Ten Years and Counting

Ten years ago today, I woke up at my Grandparents house, took a shower, got in a tuxedo, and drove to Azusa Pacific University's West Campus Lawn. I was nervous and excited. This was a moment I was anticipating for a long, long time. The rest of the events went by in a blur. I remember seeing my beautiful bride-to-be for the first time in her white dress, glowing and smiling from ear to ear as she walked down the aisle escorted by her Father and Brother-in-law. I remember holding her hand as we recited vows and then placing the ring on her finger. I remember crying...because I was so happy to finally be marrying such an incredible woman. I remember our first kiss as husband and wife (mmmm....nice). I remember walking back down the aisle as husband and wife...to the tune of the Star Wars theme. I remember having a brief couple minutes alone with my wife in an RV parked near the lawn...as I called her Mrs. Copeland for the first time. I remember our first dance to a song I wrote to Joi called "You Are Loved." I remember my new wife beating me in the money dance because our friend JR gave her a crap-load of money...so that she could win. I remember driving away to our first night together as husband and wife to the Disneyland Hotel Honeymoon Suite. I remember a little Brittish boy standing in the elevator with us, looking at Joi and saying "Mommy, look at that girl! She's beautiful!" I remember our first night together...but I won't get into that here. But, be sure to ask Joi about the jacuzzi bath jets when you get a chance. Very funny! I remember waking up for the first time together as husband and wife and thinking how great it was to finally be able to stay with Joi all night long without leaving her side.

It's been quite a ride, these last ten years. We've had good moments and bad. We've grown closer together and have weathered all the storms life has presented to us. I can honestly say that today I am more in love with my wife than ever before. I am amazed at how much our marriage has improved even within the last year.

Joi, I am proud of you. I am proud of us. We made it to ten years...and I am more in love with you than ever. I can hardly wait to see what the next ten years will bring. All I know is that I am so lucky, blessed, and honored to have you as my beautiful bride! Thanks for everything that you are and everything that you are making me. I love you, my dearest! Always and forever!

The Lambeth Walk and Grandma

My late Grandmother, Phyllis, loved musicals. She could sing any line from any song from any musical by memory. Sometimes you'd say something in conversation and it would trigger a song in her memory and she would belt it out and prance around the living room. As a kid, I used to roll my eyes whenever she did that. But, I have fond memories of it now. Anyway, in 1987, when I was in high school and living with her, she videotaped the Tony Awards. That particular night, they performed one of her favorite songs from one of her favorite musicals "The Lambeth Walk" from "Me and my Girl". She watched this performance over and over again through the years...until the tape started having issues. She told me once that no matter what mood she was in when she started watching it, she was happy by the end. I can still see her in my head, hunched over and bobbing up and down as she danced her way around the living room singing this song in her characteristic alto voice. Well, you can imagine how tickled I was when I found a video clip of that same performance on Youtube. This is the video she would watch over and over again. Watching it again made me smile. I can almost see her now, doing the Lambeth Walk in heaven...bouncing around on clouds, singing this song and making all the angels smile. I've posted the video here for your enjoyment. Or you can go to Youtube directly and see it here.

Meet George Jetson...

So, for Father's Day my Dad bought me a webcam and told me to set it up, download Skype for free, and look him up so that we could do free video calls back and forth to each other. We've been doing it once a week for a few weeks now and I'm loving it. I love that we can see each other and that he is able to see the boys. I love that it's free (minus the cost of the webcam) to do long distance video calling. I love how easy it is to set up and how fun it is to see the person you are talking to. The only downside is that my sons like to see themselves on the computer and while I am talking to Dad, they come up and do odd things into the camera (like shove their face into it or put cookies up to the camera for Papa Bruce to eat). They can be downright freakish. I always have to tell them "Okay boys, I'm calling Papa...don't act like freaks!" but they do it anyway. Although, I think Dad enjoys it...freak and all.

I remember as a kid watching the cartoon "The Jetsons" and seeing them do video phone calls. Who would have thought that I'd live to see that technology become cheap, easy, and prevalent. It's pretty darn cool, if you ask me.

Now, I want to get a webcam for my laptop at work...so that I can call my wife and boys during my lunchtime or when I am away at conferences. How cool would that be? I am so in.

So, if you have a webcam and want to video-call me...just let me know. We can hook it up.

