What have I been doing the last 4.5 months?

at 10/25/09 5:04PM *

The last 4.5 months of my life are previously undocumented in blogular form and well, we just can't have that.

Marriage
I've done a lot and had some major life changes in this time. First, I'm married! My darling, Kristen, and I got married on June 20 in CA.

Wedding
All my boys were out there and we had a great time leading up to the day. We went hiking in Black Diamond Mines(I love the CA golden hills!), took an RV to a group of 55 friends at a SF Giants baseball game, spent time with family, and had a bonfire on a beach. The wedding was really cool. The bride was beautiful! I knew I'd probably shed a tear when I first saw and maybe I did. We wrote our own vows and we had an All-star cast of people officiating, photographing, ushering, maiding the bride, manning the groom, participating in the audience. It was a great day and a great night! Our ceremony was fairly normal, except at the beginning when(Kristen's idea) the preacher had everyone there raise their hand while he polled them on who had ever "changed our diapers", or "attended church with us" or we are "friends with on facebook." It was a good way to start light and get everybody into it. The place we wed was a beautiful outdoor venue. Flowers and vegetation were bountiful.

Honeymoon
For our honeymoon we went to Maui. I always said I wanted to go to Hawaii or Iowa on the honeymoon. Various discussions and some arm-twisting later, we decided on Maui. We had the absolute best time on the honeymoon. We went snorkeling, stayed at a great resort, rented a convertible, flew in a helicopter, rode bikes down the volcano-mountain, went to a comedy-magic show(complete blog post could be done on this hilarious night), went to a luau, some lots of time on the sandy beach and a rocky, blowhole-infested beach, ate at Humuhumunoukunoukuapua'a restaurant(I wrote that without looking it up), and generally had the time of our lives. It was great. I saved up all my life to be able to do something like that.

Marriage has been a lot of fun and a huge learning experience. It's a lot of give and take. I have a deeper sense of love and I know it will only get deeper. Kristen is great. She knows when we need to talk about something. And that helps out a lot, b/c I like to avoid talking about stuff for as long as possible(not good). She's been great someday we'll have babies(not today)!

Dog
We have a dog whose name is Timber. He can with the woman, a packaged deal as my father-in-law said. He is an inside-outside dog. I grew up with only outside dogs and I really don't understand inside dogs. But I am going along with it and trying to make the best of it. I think I'm just not a dog person.

In Law Visit
We are making our home in Dothan, AL and if you saw my house before marriage, you won't recognize it now. It definitely has a woman's touch and I like it. Kristen's parents came for a visit recently and we had a great time. I've really enjoyed getting to know them and see how they live. I'm thankful to have another set of such wonderful parents! They helped us wallpaper, backsplash tile, paint and decorate while they were here. They worked much harder than Kristen and me. I'll have to not be such a bum when I visit them now, haha.

Half Dome
We went back to CA for the Morro Bay singing and camping and surfing in August. Met some great Christians and had a great time camping for 3-4 days before driving back to Nor Cal and doing the "dumbest thing we've ever done." And that thing was hike Half-Dome at night. And the participants were Binh, Brandon Ward, Noah, and Sethro. After sleeping in tents/outside for days and getting no sleep, we arrived at Yosemite National Park at midnight. We began the hike at 1am hoping to ascend to the peak of Half-Dome in time to see the sun rise. It usually takes 6 hours and the sun rose at 5:30ish. We didn't make it on time. About 30 minutes in, I was almost ready to give up. But I surely wasn't going to be the first one to give up, so I kept going. We all had bouts of laughter, fright, and being dumb. And we all made it to the top. The crest of Half-Dome was awesome. It was like we'd defeated our worst enemy. The trip was 16-18 miles round-trip. We almost died many times. It was by far the hardest thing I've ever done. I wanted to die on the trip back down. And I think I told each hiker that I'd never hike with them again. That is a lie. I'd go anywhere and do anything with those guys. After the hike, they had to drive me straight to OAK, so I could get on the red-eye to Atlanta and work the next day. I fought dehydration and slept on the plane ride back 100% of the time trip-- I went to sleep before it left and woke up after we landed.

090909
Nine Party was awesome this year as usual. There was a good mix of new people and the regulars. I've been going since 2002 and this year I almost didn't make it. But I did make it and brought my wife for her first nine-a-licious experience with all the donkeys.

