Remember

the curled paper stares back blankly
oxidized pictures bent and ugly
a dull gleam as the colors flow
into the ether of long ago

their fading faces conjure up the sound
where the sun still sets in the same old town
bicycles flash against the sun
a flurry of memories wherever they run

thoughts jolt past as my mind is turning
watching the birthday candles that keep on burning
a torrent of days and if i dare
proof of the adventures that i had there

and it's still not over! we've more to see
and a glimpse of whatever there might be
right now or tomorrow, who can say?
just don't forget to live today

The Future

the singed papers floating in the breeze

our history is written and unwritten again

and the cure has proved worse than the disease

so here we stand amongst the smoldering forgotten

snapping warnings burn into solar flares

so alive for a moment and suddenly burned out

the foundations reel as the fabric rips and tears

while relief washes away every cleansing doubt

appealing and appalling walk hand in hand

forget about the rights and wrongs

hands folded, eyes closed, no one takes a stand

the future is here and all is according to plan

put away your convictions, take a selfie instead

self-absorbed, narcissistic, bullet in the head

look at yourself smiling back in vain

the digital mask that fools only you

behold! crash of thunder, bright lights burn the haze

the pounding march of destiny approaching our shore

fierce riders driven by ancient days

fury comes with a sharp rap on your door

listen! do you hear the sound of avenging hoofbeats

steel clad shoes trampling foolish notions

a roar of unbridled wrath tearing up corroded streets

and flash of lightning burning across oceans

take heed! where are you, this moment won't last

like snapshots in the darkness

a bright light seizes the frozen past

tinder and sparks fly from the furnace

awake! stir from your slumber

this is the day that everything will change

take to your feet or be trodden under

the road is up ahead and that is all that remains

Christmas 2015

What a year! I can say without a doubt that 2015 has been a very fun and memorable year for us. I'm very thankful for the good times we've had and the new friends that we've made. I hope that I will always remember it all.

Our family Christmas at home:

Justin and Abby came to stay with us for a week and we went to my parents for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Justin played alto sax and I played guitar during the Christmas Eve service at their church.

Christmas at my folk's house:

We drove up and visited my grandpa in Ankeny on the afternoon of Christmas day:

Daphne came up with some creative game ideas. This game involved two people each taking the ends of two rolls of tissue party streamers and unraveling the entire thing and wrapping it around our arms as fast as possible while the rolls stay on the floor. Whoever could unravel both of their rolls the fastest won. Guess who won?

I did. I won.

Justin and Rose tried to see who could singlehandedly remove every single Kleenex the fastest. (Completely pointless, but really funny to watch.)

Then Dave attached two teabags to a hat and we took turns seeing who could get both teabags to land – and stay – on the hat in 60 seconds. This is a great way to look like a complete idiot, so I naturally won that one, too.

And last, but not least... SLEDDING

Emily catching snowflakes on her tongue: