Well, we're back. From 70 degrees to 35.

Well, it's weird because this morning we were in Savannah, GA, and now we are at home. We stayed in Savannah thanks to a half-price night at the LaQuinta Inn, and enjoyed ourselves dearly! We ate down at River Street, picked up a few pralines from River Street Sweets, and walked alongside the Savannah River watching the huge cargo ships go by. We left this morning around 6:30am, and got home around 12:30. We are getting reacclimated to the chilly weather here.
The trip was very productive, I think. We didn't get some things done that we wanted to get done, but we did get alot done. We did a good bit of work at the coffeehouse, including some caulking and cleaning. We worked on the menu, planning on the interior and exterior, and spent alot of time sharing our vision and hearts. Everyone there is very excited, and stood and clapped when the pastor announced us in the service Sunday morning. I was even asked to take part in part of the message, playing the role of the host of Jeapordy, for a sermon series called, "Games People Play."
We did get alot done, and have so much work still to do. It was great to get down there, and the pastor and his wife were very gracious, as they always have been. They paid for our room for the week, most of our meals, and other stuff. They are wonderful people, and it will be a blessing to serve under their leadership. They are Godly people who genuinely care about that community. It was very cool to see several homeless people who came to church there, who rode their bikes to church, and lived in tents on the outskirts of town. It shows the impact that they already are making with the community there, and is merely a token of the things to come. The weather there was great, perfect temperatures, and one day we went to the beach and walked along the shore hand in hand. The water was cold, but the walk was perfect and peaceful. The sound of the waves, the noise of the seagulls, it was very relaxing to our stressed out minds. The more time goes on, and especially after being down there this week, we feel more at peace about our decision, and can't wait to get down there.
Other cool stuff from the trip, we happened upon the Hershey's Kissmobile, which was cool. Enjoy the picture! Also, we got to see some very dear friends of mine in Brunswick, Georgia Sunday afternoon. Shannon Lewis is a very good friend of mine from Athens, and played at the Bean'ry, later taking over some of my duties at the Bean'ry. He somehow ended up marrying someone who I was dear friends in my youth group and high school days, Cyle Tucker. Shannon and Cyle have been married for a little while now, and have a newborn son Kennimer. It was great to get to see them, and spend a little time there at my old stomping grounds, a place that is a vital part of the jason dominy story, and I mean, VITAL. The church there in Brunswick, and where I finished high school, is really where I claim my spiritual birth and growth. It was the people of that church that took me in, knowing what was going on in my life at the time, and they did all they could do to see me get where I am today, (wherever that is.) There are people in that church that I could never repay, but they have given me lifelong help.
Walking in the church sanctuary by myself Sunday, I was taken right back to my early years as a growing Christian. To the faith that was so vibrant, the fire that was so strong, the love for the Sacred that I neglect so much now. I know that the cares of the world have entered my life, the bills, debts, schedules, and the "Lord, how? Lord, how?" But, I think God so much wants us to remember the flame of our youth. He wants us to remember what it was like to only care about what it took to offer all that we are to Him. He wants us to remember the faith that we had to believe that He WOULD provide, and know He will. Walking into that church made my sad when I thought of where I am today. Where I am spiritually, and how far I have seemingly drifted from the childlike faith I once held so near and dear, the anchor that kept me in peaceful waters. I have been challenged, not by a preacher, not by a song I heard on the radio, but by the presence of God in a church sanctuary. The place I spent so many years of my life. The place I met Him in the most real way I could. He wants us to remember our first love. He wants us to go back to Him, to come home, and to remember the excitement and love for Him we once had. Bills and jobs have not changed that. Relationships have not changed that. We have. God never moved. We did. And He beckons us to move back to where He is. And not to walk, but to run. To run to everything he offered us then, for it's everything He offers us now. He does not change. His love never changed. It was, and will always be, There. The fires of love He has for us, the excitement and fervor, burn just as bright today as twenty years ago, as thousands of years ago. Thank God for Christian Renewal Church. For the Tuckers, the Williams, the Crews, the Lintons, the Ligons, the Nunns, the Blankenships, and the Shumans. For all those I am not remembering due to road wear the past couple of days.
All for now, more later, I'm sure. Good to be sleeping in our own comfy bed!!!

