<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302</id><updated>2012-02-15T23:11:28.700-08:00</updated><title type='text'>That little, bitty, teeny-weeny thing called the love bug</title><subtitle type='html'>Well, I am changing the name of my blog (not that it is much) because I am not a "Nothing" (sorry about the double negative).  I am a husband and a father, and those two jobs are the best in the world!  So maybe I will actually start trying to keep this up.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>8</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-3279086206359674943</id><published>2011-08-07T20:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-07T21:03:51.849-07:00</updated><title type='text'>...and baby makes six!?!</title><content type='html'>&lt;div&gt;Well, maybe I will try my hand at blogging again, at the encouragement of my sister.  We are currently approaching the finish line for our final Forbes production, young Master L. M.  This is coming at a time S. will become a Mister instead of a Master (he will be 13 right around delivery time), B. will be approaching 10, and little Miss E. will be almost 2!  Time certainly does fly.  It seems like the last time I posted here Brandi was pregnant with E.  Wait a minute, she was pregnant with E. last time I posted. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Well a lot has happened since then, I have a new job at AEP, which I hope will lead to bigger and better things in the future.  It is nice to have a job that doesn't seem to own me.  And it is really nice just to have a job!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I have found out just how much my family cares for me, and I can't thank them enough for all the love and support they have shown me this year.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;I think my relationship with God has grown stronger over the past few months, and for that I am grateful.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;That is all for now.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-3279086206359674943?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/3279086206359674943/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=3279086206359674943' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/3279086206359674943'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/3279086206359674943'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2011/08/and-baby-makes-six.html' title='...and baby makes six!?!'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-7829232619381269642</id><published>2009-10-08T18:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-08T18:19:50.433-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What, me, worry?</title><content type='html'>Brandi had contractions for a few hours yesterday.  She had them all night last Thursday and thought it was time.  Thankfully, it wasn't.  But when she has contractions like that, it dilates her cervix.  I have a feeling that the baby will come sooner than later.  I am praying to make it to the week of Thanksgiving, at least.  I am just posting this here because I know she won't read it, and I can't let her know I am worried.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-7829232619381269642?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/7829232619381269642/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=7829232619381269642' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/7829232619381269642'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/7829232619381269642'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2009/10/baby-on-way.html' title='What, me, worry?'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-6801779304945616142</id><published>2009-03-23T08:35:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-03-23T08:38:50.707-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Don't laugh (too hard)</title><content type='html'>Well, I have a new job (in addition to all the others), but this one is on a voluntary basis.  I am an assistant coach for S's A-league baseball team.  Don't ask me how I got into this, but anyone who knows me knows that I probably the most un-athletic person in the world!  It has been fun so far; the team is made up of a great bunch of kids and I get to spend some extra time with S.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-6801779304945616142?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/6801779304945616142/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=6801779304945616142' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/6801779304945616142'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/6801779304945616142'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2009/03/dont-laugh-too-hard.html' title='Don&apos;t laugh (too hard)'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-917805485018003890</id><published>2008-11-23T09:53:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-11-23T09:58:30.090-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The neighbor has left the neighborhood.</title><content type='html'>It is sad that neighborhoods are not as close-knit as they used to be.  Growing up, my sister and I knew everyone on our small block.  I remember walking to our grandparents house with her and visiting their next door neighbors, Kitty Crom and Aunt Lottie (not our aunt).  Now, we really only know the neighbors here that have kids the same age as our kids.  I don't feel comfortable with them roaming the 'hood the way my sister and I roamed ours.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-917805485018003890?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/917805485018003890/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=917805485018003890' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/917805485018003890'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/917805485018003890'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2008/11/neighbor-has-left-neighborhood.html' title='The neighbor has left the neighborhood.'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-8644040907727812638</id><published>2008-11-23T09:44:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-11-23T09:53:36.328-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Time to be thankful</title><content type='html'>As I am getting ready to host my first Thanksgiving dinner (on Saturday), I have been thinking about how lucky I am.  I have nice house, a great job, and we have a comfortable, yet sometimes stressful, life.  What I am most thankful for however is my wonderful wife and my children.  As I see what some others go through with their personal lifes, I realize that I am truly blessed.  I am also thankful for my four sisters, even though I don't get to see or talk to them as much as I would like  I have great parents and in-laws, too.  I am especially lucky to still have my Papaw and Aunt Rawnie.  I am so thankful that my kids are able to have a relationship with them.  The one thing that I wish for is that my kids would have been able to meet Mamaw, Libby &amp;amp; Biggie.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-8644040907727812638?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/8644040907727812638/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=8644040907727812638' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/8644040907727812638'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/8644040907727812638'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2008/11/time-to-be-thankful.html' title='Time to be thankful'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-840206568040102034</id><published>2008-11-07T06:37:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2008-11-07T06:39:00.004-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Yeah, America!</title><content type='html'>We had better fasten our seatbelts!  It will be a wild and crazy ride while the country is headed in a new direction!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-840206568040102034?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/840206568040102034/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=840206568040102034' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/840206568040102034'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/840206568040102034'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2008/11/yeah-america.html' title='Yeah, America!'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-4075767767959786377</id><published>2008-10-28T06:16:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-10-28T06:20:57.427-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Breathe-right strips...peppermint flavored.</title><content type='html'>&lt;div&gt;So I told B. to brush her teeth last night. She asked if she could keep her chewing gum, and I said "Sure," since it was sugar free. Little did I know that she had a special place to store it.&lt;a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oceHn2BDgQs/SQcQ6LNjJ_I/AAAAAAAAAAU/TH98r5Fj1gE/s1600-h/100_1920%5B1%5D.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262193281233790962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oceHn2BDgQs/SQcQ6LNjJ_I/AAAAAAAAAAU/TH98r5Fj1gE/s320/100_1920%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-4075767767959786377?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/4075767767959786377/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=4075767767959786377' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/4075767767959786377'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/4075767767959786377'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2008/10/breathe-right-stripspeppermint-flavored.html' title='Breathe-right strips...peppermint flavored.'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oceHn2BDgQs/SQcQ6LNjJ_I/AAAAAAAAAAU/TH98r5Fj1gE/s72-c/100_1920%5B1%5D.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223687035890883302.post-4361884759623381618</id><published>2008-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-10-28T08:12:25.658-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Time is kicking my butt.</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oceHn2BDgQs/SQcQiaAHyaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/S3npb6_UwRg/s1600-h/100_1922%5B1%5D.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262192872887142818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oceHn2BDgQs/SQcQiaAHyaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/S3npb6_UwRg/s320/100_1922%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;We set S. up in a full-size bed this weekend. With our lives going at such a high speed with work, school, and sports, the realization that my children are growing up stopped me in my tracks. No more bunk beds! At least he still looks small when he is lying in the bed. He said, "I feel like a freakin' ant!" and laughed his head off.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/7223687035890883302-4361884759623381618?l=thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/feeds/4361884759623381618/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=7223687035890883302&amp;postID=4361884759623381618' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/4361884759623381618'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/7223687035890883302/posts/default/4361884759623381618'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thepowerofmediocrity.blogspot.com/2008/10/time-is-kicking-my-butt.html' title='Time is kicking my butt.'/><author><name>Ric</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/15455256836568888529</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oceHn2BDgQs/SQcQiaAHyaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/S3npb6_UwRg/s72-c/100_1922%5B1%5D.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry></feed>
