Not OK Weather

If you don't live in a hole in the ground (after reading this you might think that is where we should live), you've probably seen coverage of a couple storms that have rumbled through the 'flatland' as a friend calls it. Well, we to date have been spared, but that is not the case for many in the state.

Two weeks ago on May 10th, a major tornado outbreak hit the state and what local meteorologists called the 2nd worst outbreak in state history, over 21 tornadoes wiped out countless homes, cars and other property and took the lives of at least 11. The 3rd tornado of the 21 actually briefly came through the west side of Yukon, but we were 4 miles east. Image 3 (which is on the left as well) in the link shows this storm, which was one of the smaller that day.

http://www.kfor.com/lifestyle/kfor-severe-weather-may-10-2010-photogallery,0,1828422.photogallery

3 days ago on Sunday, just after lunch, a major storm again moved through central OK. It started out with small tornadoes before coming into the city, but what followed was probably worse and more wide-spread than a small tornado.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/videos/insane-hail-storm-pummels-pool-17348#17348

Softball and in some cases volleyball size hail covered a stretch of Northwest OKC 3-6 miles wide and 15-20 miles long. Again, this was 5 miles north of us and we were spared. My brother and sister-in-law were eating at a restaurant and lost their windshield. we have friends whose entire shingles were beat off, and all the windows in houses were knocked out.

Tonight, another tornado outbreak just happened, but again, we are blessed. It didn't even rain in Yukon, but 20 miles south and 20 miles north at least 12 tornadoes have touched down. (at present time they have moved to the eastern part of the state and are still going strong).

All this to say, the power in a storm is amazing. I told Tara countless times I missed the storms of OK. Well I'm getting my fill. I don't like what they leave behind but there is nothing quite like seeing the awesome power of the weather in OK. It gives a new perspective to humans and our 'creations'. I always think about the wildlife (cattle/horses/deer,etc) when hail like that is falling.

If you've never experienced this please come visit for a week in May. This is a must because really there is something eerily peaceful before and after the storm. I've contemplated the premise much in my work with college students, and seeing 'storms' play out in real lives often mirrors what storms are like in real life. They come and go, often unpredicted, but the cleanup shows the good in humanity. Churches, communities, and local organizations always rally around those who've lost everything and the common good is refreshing. In a time when everyone seems to be mad at everyone, it takes storms to bring us together. Is this a good thing, I don't know. But like nature, it is a necessity.

We are blessed indeed to have a roof that protects us and and shelter from the storm.

10 Years

May brought a milestone for Tara and I. Ten years ago in Pomona, CA we got hitched. Life has been wonderful and we have had many adventures. I came up with a 'count down' to chronicle the first decade. Enjoy!

1 Wedding

2 Amazing Boys

3 States Resided

4 Parents became grandparents

5 autos owned

6 summer vacations to our CO home

7th of May

8 Combined jobs

9 Countries visited

10 Wonderful Years of Marriage.

I can't wait to see what the next adventures will be with my beautiful wife!

I Think I Will Try Out the "Blogging Thing"

I know I'm a few years behind the 'Techno-world', but I'm going to give this blog thing a spin for a while. I think I want to chronicle the fam and other musings...first let's start with a few updates...mava! :)

The boys are growing up. Caleb turned four a week ago. He is finishing up his first year of preschool, which he LOVES. He got a bike from Grandma and Grandpa Mize for his special day and we take daily bike rides around the block now (with only a few accidents to date). He got a fishing pole from Grandma and Grandpa Houston and is

asking daily when we will go fishing (which will hopefully be catching :).

Nathan, is 17 months old and full of energy. He has been so mobile for so

long. He climbs, runs, dribbles anything resembling a ball, and calls everything Ba, Ball, BAAA, etc. They are so fun watching play together, finally :).

There are many new pics uploaded from the past three weeks. Tara's parents were here for a week and a half and we had a wonderful time. They got to celebrate Easter with the boys, Caleb's B-day and both boys dedication at church.

We all are glad that spring is finally here and look forward to much more outdoors without gloves, hats and scarves!

Houston's in Snow

photo
Originally uploaded by Houstons

This winter has been crazy! I've already talked about the Christmas blizzard and pics are at Flickr, but then two weeks ago we got another major Ice/Snow storm. SNU was closed for two days and local schools up to 5 days.

Caleb and I got the opportunity for more snow art, and instead of the Stegasourus, Caleb wanted to make "all of us". So, here we are in all our snow glory. Daddy, Mommy, Caleb and Nathan. It warmed up a few days later and Nathan was the first casualty, with help from Caleb of course.

I always said growing up, that if it was going to be cold it better snow, well this winter that has been the case, and I have loved it!

In Memory of Fred

This story caught my eye today in the Washington Post, "Frisbee Inventor, Fred Morrison Dies". I never really embraced the disc revolution until I got the left coast, but I have enjoyed many an hour tossing one around with friends and family over the past 10 years.

My greatest frisbee memories are:

1) Playing Frisbee golf with Tony Martin, RA in Ashton hall and launching a disc from the top of the tiered parking lot on SPU's campus with the target of "Chucks" Moyer door. (Only a few cars were hit...each day).

2) Countless times playing on the beach in SoCal. Honestly, if you haven't thrown a frisbee at the beach on a warm sunny day, you're missing out.

3) Throwing a frisbee through a friends car window in a parking lot at APU...all the way through and out the other side...probably the best throw of my life!

Fred, thanks for the great invention!

'Tis the season

IMG_3910 - 2009-12-16 09-16-22
Originally uploaded by Houstons

Happy new year to you! We are doing great. The Christmas and New Year break was a wonderful time of family, friends, relaxation and weather. Below are three posts trying to catch everyone up on our fall and early winter. Also, MANY new photos are posted in Flickr so check them out.

We hope you all are doing well and my new year's resolution is to get back to being a blogger!

Let it Snow...but just a little bit please...

IMG_3977
Originally uploaded by Houstons

Yes we are still alive. I know it has been three months since any updates, and much has happened during that time frame. I'll try to post a few tonight but most all the photos, (over 50) are on the flickr page to the left.

You may or may not have heard about our Christmas Eve Blizzard that shut the whole state down. We got 14 inches in about 8 hours with 40-50 mph winds. The drifts were 4-6 feet in places. We were out at the farm celebrating Christmas that morning and decided we should head back to our house because by this time, all the interstates in OK were closed. The 25 mile drive took two hours and God sent an angel in the form of a snow plow for the last half of the drive which by far was the worst.

The snow plow actually got stuck a mile from our house but we tredged along. When we got to our street, two cars were already stuck at our intersection in a drift over both of their hoods, so we had to go around the block. Coming up to our drive our driveway was 4 feet deep all the way across so I gunned it up and over the curb and into the neighbors yard where our Montero Sport sat for two days, until the thaw began.

It was great though because we were completely snowed in for 24 hours on Christmas day none the less. The snow is still melting, but we did get to build our version of a 'snow man' honoring Caleb's favorite show, "Dinosaur Train" this is Morris the Stegosaurus.

This is what you can do with a 4 foot drift, maybe more carving than building but fun for the whole family! Caleb says Morris scares the monsters and icky things away so they don't come into our house. I don't know what is going to happen when he is completely melted, which will still be another week or so.