UPDATE: As I'm sure you know, everything worked out fine, and I got to see my beloved Rocky Mountains. Full blog post comes later.

Imagine flying across the country to go somewhere you've been dreaming about seeing your whole life, only to find the gate is locked once you get there. That is what I'm facing with the impending government shutdown and my planned trip to the Rocky Mountains this spring. Suddenly, I feel like Clark Griswold when he arrived at Wally World.

Now, I know it's not just about me, and this shutdown would affect thousands of individuals in a much worse way than myself. Federal workers could be without pay, and government-funded projects would grind to a halt (to name just a few things). This has happened before. Think 1995 and the Clinton Administration. The government shut down for twenty-one days.

Still, my anger grows at the thought of government gridlock preventing me from seeing a natural wonder. How did we get to this point? I am thankful for the fact the government is protecting our land, but when something like this happens, it is devastating. Where will I camp? Where will I hike? What amazing things will I miss just because RMNP is closed? I shudder to think.

Let's keep the government in our prayers, and ask the Lord to guide the lawmakers in their decisions.

It's hard to believe Christmas 2010 is almost upon us. It's been a terrific year for me and my family, and I attribute it to all the wonderful people in my life.

For everyone celebrating, have a safe, happy, and healthy Christmas and a wonderful New Year. 2011 is going to be even better!

In a little over 24 hours, I will be heading to a local campground for a fall "survival school weekend" camping trip with a small group of outdoor enthusiasts. I will spend the subsequent two nights in a tent in sub-freezing temperatures, and it will be the first time I've ever camped out in temps like this. I am hoping I'm as prepared as I think I am.

For quite a while now, I've been telling myself I need to "toughen up" and get myself outside sometime other than just May through September. Up until now, I've usually only camped in the summer or early fall, while the temperatures were still nice. Most of the times I've been in my tent, I haven't even needed a sleeping bag. This time, however, I'll be huddling to stay warm in a cold-weather rated bag and layers and layers of clothes. Unfortunately, I still only have a three-season tent, so I'm not sure what exactly to expect.

I have confidence in the gear, and think I am well-prepared to handle the cold. My biggest fear is the chance of precipitation. Of course, the area has been in a drought situation for months, but the weekend I am camping it decides it's going to rain/snow. Being wet AND cold does not appeal to me in any way.

This will be a true test of not only my survival skills, but a test of my emotional and mental endurance. I am hoping this will be almost a spiritual experience for me and a chance to really appreciate how wonderful my life is. Often, I forget just how blessed I am to have a beautiful wife and two gorgeous children, as well as multiple loving family members, a roof over my head, lots of nice stuff, etc. I think this will be a really good chance for me to come back to grips with what is important in life, and to help remind me how much to cherish those things.

UPDATE: The trip was cut short after a very raw first night. After setting up camp, getting a fire going, and enjoying some spicy hot dogs by the fire, the temperature quickly dropped, and we were inundated with a mixture of sleet and freezing rain which would fall the entire night.

That night got down to about 22 degrees. I was cozy and warm and slept fine until about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, when I woke up shivering uncontrollably. I was so bitterly cold and uncomfortable, I was genuinely concerned for my safety. I quickly packed up my bag and got in my car (with the power/heat off), where I slept until about 8 a.m. I felt defeated by the elements, but also realized I wasn't equipped with all the right gear.

Saturday was a good day, with a very warm fire and some great survival skill lessons from Clint. I was schooled on fire making, traps, knots, and some other basic survival skills.

In all, it was a great trip. Despite cutting out early, I was still proud of myself for being one of the only individuals to actually show up, and for sticking it out through a rough and unusually cold fall night without giving in to modern amenities.

Of the many things I learned on this weekend, it's that the right gear is essential, as well as a proper frame of mind. If you go in feeling you might not make it, you just might be right. Survival is not just physical but mental endurance, and that might be much more difficult to master.

Memorial Day is so much more than just the "beginning of summer" and a three-day weekend. It is intended to honor those who serve and have served this country. Take a moment today to thank a vet, and remember what this day is really all about.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day!

Today, I was looking at my blog and realized I haven't done an entry in quite a while! In fact, it's been well over a month since I posted anything. I thought it was only fair to offer up a little explanation as to why.

Let me explain why I haven't blogged anything lately.

1) Life in general. Many of you know I have twin boys, both just over a year old. As anyone with kids can imagine, it's a demanding job. Despite having a wonderful wife who is a stay-at-home mom and takes care of the boys most of the time, I still have a responsibility and desire to take care of them when I can. I love my boys more than anything, and they are my top priority.

