Jarrod, Devin, and Claire Moore

Snow in SC!

2009-01-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

January 20, 2009: Claire's First Snow
It only lasted 1 day, but we were able to enjoy it because school was closed!

Our Snow Angel

Our second anniversary trip to Charleston!

2008-09-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend marked our 2nd anniversary. We took a trip to Charleston, SC
with our baby girl, Claire. We had a fantastic time. The weather was beautiful and it was so nice to take our first trip as a family to a place that we love dearly. Usually our dining experiences would be one of the highlights of our trip. Not this time. We had several not-so-good dining experiences, but that didn't overshadow the excitement we felt about being there and enjoying each other.

Claire's already a sun-lover:)

Daddy and daughter

Claire was such a trooper as we walked all over downtown Charleston.

This picture is inside our favorite candy store.

A view from inside The Market-downtown Charleston

Oyster shells line the way to one of our favorite local spots: Bowan's Island Seafood

It looks like a shack on the water, but the food is delicious.

We tried to eat our dinner on the dock but the mosquitos feasted on us first!

Claire's personality really seemed to emerge this weekend.

We had a lot of fun snapping pictures of our sweet little smiling princess:)

Claire loves being naked!

Claire is 6 weeks old!

2008-08-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

The past 6 weeks have been an adventure! Claire has been busy!
1. She got her 1 month shot and she was a trooper! She let out one WAAAHHH and that was it!
2. She has grown more than 2 lbs. since birth.
3. She had some relfux trouble and had to be put on rice cereal and given Axid to help her. She is doing well now.
4. Claire has slept "through the night" (translation: last feeding at 10 and sleeps through the night until 5 two nights and 6 last night!)
5. She went to church for her first Sunday service today.
We are in love with our little angel! We've been tremendously blessed!

Claire's Birthday: July 14, 2008

2008-07-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Claire Marie Moore was born on Monday, July 14 at 4:26 pm. She weighed 6 lbs. and 8 oz. and was 20 inches long. My labor and delivery went very well. I could not have asked for a better nursing staff and doctor to take care of me! It was an excellent experience overall and best of all, we were able to bring the sweetest little girl in the world home with us on Wednesday! We are so happy to be home and are enjoying getting to know this little person that we have fallen so in love with in such a few days!

Thank you all for the emails, phone calls, and visits. We feel very loved and appreciate your excitement and encouragement for us as we begin a new adventure in our lives!

Overwhelmed and excited mom!

Extremely proud daddy!

Crazy (and wonderful) Nurse Joan. She helped me dialate from 6 to 10 in a matter of minutes because of a laughing fit! She was awesome!

Our new family

Grammy Poppy

Aunt Kellie

Cousin Tiffany

Nana and Paw Paw Puddin'

Aunt Kim

Aunt FrankieMimi

Pop Pop

Aunt Ashley

Great Grandmama Prince

Great Grandaddy Prince

Little Shrek Baby:)

My nephew, Ethan

2008-07-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

Ethan is 7 months old and is more precious than ever! He is anxiously awaiting his cousin's arrival to the world so that he can teach her all he knows about life so far! Enjoy these sweet pictures of him and his fun uncle:)

July 4, 2008

2008-07-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous July 4th celebration with some family! We had fireworks, food, and fun!

The delicious dessert my mother-in-law made...strawberry short cake!

Jarrod getting ready to "take on" the grill. He grilled hamburgers and chicken for the family!

Mom and Dad enjoying some yummy homemade cherry ice cream!

Butch and Tammy taking time to smile for the camera.

Sister-in-law Kim and Aunt Frankie

Brother-in-law, Robert, who LOVES to give me a hard time...about everything:)

My sweet husband givin' me and Claire some lovin'

Bailey, the boy Chihuahua, aka "king of the house". He's fiesty but loveable once you get to know him.
Abbey, the girl chihuahua, aka "queen of the house".

Mom encouraging Claire to come! This picture was taken 2 weeks before her due date.

Happy 4th everybody!!

Feet and fingers and a hiney...oh my!

2008-06-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling LOTS of those feet or heels, fingers, and bony hiney moving around lately! Claire's actual due date is July 18th. but we are praying fervently for her to come early for lots of reasons:)

I wanted to take a few minutes to actually "blog" since I don't do much of that.

Some little "surprises" I've experienced during this pregnancy:

1. The incredible indigestion I've experienced! Some say that's a sign that she'll have lots of hair...we'll let you know.

2. My pre-pregnancy jeans...heck, my pre-pregnancy body!

3. Being out of breath trying to walk and carry on a conversation at the same time.

4. The anxiety I've experienced about becoming a mom. I've never been much of a worrier, but becoming a mom sure has brought that out in me!

5. My desire to make sure EVERYTHING is "ready" or neat and tidy around the house. I think most would consider this "nesting" and let me tell you how REAL it is!

6. My infatuation with watching "Jon and Kate plus 8". Kate is my inspiration because I think if she can do it having 6 three-year olds and 2 six-year olds (that's a set of sextuplets and twins-8 children in all!), then I can surely handle one!!

7. The crazy dreams! I dreamed it was Open House at school and all the parents showed up and I wasn't ready! My classroom was completely disorganized and I felt completely unprepared. I had to laugh and breathe a HUGE sigh of relief when I woke up and realized it was June!!

8. The incredible effort it takes to do little things like, say...MOVE!

9. Weird cravings...my first was apple juice and starbursts and now it's maple nut goodies.

10. The sheer excitement and joy that I'm currently experiencing over meeting and holding my daughter for the first time!

