Oh Mandi

I would like to spend this post paying special tribute to my beautiful wife. Mandi is such an amazing inspiration to me in even more ways than I can list. I work second shift these days which means I'm gone in the evening, and Mandi does the impossible by managing the house and meeting all of the kids' needs while I'm gone. To think she actually has the energy to spend a few minutes with me at the end of the day is beyond fathomable. The devotion she has to her family is a testimony to the wonderful person she has become. This past weekend brought to light just a couple of the ways Mandi has influenced and inspired me.

The biggest news came Saturday morning when Mandi weighed in at her weekly Weight Watcher's meeting. In six months, she has lost over 35 pounds and is now officially at her goal weight! She has worked incredibly hard to achieve this, even to the point of forcing herself to work out at the end of the day when she could easily throw in the towel and go to bed. She rarely misses her daily walk, and has remained very accountable for her daily food intake. Yet another way she inspires me to better myself.

Yesterday, Mandi's church group (MOPS - Mothers Of PreSchoolers) held their annual Appreciation Sunday in which they thank the church congregation for their support, financially and otherwise. This group of Mom's meets a couple of times a month to swap stories and hear speakers on parenting, marriage, and life in general. The group leader asked me if I would share a couple of stories from a husband's/father's perspective during yesterday's celebration, and I readily agreed. It gave me the opportunity to relay some personal experiences Mandi and I have had in our parenting journey, and to recognize Mandi for the kind of example she sets for our kids. We are a lucky bunch to have her in our lives!

I love you, Sweetheart!!

Bunny Wars '07

The sun crept up over the neighbor's houses, shining brightly with the promise of a warm spring day full of gardening opportunities. I made my way outside to assess the situation left by another cold, but relatively harmless Nebraska winter. Armed with a spade, rake, and having donned the yard work gloves, I was just short of exploding with anticipation of what I hoped to be my greatest gardening season yet. As I stepped around the backyard tree and toward the garden, I began to realize there was much to be done in preparation for the Spring planting. Last year's tomato plants, though long past anything resembling life, remained in the ground and needed to be discarded to make way for the new ones to come. A few early-season weeds had already begun to appear, and the make-shift fence, designed to keep the bunnies out, needed to be re-staked and put into place. Deciding which task to complete first was all that slowed me from getting started.

And that's when I saw him. The creature most devastating to gardens everywhere. The most elusive and cunning of all in the backyard animal kingdom. The culprit behind countless hours of frustration and heartache. Mr. Bunny. The furry little cotton-tailed bastard just stood there, staring at me with a mouthful of MY mulch which I had so dutifully spread over the soil of MY garden just before the first snowfall of winter. I felt my grip on the shovel and rake tighten as a single bead of sweat found a trail down my forehead. His nose twitched at its usual astronomical rate, and those goddamn ears of his stood perked and ready for any move. Our battle-ready eyes locked on each other, and we stood there for what seemed an eternity, each of us waiting for the other to make a move.

I began talking to him in a low voice, threatening him with empty promises of utter destruction should he choose to attempt a claim on my garden. He was having none of my words, and stood poised to defend what he wrongly believed was his territory. I began to strategize and plan my next move. I didn't want to hurt him, but I wanted to send an unmistakable message that he was not welcome in this area of my yard. I'm a sympathetic guy, you see, and am more than willing to allow Mr. Bunny and his circle of acquaintances to house themselves under my shed, or under my deck, or virtually anywhere in my yard. Just not my garden. As I analyzed the situation, I glanced downward to find a hole already dug, right next to where the cucumbers were slated to be planted. The bastard already knew my garden design plans before I had even begun, and was building his Spring nest such that he had immediate access to MY fresh vegetables. I found myself in such shock at this bold move, that I let my guard down just long enough to step to the side and gain a better view of his early-season triumph. Mr. Bunny recognized his opportunity, and made a mad dash out of the garden and off to the other end of the yard where he was safely out of my grasp. The standoff had ended, but as he looked back over his shoulder at me, we both knew it was only the beginning of a long and tiresome backyard war. And so began Bunny Wars '07.