2) Work. My workplace is great, because it always presents new challenges. There is always something going on and a new deadline to meet. However, as a result, it also demands a lot of my time. Rarely do I ever get to work a 40-hour workweek. I inevitably end up working nights and weekends, whether it be coding or just checking email.

3) School. I am trying to finish up the agonizingly drawn-out process of getting a degree, and the process seems neverending. Just when I think I am almost done, another curveball gets thrown my way. For example, I found out I now have to take another class I didn't even know about--pushing the timeline out once again. You have to love state schools. Nevertheless, the classes require a lot of time outside of work and are writing-intensive. As a result, I spend a lot of my free time not coding, but writing 15-25 page papers on management and leadership. Someday, I really hope this pays off.

I made a personal resolution for 2010 to blog more about ColdFusion and technology in general. So far this year, I have failed miserably to do so. So, I am making a public commitment to everyone out there to try and do better at this (When, however, I cannot promise). I can't say there is a "light at the end of the tunnel" as of yet. Work is only going to get more intense in the coming months, school is what it is, and being a dad is forever. I can only promise that I will try to prioritize as best I can and stick to the commitments I've made. Usually, something ends up suffering, though. If I fall short, I apologize in advance!

As 2009 draws to a close, I personally want to wish everyone a very happy and healthy new year. This has been the most wonderful year of our lives with the birth of our two sons. We couldn't have asked for anything better! It is hard to believe they are already a year old! It will be interesting to see what 2010 brings. I'm sure life is going to get more and more fun as the boys grow and learn new things. I can't wait to hear some of their first words, or watch as the first time they take a full, unassisted step! Every day they grow and change and become more aware and more fun. God's love is awesome!

To quote Ferris Bueller, "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it". That's exactly how I feel. Life is too precious and important to be consumed by work or the petty insignificance of other things. Family is first and foremost, and the most important thing in my mind. I'd like everyone to keep that in mind this holiday season. The ones we love cannot be replaced--and they are more important than anything we could ever "own". Love is irreplaceable.

That's all I've got. Signing off to go unwrap some presents and play with the boys. See all of you next year! God bless.

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Christmas will be here before we know it. I can't believe what a wonderful year this has been. I can't thank God enough for everything I have been blessed with--two beautiful children, a wonderful wife, a terrific job, and great friends and family surrounding me.

I had been complaining earlier in the week about the sale of my house and how I am "no longer a homeowner", but this is the best thing that could happen to us. We are now free to pursue our ultimate goals and do what we need to do to make those things happen. We now have a huge burden lifted, and this is a great thing both financially and emotionally.

To everyone out there--family, friends, old aquaintances--I am thankful for you. I am thankful for your love and support through everything we do. You are the true blessing.

For those of you who haven't heard of Twins Days (I never had before having twins), it is the largest annual gathering of twins in the world (yes, the WORLD). What was even more exciting for us is that this festival was only 3 1/2 hours away from home. Just outside Cleveland, Twinsburg is a small, little-known town in northeastern Ohio. It's a fairly exclusive area and doesn't even have its own Wal-Mart, much to our surprise. Twinsburg is known worldwide by twins, and this festival has been taking place for 34 years. Twins come from all over the planet, and this year there were sets from the Czech Republic, Australia, Japan, Canada, and more. At last count when we left on Sunday there were over 1800 sets of multiples registered for the event.

Twins Days is three solid days of twin-centric celebration starting with a twin-only event Friday night. This private event is only for twins and their families, and includes a prize raffle, free hot dog dinner, and lots of socializing. Not being a twin myself, I almost felt like I was crashing some private club meeting. I had never seen so many multiples in one location before--it was amazing. While we didn't win anything in the raffle, we met lots of really nice people as well as some great parents of young twins. People watching is an official pasttime here.

Saturday and Sunday was the actual festival itself, open to the public but still attended mostly by twins. Saturday morning was the parade, which we missed. There were also several contests, and we entered the boys in the "least alike under 12 months" contest. They ended up winning 2nd place and two "silver" medals! We were so incredibly proud of our beautiful little guys. We didn't even get to see much of the talent competitions or entertainment going on because there was so much to do. The festival grounds itself isn't that large, but there is still a lot to do, see, and eat.

This year we got a good feel for what the event is all about and if we would want to go again. The boys were too little to really enjoy it, but seemed to have a good time being outside and getting so much attention (as well as banana popsicles). We've decided that Twins Days will now be an annual family tradition, and unless we're living across the country, we'll make the pilgrimage back to Twinsburg every August until the boys don't want to go anymore.