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It's Off To Florida We Go...

Well, it's finally here! Tueday, and that means that in a few short hours we take off for Florida. We will be staying tonight in Savannah, as driving the whole way is too much for me, and April does not like to drive the Vue at night (because it's a manual transmission.) Say a prayer for us, and I should have a bunch to post when I get back! Have a great rest of the week!

If you want to comment, click on the (#) comments link.

Many of you have asked how to post comments to these blogs (including my mom), and if you click at the bottom of each blog where it says, "(#) comments." you can post comments. Thanks, and good night.

Let it snow?

Well, it's Saturday. Yesterday, the high here was 71 degrees! It was a beautiful Spring-like day. April and I went to the park at the lake when she got home, and we enjoyed the rest of the evening. That brings us to today. Well, it started out by sleet and freezing rain, and turned into snow mid-day, and now has tapered off. Crazy weather! I think the high was 40, and it was around 32-25 most of the day. What a difference a day makes!
Anyway, we are both getting antsy and ready to go to Florida! Tuesday won't be here fast enough! From NC, signing off. :-)

I gotta get outta this place...

Well, it's finally Friday. Thank God. I am ready for the weekend, and getting to spend time with April. Being here during the day working on stuff for the Bean'ry, and running errands, all that kinda stuff, is getting old, and I am ready to get out! I did get to visit my old workplace Furnitureland South yesterday to meet with a good friend there, and visit lots of old friends. It was good to see everyone, and good to see my old manager, who has been such an encouragement this past year in many ways. She has written many e-mails that have been timely, and it's good to see her still plugging away up there.
This weekend is supposed to be cold, but I am hoping to get a round of disc golf in at some point. We will kinda lay low this weekend as we are headed to St. Augustine on Tuesday, and will need all the money we have for that. They are, again, paying for our room, so we don't have to worry about that. We are excited to get back down there, and finalize all the details of the position. I am also meeting with the local coffee roaster down there, and looking forward to that, as well. They called this week, and we talked a while about coffees, roasting, and wholesale sales. They have asked me to do some wholesale sales for them, in return for pay and lowered coffee prices for the Bean'ry. Uh, yeah, I will. They also said it would be cool if I could do some roasting for them sometime when they need me. Uh, yeah, I will. Things are looking great about getting down there, and things are falling into place as they should.
I met with April's aunt, who is a local realtor, and we are working on getting our house ready for sale. That part stinks, most of you know how much we LOVE our home. It is not the biggest, not the fanciest, but it is US. I think it was summed up best by a couple from our church, who after spending the night hanging out with us here said, "we feel so comfortable here." You know, the kinda house you are not afraid to plop down on the couch. The house you are not afraid of messing up the intricate pillow arrangement. Our friends come and hang out, get drinks out of the fridge, snacks out of the cabinet, that's what we like about our house. It feels like home. And that's just what I will miss about selling our home and moving into an apartment, at least for a year. But, as God has been showing April and I, in the BIG picture, it is a small thing. He has something so much more for us.
So, we will leave after April gets out of school on Tuesday, and be back Sunday night. We will also be going into Jacksonville one day, and scouting out apartments, sections of town, the scene there, and visiting the local disc golf course to check it out. All in all, it will be a great trip. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we continue to move forward in His plan. Also, please remember to pray for Little Joey, a good friend of ours' nephew who is getting a kidney transplant this week. Our friends were up in Chicago this week to see him, and said he is doing well. He is just so young to deal with something this big, but God is in control of this situation.

april's first blog.

