The Mighty "D"

What do you say we update this blog?

I've been home for two weeks now after two months aboard the CGC Dependable and what a long two months they were. It's good to be home, to see Micaiah grow as fast as he does and to be with my wife who is in her second trimester.

I went on another temorary duty assignment aboard the Dependable from March to May. We hit up the east coast and did what the Coast Guard asked of us to do.

This photo here is our second of four stops along the trip. Kind of a kick to the shins really. I mean, it's one thing to stop in Rhode Island or North Carolina, at least it feels far enoguh away from home not to be home sick, but to spend three days in Philly, well...I'm just glad Dianna was in PEI so that I didn't have to see her and my son, only to say good bye for another five weeks. I had a good time at every place we stopped.
I smoked a cigar at every city or tow, took lots of pictures, stayed out till early morning, and probably drank way more than I intended to. All in all a great time.

Our mission was to respond to search and rescue calls, make sure all the fisherman were doing the right thing as far as paper work in order, catching the kind of fish they were supposed to and not catching more than what they were allowed.

We ran all sorts of practice scenarios. Whether damage to the ship or bad guys shooting at us, we ran drills to stay sharp and pass the time.

This one here on the left is a practice run we did. During a drill, everyone has their places to be and because I was not assigned to the boat I didn't have a place. Though you could say the flying bridge (lookout) was mine, for that's where I spent many a drills just observing. Like this one, where they were firing off the 50cals and 25mm's. It was exciting to watch.

I had email on the boat so I wrote home every day and called Dianna every time we hit land.

As I mentioned above, Dianna was in Canada for several weeks while I was underway. It eased the missing home part a lot knowing she was with family. A few weeks before the Boat pulled back into Cape May, my Mom came to visit. They certainly did a lot around the house. There were some minor and major changes, all of which were a great surprise and joy to see.

I think I missed home more this time around because of Micaiah. I knew he would not be a baby for ever, but I didn't think he would mature this quickly. I wanted to miss nothing and be there for everything. He doesn't speak so much as he mimicks what we say, though it does seem there is less jibberish and more words every day.

Now that I am home and only have another year here in Cape May, I am really appreciating every day with my family.

Every day not underway.

If you would like to view more photos of the trip, or any other photos I have, please visit me at my facebook accound. Thank you. Till later...

I know, I know, nobody wants to see me kissing my wife. But you know what? Maybe someone out there needs to. I mean, maybe they need to see what a husband kissing his wife looks like. For all you married men out there, when was the last time you kissed your wife and told her you loved her? Ok, I'm off my soap box now, but isn't that a great picture? I love you DiannaIs that you Papa? You are looking at a man one of the greatest men I have ever known... holding his great-grandson who I pray will also one day be a great man.

It was so wonderful to visit the Grandparents, even more so to have Micaiah there interacting with them.

Bad Grammy! Bad! I cannot be held responsible for the future addiction my son will have on coca-cola due to Grammy feeding it to him.

Speaking of Grammy...she'll be here in a day or two for Micaiah's birthday. One year already? And he's the one doing all the changing, I just get older. He's walking now. That's right, walking around the house, greeting me when I walk through the door practically running to me.

We may have a first word here pretty soon. No guarantees but as of right now it would seem he's trying to say "this" but who really knows right?

I don't know how I caught this but I'm glad it turned out well. I think we gave him the card so he could tare it up a little, you know, his way of signing the card for his aunty Emmy. How you like that Emily? Aunty Emmy.

Micaiah loves his Aunty Emmy!

Ok, I'm going to close now. I really just like putting up pictures for everyone to see.

As far as what's going on here at home in CMNJ, just work really. No foster babies, no trips coming up. Well, I do have a two-day seminar on HVAC/R in PA the first week of October. Looking forward to that. Dianna and I will be helping with the Harvest Fest at our church, that will be held in October. Dianna's younger brother and sister came to visit about two weeks ago. They had a good time and it was a pleaseure seeing them. Micaiah has his birthday coming up...that's really about it.

Hope you enjoy these pictures of our family. Got to put one more in. This is from our day trip into Seattle on July Fourth. Dad took us to Seattle and we went to the Space Needle. Micaiah seemed to like it.

Dad is doing well, though I do need to give him a call and catch up on life. If you see him or talk to him before I do, let him know God loves him, I mean...God's love has never left him, thanks.