Remembering Michael Jackson

Okay...so it's been the biggest news story for several weeks now and I know everyone is growing weary of it. But, I wanted to join my wife and do my own Michael tribute. One of the first (if not the first) album I ever bought was Thriller. Yes, it was vinyl. It even had the poster inside the cover that I hung for a season on my closet door. I loved Thriller, Human Nature, Beat it, P.Y.T., and many other songs of that album. I remember watching the premier of the Thriller video on MTV and being enthralled by the grandiose production of it all. I even rented the making of the Thriller video later on and I remember watching it with my friend Leonard. I remember watching the infamous Pepsi commercial when it aired and trying to see where he might have caught his head on fire. I watched the videos for Billie Jean, Beat it, Say Say Say, Black or White, and others over and over again on MTV, VH1, and Video One hosted by Richard Blade on KCAL. I remember always making sure that whenever I went to Disneyland, I HAD to see Captain EO. I'd always end up singing "Another Part of Me" for the rest of the day. Later, when I was in high school, my good friend John came clean and told me (almost ashamedly) that he had just gone to a Michael Jackson concert. He told me not to laugh at him. Actually, I was angry that he didn't tell me sooner or invite me. I would have LOVED to see Michael live. I'm still bitter at John about that...and I rub it in periodically.

I was saddened that he started to change his appearance through tons of procedures and surgeries. I am secure in my manhood...so I am not ashamed to say that I thought the Thriller Michael Jackson was the handsomest. Why he didn't stop there was beyond me. After that, he started to look like some deformed alien zombie monster. Something akin to his Thriller video...but worse. It makes me sad that he was never comfortable with the face, nose, and skin that God gave him and that he felt the need to change it.

When Michael died, I was shocked. I wondered if it was just another strange publicity stunt. But, it appears to be true. Michael really is gone. Yesterday when driving home from work I set my iPod to play all Michael's songs. I was amazed at the sheer volume of #1 hit songs. I think my all time fav is Human Nature. I don't know why. It's just a pretty song. I still don't know what he's singing about in it...but it sounds good. Yesterday evening, I decided to introduce my boys to Michael's music. I played them "Wanna Be Startin Something" and "Another Part of Me" (the Captain Eo theme). Joi picked "Thriller" and "Man in the Mirror". The boys seemed to like them. It's weird to think that they will grow up in a world without Michael Jackson. He's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. From the Jackson 5 with "ABC" and "I Want You Back" to "Dancing Machine" when I was a child...to "Rock With You", "Off the Wall" and eventually "Thriller" when I was a pre-teen/teen. It's weird to think he's gone.

One mourner at the Memorial Service said "Michael Jackson is the soundtrack to our lives!" How true! How true!

Moving...again!

Well, I've been working at UC Denver for about a month now. I love the job, but the drive into Denver is killing me. I drive 1.5 to 2 hours each way (in Denver traffic) and I have to fill up my gas tank about 3 to 4 times a week. I was barely getting time with my beautiful wife and I missed my kids terribly. So, my family and I decided that it was not worth it and we went hunting for a home closer to my work. On Saturday, we found a cozy little home in Lakewood, CO. It's a little bigger than what we are living in now, and it's only about 20 minutes from my job in downtown Denver. Also, there is a light rail station within a few minutes of my house with daily trains that go directly to the campus ...or there is an express bus stop outside my house that goes into downtown. So, I have options. I got the Eco-Pass deal from my work (I can use all Rapid Transit in Denver Metro for $40 a month - pulled from my paycheck pre-tax once a month). The kicker for us (especially my boys) is that there is a greenbelt/nature preserve directly across the street from our new place. It's got walking/hiking/biking trails, two ponds that are stocked and can be fished, and a creek (more like a river) that runs through the length of it. The greenbelt stretches for miles in an east/west direction...so there is plenty to explore. We are very excited to have a place nearby where my kids and be boys and explore nature. Our complex has a pool, which we are excited about. No spa though...bummer! Overall, we are really excited about our move. My boys can't wait for me to get a fishing license so that I can take them fishing at our ponds.

We will be moving this Saturday and should be living there officially that night. My wife is single-handedly packing our current house (she is so awesome!) while I spend more of my time at work or commuting to and from work. We are making arrangements to have our internet and dish network transferred to our new place...plus informing everyone of our new address. Lots and lots to do! Joi already found a church that we will be trying on Sunday. It's called Bear Valley Church (how cool is that name?!?!). We are excited to be done with the move and start settling into our new town.

If you'd like our new address, email me and I'll send it to you.