30,000 Visitors?

Hello All,

I just wanted to commemorate this moment. As of today, we had our 30,000th visitor to our little space on the web. That is pretty cool considering we have lived in several different places and have gone long periods of time without updating the site. Additionally, we have only had the counter about a year and half out of the last 4 years that we have been doing this.

On the other side of the coin, the numbers might be a little skewed, in that we discovered not too long ago that the counter was also counting when we visited ourselves! So every time I came to post, then re-post or edit a post, it counted me. Whenever Lela came by to check for comments it counted her. And whenever I got a few comments going, like the infamous El Burrito discussion, I was counted each time I commented back. Basically, what I am saying is, that Lela and I might be responsible for 29,000 of those visits!

The good news is that we have isolated our ip addresses (we had 5 or 6 different addresses assigned to us!) and the counter no longer counts us ("Are you saying we don't count!? Yes!" The conversation in my mind...). From here on out, we have a pure system that only counts you!

So what do you have to look forward to seeing in the next several months? All I will say is "more of the same!" Of course, I'd love to expand to whole other areas of weblife and am thinking about a podcast...we'll see what develops. In any event, I hope that you will continue to drop by from time to time. Whoever all of you are, thanks for stopping by and caring about what might be happening with the Sanchez Family!

Here's to the next 30,000!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

My Recurring Top 6 Embarassing Moments

Hello All,

Since several of these have often plagued me throughout my years on earth and since many have occurred in the last several days, I thought that I might share them with you. Perhaps you will find them somewhat ridiculous or have a better stable than mine, but these rank pretty high for me.

#6 The Wrong Phone Number. Yeah, it seems that this would not be so bad, as the person on the other end cannot see your face, but I always am embarrassed by getting the wrong number. On a few occasions, I make this worse by thinking that I mis-dialed, only to discover that I was initially accurate. The only thing worse than hearing, "Wrong number" is to hear the words,"Wrong number again." And the only thing worse than that is hearing the words "What number are you trying to dial?" as in "You are too stupid to be using the phone!"

#5 Calling Someone The Wrong Name. I remember when I first met our good friends, Gregg and Shannan several years ago. For the first several times that we met, I had it in my head that his name was Steve. I kept saying, "So Steve..." Finally, Gregg, in his usual polite manner said, "My name is Gregg." I wish that this was the only time that this has happened. On this particular occasion, I might have also added the words, "Are you sure?," as in, "Are you sure that that's your name?"

#4 Saying Goodbye Only To Run Into Them Seconds Later. So, you have this deep spiritual conversation. Both of you are spent. You've prayed, said that you would keep praying and that you'd catch up with each other in another day, week, whatever. You go your separate ways, only to find that you are both going to the same spot on the grounds that the other person is going to! In some cases, it's the parking spot next to the other person! Somehow, that's embarrassing to me.

#3 Completely Forgetting What It Is That We Committed To Pray About! That person that you had a great spiritual conversation with comes back the next week to tell you about the great victory that they achieved and by the looks on your face, they know that you haven't thought about them at all! Being completely caught off guard, you call them by their wrong name!

#2 Is It A Handshake Or A Hug!? You've got the right name, you're on the same page and you're about to greet one another. In your mind, a handshake is in order, but in their mind it's time for a hug. Of course, when you see the "hug sign," you immediately rethink your position and go for the hug. Just then, the other person has seen that you threw the handshake sign, and put out the right hand of fellowship! In the meantime, you are both moving at a rapid pace toward one another, one with hands out, the other with a hand between you. The worst is when you both make a third adjustment! I'm surprised that I haven't been injured!

#1 Responding To Someone Else's Wave. You walk into the gym and across the room, there is that person waving toward the door that you just came through. They are waving enthusiastically, so glad to see you. Of course, in your mind, their excitement is justified. You are, in fact a pretty cool dude! Frankly, you really can't place this person. They look somewhat familiar, but the memory is illusive, but no matter: They are happy to see me. I can hardly hide my satisfaction, as I smile in return and then return the wave. It's at this point when their eyes meet yours and they wave you off, letting you know that their excitement was not for you, it's for that person who you did not even notice was behind you. The pride you felt a second ago has turned to the embarrassment that only crawling under a rock can dilute!

So there you go my friends. Wanna embarrass me? There's how you do it! I'm grateful, as I consider this list, to have such gracious friends, who know how to laugh when we are caught in these moments. It makes them much less painful.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

"Ready Or Not..."

"Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.' Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?' And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

Matthew 24:1-8

Hello All,

Not trying to start a eschatological debate, but it sure seems like there are a lot of earthquakes lately! What if He did come sooner than later? At the least, let's be reminded of what we are living for today! Is it worth it?

Just a friendly reminder!

Blessings,
Frank Sanchez

The Bwudding Soccer Star

All I'm saying is that David Beckham better watch out!