**Note: The only thing Jarrod is truly looking forward to is her "poopy diapers". So just kidding! This is the only thing he SAYS he won't do, but just between us, he changed Ethan's dirty diaper today! We're making progress:)

Some unexpected blessings I've experienced during this pregnancy:

1. The closeness between me and my husband.

2. The protectiveness he's displayed over making sure we are safe and as comfortable as possible. Case in point: He went to his mom's house in Rock Hill (about 30 minutes away) and thought to himself, "I'd better get home. Devin could go into labor and I need to be there".

3. His ability to put up with my mood swings and emotional breakdowns whenever and wherever they happen.

4. Our excitement over preparing for her, shopping for her, and decorating her nursery.

5. The sweet visions we have of smelling her and holding her and rocking her to sleep. Jarrod is already dreading the day she starts dating and heaven forbid, brings a boy home! I'll make sure to blog that day:) He is really looking forward to daddy/daughter dates!

6. The fear that I'll never get to hold my baby because my husband will want to keep her all to himself.

7. The excitement that our family and friends have shown us over the upcoming birth of our daughter.

8. The overwhelming support and love and gifts we've been given in celebration of Claire.

9. Eli's (our dog) "knowledge" that I'm pregnant. He is more gentle with me than he has ever been and won't jump on me at all. When he lays on my lap, he puts his paw up close to my belly. We've been taking him into Claire's room to get him accustomed to her room and smell by using baby lotion on a doll that we call Claire and now when we let him in the house, he walks straight to her room. We think he will be a very protective older brother!

10. The love I have for my nephew Ethan since he's come into the world and the incomprehensible feeling of how much I'll love Claire!

Devin at 37 weeks

Claire's Nursery: Final Stage

This gown is nearly 60 years old. It belonged to Claire's "Paw Paw Puddin' " until he so graciously gave it to us to use for Claire's christening. It is very special to us, and we can't wait to see Claire in it!

This is the belly cast that my sweet friend, Clara Reed, helped me make. It was painted by Clara and another friend, Leslie. I am so thankful to them for helping me to create such a sweet memory!

A sign my mom and dad bought for us. It is hanging above Claire's door in her nursery.

Our First Mother's Day 2008

2008-05-12T14:22:00.001-07:00

Claire's Lady Bug Table

2008-05-12T14:18:00.001-07:00

Made with love by Nana and Paw Paw Puddin'

Munich, 2008

2008-05-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time."

Four of the most arrogant and presumptious words ever spoken. I mean, they are right up there with "we the jury find the defendant, Orenthal James Simpson, not guilty." Chalk it up to ignorance? No, that would be an insult to the intelligence of stupid people around the globe. To me, those words can be chalked up to being blind even though the people who spoke them could see. Reality, to those people, was irrelevant. Idealsim and fantasy ruled the day, not facts and history.

Now, don't get me wrong; I believe that we all should be idealistic, especially when freedom and peace are at stake, but idealism based on pacifism is national suicide. Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister in 1938, signed the Munich Agreement with Hitler which split Czechoslovakia up into a few pieces. What right they had to do this, I do not know. There were no people there to represent the Czechs, but still the Germans, British, French, and Italians decided to appease Hitler and "give" him the one last piece of land that he wanted. Hitler took the deal, and Chamberlain got him to sign a peace treaty before he went on his merry way back to London. The Czechs were left scratching their heads as to why they had been abandoned as European pacifists smiled while sipping fancy champagne.

Chamberlian and his cronies acted like Woodrow Wilson in assuming that they had the power and right to split apart countries. Simply put, they were the ancestors of today's liberals. Almost 70 years later we have a midget madman in Iran saying the same things that the midget from Germany said, and no one seems to be paying any attention. Obama, the messiah for so many liberals, says that he would rather “engage in aggressive personal diplomacy” than stop a pyscho in his tracks. If he were elected (pray he isn't) he better be prepared to apologize to the families of millions of Jews who will be wiped out by Iran, which is exactly what Iran's leader has said he will do. Action requires one to be decisive, and Obama is decisive only when it suits his political interests (i.e, Jeremiah Wright). The best way to sustain peace is to prepare for war whether anyone wants to admit it or not.

I have no doubt Obama would have been cheering on the tarmac as Chamberlain waved his little paper saying "peace for our time." Well, that agreement on paper went up in smoke, just like the millions of Jews who died due to Chamberlain's penchant for pacifism. The blood of millions was on his hands, and in my opinion it still is. It took the British bringing in Churchill, after they had disgraced him, for them to regain a fighting spirit. We need the same in this country. We need someone who can bust a head just as good, if not better than they can negotiate peace, and be willing to do it.

This is not about racism. It is about reality, and the reality of the situation is that this world, especially our country is headed for a major catastrophe if Barack Hussein Obama is elected. His rhetoric is just that: empty words with no substance behind it. We do not need him running things. Keep him out of it or we are in for it!

Claire Marie in 4D

2008-04-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

We were able to see Claire in 4D today! It was an incredible experience! I am 28 weeks pregnant and she is measuring 29 weeks. She weighs just under 3 pounds! We got several good shots of her. I am posting a couple of the best or easiest to see. She is due July 18, but we are hoping to meet her a little earlier (if she's ready). Just wanted to post these so you could celebrate with us. We thinks she looks like such a cutie already (but we aren't biased) ;)

Claire is sucking her thumb in this picture!

Claire is playing peek-a-boo with us in this picture!