Football
It's the fall and you know what that means. It's football time in Tennessee! UT has a new coach-Lane Kiffin. So far he has proved he can recruit and annoy other coaches in the SEC. He has also shown he can get his guys ready for big games. Yesterday we lost a heartbreaker to Alabama. I live in Alabama. And I hate Alabama. I feel pretty good about our Vols the rest of the season and the seasons to come!

Fantasy
The last 2 years, The Deli Meat(my team) has dominated the league with a bunch of guys from church and I have won the Golden Bobblehead trophy. Well, this year I'm at the bottom of the league. I'm terrible. I made the worst trade of my life involving Peyton Manning. I've only won 1 game so far. I'm the laughing stock of the Wiregrass Warriors. But that's fine. It's still fun, but it is more fun to win.

Philippians
I'm teaching a class this quarter at church on the book of Philippians. We are taking it a few verses at a time and it is going great. Kristen gave me the idea that each person come up with a main point/theme and a question for each class period. 70% of the class we are discussing themes and verses and everyone in class is participating. Then we have time for a thought question or two. Involvement has been great. I'm chronicling the comments and thoughts from each class and I plan to make a little book for everyone when the class is over.

NaNoWriMo
Speaking of writing books...I'm writing a novel. Maybe more than one, but we'll see. November is National Novel Writing Month and if you visit NaNoWriMo you can learn about how to write a novel of 50K words in one month. I'm gonna try to do it this year. So, this blog is like training for the real deal starting Nov 1! If you want to join me at NaNoWriMo, please do! It is a pretty funny website and I think it should be fun.

I'm loving life right now and I hope everyone is not bored to tears and is doing great!

That's great dude! I wish I could have made it to the 9 party. I'm in 10 fantasy football leagues. I know what you mean about making some bad choices. I hope to go to Hawaii someday. My little bro lives there on Oahu.

by navydoc at 10/25/09 7:16PM
Wow, sounds like you have had quite the adventure over the last 4.5 months! I'm glad everything is going well for you.

by jhunt21 at 10/25/09 8:49PM
I am glad to hear things are going well. The other day I was on Facebook procrastinating and not doing my work when I came across a random picture of you and Kristen in Nashville. You guys were standing by the lovely fountain beside the symphony and Josh's office was in the background. I think he might have been waving to you out his window :) Maybe sometime in the near future we will stop in and see you guys on our way to Thomasville. Have a great week!

by spence2b at 10/25/09 9:37PM
Iowa?! Glad you picked Hawaii for your bride's sake, if nothing else! :)

by curlie at 10/25/09 10:26PM
It's funny you say you are having trouble getting use to an indoor dog...our dog is indoors and my hubby thinks it's weird that she is indoors and sleeps in our room. He keeps saying dogs are suppose to be outside. LOL.

I'm glad things are going well!! :D

by firebolt at 10/25/09 11:04PM
Wow, 'bout time for an update!! Thanks for commenting on my blog. Seriously...most of my blog comments from 2005 were from you, dave, byron, kyle naish, lp, lydia, sometimes trevor, laura hinely, and other randoms. Now it's mostly moms. Which is fine, but I miss the diversity!!!
I'm glad your life is so varied and interesting and that you are learning a lot. I wonder if I'll ever get those phone calls from you anymore that say, "Is this normal!?" Maybe when you and Kristen are ready for babies the calls will return! Until then, GodBless Y'all! :P
PS: I saw the end of the Vols/Bama game. So disappointing. Greg was jumping up and down right before Cody blocked that kick. What a BUMmer!

by megan at 10/26/09 9:53AM
So excited for you guys!!! Bummer about that game :\

by adampual at 10/26/09 11:46AM
that sounds like an AWESOME past 4.5months!!! I hear ya on the marriage..definitely a life changer and eye opener! I like it too!

by sunnylee at 10/26/09 7:26PM
So glad to hear from you and that all is well!! Hope we'll all meet up sometime, we need to get to know this beautiful wife of yours! :)

by jess at 10/26/09 7:33PM
How ironic...I live in Alabama and hate Alabama too! :)
Alabama should have lost that game...hands down.