Over this past weekend, Rhonda and I came to a revelation. While we love O & N more than life itself, she and I decided that two children just aren't enough. We're going for at least four more. We're thinking we might get a set of girl twins if we try hard enough. We figured even if we don't sell our house, we can put all the children in one room until they get older, and then we'll worry about getting a new house at some point in the future.

If anyone would like to be gracious enough to donate to the "new kid fund", we're taking cash, checks, and IOU's.

Oh, does anyone know where we can get a stroller for six?

UPDATE: April fools!

My boys have been in the world for three months now, and I have been a dad equally as long. The experience is unlike anything I'd ever have dreamed, and I'm so grateful every day for the boys.

The challenges a new parent faces are immense--and when there are double the kid it's even more interesting. But, I wouldn't change the experience for the world. The boys are sleeping better now through the night and are both smiling at me and Rhonda. They are able to track movement and watch the both of us as we walk across the room. They also react to stimuli such as puppets, the dogs, toys, etc. We're still trying to learn their likes and dislikes.

It's so amazing to be able to almost watch them grow right before my eyes! I'm looking forward to what's in store as the boys continue to get bigger and more alert. And, the twins festival is only five short months away, which is very exciting.

It has now been two months since the birth of my twin boys. It's hard to believe--they are growing so fast. They look very different than they did just a month ago. While by no stretch of the imagination do I have a grasp on this "dad thing", I do have a little better understanding of what it means to be a dad. At least now I can do "fatherly duties" like change a diaper (in less than 5 minutes), change a kid's clothes, and feed and burp a baby and get him back to sleep at 3 a.m. I've also learned how to deal with sheer frustration due to excessive sleep deprivation. No one can prepare you for those sleepless nights--it's something you have to experience on your own.

My wife says I still have lot to learn when it comes to child-rearing. She says I'm "not comforting enough" when taking care of the boys. I guess I still don't know what I'm doing. But, I like to think I'm getting a little better every day. I love them so much, but don't always know how to express it. It's hard to always know what to do when your kid is screaming at the top of his lungs for no apparent reason, or staring blankly at you like he has no idea who you are.

This past weekend I spent a lot of time with the kids and really got to enjoy them. It took a little while to grasp, but I finally understand the concept that it's "not about me anymore". Nothing I want matters--it's about the boys and taking care of them. Their needs outweigh anything else. I have to say, I love taking care of their needs. Nothing makes me happier than seeing them smile (which they're starting to do). I can't wait to watch them grow. Being a dad is awesome!

It has been a little over a month since my boys were born, and a full week since they've been home from the hospital. I think I am running on pure adrenaline instead of sleep at this point. People told me being a dad would be hard and I wouldn't sleep, but I really had no idea until now. I never thought I'd be able to function on so little sleep, but I'm adjusting. Thank God I took a week off work to get into a routine.

The hardest thing is the schedule adjustment. Once one child is fed, the other immediately wants food, and then they need changed, etc. When done, the cycle begins all over again--every three hours. It's a challenge unlike anything I've ever experienced before, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. It's the coolest experience, ever.

For many, 2008 was a very bad year--one they'd like to forget. For us, it was the most beautiful year of our lives. This past Monday, December 29th, 2008, our two boys were born at 2:15 and 2:17 a.m. What a blessing! Being preemies, they have had a few issues, but they're doing much better as I write this and hopefully we'll all be home together soon. I can't even express how beautiful the boys are--they are more precious and wonderful than I ever imagined. I am the proudest father in the world. My boys are so sweet and wonderful. I want to be with them every minute.

To top off the year, Aaron and I got accepted to speak at CFUnited in August, and just got ColdFusion 8 certified today! Nothing like waiting until (literally) the last minute! But, better late than never! I am now officially a "ColdFusion Expert". What a great feeling. I highly recommend the CF8 Exam Buster software for studying--it is a Godsend.

I am looking forward to 2009 with great anticipation, hoping things continue on a positive track for our whole family. I'm looking forward to immersing myself in the CF community, and being the best dad I possibly can. And, if anyone knows where I can get my hands on some of those "Future CF Developer" infant Tees from MAX, I'd greatly appreciate it!

I just wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2009 is looking to be a wonderful year...lots of exciting things coming our way!

Today is my birthday. Another year older! I feel really good today. I've received so many good wishes from everyone (Facebook and Twitter are wonderful things). I am so thankful to have a wonderful family and such a wonderful wife who takes such good care of me. I thank the Lord every day that she is in my life.

Now...off to play some Guitar Hero World Tour.