THE New National Holiday

2008-04-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well. Today is one of the most important days of the year. No, not Christmas. No, not Easter. No, not President's Day. Have you not paid any attention to what the news media has been trumpeting? Are you unaware of what the honorable (that's questionable) Nancy Pelosi is doing today? Even President Bush is getting in on the act. They are both planting trees today. People, it's Earth Day! It's time to plant some trees, recycle some aluminum, watch an Al Gore movie, read up on the Kyoto Protocols, walk instead of drive, and be sure not to breath! Today is a day that liberals and tree huggers have been looking forward to since last Earth Day. It is the day where children across America, dare I say the world, will be exposed to stories of dying polar bears and thinning ozone layers.

Those little chaps will come home and cry to mommy and daddy about the sad state of the world, and demand that in their homes they cut back on water and use candles because Al Gore, John Edwards, Cameron Diaz, and Leo DiCrapio told them to do so. What they won't see, though, are the gulf stream jets, 20,000 square foot homes, and gas guzzling limos that those Pharisees toil around in all day long. And if we dare question them we will be scorned and banised prematurely into the outerdarkness that awaits those of us who dare to use gas and electricity!

I could spout off about how man-made global warming is a farce- it is; cow farts let off more co2 emissions than SUV's-but I am not in the mood to do so. Instead, here is what I am going to do: Later today I am going to hop in my truck and drive 30 minutes away to Rock Hill, and then I am going to turn on all the lights in my house when I get home while running all the water faucets for 30 minutes! Take that tree huggers! In reality, I think recycling is great, and I think conservation is a wonderful idea, but NOT at the expense of human development! We have abundant resources around us to be energy independent, but fascists in government won't let us. When Gore and his goons live what they preach I will join the bandwagon. Until then, long live nuclear power!

Eli

2008-04-14T15:14:00.001-07:00

Eli practicing for Baby Claire's arrival

Eli's cousin, Sam

Mommy and Eli

Daddy and Eli

6 1/2 months and counting...

2008-04-13T15:21:00.001-07:00

Nursery: Phase 1

Clarie Marie Moore's First Picutre

2008-03-05T12:53:00.001-08:00

Roger Clemens and Your Tax Dollars

2008-02-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

If you would, please contact Rep. Henry Waxman and ask him why he wants Roger Clemens investigated by the Justice Department to see if he perjured himself, but he hated the idea that Clinton was investigated and impeached because he DID perjure himself? So let me: going after a baseball player is more important than holding the President (at the time) for lying (without a doubt) under oath? I can only say one thing: hypocrisy. Typical of our "friends" across the aisle.

And be sure to thank him for spending your tax dollars on this investigation!

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2008-02-26T06:01:00.000-08:00

February 26th, 1993 was, in my opinion, THE most important day in the 1990's. It was the day that Bill Clinton set the tone for the future War on Terror. The following is an excerpt from a brief explanation posted on Wikipedia:

"On February 26, 1993 at 12:17 PM, a Ryder truck filled with 1,500 pounds (680 kg) of explosives was planted by Ramzi Yousef and detonated in the underground garage of the North Tower, opening a 100 foot (30 m) hole through 5 sublevels of concrete leaving six people dead and 50,000 other workers and visitors gasping for air in the shafts of the 110 story towers.

In 1997 and 1998, six Islamist extremists were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the bombing. According to a presiding judge, the conspirators' chief aim at the time of the attack was to destabilize the north tower and send it crashing into the south tower, toppling both landmarks."

Over 1,000 people were left injured due to the attack. The following info can be found on www.hillaryproject.com:

"It was the first attack on U.S. soil since the attack on Pearl Harbor. The attack was planned by a group of conspirators including Ramzi Yousef, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, El Sayyid Nosair, Mahmud Abouhalima, Mohammad Salameh, Nidal Ayyad, Ahmad Ajaj, and Abdul Rahman Yasin. They received financing from al-Qaeda member Khaled Shaikh Mohammed, Yousef's uncle, who was the mastermind behind the 9-11 attacks."

Yes, people were brought to justice, but did you read the last sentence in the previous paragraph? The man who matermminded 9-11 was never brought to justice. Bill Clinton chose to try Yousef in a CRIMINAL COURT, and not a WAR TRIBUNAL. He committed an act of war, but he was instead put in a criminal court. This set the tone for the Islamic Extremist's reign of terror in the 1990's. They knew at that moment that Bill Clinton was not serious about terrorism. In fact, Clinton KNEW that Yousef was sponsored by Saddam Hussein. The last time a government sponsored an act of war against our country, on our soil, we eventually dropped two atomic bombs on them. This proves to me, if nothing else, that Clinton was a coward, and he was willing to risk American lives rather than risk his reputation within the international community. Who cares about France's opinion, anyway?

Any person associated with an administration who carried such a policy has no right to hold the highest office in the land during this time of war against terror (remember: Hillary was, and some say still is, Bill's wife in the 1990's). Hillary Clinton, and Barack Hussein Obama, have made it clear that they do not want to continue this VERY necessary crusade (yeah, I said it: CRUSADE). They have said they want to talk to our enemies rather than eradicate them. It was George Washington who said, in essence, that the way to maintain peace was to prepare for war. Man, oh man. How far we have fallen from such a policy. A policy, by the way, that was stressed by one of our most important Founding Fathers. Any intelligent human being does not need to be told how ignorant it is to try and appease enemies (see: Neville Chamberlain).

For more info, check out these two sites:
http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/michelle_barack_obama/2008/02/21/74416.html
www.hillaryproject.com

Arm yourselves; be ready to stand up against socialist peacenicks, and be ready to defend liberty.

It's a...baby!