Glad things are goin so well for you and Kristen! :)

by rica5219 at 10/26/09 8:02PM
will, i was with you this whole blog until paragraph 10, sentence 8.

so i will say this. you SHOULD have won, but you didn't :)

by sarahisaretard19 at 10/26/09 11:12PM
Good to hear form you Will!
Congrats on getting married:]

I know another guy whos doing that writing thing as well, Good luck with it.

by i_am_a_sheep at 10/31/09 5:31PM
What's your profile name on nanowrimo.com? I signed up.

by ben at 11/01/09 11:08PM
Very much enjoyed the update!

by mjintexas at 11/03/09 6:07PM
How did the novel turn out? I watch ol' John Spence crank out some beautiful metal fence work w/ a portable Lincoln Electric the other day. We later got a severe finger wound cutting some of the wood pickets that went on the fence. I did my first welding, horrible. I cut my first metal pipe, horrible. But still fun playing with terriblly powerful tools! We'd love to have you guys over for a visit anytime!

by coulter at 12/10/09 10:25AM
happy
holidays!

by fullofgrace at 12/24/09 1:52AM

Geneva, AL

at 03/13/09 12:09AM

Tuesday afternoon, a guy killed family members and people he didn't even know before driving to a fabrication shop(called Reliable Products) and killing himself--totaling 11 people dead in all. You've probably read the story or seen it on the news. It is such a terrible thing to describe or hear about.

Kristen was in AL this weekend and she flew back to CA on Tuesday. Rosemary was originally scheduled to drop Kristen off at the airport in Birmingham on her way back to TN as she was on spring break. Since we won't see each other for a month, we decided I'd take the afternoon off and drive her up to B'ham to catch her plane. On the way home, I almost stopped dead in my tracks when I read the news about the man in Geneva who killed all those people and ended up at Reliable.

Geneva is a town 45 minutes away from my house. Reliable Products is a great customer of the company I work for. I called the welding supervisor and he said he was fine and everyone at Reliable was fine. I told him I'd still try to come by this week as they are going to buy another one of our welding machines.

Not to be overly dramatic, but if Kristen had not suggested that I take her to the airport, I would have went to Reliable Products that afternoon. Granted, I probably would have been gone before the shooter arrived, but who knows? I've stayed there all day before, I could have stopped and got gas in Geneva or Samson, where the shootings took place.

Tomorrow I am going to Reliable and meeting with some people who were there when the guy came in. It will be a weird experience for sure.

Tonight, I read "Five People You Meet in Heaven." The guy dies and goes to 'heaven' where he meets these people who are connected to his life and explain certain aspects of how and why events happened and affected his life. I thought it was a neat and touching story.

I know that people tend to think the world revolves around them for good and bad, so I will admit this may be the case for me. But it feels like God was using Kristen to take care of me. And I am thankful for that. I encourage you to pray for the devastated people in Samson and Geneva.

I'm glad you weren't there. And I'm sorry that your friends in AL have suffered this terrible loss. It's so awful.

by mjintexas at 03/13/09 12:40AM
WOW..that will make you think for a bit. I was sad to hear about him killing his family.

by alex at 03/13/09 1:30AM
definitely something to think about. Glad you're okay that's for sure.

by rica5219 at 03/13/09 1:35AM
Wow. I thought about you when hearing the story the other day, bc I know how close it is to Dothan!

by kris at 03/13/09 8:24AM
It's such a tragic story. I'm sorry for those families who lost loved ones but I'm grateful you were okay. And I know Kristen is too!!

by megan at 03/13/09 9:08AM
"Five People You Meet in Heaven" is a great book. Glad you are safe. Looking forward to the cabin next week.

by kevin at 03/13/09 9:08AM
God's in control for sure. I hated to hear the news of the shooting, but I'm glad to know you and your customers are ok.

by auamy at 03/13/09 11:52AM
It is tragic in every aspect. I am so thankful that you changed your plans. God is good and has worked through Kristen many times. It was weird though, because on Tues. night I went into the nurses lounge to get something and I heard on the TV the newscaster saying "Thank you (so and so), reporting for the Dothan Gazette ( or something like that)". I looked at the TV to see if it was Dothan, AL, but it didn't say, and I couldn't tell what had happened. Then the next morning when I opened the paper, of course the shooting was all over the front page, even a map of the area, but no mention of Dothan. I'm not feeling too good about Kristen moving to such a violent place.

by slicksgirl at 03/13/09 12:59PM
Not at all weird. She isn't your wife yet, but God uses Stacey to take care of me all the time - of course, He would do the same for you!

by madtomkidd at 03/13/09 4:16PM
Wow that is weird will, things happen in weird ways sometimes.

by volschickg at 03/13/09 5:50PM
Such a tragic event - I didn't realize how close you are to the situation. SO glad you are ok! It's amazing how things work out sometimes - so much to be thankful to God for!

by jess at 03/15/09 2:56PM
I did when read about that story. Very sad. And God was watching over you (as He always does)!

by i_am_a_sheep at 03/17/09 8:34PM
I'm so glad Kristen saved you!

by millychloe at 03/18/09 10:07PM
I'm so ready for you to give me a hug! (and kiss)

by krazykrizn at 03/27/09 7:07PM
plural please

by krazykrizn at 03/27/09 7:08PM

California

at 11/12/08 8:11PM

I told Kristen Warren that I love her.

