Half-way

My tomato plants have been doing well, producing a lot more than in previous years...here are 2 nice red ones.

During my little summer break from school I was able to fly to Wyoming to visit my grandma, which was very nice. My family was able to come and see me one day also and we did one of my favorite activities...boating at the Flaming Gorge.

My sister and I being silly while water skiing together.

Finally, in other exciting news... I had to go back to work today (that's not the exciting part)...I started my Psychiatry rotation, which should at least be interesting. We have to take evening call shifts in the Psych ER at the county hosptial...so who knows what I will see.

The exciting part is that I am now officially a 3rd year...which means I am half-way through med school. Yay!

San Antonio Pictures

Jake & I in front of the Alamo church- the place the women and children who survived the attack on the Alamo hid.

Shamu doing cool Killer Whale tricks...

Jake with his love- the penguins...who prefer the dark

Jake & I at Sea World...waiting for a Shamu show

Sea World

This weekend Erin and I went to San Antonio.... it was one of those deals where you pay a really low price and you get three nights in a hotel plus tickets to Sea World in exchange for 90 minutes of your time handed over to a timeshare presentation group.... along with your soul.

It sounded like a bargain - so we took it.

When we got to the hotel they asked if there were three in our party:
The had the following three persons checking in:
Jake Umbriaco - Age 46
Erin Umbriaco - Age 46
Jessica Umbriaco - Age 16

For some reason the fact that they'd doubled our age and given us a daughter didn't seem to warrant a larger room..... We had a full size bed.... no couch or anything.... I guess they thought Jessica would sleep in the bathtub.

Anyway - check in was a strange experience.....

Fortunately I missed most of check-in because the Dynamo were on the big screen in the lobby, and just as I walked in Brad Davis scored his first goal of the game (dynamo won 4-0 & Brad had a hat trick).

Erin and I went to the Alamo.... which was a block from our hotel.... and took about 5 minutes too look over completely.

On Friday we went to the timeshare thing which wasn't as frightening as we thought and the next day we went to Sea World. I was so excited to see the penguins.... when I was little we went to Sea World in San Diego (we being my immediate family... I didn't know Erin back then) and I spent a significant portion of my time going through the Penguin Encounter. Well.... Saturday was overcast... rainy... and the penguin encounter wasn't quite as cool as I remembered... I still went through like 5 times though. Erin was really excited for Shamu..... so we went to to Shamu shows including: Shamu rocks Texas......

Shamu rocks Texas took like 6 years off my life and may have rendered me sterile.... the 'dj' for this blessed event was a caucasian cowboy who goes by the handle 'ben-dizzle.' We listened to a variety of hits and watched the crowd participate in a dance contest. The 3 shamus that did stunts were fun to see though.

We also went to a show with dancing dolphins and belugas.... and a water-skiing exhibition.
We did go to eat on the riverwalk and that was a lot of fun.

On the way home from Sea World we blew by our exit...... by we I mean I missed the exit... by 20 miles.... so it took a long time to get back to the hotel... then we went to this 24 hr mexican restaurant 'mi tierra'.

Allow me to take you now on a brief journey through the darker portions of my psyche.....

I have an unhealthy (literally and figuratively) obsession with Cherry Coke..... when places don't have Cherry Coke they usually just throw some grenadine in with the Coke. I went to this pretty upscale place with my work team for a going away party and ordered a Cherry Coke... and the waiter was like.... a Roy Rogers? Every time he brought me a new drink he said 'Here's your Roy Rogers sir'..... ordering a Roy Rogers is just not manly... and my work team gives me a lot of crap about that.

So - back to the mexican restaurant.... I order a Cherry Coke... the waiter informs me they don't have Cherry Coke... would I like a Roy Rogers.... I'm like no... I just want you to put some grenadine in a coke.... so a Roy Rogers? No... a Cherry Coke...

He brings me a coke with grenadine topped with whipped cream and cherries on top.....

Whip Cream on a coke? Whoever heard of such madness.... I asked him to bring me a drink w/o whipped cream - to which he responds... that's how you make a Roy Rogers.... I didn't ask for a ROY ROGERS..... he never replaced my drink.

At least they had a good bakery.....

I'm sure Erin will post pictures.... she was in WY last week and has some pictures too....

The "Cottonham" Tottenhams

This weekend we were able to take a quick trip to Austin to visit Jessica. It was great to get to see her (and of course her mom Ladybird and dad the famous Terry Tottenham) and visit with her. We also got to hear about her ministry and the great work she is doing with Young Life's Capernaum Ministry--which is really amazing. I must apologize to my college roommates, in particular Jackie who still lives with her, for encouraging Jess's great Texas pride by giving her the gift I gave her for her b-day. However, I just knew after seeing the idea in a book that Jess would love it...seeing as how she so proudly displayed her Texas flag in our dorm room and apartment on Texas Street.

