Status on Brody

Brody is finally able to wear Clothes! 7-13-08

How precious and Tiny life is! Brody's hand can now wrap around two fingers!

His eyes open! Seeing the world, and his mother!

This is a boy that needs to come home! We are still praying for this to happen soon!

Back from Tulsa

Well, we had a visit to Tulsa on Friday and Sat. Linda had a chance to meet my team teacher, Sra. Tshida, and my Principal as well as see my new room. It is big and she was impressed.

From Zarrow, we went on to look for houses. I wish that was as good of a adventure as the first, it was not. We looked at several and just did not have a good feeling about any. There was a duplex but that was six blocks from the highest crime area in Tulsa! It was nice, but not that nice! Sat, we had a bit of a scare with Andrew while we were there and his mother passed along a house for rent close to them. We liked that one and submitted our application. We will hear back Tuesday or Wednesday. Unfortunately, there are a couple ahead of us in line (a couple of applications, not A Couple!). After seeing that house, we saw another one that was also close to the school. We fell in love with that one and applied there as well. We are PRAYING for a house to move to!

The trip is a long one to just go and drive around looking for signs! Keep Drew and his intentions in prayers. We love our son and keep his spiritual wellbeing in prayers constantly before our Lord.

Until next time....
J.

Certified (no longer just Certifiable!)

Well, I am patting myself on the back today! I am now Officially Texas Standard Certified! I am validuntil 2014!
Since I am now official, I was able to apply for my Oklahoma Certification and should know soon about that. I still need all the prayers I can get, I am now in the hands of Oklahoma Department of Education to get my Oklahoma License before school starts!

Keeping my eye on the prize...

J

Thoughts on Good and Evil and a video

I receive emails from St. Joseph Covenant Keepers and this was included this week:

Random Thoughts: Freedom and evil

"A man who is free to love is free to hate. He who is free to obey is free to rebel. Virtue in its concrete order is possible only in those spheres in which it is possible to be vicious. Man can be a saint only in a world in which it is possible to be a devil! You say,

“Well, if were God, I would destroy evil.”

"Well, if you did that, you would destroy human freedom. God will not destroy freedom. If we do not want any dictators on this earth, certainly we don’t want any dictators in the kingdom of heaven. Those who would blame God for allowing man freedom to go on hindering and thwarting his works are like those who see blotches and smudges and errors in the student’s notebook and would condemn the teacher for snatching away the book and making the copy himself.

"Just as the object of the teacher is sound education and not the production of neat and well-written copybooks, so the object of God is the development of souls and not the production of biological entities."

By Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (t 1979), Servant of God.

Below is a short video of Rainee, Chloe and Alec as we went up to visit Brody in the hospital over the weekend.

Another tidbit of news: My certification has been recommended and I should receive my Texas Standard Certification soon!

Brody Not Out Of The Woods

Last night was a night to thank God and be anxious at the same time. Brody reminded us that he, though having done incredibly well this past two weeks, is still Eight Weeks before his due date! He stopped breathing in his mother's arms last night and had to be resuscitated.

As Frances watched them revive by bagging her 3 pound, 12 ounce baby boy in the NICU, she was all too aware of how fragile life is. They did successfully revive Brody and told Frances that it would be alright. I guess it is easy, when you work around the fragile all the time, to see things in 'alright' terms. For those of us that do not encounter it everyday, or when we do encounter it, it is our own flesh and blood, it is hard to see it as "alright".

This episode did remind us, and them I hope, that Brody is still in the woods, that he is still early and his lungs are still not to be taken for granted and are still developing. No matter how well he is doing, his body still is not ready to be in the world just yet and needs our prayers and the Hand of God. Though he was born two weeks ago, Brody was not due until August 31st, still almost 2 Months away!

So, please, keep him in prayers. I believe in prayer, it works! God Bless you all and thank you for your prayers.

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! Alec, Chloe and Linda are at the pool at Dannie Needham's, our past Grand Knight, for their annual pool party. "A Good Time was Had by ALL"

Alec jumped the gun and dived into the pool. Linda rescued him! He was so excited that he forgot he didn't know how to swim.

Hot dogs, Hamburgers and all kinds of goodies were brought by the Knights and Ladies to the party. Good eats and good company.

Chloe and Rainee found friends to play with and J. had a blast playing volleyball in the pool. Oh, well, we had fun, though we did not come close to winning!

