So instead of a video for Throwback Thursday, I'll use these pictures from my summer at Lake Champion in 2005. I look back now and wish I had take more pictures of one of the greatest summers of my life. Here it is.
So after a drive that lasted 9 hours through the night, we finally arrived back in Severna Park at 6 AM. And not a moment too soon, it was getting pretty miserable when it was 4 AM and everyone needed to stretch out and sleep (and the Mexican buffet line at the reception was not treating me right if you know what I'm saying).
Derek and Carole's wedding was beautiful and they seem to be very happy. Overall we had a great weekend as a family and I love them a lot. I'm not sure what more to write about, so I'll leave it at that. The rest of the pictures from the weekend can be found here.
Good times tonight from Ann Arbor, Michigan. For the first time in history I think every living Metzger on our side of the family was in one room at the rehersal dinner. Grandma and Grandpa made the trip along with my Grandpa's brother, Uncle Don (who was hilarious). I got to sit at a table with my brother and sister along with my cousins (who are awesome). We also had the opportunity, while killing 4 hours, to drive around the University of Michigan's campus and go to a restaurant called Metzger's. We didn't get a discount for having the same last name.
I've had a Coldplay song stuck in my head all day for a number of reasons. One of those reasons in particular is because I was listening while thinking about my family.
Oh, what good is it to liveI love Chris Martin's songwriting, but this one hit home because I remember writing in my journal the last time I was up here in Michigan about how I wish I could see how different our family would be if love had entered the picture sooner. Even Grandpa commented tonight on how much he has enjoyed getting to see the entire family get along. Somehow through his illness I hope everyone realizes how much we need each other.
With nothing left to give
Forget, but not forgive
Not loving all you see
-Swallowed in the Sea by Coldplay
First of all, happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you had a great day with friends and family.
Secondly, the lady above is the mother of my cousin's Spanish exchange student who does not speak English and is going blind. Try keeping up with that one. For a family of pasty white, blunt, Germans with mustaches, this officially registers as the single most random thing of my life. Barbara is the exchange student and she does speak English. We talked for a while as I brushed up on my Spanish and talked about Real Madrid.
Later in the evening we had a chance to have 4 generations of Metzger's sit in the same room and listen to my Dad and Uncles Carl and Robert ask questions of my Grandma and Grandpa about their lives. I had the cameras set up to record the whole thing. It was an incredible time as we laughed, listened, and shared memories together. Hopefully the video will be a treasure for our family.
It seems to me weird that it has been 7 years since we have all been together. I told Jen as we were preparing a midnight meal of mashed potatoes and turkey that I hope we never go 7 years without seeing each other. It's even weirder to think that as kids we spent every moment with each other and now we have to schedule each other into our lives.
I leave you with one more great picture from the day. Ladies and Gentlemen, the brains behind the Clapham Institute...
Again, all the pictures from the weekend are located here.
I'll continue posting pictures as the weekend continues. Be sure to keep up with all the pulsating action from just outside Toledo right here. All the photos are here.
The drive out here wasn't too bad. No traffic and the weather was fine until we hit Ohio (figures). I had good conversation with the fam and great tunes to keep me company for the 10 hour journey. Jennifer's brilliant plan was to stay up all night last night so she could sleep through the entire car ride, it worked. She then took a sleeping pill to go to sleep so all in all I approximate that she has either been sleeping or eating 18-19 of the last 24 hours. Sounds like a roommate of mine.
One of my goals to accomplish before the end of the year was to read 1 book all the way through. I figure you have to start with baby steps at some point. I brought The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Perelandra which I just realized is Part 2 of a 3 part book series by C.S. Lewis. Nice. Looks like Narnia it is.
Pictures are up from our weekend at North Bay. Yes, the short-shorts made a return. The entire set can be found here. Some of the pictures in the set were taken by Christy Zuidema and Brody Bond.
Basically, we dress up like pimps and beat the snot out of an old copier. And in case it's hard to see in the video, I almost get impaled from the broken golf club.
A quick "Thank You" to D.C. United fans from the players that I put together recently.
Great show from the Gorman family and that other guy. My new camera is fun too. You can find all the pictures here.
I just got a new camera so I figured I would take it for a spin around the house. More pictures here.
Old school video with some of our Young Life guys back in the day. Our favorite line had to be Ben Graham's "Cause his armpits smelled like herbs and spices." Mostly because if you notice, those were the only words Benjamin could remember from the verse he wrote.
Yes I am going way out of my league. I know. Here are the rest of the pictures from our day trip to Frederick, MD.
These photos were taken by Brody Bond.
We ended up with about 100 runners total. Not bad for year 1. I'm looking forward to growing this event and making it huge in the next few years. Thanks to everyone who came out. You can see the complete set of pictures here.
The more I watch this the more I'm reminded of a quote by Kevin Antlitz when he said, "We're going to be old men and look back at this and say, 'We were idiots!'" Yes Kevin, you have a point.
