups and 180 situps!

Levi discovered yogurt today, although not by our decision.

Workouts Week #4

Swim: 11,000 yards

Pullups: 150

Pushups: 300

Situps: 300

For about the past two years until a month ago, Patty and I have been stressed, exasperated, and just felt beat-up most of the time. It all has to do with Abby, she would bite her fingers all day coupled with non-stop moaning. There are times when we woke her up in the morning to find dried blood from bleeding fingers. We do not know why she did it so much, was it seizures, reflux, her gut, brain damage, pain, frustration from lack of communication, etc. I could list at least 30 possibilities of why she might do it.

So for the past few years we prayed, it did not matter where or when. We did pray for our little girl to be content at the least. I recall once when we were at Target and she was really going at it, we just stopped and intervened for her right there. Well, God heard and answered our prayers... she stopped for the rest of the day.

I don't really know why she stopped a month ago, was it the 40 minute seizure she had or, my hope it that the Lord has intervened. Whatever the reason, our family has had a bit less stress and Lord has received the glory.

Workouts

Swim: 7,000 yards

Pullups: 175

Situps: 300

Pushups: 325

Well, Abby is still sick. Drowsiness and overall inactivity still prevail. We are praying that God will help her recover. Levi is so cute and active, if it were not for Josiah, he would have gotten into many things. J is really developing into such a great big brother.

Workouts

Swim: 14,000 yards

Pullups: 200

Situps: 400

Pushups: 400

Abby has been sick for about two weeks. It all started with a prolonged seizure, 45 minutes to be exact. Since then, it has been followed by vomiting, constant sleepiness, and just an absence of Abby. I am worried that after about 20+ prolonged seizures for my little girl, some type of damage has finally occurred.

I am so grateful that the Lord provided a new home for our family last summer. We were looking for a house close to the hospital. We moved in 4 days before Levi was born and had a contract on the other house within 2 days of listing it. Well, it was all worth it when it took 4 minutes to make it to the ER and not 20 as from the old house.

Workouts

Swim: 12,000 yards

Pullups: 50

Situps: 100

Pushups: 100

Why am I posting this? I am training for a open water swim in Chattanooga this summer, the River Rat Race. What do pullups, pushups, etc have to do with swimming? A lot more than I thought.

It all started last summer while at a playground with Patty and the kids. I tried to go across the monkey bars and succeed at impressing my wife. My attempt at demonstrating my prowess on the playground was rudely interrupted when I fell off after two rungs...

Now that my pride bruised, I had to do something to reclaim any dignity that was lost. I began a challenge with a good friend.

50 pull-ups, 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups EVERY day for 3 months.

The first day I could do 3 pull-ups (only the first 3) in a row and I spent about 1.5 hrs in the gym to complete said task. Every day that I miss I need to buy David (challenger) lunch. Well 3 months later, I finished by doing 24 pull-ups in a row.

When I finally did get back in the pool in December after being out a year, I could tell a difference with my strokes. So pull-ups are now included in the workout, though this week was pretty weak.

Josiah learning to dive.

Namesake...

You might be wondering where the name saturnjunkie came from.  You see I work at NASA and part of my job is to research the Saturn V rocket.  This has become one of my favorite parts of daily work.  To date I have collected over 17,000 pages of drawings and 1,000s of documents.  Of the 2,200 boxes of data saved by NASA from the saturn program, we have only looked through about 500.  You may ask why is this important....well I am working on the Ares Rocket and understanding the design of previous rockets is vital to a good design today. 

Josiah also shares this love of rockets with me...  As you might have heard President Obama is attempting to kill the Constellation program that I am working on.  We really HOPE that this does not happen.  Josiah blurted out the following comments the other day while at McDonald's with my mom and dad..

"We need to pray for Obama, he is making bad decisions".  Well,  J is right we do need to pray for our president, it really has nothing to do with voting or agreeing with him.  It is commanded by scripture to pray for our leaders

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" 

 --1 Tim. 2:1-2

Here is my bride and Levi.