2008-02-26T05:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, Devin and I have finally heard what we are having. It's a...girl! She is 10 inches long, and she weighs about 1 pound. Thus far she is healthy, but pray that she continues to be healthy, and that she is a baby that is happy and full of faith. Also, please pray she looks nothing like her daddy!

5 Months Pregnant!

2008-02-18T14:27:00.000-08:00

We hope to find out this Thursday, February 21st WHO we're having:)

My nephew, Ethan Layne, born December 10, 2007

2008-02-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

Pictures of our "new" house

2008-02-18T14:14:00.001-08:00

What's in a name?

2008-01-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

Since we cannot get the poll section to work, we need to know what you think of baby names. CHOOSE WISELY !

-Lily Grace
-Amelia Grace
-Riley Marie

Tell us what you think. Remember, CHOOSE WISELY!

COME, LORD JESUS!

2008-01-28T07:20:00.000-08:00

What a statement. The last three words of the Bible, and said with such enthusiasm! We know why John said these words (at least I hope we do), but I think maybe some have hijacked his passion. "Whatever do you mean, Skeeter?" Oh, I think you know what I mean. I am talking about the Rapture: that wonderful little idea where Jesus comes riding down on a cloud to take away believers. While that sounds fluffy and divine, is it true? My concern with this idea (notice I did not "truth") is that I do not believe for one second that it is Biblical. If my dad, Wayne, were able to read this he would have just had a stroke.

"No Rapture! Skeeter, how could you say such things? You better get right before you get left!" Well, do not worry about me. I will be fine. And if you cannot read with an open mind, stop now, but if you wish to read for the sole purpose of arguing later on, well then I am certainly up for that. I hope, though, we can engage, rather, in a healthy debate and not an arguement. Anyway, One of the reasons I disagree with the Rapture is based on the "interpretation" some have of Matthew 24:1-31. That is where Jesus talks about "Signs of the End of the Age". "Wars and rumors of wars...birth pains." They are here! Wars and rumors of wars! Hallelujah, Jesus is coming! Tim LaHaye certainly thinks so, and so does John Hagee. But are they right? No, I do not think so. Here is one of the reasons why: one of Jesus' favorite words in this section is "you". In thirty-one verses he used that word 14 times. One specific word appears in almost half of a very important section. Why is that important? Well, it is important because it is a personal pronoun. Jesus ALWAYS chose His words carefully. If anyone honestly assesses those verses he will clearly see that He is speaking to a specific group of people. He is talking to the disciples, not Tim LaHaye.

The Bible was written FOR us not TO us. WOW! What a bold statement. That is because it is true. Take Paul for instance: his letter to the Corinthians is adressed to the Corinthians not South Carolinians. The issues he writes about are specific to that city. While the lessons taught from that book can be very applicable to us today, Paul did not write with the intention of making sure that people 2,000 years from his time knew what to do in similar situations. If he did, he would have said so! Paul was always specific in his letters, never vague. The point is that it is completely wrong and unfair to assume that Jesus was saying those things in Matthew to us. What in the world did Peter or John care about people 2,000 years from their time? If LaHaye and Hagee insist on taking every word of the Bible literally maybe they ought to actually begin by doing just that. Not doing so is the height of hypocrisy. It is such a shame that men like LaHaye will call dissenters crazy. I think he does that because he knows that if a dissenting voice gains ground then his Left Behind empire could be brought down. That may sound harsh, but insulting people who disagree with you is no worse than the political mudslinging that we see in the secular society.

I do have more thoughts using the scriptures to add so we can continue this debate later on. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts.

WE NEED A "NEWT" CANDIDATE

2008-01-25T06:52:00.000-08:00

I was thinking, what if a new candidate stepped into the fray? I read an article by Michael Reagan today, and he brought up some points I would like to share for those who are looking for a TRUE Conservative to run for President. While none of the potential GOP candidates resemble Ronald Reagan in every way, they all represent some of his ideas. Romney: a fiscal Reaganite. McCain: national security issues (except the border!). Rudy: hard-liner when it comes to crime. And Huckabee: embodies Reagan's views on faith and religion.

Some of you may be asking why does Reagan even matter. Well, I will tell you: we NEED a Reagan conservative. We do not need anymore RINO's (Republican In Name Only) getting power, especially the most powerful position in the world. Reagan resurrected a country that was short of being crippled by a RINO (Ford) and a liberal who could not find his butt with a map and a compass (Carter). To me, someone who chooses the RINO stance is selling out for moderate votes. Well, Reagan did not want moderate votes. He wanted the votes belonging to the Republican base. He wanted to give the average, God-fearing American hope again, and he did! Too bad we have let a semi-RINO (Bush I), a liberal who would rather follow polls than listen to the people who elected him (Bubba Clinton), and a RINO who has loved big government like it's going out of style (Bush II) take us back to the Ford-Carter days.

"Skeeter, why all the frustration?" Because I don't want to have to choose between the lesser of two evils! I want a man who stands on principle, a man who is more than willing to re-light the lamp on that hill Reagan so eloquently spoke of so that we can once again shine for all the world to see. As a country, we have lost hope, and we need someone who embodies hope, someone who is realistic, yet at the same time idealistic. A man who BELIEVES in America and her sovereignty. A man who looks to the future, who prefers to look towards the sunlight rather than waller in the mud being slung around by today's candidates (mostly the liberals).