Well, today is Valentine's Day. I have caught a bug from school and I called in sick today. I see every student in the school once a week...which means I teach 600 students a week so I usually pick up whatever is going around. It was nice having Jason home with me today. We have not done much, I have laid around on the couch watching tv and caught a couple of naps. I feel very fluish with a fever, congestion, achey, tired, coughing etc. Jason is currently cooking a Valentine's feast so I am banned from the kitchen. I did not feel much like going out to fight the crowds and we usually try to eat at home on Valentine's Day. Some years I have cooked, some years Jason.
Last Valentine's Day we were sitting in our 3 hour long Mapp class..one of 10 that it took to earn our foster care license. What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time we were excited about all of the possibilities and this year we are heart broken by the loss of a child. I still struggle with losing my Madison. Most people don't understand this. They say "she was just a foster child" or "you only had her 5 months". But she was ours. The day they called us to come pick her up, they told us we would be able to adopt her and even up until about 2 weeks before she went back they (DSS) told us she would be ours. To those of you who have kids, imagine bringing your baby home from the hospital, and then five months later someone picking it up and you will never see or hear from your child again. Except it is worse because instead of being a newborn who only cries, Madison was 2 and she could talk and understand and carry on conversation with us. I don't regret one minute for taking in our precious child, but I hurt everyday without her. Our house is so quiet, so seemingly empty. Yes, I am satisfied with just Jason, but in the same sense Madison filled holes that he cannot fill. Jason has been great through all of this because who knows when I might burst into tears because we drive by the park where we used to take Madison, or when I lay down at night and cannot get her out of my head and I cry myself to sleep. I had all summer off with her, so I spent the most time with her. It is amazing the maternal instinct God gave me suddenly as well as the instant bond that formed between us. I still have a scar on my ankle....one day I was carrying Madison from the house to my car and I tripped over the garden hose that was across our sidewalk. I turned my ankle and fell onto the concrete...I turned myself so that Madison landed on my opposite hip...everything else I was holding...my pocketbook, keys, etc fell out of my hands, and my ankle was bleeding severely as I had cut it on the sidewalk, however Madison was uninjured and did not hit the ground, she fell on me instead. Just one of the many examples of motherly instinct. I still look at that scar and remember that day. How do you go from being a mother to suddenly not being a mother? I am like a fish out of water....in the afternoon, I feel as though I should be getting her a snack and picking her up from daycare and at night I am lost not having to give her a bath and get her to bed. I know that everything happens for a reason and that I will heal and that all we can do is trust God with our little angel, since we can not be there to protect her.
I know that with our big move, God has big plans for us, so big we cannot even imagine. I am not too happy about leaving my parents...but we are still working on getting them to come with us!! God may have us a child waiting for us in Florida or maybe the work God is calling us to do needs to be established before kids so that we can put our full effort into it. We cannot possible know the plans He has in store for us. So sit back and fasten your seat belts!!
love.
-april

Boy, did it snow!

Well, we returned from the mountains of NC a short while ago, and all I can say is, "Boy, did it ever snow!" We knew it was going to snow, and that it would be a good one, but we did not expect to be snowed in our cabin, and unable to drive our car up to our cabin last night. We got there Friday night, and got cozied up in the cabin, nice fire going in the fireplace and prepared ourselves for the impending snow that was to come. Snow, it did, and we woke up Saturday morning to the sound of the snowplow cleaning the road up to the cabins. A winter wonderland, the snow had capped everything not moving, and was truly a beautiful sight to wake up to. We left Saturday morning, and visited the Mast General Stores in Valle Crucis, working old-time general stores that have been open for a hundred years. From there we went to Banner Elk, watched some sledding, and drove to Sugar Mountain to see the skiers, who were in MASS abundance due to the incredible new snowfall. We then relaxed the rest of the day, taking in all the beautiful scenery, and sights and sounds of downtown Boone.
Well, we thought by getting back to the cabin kinda early we would be okay with getting up the steep, winding road to our cabin, as the temperatures were dropping in the low 20's and the roads were icing over. Well, it did not take us long going up the hill before we started losing traction on the thick, black ice, and started sliding sideways. I carefully turned around, and parked our car at the bottom of the hill to leave it there overnight. Soooo, that meant we would have to take the few things we had and walk up the icy, steep, winding hill in the now blizzard-like snows. It took about 20 minutes for us to get to the top, and by that time we were just glad to be there. We relaxed in the cabin the rest of the night with a nice roaring fire, and munchies, and crappy TV. We did watch the snow as it came down, putting us to sleep.
We awoke Sunday knowing we needed to get down as soon as we could, IF we could. The snowplow guy was scraping the road, but the mass snowfall was covering it up as quick as he could plow, and the road was still covered with that dangerous black ice, so we decided we would have to carry all our stuff down with us and leave from the bottom of the hill. Soooo, we then gathered all our stuff for the weekend, duffel bags, pillows, bags of foods, jackets, and a nice sized cooler filled with Cokes and food, and headed down the hill into the impending snow that was falling steadily as it had all weekend, but now seemed a little harder as we headed straight into it. Well, about 15 minutes we were at the Vue, and loaded it up and headed home.
Well, this is beginning to remind me of a novel, so I will cut it short. God did allow us to rest and rejuvenate, and we both needed the time away from the things that accompany the life we left back home. God met us there, and helped me with some attitude things I needed to deal with after all that happened last week. Thanks for all the cool e-mails and prayers, too, by the way. They have been very cool and a definite blessing to April and I.

