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We spent the day after Thanksgiving at EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World. This was Danny's first Disney visit. Thanks to my Mom, we go to Disney everytime we visit the States. The Rainforest Cafe, an amazing place to eat. Not sure if this was Chip or Dale. Long day.

Thanksgiving 2006

Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day October 3, 1863 The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields...

We are being spoiled. We are currently in Ocala, FL, staying at my Mom's house. We are being spoiled. She cooks whatever we want, or she takes us out to eat. She even does our laundry and folds the clothes! We are truly being spoiled. This was a good place for us to get over jet lag. Not only because we are being so spoiled, but it is also a little warmer here than in Maryland, so we can become slowly accustomed to the much colder weather here in the States this time of the year. The kids are having a blast. My Mom has this routine, where she takes them to McDonald's with a huge playplace for lunch, then she takes them to the dollar store. She also takes them shopping for lunch stuff and treats, and she took them to see Happy Feet, some penguin cartoon movie. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. My Mom has been cooking for almost two days. I know this will be quite a feast. Then after the holiday she is taking us to Walt Disney World for two days. Danny is also spoiling us in th...

On to the other side of the world. I can't seem to not blog our long haul trips. Plus I need something to do to while away the hours as we travel to the other side of the world. After spending a fun day in Manila, we got up at the ungodly hour of two in the morning and headed for the International Airport. When we got there, the check in counter was swamped with people. Then something amazing happened. This is the kind of thing that only happens in the Philippines. An airport worker saw that we had an infant with us, so he opened up another ticket counter just for us so we could check in and not have to wait in the lines. He said this was a special line just for us since we had a baby with us. Again, only in the Philippines. So here we sit waiting at our gate, saying goodbye to the Philippines for three months. I still can't believe we are actually leaving. The flight to Hong Kong is just under two hours, we will stopover there for about two hours, then it's the bi...

Leaving tomorrow . . . we have just arrived in Manila where we will be staying one night. Our flight to the States leaves on Sunday the 12th, and since we are going East, we arrive in Orlando the same calendar day. See you on the other side of the world.

I have always been impressed with the life and ministry of Pastor Ted Haggard. He graduated from ORU in the 70's, and he would return to the school to preach during chapel services and also to conduct the annual Men's Conference for the Students. I was always impressed with his straight talk and uncompromising attitude concerning personal integrity. With a very heavy heart I have been following the scandals that have been swirling around him over these passed few days. I now have heard that after voluntarily stepping down from the senior pastorate of New Life Church in Colorado Springs (a church he started in his living room), the church's oversight board has now dismissed him outright. The associate pastor and worship leader, Ross Parsley will be serving as the interim senior pastor. I knew Ross while at ORU, he was the student worship leader during chapel services. My brother Eric moved to Colorado Springs to work with the church and their worship department. I reme...