Your thoughts?

32-51 of 51 comments « prev 1 2 3 next »

Good post.

by tnerbydoom at 11/13/08 10:06PM
Were you wrapped in a mink blanket when you told Isaac you loved him?

by say_no2unibrows at 11/14/08 12:16AM
^ good question.

by alex at 11/14/08 9:48AM
you might have the record number of pleonast friends

by kytar_heel at 11/14/08 11:37AM
I certainly approve of the choice! :)

by mritchie47 at 11/14/08 12:32PM
I love her too!

by chapwoman at 11/15/08 2:19AM
P.S. Let me give you a little warning about your loved one- Change your password.

by chapwoman at 11/15/08 7:48PM
No way - Nick todl me the same thing yesterday...do you think thats a good sign? Ha ...congrats! Glad things are going well for you!

by nicoleg at 11/17/08 12:03AM
i may've been one of the first people to read this post, but didn't respond because i was thinking "okay who wrote this really?" your last few posts haven't been from you, so i was waiting for you to post and say this wasn't me. but i see you posted when and that she said it back... so i'm thinking it's real.... so if it is real :) yeah for you & her. bring her to NY so i can meet her and see you again... make a family event and bring your sister too :)

by kelly at 11/17/08 7:38PM
sounds like hogwarsh to me.

by dave at 11/20/08 8:10PM
yay!

by rissaj at 11/23/08 9:19PM
That is awesome....now read my post & then immediately lay on the ground and be thankful!! Ha! Hey, its pretty special when someone tells you they love you. I am so happy for you!

by kittyhawk at 11/24/08 11:31AM
i think i love her too

by lilbec at 11/25/08 9:40AM
I don't know what to say....

by autatalicious at 12/02/08 3:33PM
brownchickenbrowncow

by isaacgholman at 12/04/08 12:18AM
EWWW... Okay Just Kidding that is Great! You have my Approval! Something that is not given out often to my good friends BF's consider yourslef blessed!

by vanessam at 12/08/08 12:30PM
I was in suite ix nearly a decade ago, back at the beginning of the nine. The Maestro once blew a single soft note from my trombone that moved an entire dormitory to their feet in the wee hours of a blessed FC morning. Fire alarms, police lights, bath towels, boxer shorts, an angry Rene Anderson, a disassembled trombone...and hours of entertainment. One night of many to be remembered from C-dorm, suite 9.

by dwboyd at 01/04/09 3:24AM
Careful with those words, a few syllables can pack a powerful punch.

by dwboyd at 01/04/09 3:26AM
Thanks for the text!!!!!!! :-)

by sunnylee at 01/06/09 12:33PM
Hey, this is Abraham's daughter, Carissa's Mom, just wanted to say congrats, and God Bless

by lilah at 01/08/09 8:13PM

9/9/9

at 09/11/08 1:52AM

How awesomest would it be if 9 guys (and the women of their choice), who have lived in Suite 9 in C dorm in the last 9 years ,planned a group wedding on 9/9/9 at 9 pm????????? It's got to be a city with 9 letters. What about Nashville!!!!!!!!! I will be the first to sign on. Now I need to get busy and find me a woman.........If you guys need any help I've got my Girls gone Will pics posted on facebook. (Forget that, most of them are married already).