Like Father, Like Son

Hello All,

There are several brands that I am loyal to. I am a company's dream customer if I dig on their product. I plan to have the newest Apple gadget with every new iteration. When I play my Yamaha Maple Custom drums, I'll be using my Vater Recording sticks. Going into the fridge and you'll will see a Henry Weinhard's six pack of root beer...unless I have had one, then there will only be 5! There are several other companies that have my lifetime, theirs or mine, loyalty.

I'm the same with food. One fast food restaurant that will always keep me coming back is Subway. Somewhere in the last several years, I became a life long lover of Subway. Something about the "choose your own adventure" sandwich compilation just made me giddy! Then, Subway combined three words that hooked me like a starving fish: Chicken Bacon Ranch! I think that it's fair to say that anything with any of these three words, rank among my most favored foods. But put them together and you have heaven on a plate!

Not too long ago, Caleb witnessed my euphoric celebration as I took my first bite into my latest sandwich. He was so impressed by the sandwich and his Father's enthusiasm, that he immediately asked if he could take a bite. Of course, being the good Father that I am, I denied him the privilege in order that he might have his own Chicken Bacon Ranch Signature sandwich.

So, today, March 14th, 2010, Caleb got to enjoy his first CBR. Here are a few pics to commemorate the moment.

This was Caleb's first bite. It brings a tear to my eye, just reporting that! He was excited about telling the young lady what he wanted on his sandwich. She was a little disappointed that all he wanted was chicken, bacon, ranch, olives and salt and pepper, but the Bwudd was not!
Here was his initial assessment: Two thumbs up! You cannot beat that high praise! You might notice that there is a lack of smiling. That's just so he doesn't lose any of that Subway tastiness!



This picture will be a great pic for later when Caleb is an Iron Chef! People might just point to this moment when the epiphany demanded a response, naturally, that a person can find the best flavor combinations when they add bacon to the mix!


Yep, a fine Father/Son bonding experience! Thanks Subway for making this moment possible!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Why We're All So Tired All The Time!

Hello All,

7PM is not one of my favorite hours. Getting kids ready for bed is notoriously "unfun." Oh, wait, I can hear it now: "These are the best years!" Do you ever notice that when a fellow parent says that, they are, to a person, referring to years long past!? Funny how the "now" is never spoken of as "the best years!" Now, I will break the rule: These are the best years, but 7PM is the worst of the hours! I can't wait until they are just a little older and bedtime means they are tired and they get themselves showered and readied to sleep. Anyway, I digress: 8PM is better. Kids are in bed reading and the operative word for Daddy, "quietly!" 9PM is just awesome! A little after 9PM, 2/3 of the kids are out...a little like this picture here, with Caleb and Lizzie unconsciously imitating Michelangelo's famous fresco "The Creation Of Adam."

Most of the time, Caleb or Lizzy are out first. Caleb, like his Mother, is a notorious sleeper. He just lays down and is gone pretty quick. Lizzy is usually next, slowly drifting toward unconsciousness. Once she is out, she pretty much stays right where she is. Caleb on the other hand will move all over the bed, in and out of 20 or 30 positions per night! And, it's not rare for him, at the slightest movement in the room, to dialogue clearly in his sleep! In this picture, he did start on the couch with Renae...

And speaking of version 1.0, she is never asleep earlier than 10PM. That's right: Sometimes 2 hours after getting into bed! She is just not easy to turn off. She reads voraciously in bed and seems to spend her time thinking about all sorts of insane thoughts. When she was a little kid, I would come home from Sunday night service and she would be obsessing about her strange fear of lions, that I promised to spank if they ever came near our house. That seemed to comfort her.

Renae, when it comes to sleep, is to much like her Father, who loathes to miss any opportunity that resembles the solitude that late nights afford him and that one day, will be the norm of his existence. ("Oh how I long for a sparcely lit, quiet study...it's coming...I believe it!) What's that? Oh yeah, I know: Best days...

Then, there's Mommy, who is known to sleep just about anywhere, at any time. Having moved more than 10 times in 5 years, as well as bearing three children in 8 years, and being married to a guy who loves late nights for over 12 years, has made her quite ready for a few years of sleep! But, the "when's and where's" of a young Mom?

The old rule was, "sleep when the kids sleep" and this worked, when the kids slept! Nap time used to be such a great thing for Lela. Ah, and then there was the Spanish siesta! All of Jerez used to shut down daily at 2PM and when in Rome...or Spain...do as the Spaniards do! That worked for a while and then we moved back. Today, Lela steals a nap here and there whenever she can, but as you can see from the picture, she rarely sleeps alone!

And then there's me. You'll note that there are no pictures of me. That's simply because I do not sleep...or, more accurately, nobody is awake when I go to bed. I spend those precious late hours studying, blogging, reading (current book: "Paul's Metaphors") doing laundry ("I am not ashamed!") and catching up on my Hulu cache! Plus, if I slept more, I might have missed these pics and not been able to remember these great times!

Blessings To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez