Tuesday 6-23-09

Sorry guys it has been a couple of weeks since I last posted. I attached a post that I wrote on my flight back from Colorado titled Tuesday 6-9-09. Check it out.

So I have been back for a couple of weeks now. It was hard getting back into the swing of things. Maybe I should just begin with when I landed in Houston two Tuesdays ago.

I stepped off the plane in Houston and was greeted by two overwhelming forces. The first was an abrupt hit in the face with the heat and humidity. I almost passed out when I took a breath. It was like someone threw me down on the ground, stood on me, and then told me to try and breath. It sucked! The second was the most amazing. My wife, Jessica, was waiting for me at baggage claim. It was so awesome to see her. I have never missed someone so much in my entire life. We embraced each other and held each other for a while. I think other around us must have been thinking things but it didn’t matter to me. I would have just kicked someone in the face if they would have said something to me. Jess had left the kids at home with my sister, who had come into town to go with Jess and I on our next trip. We left the airport and arrived back at home and the rest I will leave to your imagination.

The night seemed very short. We got home late and had to get up early in the morning to be in Harker Heights, TX so that I could help set for the Division 2 SCS Divisional Championship. Good thing my sister was in town because we would have never left in time. When I got up in the morning I rushed upstairs to see my little girl, Maggie. When I walked into her room she got a big smile on her face and said, “Daddy home, hold you Daddy, hold you Daddy, miss you Daddy.” After holding Maggie for a little while we took off to Harker Heights, TX. We arrived in Harker Heights, TX at the Boulders Climbing Gym around 11:00am.

Once at Boulders I got my route assignments and began setting. I had been looking forward to this because I would be setting with Molly, who I was also going to set with at SCS Youth Nationals in July. The route setting went well. I set a final for Youth C, 12 and 13 year olds, and a Qualifier 2 for Male Youth A/Male Juniors, 16 to 19 year olds. I kind of hosed the Youth A group on the Qualifier with a big move in the roof that only two in the group were able to complete. The Juniors didn’t have any problem with the move as it was proven to be a height dependent move. I hate when that happens. Despite that mistake the competition went well and I think everyone had a good time.

At the end of the competition on Sunday I was finally able to hang out with my family. We swam the rest of the day and went out to eat that evening. It was great.

On Monday Molly began teaching a USA Climbing Level 1 setting clinic. I stayed around to observe her teach the clinic so that I can get certified by USA Climbing to teach Level 1s. I had some employees, Mike-Jonathon-Ohio, come up from Stone Moves to take the clinic. I think they did a good job and that the clinic will improve their setting.

After the clinic on Tuesday Jess and I along with the kids headed home and my sister headed to Dallas. I was able to get a day of rest before I went to the gym again. It had been 3 weeks since I was last at the gym. I took most of the day off and went to the gym to coach the team. My best friend from Louisiana, Jerry, came into town to visit during the weekend. I hadn’t seen him in a while and hadn’t met John Cole yet. My first day to climb at the gym was Saturday during team practice. The climbing went well and it was good to pull on holds at home again. After practice my family and Jerry swam at the house. Later that night Shelby came over to watch the kids while Jess and I along with Jerry went to the Flying Saucer. We were to meet Tom, Kim, Corey, and Jennifer. It was Tom’s birthday and we had to celebrate.

I climbed mostly on the grey wall since it had been reset while I was out of town. I like most of the problems but think some of them are a little ridiculous. You will have to ask me in person which ones I like and which ones suck as I don’t want to hurt anyone’s ego.

On Sunday, Father’s Day, I was given a gift from my kids, Maggie and John Cole. It was a custom coffee mug that Maggie had made. Jessica gave me a picture of the kids together with me. In the picture Maggie and John Cole are holding my hand. Later that day all of us went to the gym to climb. Climbing Sunday was great because I got to climb with Tom. I hadn’t climbed with him in a while and it is always good climbing with him.