Bye!!!

Little Guy

Can I let you in on a little secret? You may or may not know this but, having a child, a new addition in you life such as this, blesses your life, in more ways than one might realize.


One of us is growing and getting older by the week, can you tell which one?
If I could share something with you that is on my heart right now: Micaiah is the second best thing to come along in my life. Dianna of course is the first but that's because she was in my life before Micaiah. We really do have a great relationship; the three of us. Micaiah's Mommy is the best I know both as a mom and a wife. I try to be a good dad, but you'd have to ask Dianna about that.


The Lord is so good. He has been with us for so long. Taken care of us in our time of need and though the answers to our prays may almost seem unoticed they are still answered prayers.



Our summer has been a busy one, and we only took one vacation. Our drive to New Hampshire was great. Micaiah did really well in the car and seeing Brooke and attending her wedding was so great. New Hampshire was beautiful. We took a drive through the mountains and just soaked in the scenic view with ou eyes. I must admit that our trip North blessed our marriage. I can't really explain how, maybe just because we were together all day every day. But whatever it did, it was for the better. Poor Micaiah though, he was sick the whole time on the trip. The town where we stayed is planted right in the valley of the White Mountains. And even though it lightly rained most of the time and the clouds were setting low, the surroundings were still something to see.
We took a lot of pictures and made the most of our time in New Hampshire.


Dianna and Micaiah climbed to the top of this waterfall and I went to the lower part, stepped from rock to rock across the water and began climbing this 10 foot ledge. I made my way to the top and saw a great picture, so I captured it with the camera sitting on the ledge.

I have a lot more pictures that I would like to show you, but Dianna says that I try to type too much at once and that I don't have to tell a really long story every time. So, this will be it for today and I really hope to get back to it tomorrow and put more pictures up.
Thank you for your time.
Until then...God Bless

New Posts Coming Soon!!!

I have probably lost all of my faithful readers, but for those of you who happen upon this, know that there will be updates and revisions in the near future.
Dianna and I just purchased a new computer so we have to transfer the photos from the old computer to the new one.
No, that isn't my excuse for having not written in a great while, of course, for those of you who know, I've had some very serious family issues so I felt that I needed to cut myself off from everyone rather than...well, I don't know, I needed to do something and I'm still working on it. So please keep praying for me, my family, and my loved ones.
I promise to up-date my blog and fill it with recent pictures of my family.
Thank you faithful readers.
Jordan

Photo Gallery

They aren't anything spectacular, not really anything that you could call art. Just a few snapshots taken with a digital camera. Some of them turned out alright so it didn't seem fair not to share them with anyone who wants to look.

Cape May really is a picturesque town. Probably one of the more scenic parts of New Jersey, but then again I haven't taken the time to make it to the northern parts of the state. But right here, on our little beach, in our little Coast Guard housing neighborhood, Dianna and I some how come across a thing that needs its picture taken, something that stands out.

The inlet by our house is greatly affected by the high and low tides. We also get very strong winds blowing on the island, especially in the winter months. Now, I must explain to those who don't know, the city limits of Cape May, not the county mind you, but the city limits are on an island and, like Maimi, everything is sea level. We cross a bridge no more than 40 or so feet long to come to our house, and to leave at the other end of Cape May, you cross another, larger, bridge.

Now like I was saying. Because we are at sea level, parts of the roads on base flood at a very high tide and strong wind. And at the other extreme of that you have large fishing vessels that have to stay inside the trench for fear of running aground. The picture above is nothing serious. Infact this happens nearly every week when the tide goes out. In the summer there are a dozen or so small sailing craft such as the one posted above that drop anchor along the jetty at the Coast Guard base. In the winter there are only two or three, more if there is a bad storm. Once in a while the winds will be so severe that the boat's anchor drags on the sea bottom and crashes into the rocks. And that's when the 87's will go out and pull them away from the rocks.

The photo to the left is a picture of two private owned boats. The one in the foreground is only a victim to the low tide. The one in the back ground is not only a victim to the low tide but also having run aground, the owners could not get her up and running so they burned it for insurence purposes...or so the story goes. This inlet is becoming more of a boat grave yard. To count, there are three boats that are buried here and it's a wonder why the Coast Guard doesn't hual them away. One boat all that is visible are the buoys set up around it so that passing boats won't hit it. And another still has a mast protruding 20 something feet in the air.

Every time Dianna and I go for a walk we always take the camera. We never know what we might see, "Another picture for the blog" we like to call it. Once summer is here and I'm back to cutting grass for my second job, we won't have but our Sundays to go on walks together. It is nice really, to have that time, or rather, to make that time. I don't take them for granted that's for sure. Even now, Dianna is on a walk with Micaiah. I was going to go but then she grabbed the camera and I asked, "Is this going to be one of those walks?" She said she didn't know, that it might be, and I told her I was going to saty home and update my blog. She also knows that my foot still aches from having the toenail on my big toe removed becuase of a hangnail. Sorry, I don't have pictures of that. Well, it's been a nice chat. I think I've written enough for a few days. Later I'll put more photos up on the blog, but for now, please enjoy these snapshots of our world.

A State of Family Emergency!!

This is an older picture of my wonderful family.

I love my family, my Father and my Mother, my Sister and especially my Dianna.

We have always been close and we have always been there for each other, even when we are far apart.

One would be niave to think that the greatest times in one's life last forever. With time, there is change. Hopefully good but not always. I guess you get used to having a wonderful family and you get used to Christmas together and you take for granted parents that love each other and stay married for the rest of their lives. You never think twice about anything other than love and fun in your family. All the great times you shared together and expecting nothing less in the years to come.

Your reality is set for the rest of your life. Or so one thinks. You could never think that your reality might change. Hah, no, not you. But when you receive news that perhaps your reality just might change and take a turn down a road you never thought you'd be confronted with, well, that just changes everything now. I will never not love my family. Forgiveness and love are what hold a family together. A family is made from God. He puts people together to love each other and support each other and raise a family.

Yet more importantly than any of these things, I believe, God puts a family together to combat the Evil One. Yes, Satan. He would like nothing better than to tare apart a family that serves God. As you may know, where two or more are gathered in my (God) name, there I (God) am in their mitst. A family centered on God is a powerful tool against Satan, and he knows this.

I wish I could have seen the problems hidden behind smiles before they came out to put a frown on everyones face. I know that families have problems. I know that. With my whole heart, I know that. Is it the distance that slows communication? Was I kept out of the loop? Was someone too afraid to say "Hey we have a problem and we need your help and prayers."

Maybe that would have helped or at least stalled time. But there's no point in the "what ifs."

I just want you, the reader, to know that my family needs your prayers. They are the greatest family I know and I wouldn't trade them or any time in my life with them for anything else in this world. I am not upset and I do not despise nor hold any ill feelings.

I love you Mom and Dad. My life is what it is today because of all the hard work you put into me over the years. So I thank you. Thank you for your love and support, for teaching me at home and supporting my decisions in life.

So whatever happens from this point on, only God knows. I know that I can say, believing, that God is in control. He loves me and my family. I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.

That's all that matters. Love matters.

Me and the Wee-Bean

Yes, he is as surprised as I am. At what? Neither of us can say. Maybe daddy is going to land on "Free Parking"!!

I've now been home from my temporary partrol aboard the CGC Dependable for one month. Micaiah is no longer wondering, "Who is this guy and what is he doing with my Mommy?" He's gotten use to having me around and I enjoy spending time with him. Taking him off of Dianna's hands and feeding him his bottle. Dianna says I am good at feeding him and rocking him to sleep. He loves to play on his blanket and bouncing in his chair. I can't believe how much he "talks" and coos. I'm sure all of you readers have heard before, but I don't mind saying again, being a parent for your own child is a complete difference than being a foster parent. Dianna and I have notified DYFS that we are now "Open for business." So bring on the little ones.

I suppose if there is any excitement with being a Foster parent, it comes with wondering who the next child will be, what difference we can make in their lives and, the day they are reunited with their family or loved ones. Dianna and I keep in touch with our friend/case-worker who keeps us up-to-date with previous children we've fostered.

We don't know what will happen after we move from Cape May. Hopefully we can continue foster care the next place we move. Being in the Coast Guard doesn't really make it easy to do either, not knowing where we'll move next or what the housing situation wil be like. We would like to have more children of our own, and we would rather adopt than foster. But all of this we leave in God's hands.