McDonald's chooses to support homosexual agenda

Refuses request to be neutral in culture war

I am reprinting this message from American Family Association. There are links below to sign an online petition and also see video from McDonald's stating their position. I want to make it clear, I am not homophobic. The issue is NOT denying rights from people with homosexual orientation. They should lead lives free from violence or any kind of denial of basic human rights. However, their is no 'right' to marry someone of the same sex. Marriage is between a man and a woman for the God-given purpose of procreating the species.

Romans 1:26-27 (English-RSV)

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.

1 Corinthians 6:9 (English-RSV)

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts,

Jude 1:7 (English-RSV)

"just as Sodom and Gomor'rah and the surrounding cities, which likewise acted immorally and indulged in unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire."

July 3, 2008

Dear Joseph,

McDonald's has refused a request to remain neutral in the culture war, choosing to continue support of the homosexual agenda. AFA wrote McDonald's asking the company do two things:

• 
  Remove McDonald's name and logo from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Web site listing McDonald's as a "Corporate Partner and Organization Ally" of NGLCC.
• Remove the endorsement of NGLCC by Richard Ellis, Vice President of Communications for McDonald's USA, from the NGLCC Web site.

McDonald's refused both requests. McDonald's donated $20,000 to NGLCC in exchange for membership in the NGLCC and a seat on the group's board of directors. The NGLCC lobbies Congress on a wide range of issues including the promotion of homosexual marriage.
This boycott is not about hiring homosexuals, or homosexuals eating at McDonald's, or how homosexual employees are treated. It is about McDonald's, as a corporation, choosing to put the full weight of their corporation behind promoting the homosexual agenda, including homosexual marriage.

Pat Harris, Global Chief Diversity Officer, Vice President, Inclusion & Diversity at McDonald's, responded: "I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our position on diversity." Notice that Ms. Harris said "reaffirm." Translated: McDonald's will not change their policy of supporting the NGLCC and their promotion of homosexual marriage.

Richard Ellis, who is openly homosexual, was given a seat on the NGLCC Board of Directors. He was quoted as saying: "I'm thrilled to join the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and ready to go to work. I share the NGLCC's passion for business growth and development within the LGBT community, and I look forward to playing a role in moving these important initiatives forward."

Addressing McDonald's promotion of social issues, McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner said earlier the company will aggressively promote the issues they approve. In remarks on its Web site, Skinner said: "Being a socially responsible organization is a fundamental part of who we are. We have an obligation to use our size and resources to make a difference in the world ... and we do."

Take Action!

Sign the online Boycott McDonald's petition and urge your friends and family to do the same.
Print and distribute the Boycott McDonald's petition.

Call your local McDonald's. Speak with the manager. Tell him or her (in a polite manner) that you will be boycotting McDonald's until they stop promoting the homosexual agenda, including homosexual marriage. To find the phone number of your nearest McDonald's, click here.

YEAH! I Passed my PPR!

Well, I am on the way to my Texas Teaching Certificate (which means that I will be able to transfer it to Oklahoma)! I passed the final exam and just have to fill out the paperwork now!

Whew!

Andrew's Confirmation

Andrew's Confirmation at St. Pius X in Tulsa at the hands of the Bishop, Edward Slattery, April 24, 2008.

Acts 8:14-17
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Michael's Confirmation

This is a video of Michael's Confirmation on April 24, 2008. Yeah, I am a bit behind in getting this up! I will post Andrew's video in a bit. Congratulations!

Latest on Brody

Brody is still in the hospital, he will be for awhile. Despite all the contraptions, he is looking better and is off the continuous oxygen.

His apnea spells have decreased considerably over the past few days, which has been very promising.

Corey moved with the other three kids to Tulsa but they will all be back on Tuesday. The Millions will be staying with the Arroyo's until Brody gets to go home to Tulsa. There is some positive news that they may be able to move Brody to Tulsa soon. Keep that intention in prayers.

On the home front, the Million house here is being cleaned to turn in keys today. The Arroyo's are looking for a place in Tulsa and J. is taking his PPR final test for Texas Certification on Monday (today) and we are praying for a clear head and wisdom to pass so that J. can transfer the Texas Certificate to Oklahoma.
Peace and Prayers to all of our friends and family. Thank you for your intentions for Brody. God Bless you all!

