The Dogs

Beautiful girl with gorgeous eyes.

Beautiful girl.

Both dogs fully grown.

Mrs. Darren reading with the Black Lab and new puppy Chocolate Lab. No relation between the dogs other than they are both lab mixes and live in the same house. *IF* we're insane enough to take in another dog, it'll be a small lap dog. Nothing more and, most defitinely, no more after that.

No, Black Lab is NOT demonically possessed and about to kill Chocolate Lab. This picture was taken right when Black Lab began to yawn.

Young (still a puppy) Black Lab, Baby Girl, and White Dog we almost adopted. Didn't work out though. Look who's enjoying the dog treats.

Black lab with nothing better to do.

Oldest Girl snuggling with Chocolate Lab. Chocolate Lab is full grown in photo; you just can't see it.

Family Picture From Family Reunion

From left to right:

Sitting on laps: Baby Girl and Youngest Boy

Middle Row: Mrs. Darren, Darren and Oldest Boy

Back Row: Oldest Daughter and first blessing from heaven.

Little Boy - 20003 - 2004

I'm the King

This video starring Baby Girl always cracks me up.

Kurt and Brenda Warner

Kurt Warner is the two-time NFL MVP–winning quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. Brenda Warner is an ex-Marine turned stay-at-home mom who collects coats for low-income kids and rocks babies to sleep at a hospital for chronically-ill infants. Together they’re the parents of seven, going into their 12th year of marriage, and founders of a foundation that helps disadvantaged children and families. Their formula for success? They put First Things First—family, faith, and giving to others—it’s their family motto, and it drives everything they do. First Things First is an honest, insightful, and entertaining look at life inside the Warner household. Kurt and Brenda speak candidly about their marriage, the values they are working to instill in their kids, things they’ve done right, mistakes they’ve made, the importance of giving back, and the legacy they hope to leave behind. Includes a 16-page full-color photo insert.

Sounds like solid priorities to me.

LINK TO IMAGE HIT

Pics - Family - Woodlands; Galveston

Big Girl w/brothers in Gulf

Baby Girl in the Gulf

Oldest boy & cousin

Wife taking picture

Big Girl and boys to Galveston

The boys and Baby Girl heading to Galveston

Baby Girl at Grandmother's Purse in the Woodlands

Some pics

Youngest boy showing off.

Here's the kids enjoying their aunt and uncles visit.

My sister's husband was accepted to Baylor College's school of medicine. That means THEY'RE MOVING TO HOUSTON!!! They'll be here for at least a few years. We'll see if our kids will get baby cousins to play with within those ears. Perhaps this'll get Mom and Dad to visit us down here a bit more. Not that they're neglectful; but more visits would be nice.

Five Myths on Fathers and Family

W. Bradford Wilcox writes this piece on National Review Online. Here's an excerpt:

1. THE ‘MR. MOM’ SURGEOpen a newspaper or turn on a TV in the week heading up to Father’s Day and you are bound to confront a story on stay-at-home dads. I have nothing against stay-at-home dads, but they make up a minuscule share of American fathers.For instance, less than 1 percent (140,000) of America’s 22.5 million married families with children under 15 had a stay-at-home dad in 2008, according to the U.S. Census. By contrast, about 24 percent (5,327,000) of those families had a stay-at-home mom. This means that the vast majority — more than 97 percent — of all stay-at-home parents are moms, not dads.

The focus on Mr. Mom obscures another important reality. In most American families today, fathers still take the lead when it comes to breadwinning: In 2008, the Census estimated that fathers were the main provider in almost three-quarters of American married families with children under 18. Providership is important to protect children from poverty, raise their odds of educational success, and increase the likelihood that they will succeed later in life. Thus, the very real material contribution that the average American dad makes to his family is obscured by stories that focus on that exotic breed, the stay-at-home dad.

Thats right, men are still the predominant breadwinner in the home. Isn't that how you, your parents, and grandparents grew up? It's a time-tested and proven method of success in the family.

Read HERE for more on the atrticle.