Random Snow Pics.

Since I am in the snow mood now, and our plans are to be in Boone again this weekend, where we will see a ridiculous amount of snow again, enjoy these pics!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Oh the weather outside is not very frightful, in fact, it looks, delightful. We awoke this morn to a nice dusting of snow, about a half to an inch, in fact! As I kissed my bride off to work, and realized how much I wish she were there with me, as she was yesterday all day. My wisdom tooth removal went, well, what is an adjective you can use, went fine. Still in a bit of pain, as it must have been a tough one, but the painkillers are working their magic. I know this will sound weird, but I kept the little booger that has been making me miserable these past couple of weeks, and teeth are much cooler to look at outside of the human mouth. Anyway, enough about that, just glad to be done. Now, on to the job hunt. I have spent a good bit of time looking online, and will continue to do so. I will not be taking a job where me staying there long-term is necessary. I will be honest as possible about my plans. Despite this detour of sorts, I will press on, and take whatever job I need to to get us through 'til July. I am not too good to deliver some pizzas. After all, I did it as a second job before we bought our home, and made pretty good money. And I could use it quickly, since my last check will be this Friday. It wasn't supposed to be. When I received the phone call that led to my job loss, I was told I would be getting my two weeks vacation, which I received a call the next day from, well, someone else over there in management, who told me that I would not be getting it. I tell you. That's what I won't miss about that place. Treating people like robots, not human beings with real bills, and real feelings. People more concerned with policies than lives. And here's a lesson for all of us. When I shared with him the sentiment I just shared with you, his response was, "What about when your dad died? We cared then, didn't we?" Listen, if your proving you care involves using an example from a year ago, and that's all you got, you got something to work on. I mean, if I can't give a valid, recent example of something I have done to show I care, I need to work on that, and so do they. It's the old Janet Jackson song, "What Have You Done For Me Lately." And another thing. You know how we are called to work as hard as we can, do as good a job as we can, and we think one day it will pay off. One day the boss will acknowledge your going the extra mile, he'll acknowledge the staying late, or putting a little extra into what you do. We have all been there. Well, it's true one day it will happen. But it might not be a boss that lives here on Earth. Those people you work for here may never see, and your extra effort may seem lost, but it's not, and will be rewarded one day for sure. It is in God's word. For we work unto God, and not man. And at the end of the day, if you have done all you can do, to the best of your ability with honesty and integrity, and rest easy at the end of the night, you are the one who has done the job well done. Well, I guess that's all for now. Enjoy the day!

Well, here we grow again!