By the way Jess...Battlecat worked very hard to help me make the quilt, and being from Texas herself, thought she should get to keep it when it was finished.

In other news, I am enjoying Pediatrics so far...I am currently doing Neonatology and getting to examine all the brand new babies, which is very fun! Jake has started re-reading the Harry Potter books again in his spare time in preparation for the release of the final book at the end of July.

Here are a few more cute pictures of Battlecat & Kelsey...Kelsey got a little pool to play in. She loves the water and is always trying to drink it directly from the hose. Battlecat on the other hand is terrified of water, and avoids it as much as possible.

My Little Garden

Here are a few pictures of what's growing in my little patio garden...I'm rather proud. Of course so far it has been raining every few days, so I haven't had to do much watering yet myself...we'll see how it goes as the summer progresses.




The last picture is of the girls with Battlecat's best dog friend Taggy. She lives across the street and they get to play together every day as our great neighbors Martha and baby Abby let the dogs out for us each day...but to our great sadness they have decided to move this summer to Chattanooga, TN to be closer to family.

Jonah Ch. 2

A couple of things:

Last Saturday, Erin and I were at the mall walking around the Gap, and who do you think we saw there? Derek Webb! I finally got up enough nerve to walk up to him and tell him how much I dig his music.... he was very approachable - seemed like a real down to Earth guy. He's got a new album coming out May 1st called: The Ringing Bell... I'm sure it's going to be amazing (www.derekwebb.com).

Today I had the opportunity to do something I haven't done for a couple of years...... I got to preach the message at church. I spoke on Jonah Ch 2. I'd been pretty nervous about it all week - but I think it went pretty well.....

The message will be posted online in a couple of days at the following link:
http://kaleohouston.com/podcast/


Erin starts her Pediatrics Rotation tomorrow morning and she's a bit nervous as well so she can definitely use your prayers.

That's all for now

He's got fluid

I saw that the Duncan's posted this month... so I felt like I should as well....

I guess there hasn't been much going on lately. I've been sick for a while. I went to the dr. three weeks ago or so and got some medicine.... then I felt OK for like a week, and I've been sick for like the last two weeks. Last night it was 83 deg in our house but I couldn't get warm... I had slippers and pants on, Erin wrapped me in lots of blankets but I was still shivering.... then when I finally fell asleep I woke up like an hour later in a pool of sweat.... not a lot of fun. Battlecat did me the honour of keeping my feet warm though - she's recently decided that our moving around should be no obstacle to her comfort on our bed.....

Last weekend Erin and I were in SLC for a very brief visit. I had the opportunity to teach part of one of my favorite classes at the U for work so that kept me busy. We also got to attend Jonathan Hays' ordination which was awesome.

Anyway - I really don't have much to blog about lately.... I suppose we have had some significant things happen..... Erin finished her Internal Medicine rotation, we went to the annual Charity Ball with her med school friends, and Erin has been on a two week break from rotations before she spends two weeks on dermatology and then she'll start her pediatrics rotation. Erin has been cleaning the house like a crazy person and she's been making me soup while I've been sick.

Erin and I have re-discovered the glory of Capri Suns - I'm enjoying Wild Cherry while Erin partakes of Strawberry-Kiwi. We've also been watching a lot of Scrubs re-runs.

Here's a picture of Erin and some of her med school friends (Marianne (U of U grad) and Luke (BYU grad)) preparing for a presentation they had to give.

Happy Birthday Sweetie

Today is Erin's 25th birthday! Currently she's at the VA in her Internal Medicine rotation, this happens to be my Friday off so I'm at home with the canines.... I just wanted to throw up a tribute to my bride and best friend. Marriage is a scary thing because you take the risk of being completely exposed to someone.....nobody knows your dark places better than your spouse and believe me folks, I'm messed up.... and yet Erin loves me and embraces me. There's no greater intimacy between two human beings than to be completely vulnerable before someone with all your faults and scars and to have them respond with love and affirmation.

So I'm eternally grateful that God has given me someone who can love me when I'm very unlovely, someone who challenges me intellectually (she's in med school..... so she's brilliant), someone who challenges me emotionally - I can't hide from my wife - she makes me more human.... more complete, and someone who challenges me spiritually - I treat everyone else like I'm the standard for excellence and with Erin I see my reflection.... I see in her how I relate to others and it prompts a myriad of responses from repentance to adoration.

Happy Birthday Erin - thank you for giving me the honour of calling you my bride.

I love you.

Congratulations Line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been in a two week training course on geophysical principles of seismic acquisition/processing which has been really interesting.... anyway this morning I checked my e-mail and saw an e-mail from the smiling man pictured above.... Line Dempsey!

Many moons ago - I was in a bible study with John Harty and he introduced me to Line.... as a new christian Line spent a lot of time with me praying and studying the Word together.... we even did an online Bible Study together when I was living in Seattle.....

Anyway - Line was e-mailing to announce his engagement to Terri and I couldn't be happier - so congratulations Line & Terri....

(http:///lineandterri.com)

Line also introduced me to the ministry of Dr. Andew Davis an MIT educated pastor in NC who happens to be my inspiration for memorizing books of the Bible...... (http://www.fbcdurham.org/)

Not much going on in Umbriaco-land.... Erin and I took the dogs for a run today... and now I'm hungry.

63MPG

So the Prius is averaging 50 mpg.....on Saturday I was cruising to the dealership and keeping track of my miles per each gallon used.....and on that fateful day I got 63 miles on one gallon of gas...... absolutely glorious - Jason Matthews was with me and can testify to my elation!

I've been sick since Wed... and I'm still sick which sucks.....Erin is making Valentine's cookies which should be incredible so if you're in the neighborhood... and you need some sugar cookie lovin' come on by.

The Newest Member of the Household Umbriaco

Mine eyes have seen the glory of.....60 MPG........

Yes.... after months of obsessing... over a Civic Hybrid... Erin and I took the plunge.... and purchased a Toyota Prius!

The change of heart was really quite sudden.... pretty much over the last two weeks a light shone upon my bosom, and the truth was witnessed unto me - yea, verily the Prius is more functional even if we think it looks goofy.....

8 hrs at the dealership on Saturday wasn't all that fun... but at least the sales gal was nice - she let us cruise over to the nearest Chick Fil A and had lunch with us.... which was glorious.



So there it is..... 2007 Toyota Prius... welcome to the fam.

Lists from the Bowlcut Page

1. List your 3 favorite musical artists.
Derek Webb... that's basically it. I still enjoy RBF.... other than that I'd have to break it down by genre.

2. List your 3 favorite tv shows.
Gilmore Girls
Veronica Mars
Smallville

3. List your 3 favorite books.
Life Together - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
ummm.....I like Romans a lot too.

4. On a scale of 1-10, how important is Clay Aiken when thinking of home refinancing?
Who?

5. Have you changed religion since you were a child?
Yes & No.... I was raised Christian, but not converted until 19 yrs. of age... so I'd say I was pagan until that point.

6. If money was no option would you live near the water, in the woods, in a city or on a dirigible that circled the globe on a tri-monthly basis?

Near the water in the mountains..... like Switzerland


7. List 3 of the best songs ever written.

Pop Goes the World - Men w/o Hats
Anything by Paula Abdul
The CGR Song - Jonathan Hays and Benj

8. List 3 people you’ve never met who you’d like to have lunch with.
Che Guevara, Steve Perry, Coop Cooper

9. List 3 ways the internet has changed your social interaction.
I no longer interact socially

10. List the 3 best concerts you’ve ever seen.
Page and Plant
RBF with Jonathan Hays and our womens
Aquabats at Classic Skating

Erin and I have a new addition to our family.... stay tuned for pictures.

Football is a drag....

It's looking like the Patriots are going to beat the Colts.... I'm really sick of the Patriots... I don't think I'll watch much of the Super Bowl if they're in it.....

I did watch all of USA-Denmark in their first game since the Ghana debacle.... that was a lot of fun to watch. I'm happy for Kenny Cooper (scored the final goal of their 3-1 victory) who I got to meet at Dynamo-FC Dallas game last year (he's a high school friend of my neighbor).

I'm having trouble coming to grips with the fact that Bluebell is still a pup relative to Battlecat.... she has been quite destructive lately..... here are some things she has eaten/destroyed in the past week:

1 bag of Sour Patch Watermelons
1 box of Cherry Candy Canes
1 bag of sweet tarts
1 Pineapple Chapstick
1 Book
1 thing of bubble wrap
1 padded envelope (yet another delay on sending your birthday present Mom.... Bluebell ate everything we bought to mail your present....)
Several Target sacks

Bluebell also is quite fond of cuddling.... every night when we go to sleep the dogs are in their beds and somehow when I wake up I find Bluebell in all sorts of positions on our bed... she doesn't even care about comfort.... one night I woke up and she'd draped her body perpendicular to mine over my legs..... then I woke up a little later and she was laying lengthwise in between Erin and I... Battlecat will lay on the bed, but at the first hint of movement she jumps off and lays down in her own bed....

I'm not a proponent of dogs in the bed.... it's cute when we're reading but when I'm trying to sleep I need real estate for sprawling out.... dogs inhibit said sprawl.....

Erin has one week left at Ben Taub (the public hospital) before she switches to a private hospital for her 2nd month of her medicine rotation. She's had some really long nights and she has to work at least 6 days a week so she's pretty tired. Erin wanted me to pose for general blog discussion this question:

What's your position on end-of-life issues? Would you want to be kept alive on a machine - even if there was no medical hope? Talk amongst yourselves.....

Mas picturas

More pictures from the past three weeks.... we got to hang out with quite a few folks whilst in the great state of Utah.... but for some reason our camera didn't capture all of them.... so with apologies to the Patricks, the Jenkins, the Hays', the Whiteheads, the soon-to-be Gephardts, and various family members (like Paul and Christina... and the little Sticky in the oven).... here are some more photos.

Bluebell (Full name: Kelsey Bluebell Panthor Umbriaco) is

quite excited to have a sister and a belly rub

The girls like to lay down on the couch with Erin
Battlecat was very happy to have Erin back
Jonathan and Bluebell learning to waltz
Here's a Christmas Day photo of my dad and I taking pictures of each other.
Here's JonPow and his main squeeze Christina exchanging gifts (I have pictures of Joel.... but they are all with his eyes closed.....)
Bluebell loves to cuddle which suits us fine
Allen Family Christmas

Back from Utah with a new dog

Quick Update: Erin and I got back from Utah on Wednesday after two weeks attending a wedding, and visiting family, friends, and La Puente. I now present to you: The last 3 weeks in pictures...... Juanita likes Moose.... she got one for Christmas
Bluebell meets Lynn's new puppies
Bluebell and Joshnita share a nap

Umbriaco's at Amy & Jon's wedding
Joshnita's armpit hair......
Proud parents of a beautiful bride
Here my mom is pictured attempting to perform an exorcism on Jon Pow
Erin was a bridesmaid and I got to perform the ceremony!
I'm really proud of my sister.

Sad & Lonely

Erin has abandoned me for her studies.....




Battlecat abandoned me for Erin......

.... and my TV abandoned me at the repair shop for the hands of a random thief. If I had a picture of this particular act, I'd have turned it over to the police....

So what does a man do with no wife, dog, or TV? Laundry..... and cleaning the kitchen.

I went to see D Webb.... yet again

I was checking out Derek Webb dot com one day and saw that he was going to be back in Houston in November (this was like 4 months ago that I realized this...) and I swore with an oath that I would attend his show......

Anyway - Thanksgiving came, and we had Joshnita and Lynn in town. They came in on Tuesday night... on Wed. Erin had us slaving away in the backyard working on the patio while she was at school....after Erin got done with school and we decided to go to Galveston and Kemah since Lynn hadn't been. While everyone was showering etc I decided it was high time I got a haircut.... on my way to great clips I decided.... why not support a local business.... over the next hour I discovered why I don't.... I had the worst haircut experience of my life to date... and I'm too traumatized to say anymore about it.....

So we went to Galveston and walked on the beach and then went to the Aquarium in Kemah.... which seems to be the only restaurant we take people to..... on Thursday we chilled at the house... Lynn made the most amazing stuffing from scratch and we pretty much just cooked and worked in the backyard for most of the day. We had Jason, Julia, Eli, Jason's parents, and Tank & Trolley over for dinner (that's 8 adults, 1 baby, and 3 canines for those of you scoring at home.) We had dinner in between football games... and I consoled myself with Pumpkin Pie while to Broncos decided to suck.....

On Friday Joshnita and I hit Circuit City at 5 AM then went over to the Home Depot... then we came back and took a nap. After I got up I demonstrated true husbandly humility and service by taking Erin to JoAnn's Crafts......After we ate breakfast (biscuits and gravy) we all piled into the Jeep for a trip to Katy Mills..... a gigantic outlet mall (my Mom and I once spent 12 hrs there.... we rule)... we looked at cowboy boots with Lynn..... most of the boots I saw were $300 plus..... it's not easy to be a cowboy

Erin and her Dad, Lynn

Joshnita, Lynn, and Erin at the Aquarium.

I took the Utahns to the airport 'round about 5:45 AM..... then I picked up my friend Hieu (who was in China for an international management course) that evening.... in between the Utes blew it on the football field... I was expecting them to get destroyed.... so the fact that they threw the game with dumb penalties and dumber defense on the last possession doesn't make me too sad.... I really thought we'd get punked by 30.....

D Webb full circle: When Hieu and I got back to my place (Hieu left his truck here while he was gone) he mentioned a concert on Sunday night..... I had to repent in dust and ashes for not remembering the D Webb bonanza......

So Sunday, Hieu and I went with Becca (from Kaleo/small group) and her friend Sally (who is Egyptian and was in a classic rock chick cover band)......

When we arrived at the show I discovered that it was not really D Webb... but a whole host of fine fellows.....part of Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God Tour...... (speaking of which... definitely buy that CD)

Andrew Peterson came out first and played the title track off his album Far Country (thanks to ginodean.net for getting me into this guy!) and then the following folks walked onto the stage:

D Webb, Sandra McCracken, Andrew Osenga, Randall Goodgame, Jill Phillips, and Andrew Gullahorn (Please check out www.squarepegalliance.com to listen to some of their tunes and www.squarepegalliance.net for bootlegs etc) Everyone took turns playing some of their original things.... I had no idea that Goodgame had written so much of the new Caedmon's Call album (Share the Well), he and Peterson just came out with a children's album called Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies and they played a really funny song about a bear that Randall wrote for his son. The best song by far was written by Andy Gullahorn......He's married to Jill Phillips... which I didn't know until she got up with him and talked about their kids..... but he starts out telling a story of how he used to be a real man living on a farm in Austin, TX and shooting birds with a shotgun - trying to get them to land on a chair.....then he said something like... after being married ten years I've discovered that marriage is about the feminization of man... and that made me depressed so I wrote a song about it.... The song was really funny and actually pointed he was singing about how most of the 'manly' things we do are really expressions of loneliness.... but the last line of the song reallyhit home.

He sang about how when he was a real man he used to watch Jean Claude Van Dam killing guys, and now that he's married he just lays in bed with his wife and watches Gilmore Girls on DVD....

Corey and I used to watch Steven Segall flicks (no matter how bad they sucked artistically)..... my dad and brothers and I would watch Van Dam.... and now..... after almost 3 yrs of marriage.... I am a Gilmore Fan.... and I own all the DVDs....

After an hour or so of hearing some original tunes, they all came back out with a ton of other folks making up the percussion section and played straight through Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God which was just awesome..... if you are some place where you can catch this tour you definitely should.... best $7 I've ever spent on a show ( I think the RBF show that Jonathan, Sarah, Erin and I went to was more than $7).

Oh... one last update for any Brewer's Blues alumns who'd like to e-commiserate: I'm playing on an outdoor soccer league at the local Young Men's Christian Association (7 v 7 - short field). My team (The Free Agents) is composed of players who weren't already on a team..... as you can imagine we rule..... the league is co-ed and we've only had a woman show up once so we usually play a man down... and have only had one sub for the two games we played a man down.... today we got owned 6-1.... I played the first half in the field... and the second half in goal.....it made me think of the good ol' days (before Ethan and Craig tore ligaments in their legs..... so I think this is circa ginodean.net sporting a Utah Rugby t-shirt) when we weren't so organized and would get drubbed...... I miss those days... it's always easier to handle a good butt-kicking when you can discuss the loss at the Bayou over some sweet potato fries.....

All for now

DYNAMO!!!!!!

This weekend Erin and I went to Ft. Worth for Jason Brewer's Wedding.... Jason was my roommate in Seattle! We stayed with Brandy (Battlecat met Daisy) and since we were in town, we went to the MLS Cup Final.... the 2nd overtime period was amazing, and we were sitting in the Houston Supporters section..... people were crazy.... flags everywhere... orange gas...... just nuts.... what an amazing experience. The Dynamo won for those who don't know.... and if you are looking for some entertaining soccer discussion.... you have to check out www.mlsnet.com and listen to MLS Radio.... Jimmy Conrad is incredibly funny to listen to... and most of the players that come on the show are quite candid in their responses.....


In addition to attending the MLS Cup Final... Erin and I would like to announce that we are adopting a girl!

We've been trying to find a sister for Battlecat for over 6 months.... and the perfect girl has become available for adoption. Bluebell is currently being fostered by a family in SLC... and she is going to fly back with us after Christmas to meet her new sister!

(Bluebell is in the middle)

Other than that, Erin and I are looking forward to the arrival of Lynn and Joshnita for Thanksgiving. Erin is at the beginning of the long road leading to her final basic sciences exam on Dec. 15th..... she is studying all the time and always needs prayer.... Erin learned how to do some of the more 'uncomfortable' examinations one might receive at a physical recently in school.... I'm so proud of her....

I'm sure I'll post again sometime soon...