To the reader: If you are unfamiliar with Bunny Wars, allow me to provide an explanation. It all started four seasons ago when I realized my desires to join the ranks of the backyard green thumbs, and grow a vegetable garden. In the course of learning such a trade, I found that a major part of gardening is defending one's foliage against nature's elite. The biggest of these culprits is the bunny. They love fresh vegetables as much as I do, and will do their best to gain access to the garden and all but destroy it. I have taken some steps to prevent their efforts, but not without some trials and tribulations. Each year seems to be a bit different, as they are smart and persistent little buggers. Just when I think I've got a handle on the situation, they seem to strategize another angle which I have failed to anticipate.

A local columnist has encountered many of the same problems in his garden, and writes each season on his latest bunny malady. He termed his struggles Bunny Wars, and I have adopted the title only because I think it's a common theme amongst all gardeners. Disclaimer: Absolutely no bunnies, or any other animal for that matter, are hurt or damaged during the course of Bunny Wars. My intent is not to ruin the natural existence of wildlife in my backyard. I only want to keep said wildlife out of my damn garden! The creatures have full access to the rest of my yard, so I don't think I'm asking too much.

Chief's Corner

One of the most crucial elements of my job as a public safety professional is that of public education. I say crucial because the blanket of stereotypes and myths is incredibly thick when it comes to the public's factual knowledge of policies and procedures for police, fire, dispatch, and 9-1-1 communications. As such, I consider my efforts and those of my coworkers to continually educate and "de-myth," if you will, very crucial towards a better understanding and satisfaction of public safety performance. For instance, I cannot possibly count the number of times I've taken a call or dispatched an officer to someone who has had their car broken into and items stolen, only to have the victim call back ten minutes later frantic because an officer hasn't arrived with lights flashing and sirens blaring to launch a full-scale investigation complete with fingerprints, DNA samples, and a suspect line-up. In the caller's eyes, this is a major emergency because his/her world has just been violated by an unknown perpretrator and they have suffered what they feel is a major loss. I can empathize with their feelings as I have been there, too. However, a larceny from a vehicle pales in comparison to the neighborhood convenience store being robbed at gunpoint, or the big college party going sour because somebody pulled a knife, or the rollover accident with major injuries.

So where am I going with all of this? Well, I was excited to open the paper today and read an article about the Lincoln Police Chief's new blog. Tom Casady has begun to write a couple of times a week in an effort to "give readers insight into issues he deals with on a daily basis." He is attempting to educate the public on how the police departement operates, why they do things a certain way, and what the officers and investigators are up against when responding to citizens' calls for service. I took a few minutes and browsed the blog today, and it is fantastic. I highly recommend jumping on now and again to learn what the Chief of Police has to say about current issues surrounding the police department's handling of various cases. His commentary doesn't seem too politically driven, as can sometimes be the case when it comes to appointed government positions. What he has written thus far comes across as honest and straight-forward. Even if you don't live in Lincoln, Casady's thoughts might answer some questions about how your local police or sheriff's department handles calls for service.

Easter Celebrations

Easter weekend 2007 was filled with bitter-sweet moments, lots of traveling, and special time with family. It all began on Good Friday when my wife and kids, along with my brother, packed up the van and headed to Jefferson City, Missouri, for my Grandma's memorial service. We embarked on the 6-hour journey right after lunch, and arrived in time to mingle with aunts, uncles, and cousins for a little over an hour. This time also included some picture browsing, as well as picking and choosing from Grandma's collection of keepsakes. We were up and at 'em bright and early on Saturday morning, and off to the church for the memorial service, followed by a luncheon and more quiet reflection. Then, back on the road bound for home. After a good night's sleep, we awoke to find the Easter Bunny does indeed exist, as our kitchen table was filled with Easter goodies!

After the church service, we headed to Mandi's folks' acreage for dinner and the annual Easter egg hunt. We had a fantastic time, and our celebration was a perfect ending to a long but wonderful weekend. I've included pictures of our family for your viewing pleasure, and I hope all of you enjoyed your respective Easter weekends/celebrations, as well!