Well, I know it has been quite a while since my last little update. Lots have happened, and I hope to catch you up on it all now. For starters, April was recently diagnosed with Renal Tubular Acidosis, a kidney disease that creates lots of kidney stones. So, this means that she will have have kidney stones sporadically from here on. She is doing well now, but has pain sometimes related to it, and stays in touch with her doctor. Second, she was recently on the front page of the Greensboro News and Record People and Places section, about the disease, and a friend of her parents that has kidney disease as well, and is in need of a transplant. It was good for her to be around someone having similar problems. I also purchased a book for her on a recent trip to Concord Mills in Charlotte. It's called "Empty Womb, Aching Hearts", a book about dealing with infertility. It is filled with stories from other women dealing with the same kinds of feelings she is, and she gets alot out of it. Kinda like a Dr. Phil episode just for her. :-) I know this has been difficult for her, and for me, as well, as I want to help however I can. I played in a disc golf tournament this past Saturday, and had alot of fun, and April helped by registering all the players! We went up to Boone on Sunday to see the snow, and boy did we see it! LOTS OF IT! It was great to finally see some Winter!
Other than that, I guess that's all. Yeah right. I have been dealing with an unruly wisdom tooth, one of two remaining, and boy is it mad at me! It apparently has a bad cavity in it, and direct contact with a nerve there. I am on a steady dose of Hydrocodone and Ibuprofen, as well as antibiotics to kill any infection. It has been getting worse with time, and I am scheduled to get them removed tomorrow. So, I had to be off Monday, as the pain was so bad, it hurts worst in my ear, and around there. I was having trouble keeping stuff in my belly, and headache, and etc. Well, I called in to use a day out of my weeks personal time, and told them to call me if they really needed me, but knew I would be knocked out. They did call me around 2:30 to ask if I could come in, which I said I would, but thought about it, and decided it was not best I drive with all that painkiller in me, so I asked to let April take me over there, knowing what was going on. So, I was laid-off, let go whatever. It was not a complete surprise. After all, just last week the guy who was in charge of the coffee/beverage department, was relieved of his duties and transferred to Marketing. And he was the founder of the coffee company. It was his company that Krispy Kreme bought to form the coffee company. There was a sense that there more to come down last week, and it did. So, my tenure with the Krispy Kreme Coffee Company was up. Kind of bittersweet. I loved aspects of the job, hated others. I am not a big fan of the "corporate" mentality that treats employees as robots, and jobs that have more supervisors than regular employees. In my department there were ten people, six of which were supervisors, leaving four regular people. Gregory, the Roastmaster, is still someone I will respect, has alot of heart and soul for that place, with the inability to carry it out due to the constraints of being in such a structured environment. Am I sad? Well, I will miss the best times there, will miss other things not so much. I will miss the schedule. I never really fit in there, kinda like a square peg in a circular hole. You know how it is to join a baseball team that has been together for years, and you feel the outsider always. So, the winds of God they blow. And I am carried away.
It is with great pleasure that I officially announce my new position, Coffeehouse Manager of the Bean'ry Coffeehouse in St. Augustine, FL. I have known for many months that this was my new job, but could not officially share it because of my job at Krispy Kreme, and the knowledge that God would need to close the door there before I could take the other position. So, April and I will be moving down the end of June, and taking over The Vine, transforming it into the new Bean'ry. We will be carrying out the same vision as The Bean'ry, with the only difference being that currently it is and will, operate as "for profit". They are giving us complete creative control, and we will be creating a little community whereby Christians can make a difference by serving, and sharing their faith in practical ways. It will also be an exceptional coffeehouse specializing in great drinks, and great baked goods baked in house by my lovely wife. Yes, April will be a huge part of The Bean'ry, and will be my partner there. The church will be eventually bringing us both on staff, and until then, April will do some substitute teaching. There will be live jazz, open mic nights, all the things I did at the old Bean'ry, but now better with age. Fresh roasted coffees, coffee education classes, and ways to help coffee farmers, all new things! I have already been in touch with college ministries down there at Flagler College, who are all excited about what we will be doing, and will be helping out in some way. We will be doing alot with the homeless, including canned good and clothing donations, as well as referral services. Like I said, many aspects of the old Bean'ry, now more mature, and more focused. There is also a possibility that we may get some help from an old, dear friend, and many of you knew him from the old Bean'ry, where he was my head volunteer. That's right. Alex Brown may be helping us down there in some form, maybe training sessions, maybe other stuff.
So, we will be putting our home on the market, and apparently I will be looking for a job for five months. We will miss some of our good friends in this area, but know God has something really big for us down there, and we could use the change of scenery after the year or so it has been. We know that God is doing a new thing, that Spring is on the way, and that news things are beginning to blossom. Please keep us in your prayers as we make this crazy transition. I will try and keep you guy more updated in the future, as well.