"Skeeter, who is this man?! Hurry up and tell us!." Well, you should know who I mean by looking at the title of this post. Newt Gingrich is the man I want, and he is the man we need. "But Skeeter, did he not cheat on his wife? Has he not done some less than pure things?" As a matter of fact, yes he has...and we should forgive him and move on. "But so did Clinton, right? Why should we not have done the same for him?" That is a darn good question, and here is the answer: because Newt has confessed his sins. He does not hide behind charisma, he does not tell lie after lie about it, and he certainly doesn't pull a Bubba Clinton and blame the other Party for his behavior (i.e., Clinton and his gang of left-wing nuts!). I respect a man who is honest. It takes character and integrity to admit when you are wrong, and Newt has got those qualities.

The other thing I love about the guy is that he looks forward. He is aware of the past, and he knows we need to learn from it. The key, though, is he believes we should apply the lessons and move forward. His website http://www.americansolutions.com/ and his book "Winning the Future" are terrific. Check them both out. I firmly believe you will buy into what the man is saying. If so, contact and SCREAM at the man to run for President! If not, we may just have to settle for the lesser of the two evils.

In reponse to DB's comment

2008-01-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

DB...hell will freeze over before Hillary gets my vote. In fact, if she wins we are coming to Afghanistan to live with you and Jenni.

Where Have You Gone, Fred?

2008-01-24T06:36:00.000-08:00

I'm mad. I'm a bit upset. I feel let-down. I feel snubbed. No, I have not failed to win the lottery. Well...in a way maybe I have. Last Saturday I happily went to my local polling place and cast my vote. I am not ashamed to say that I cast that vote for Senator Fred Thompson...and that is why I am mad. I was all about Fred. I got excited because he seemed to be the only true conservative running. Yet, he never seemed to be real excited about that fact. In fact, he never seemed to be excited about too much. I was a Fred-head, and now I sit here deflated. It feels like watching your favorite team start off slow, and continue to do so even though you are cheering relentlessly for them! Was there a method to his madness? Because whether he wants to acknowledge it or not madness is quite possibly what we are about to descend into.

What am I talking about? I am talking about John McCain. And to some extent, I am talking about Mike Huckabee. Take a look at this:

Denying Legal Status for Immigrants Convicted of Certain Crimes
Bill Number: S Amdt 1184

Vote to pass an amendment that would prohibit undocumented immigrants convicted of aggravated felonies, domestic violence, stalking, violation of protection orders, crimes against children, or crimes relating to the illegal purchase or sale of firearms, from gaining legal status.
McCain voted "no".

Did you read that right? McCain said, in essence, even though you may be ILLEGAl, and even though you have committed crimes, you need not worry about never becoming a U.S. citizen. In my house we call that permission; permission to committ crimes with no fear of real puishment other than prison. Prison is not enough. KICK THEM OUT AFTER THEY FINISH THEIR SENTANCE! McCain's vote in tantamount to betrayl.

Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006

S 3711: A bill to enhance the energy independence and security of the United States by providing for exploration, development, and production activities for mineral resources in the Gulf of Mexico, and for other purposes.

Here's a bill that would have promoted energy independence. Guess how he voted? You got it: NO! I call that caving to the tree hugger lobby.

Here's more:
06/06/2007 Declaring English the National Language Vote to pass an amendment that declares English as the language of “sole legal authority” for the business of the federal government, and declares that no person has a right to require officials of the United States government to use a language other than English. He voted "yes" on this one. But on one right before that...

06/06/2007
English as the Common Language Vote to adopt an amendment that declares English to be the common language of the United States. He voted "no". Let me get this straight: members of the government HAVE to learn English, but the average citizen does not have to. This ammendment would have made the lives of school teachers a lot easier, and businesses would have had an easier time, but ole Johnny boy doesn't care. I guess the Hispanic vote is more important than any other ones. What a crock!

As for the Huckster, check out this that came from his own mouth: “Some have suggested [increasing the tax on tobacco at the retail level]. If that ends up being your preference, I will accept that. Others have suggested a surcharge on the income tax; that’s acceptable; I’m fine with that. Others have suggested, perhaps, a sales tax; that’s fine. Yet others have suggested a hybrid that will collect some monies from any one or a combination of these various ideas, and if that’s the plan that the House and Senate agree upon, then you will have nothing but my profound thanks.” http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/mike_huckabee120.html. I have seen the video of him saying this to the Arkansas Legislature. Sounds inspiring, doesn't it?

That, essentially, is all I need to know. He also said he was a little wary of what he said was the NSA's policy of tapping the phones of average American citizens. That is a distortion of truth. Common citizens were not spied on! People suspected of terrorist ties were the only people that the NSA were allowed, LEGALLY, to "spy" on. They monitored their phone calls (those made or revieved by known terrorists) to see if they may have been concocting terrorist plots. That program was shut down by the dishonorable Senator from Nevada, Harry Reid and his fellow Lefties. By the way, guess who started the whole NSA wire-tapping program...the worst President in our history, Jimmy Carter. How ironic that he claimed to be an avowed Baptist who would lead in a Christian manner. Jim, support of abortion on demand is not a sweet Christian idea. Huckabee, another proud Baptist (no offense, Darrell), is saying the same stuff (except for abortion, thank God). To me, it may be a good idea to NOT vote for the man who is, to me, using his faith as a means to grab votes. Strong statement, I know, but I do believe it.

So, rather than being cynical, I am going to find me another candidate, and then I am going to do my best to get them elected. I hope you will do the same.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinnerjacket and the adventures of Columbia University

2007-09-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

Ah, fall is in the air, and oh how the mighty have fallen. According to some folks, Columbia University sunk to new lows yesterday when it allowed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at a forum on its campus. Numerous amounts of people protested against it, while some supported his being able to speak. Like it or not, it is now over with, and he is soon to address the United Nations (or, as I like to call it, the world's biggest joke) where he will spout lies and other insane platitudes about how unfair Iran is being treated. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. The man is a lunatic who has said over and over how much he desires to see the West destroyed so that it can come under the rule of Sharia Law (if you do not know what that is, look it up. It aint pretty).