The Morris' Family visits

 

 

 

 

Kadence plays in the pool at our house. Isn't that diaper too close

Anet and Niles visit in Keller

 

Linda, Stormy, Anet and Niles together in Keller. Anet and Niles came down to pick up Stormy, who visited Linda and J in Keller for the past two weeks. Linda and Stormy had a 'girls night out' last night so Stormy will probably be sleeping on the trip back to Hot Springs. Too bad that the visit took place as the house was full of boxes as we prepare for our move back to Tulsa! Next time, we will be prepared with EMPTY boxes and pictures on the walls! Niles helped J out with some ideas for how to light the new models of the Enterprise NX-01 and NCC-1701! If those ideas work out, the models will be incredible! Thanks Niles for the great ideas!

Brody Million and Frances, his Mom

This was taken just 3 days after birth. Brody is now off the O2 and is doing very well. Keep Brody in prayers. I mentioned that he was 6 to 8 weeks early in the previous post but I was wrong, his original due date was August 31st, making him 10 weeks early!

Brody Maddox Million

Brody Maddox Million, Born June 19th, 2008

Brody will be in the hospital for awhile but is doing very well

Mom, Frances, with Brody at the hospital

Frances with Brody. Thank you for all your prayers!

Burgers Lake, TX - a day at the 'beach'

Rainee and Chloe are getting ready for a picnic at Burgers Lake

Yes, that is Stormy Fowler, Rainee and Chloe Million waiting for the food to cook at Burgers Lake.

Alec hams it up for the camera at Burgers Lake

Linda, Stormy, Rainee and Chloe enjoying a picnic. We weren't sure we would be able to have the picnic. The wind picked up and blew a gale before our picnic and we were sure a storm would send us packing not an hour after we arrived! But, things went as planned and it died down enough for us to spend the day in the sun and water.

Fun in the Sun

As you can see, the kids had a great time in the water and the clouds did not cause a problem afterall!

Bush Becoming a Catholic?

Monday, June 16, 2008 11:05 AM

By: Jim Meyers

President Bush may follow in the footsteps of his brother Jeb and convert to Catholicism, several European papers are reporting.

In the wake of the president’s visit to see Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, Italian newspapers, citing Vatican sources, said Bush was open to the idea of converting to Catholicism.

The Italian newspaper Il Foglio referred to such talk about Bush’s possible conversion and stated that “anything is possible, especially for someone reborn like Bush.”

Noting that Tony Blair converted to Catholicism after leaving office as Britain’s prime minister last year, the paper also stated that “if anything happens, it will happen after he finishes his period as president, not before. It is similar to Blair’s case, but with different circumstances.”

President Bush welcomed Pope Benedict XVI warmly when he visited the U.S. in April. And Vatican watchers noted that Bush met privately with the pontiff in the private gardens of the Vatican last Friday — an unprecedented place for the Pope to meet a head of state. Typically, the Vatican gardens are used by the Pope for private reflection.

A Vatican spokesman said the Pope used the unusual locale to reciprocate for the “warmth” Bush showed when the two met in Washington.

Though the Catholic Church has criticized the U.S. war in Iraq, Bush has been an ardent supporter of pro-life issues; he has staunchly opposed stem-cell research; and he opposes gay marriage — all issues important for Rome.

Currently Bush belongs to a Methodist church in Texas and attends an Episcopal church in Washington, D.C.

A friend of Bush, Father George William Rutler — who converted to Catholicism in 1979 — told the Catholic News Agency that Bush “is not unaware of how evangelicalism, by comparison with Catholicism, may seem more limited both theologically and historically.”




© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

The Perfect Father's Day Gift - Mandles!

I could not resist sharing this with you! Happy belated Father's Day! Thank you Matt Cook for sharing this! It is too funny!

Tulsa, Here we come!

Wow! The wonders of God! I traveled to Tulsa on Wednesday for an interview with Anderson Elementary School in Tulsa. While I was getting ready for my interview, I received a call from another principal and, luckily, I was already in town for a second interview with Zarrow International School at 9 AM on Thursday morning!
Well, to make a long story short, I left my Thursday interview with a job offer and have already received a call from Human Resources to sign my contract in Tulsa! I will be teaching Social Studies, Math and Reading to 5th Grade at Zarrow!
Praise GOD!