He has also been adament that if he has his way, Israel and every last Jew there will be pushed into the sea. In essence, he would love nothing more to see them all annihilated. Sounds like that dude from back in the 1930's and '40's. What was his name? Oh yeah. It was that mass murderer of the Jews Adolf Hitler. The same man that Neville Chamberlain appeased at Munich, and look where that got everybody. He also believes, firmly, that the Holocaust never happened. Really? Then where did those 6 million people go? Montana?
What's funny to me, though, is that it is apparent that those wonderful little liberals running for President have said that they would like to "talk" to him to see if they can iron out the differences between America and Iran. It would seem that these people have totally forgotten their history. It is either that or they are just so consumed with getting power that ignorance and blindness have taken control. I think it is a little bit of both. So much is at stake with this next Presidential election. We can elect someone like Obama who says that American troops in Afghanistan are air-raiding villages and killing civilans (an outright lie!) while at the same time saying that he wants to "talk" to Ahmadinejad to see what sort of agreement they can come to. Whose side is this man on? It is obvious that he is not looking out for your interests. Instead, he is only interested in power, and those that seek power are destined to pervert it.

Hillary is the same way. She would rather spit on a 4 Star General than believe that we are actually making progress in Iraq. She, in essence, is saying that Petraus is a liar, but she too would be willing to talk to Ahmadinejad to see if some resolution can be reached. Did you read that right? She is more concerned with power than America. She always has been, and if she is elected we are in for some serious trouble.

All that aside, what are we to make of Ahmadinejad's visit to America? What should we think about Columbia's decision to let such a lunatic speak? Well, if you ask me, that is not what we should be concerned about. Think about this for a second: Did you know that he was one of the ring-leaders of the Iranian Revolution of 1980? Did you know he was one of the men responsible for rushing our Embassy in Tehran where American citiznes were taken hostage? Did you know that this man is arming insurgents in Iraq with Iranian weapons, weapons that are being used to KILL American soldiers! Did you know that he is also sending Iranian soldiers into Iraq to KILL American soldiers? All of that has been confirmed MORE THAN ONCE by military intelligence! Have you heard any outrage over this from our "friends" on the Left? Nope, and you won't because they know that to do so would tick off their kook fringe Leftist base, and that would cost them votes. Again, THESE PEOPLE DO NOT CARE ABOUT AMERICA!

Did you also know that Ahmadinnerjacket is arming Hezbollah and Hamas, two groups who have professed to being committed to destroying Israel, two groups who use terrorism to attain their goals? They are the ones who blow women and children up while they ride on buses down the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They are getting money and weapons from the Iranian President, the very man that liberals want to "talk" to.

So, what's the point? The point is that this man is guilty of crimes against humanity, and he is guilty of committing crimes against the United States military. His sorry tail should have been arrested the second he stepped foot on American soil, and he should have been put through the beginning stages of being charged in a War Crimes Tribunal conducted by the U.S. military. He should then be denied the right to a speedy trial, and then he should be shot while being hung in the middle of Times Square.

But wait a minute! Wouldn't that infuriate the Iranians and make them declare war on us? Probably, and we should respond in kind. Keep in mind we would not be alone in such a war. Israel has made it crystal clear that they will not tolerate the Iranians and their antics. They would be more than willing to fight, and they would be more than willing to put the nuclear option in the CENTER of the table. In my opinion, we are going to go to war with Iran. The hardliners and Islamic fundamentalists run that country, and they will not relinquish power without a fight. Such a war, though, will be like none other. Iran will be turned into a parking lot, and there will be no more putting terrorists on notice. The fight would then be taken to them at such a frightening pace it will make the carpet bombing of Germany look like a picnic with your parents.

These things will happen, I believe, if a Democrat is elected. Neville Chamberlain was a liberal, and his refusal to stand up to Hitler launched the world into a cataclysmic war. Millions of innocent men, women, and children died, and that isn't even including the number of soldiers who died. We must not allow this to happen. Get involved with your local elections. Get involved with local politics. Write your Congressmen and tell them to take a stand. Pick a candidate and get behind him with all that you have. We can win back the future, and I believe that if we act on our hopes we will win. Remember, those hostages in Iran came home as soon as Reagan took office. They knew he was serious, and Libya soon found out he wasn't playing when he had a few bombs lobbed into Ghadaffi's house. Have you heard from that guy since? Nope. Here's to hope, and here's to putting down rulers who have a silly name like "Ahmadinejad". What was his family thinking!

Vick and Redemption

2007-08-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

As I am sure you have all heard Michael Vick, the former quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, will be sentenced next Monday for his role in federal dog fighting charges. The prosecutors are asking for 12-18 months in prison...FEDERAL prison. In case you forgot, Leavenworth is a federal prison, and you do not want to go there. Anyway, there are a few things about this case I would like to say. First of all, though the dog fighting charges are center stage, it is actually the gambling issue that is the real problem. Whether anyone will admit it or not, gambling can be very harmful to professional sports. The last thing commissioner Goodell and owner Arthur Blank want is for the word "gambling" to be associated in any way with football. The question that is being posed is if Vick was betting on dog fighting who is to say that he wasn't betting on football?

As the fervor mounts surrounding the countdown to Monday there are already tons of advocates out there already proclaiming how Vick should not be banned from the NFL. They say that he should be let back in when he gets out of jail because he has admitted his faults, and will have served time in prison. Question: can anyone recall how Vick admitted his wrongdoing? In case you don't know, he only admitted it AFTER his friends turned on him by copping pleas (some friends), and even then he only admitted it by accepting his own plea bargaign! How is that being forthright and honest? How is that accepting responsiblity? Lest anyone forget, he has, up until this week, been lying through his teeth about his involvement in the whole thing. That, my friends, is not contrition. While he may turn out to be truly sorry, he should not turn out like Clinton and apologize only after the fact. If Vick would just own up to his disgusting actions and his blatant lies, accepting full responsibility, then I believe everyone would be willing to give the guy another shot.

Vick's advocates come in all shapes and sizes. Their boundaries are not limited by race, sex, or age, which I think is a very good thing. However, there have been some people who have turned this into a racial issue, which is just utterly sad. Those folks claim that the Feds are attacking Vick over dog fighting because it is prevelant in black culture. Well, how about a history lesson. The first recorded events involving dog fighting are found in Roman culture, and they were known to be very popular in medieval Europe. Having said that, does it not seem pretty stupid to act like this is a black versus white thing? If anything it makes some white folk look pretty sad for starting it in the first place! Do people really think that there was a conspiracy coming from on high to get Michael Vick? The people that put forth such notions are the very people that are keeping this country stuck in a quagmire of fractured race relations. They do not want to see harmony. They want to see pity and preferential treatment. What a shame. All people are worth more than a handout, and to not give them a chance to succeed without someone doing it for them is to rob a human being a successful life.

The NAACP are saying that Vick should be let back on the field. Here is their reasoning behind that: "We further ask the NFL, Falcons and the sponsors not to permanently ban Mr. Vick from his ability to bring hours of enjoyment to fans all over this country." He should be let back in because he can play football? For some reason I doubt that Vick goes out there solely to entertain, and it would seem that the people who are so desperate for entertainment that they would excuse his actions are pretty disgusting. Michael Vick is an extremely talented human being. He has all the tools in the world to excel at his sport, and he has a HUGE stage to show that he is willing to make a positive difference in the world. For the NAACP to make the entertainment arguement they are only doing Vick a major disservice.

That being said, here is what I truly think: Vick deserves a second chance. He did something horrible and inhumane. He deserves to be punished for his crimes. He needs to spend some time at an animal shelter caring for dogs, and it may do him well to work for a vet for a while. I totally believe in the potential within Michael Vick. I do believe him when he says that he knows that he needs to change the company he keeps, and I am sure that since his "friends" have bailed on him he will speed up that process. This thing does not have to be a racial issue, or even a animal rights issue. It is so much more than that. The focus here is a human being gone astray that now, even though way down in the pit, has a chance to really make something of himself. Michael Vick, if he wants to, can really be an example of redemption. And honestly, I think he can do it. I think he WANTS to do it. I hope he does it. He is too young to throw it all away now.

P.S.: PETA, shutup. When you protest the murder of innocent human beings as much as you protest the killing of animals we will listen to you. Until then, shutup.
And Stephon Marbury, you shutup as well. Defending dog fighting only hurts Michael Vick, and it makes you look even more ignorant than you already are (if that's possible). You want to help Vick? Then help him finish college, help him find friends who will build him up and not mooch off of him until it's time to bail. If you can't do that, shutup.

The 2008 Election

2007-08-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday my lovely wife informed me that Mrs. Beth Atkins, her supervising teacher back in Greer, mentioned that she would be interested in what my thoughts on the 2008 candidates for president might be. Well, not being one to ever turn down the chance to give my opinion, that is exactly what I plan to do. So strap in and read away.

Let's start with Rudy. Now I know that lots of conservatives think ill of him based on what they know about some of his positions, so let's look at some of the main ones. Abortion: this is a really huge issue for conservatives, and it should be! After all, we are the ones who give a rip about human life. (Note: any liberals reading this who disagree with abortion let me know, please.) Rudy' stance on abortion involves parental notification, which is a huge step in the right direction. The key to understanding Rudy's stance is to understand that he does not believe in abortion, unless it means saving the life of the mother, but he does say that as of right now it is the law of the land and thus it stands. Now here is the catch, and if you don't pay attention to this point you will miss something golden. Rudy has made it clear that as president he would appoint strict constructionist judges like Scalia, Roberts, and Alito who currently serve on the Supreme Court. What does that mean? That means that judges in that mold will adhere to the Constitution and not try to legislate from the bench. When abortion was made legal it was done under the pretext that it was legal based on one's right to privacy. If you can tell what that means I will buy you lunch, and if you can tell me where that is in the Constitution I will buy you dinner! So in effect the courts will have judges who will help rid America of disgusting liberal "beliefs" that are eroding America's foundation. That, my firends, is good news!

Rudy's stance on marriage comes straight from his website: "Rudy Giuliani believes marriage is between a man and a woman. He does not - and has never - supported gay marriage. But he believes in equal rights under law for all Americans. That's why he supports domestic partnerships that provide stability for committed partners in important legal and personal matters, while preserving the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman." When one considers equal rights for domestic partnerships it does make some sense in regards to health reasons. It can help decrease the risk of AIDS in the homosexual community, which needs to be addressed. Contrary to liberal media AIDS is ravaging homosexuals in this country, and if we do not speak this truth thousands of people are going to die needlessly. If you want to read more about Rudy check out his website http://www.joinrudy2008.com/. It will help answer questions you may have.

I could talk about other candidates, but instead I am going to address the conservative darkhorse for 2008: Fred Thompson. Yes, I do believe he will run, and I believe he is going to surprise tons of people. While no man will ever hold a candle to Ronald Reagan, Thompson does give us the best example of the conservatism embodied by Reagan. He is for strict constructionist judges, and despite more liberal lies he is NOT pro-choice, and he never has been! His stance on social issues is a perfect example of conservatism:

Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
Voted NO on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)
Voted NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998)
Voted NO on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business. (Oct 1997)
Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)
Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
Voted YES on Amendment to prohibit flag burning. (Dec 1995)
Voted NO on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds. (Jul 1995)

If this does not show you where Fred Thompson stands then I don't know what will. For more info on him check out http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Fred_Thompson.htm. I highly recommend that you do. Why? Because I believe that Fred is going to be a major player in this election. In fact, I think that the Republican ticket is going to be Guiliani/Thompson in 2008. This ticket reaches out to moderates and conservatives alike which is what we are going to need. More importantly these two guys believe in crushing al queda and radical Islam. If you cannot agree with them on any other issues this is the one that you need to focus on because, like it or not, that IS the defining issue for our society and way of life. They do not believe in pacifying killers like the liberals do, and if you think that liberals will be tough on terrorism then take the time to read what they have actually said about it. We cannot trust liberals with our safety let alone our future.

Mrs. Beth Atkins, I hope this helps in some ways. I would love to hear your (and anyone else's) opinion regarding these things, so please feel free to comment. I love to talk about this great country of ours and how we need to resuce it from the hands of those that would sell us out for the sake of power. Have an incredible day!

Our Honeymoon

2007-08-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

The beautiful reminder that after the 5 feet of
rain we experienced in one day, that the earth
would never be flooded again! We claimed that
promise that day!!

The side view of our pool.

Cabbage beach! This is where the locals 'Welcomed
us to Paradise!'

Us outside the World Famous Atlantis Hotel

The aquarium inside the Atlantis

A side view of The Atlantis. One

particular room inside costs $25,000

a night!

The view of the Harbour from our hotel window.

This is the view we saw as we flew into Nassau.

This is an arial shot of one of the beautiful Bahamian islands.

It was a georgeous place!

Our honeymoon was incredible! A typical day consisted of sleeping in until around 9:30. Going to a delicious breakfast, laying out beside the pool or at the beautiful beaches, then heading back to our room to take a nap for a few hours! Then we got ready for dinner, went shopping, took a trip to Starbucks or Haagen-Dazs, and then watched movies or read until we fell asleep:)

It was all that we could have asked for in a honeymoon! We were treated like royalty! We were welcomed by the locals saying, "Welcome to Paradise". It truly was a paradise! We had such a great time just relaxing and being together. We had no agendas, no set schedules, and returned home ready and refreshed!

I survived Roe v. Wade

2007-08-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

Since my lovely wife took the time to create our own blog I decided that I would at least add some input. Therefore I am going to post some things that are dear to my heart, but I also hope some of this might encourage and motivate you. So for my post today I have decided to hit it and hit it hard.

Did you know that from the day Reagan was inaugurated up until September 11, 2001 more than 29,796,700 abortions occured? Better yet, do you realize that between those years almost 30,000,000 souls were denied the chance to have at least one day on this earth? Also, were you aware that between 1980 and 2000 nearly 3 of every 11 pregnancies were terminated? This is what liberals and nazi feminists refer to as 'a woman's right to choose". All of this amounts to the fact that about a fourth of an entire generation, my generation, of human beings had their lives extinguished because they were considered an inconvenience.

Want to think of this in a different way? Well how about this: the liberal establishment, along with some sad conservatives, have the blood of more innocent human beings on their hands than Hitler and Stalin COMBINED! That's right, the most advanced civilization in history makes Hitler and Stalin look like choir boys. That is a holocaust, that is genocide. And liberals call themselves compassionate and diverse? The debate over abortion (if you can even call it a debate), regardless of what many folks say, is not about defining life. It comes down to the question is there any value in a human life at all.

Alas, all is not lost! The generation responsible for this mass murder is dying off. Call me sick but sometimes those that lead others down the road of destruction must die off so those of us who follow them can repave it with honor, dignity, civility, faith, hope, and love. More and more of those of us born in the late 70's, 80's, and 90's are becoming more and more conservative. While liberals want to hide this fact, the light of the truth is begining to shine through (I will provide the source of all my info at the end of this post. For those of you doubters every bit of this info is painstakingly backed up by legitimate sources. Which means that Dan Rather and the New York Times were not cited). Poll after poll backs up these truths.

Lastly, let me help you come up with a way to help in speeding up the process of a rebirth of true conservatism: get married and have lots of babies. The more children we have the quicker we will outnumber the liberal pro choicers. Our generation is a patriotic generation that knows the importance of thinking for itself, but we also understand that if we do not reclaim our country based on Christ and His principles then we are destined for failure. But I have hope. Polls and facts comfort me, but more importanly Scripture comforts me. Let us determine to appeal to men's hearts, let us preach truth, optimism, hope, and in the process watch miracles be performed. Forget the words "can't", "hopeless", "fear", "surrender". Move and take up residence in that "shining city on a hill" and watch great things happen! Thanks for your time. Later.
Jarrod

Source: Reagan's Children: Taking Back The City On The Hill. Hans Zeiger, 2006

Eli

2007-07-20T19:28:00.001-07:00

Eli is our dog. He is a Jack Russell/Lab mix. He is completely spoiled rotten, but very sweet and playful. He weighed about 5 lbs. when we brought him home last November. Now, he weighs in at a very healthy 60 lbs.!! He is notorious for destroying rawhide bones in a few hours that would take other dogs days to eat! He's our little man:)