3-22 of 22 comments « prev 1 2 next »

9 will never die to you will it?

by sunnylee at 09/11/08 8:44AM
Yes find you a woman!

by bah at 09/11/08 9:08AM
Sounds good. lol

by alex at 09/11/08 9:42AM
So, are all 9 of you still single? That's a little hard to believe... or are you just going to fudge the math and round a bit? (^_^)

by madtomkidd at 09/11/08 9:48AM
Did you actually update this? I had fun with you this past weekend. Sad that I didn't get to tell you bye though. Hope you had fun cheerin on my Tigers!!! :) If you get married on 9/9/09 I will SO be there!!! with bells. and I don't think you need help findin a woman...

by rica5219 at 09/11/08 10:24AM
that would be the best plan ever. too bad my wedding is set for 3/7/9. it was gonna be 3/6/9 so at least i tried, but then it had to be moved. oh well. and i did live in suite 9 ya know.

by yoyoma at 09/11/08 10:26AM
I was in suite 9 (but that was 10 years ago) and was married in 1999. It was in Waukesha (only 8 letters). Sorry, but that is all I have.

by jdieman at 09/11/08 10:32AM
i would so do that if my wedding weren't scheduled for January already.

by adampual at 09/11/08 10:57AM
You're hilarious. :)

by mjintexas at 09/11/08 11:15AM
Um Kristen???

by nicoleg at 09/11/08 11:36AM
Today is Christopher Mongeon's Birthday!

by kailua at 09/11/08 12:21PM
if i weren't getting married nov 22, i'd totally be game. except for the part where he never lived in suite 9 of c dorm.

oh, and when i first read this, i thought you were saying it would be really sweet for 9 guys to live in suite 9 with 9 girls. ha. that's for SURE not FC legal. :)

and thanks for the offer on the t-shirt, but you don't have to do that! save your dough for the 9 wedding.

by buttermilk at 09/11/08 12:42PM
I lived in Suite 9, 9 years ago....I'll be there!

by curtisamy at 09/11/08 1:20PM
it just occurred to me that suite 9 is over after this year... thats sad

by coulter at 09/11/08 2:13PM
Hey -- I'm in the Girls gone Will album, and I'M NOT MARRIED :)

by autatalicious at 09/11/08 2:55PM
Wow, once again...I didn't write this post, haha!!

by wilbur at 09/11/08 5:24PM
time to change the password will!

by danielstephen at 09/11/08 5:27PM
girls gone will? wow I wish now I was on facebook

by kellymckibkib at 09/11/08 7:42PM
i lived in suite 9 in 1999. that's cool, right?

by hogfan216 at 09/11/08 11:06PM
Hi Will! Can I be your friend?

by cbonk at 10/12/08 10:52PM

Who is the nicest guy in the world (or at least Alabama?

at 07/26/08 4:13PM

It must be me! I went to visit Alabama FC camp Friday. It is the most beautiful of all the camps I've seen. On Lake Martin with lovely cabins set among the towering pines. Anyway,
Amy Vavra (often known as Zarzar) needed to leave camp at 4 a.m. Sat. in order to get some of the camp friends to the Bham airport two hours north of camp. Then she would have to continue her travels and go south for a 9-10 hour drive to Tampa!! I graciously volunteered to take that burden away from her so she could be on her merry way to Tampa with the remaining camp friends. Now I am her hero and the story will soon be told in the gates of the camps all over this land! I am willing to accept all the thanks and praise I know I will be receiving from people like Janice Nowlin and Emily Davis. If you haven't gotten to know them, you should. They truly fit the description of the worthy woman in Proverbs 31.

funny, last time I was at Alabama camp, someone broke my collarbone.

by jenn at 07/26/08 4:27PM
you were already up at 4AM doing pranks probablly... Mr. Hero!

by coulter at 07/26/08 7:17PM
humblest man i ever saw...
(-:

by tu_madre at 07/26/08 8:29PM
Well, do they fit the most important criteria of Proverbs 31 women - marriageable age? (^_^)

by madtomkidd at 07/26/08 9:37PM
You are a nice guy!

by meggies at 07/26/08 9:45PM
WOW!! I did not write this, but I've got a good idea of who did....

by wilbur at 07/26/08 9:57PM
...but I have no idea how!

by wilbur at 07/26/08 9:58PM
^Sure thing! :-)

So it might be pretty but which is the BEST camp you've EVER been too...DRY CREEK!!!

by sunshinelc at 07/27/08 2:05AM
hey you ...how ya doin?!

by sunnylee at 07/27/08 3:27PM
Well, I would sing your praises, but you or someone already did. :)

by lastoflakewood at 07/27/08 3:28PM
Ahhh, Last time I was at Alabama Camp (as a counselor), I ended up staying at the Nowlin's afterwards...with you and the other friends. Good times.

by kris at 07/27/08 3:40PM
I'm glad you didn't write this :) haha

by krazykrizn at 07/27/08 4:58PM
so glad to see you !~

by aucowgirl at 07/27/08 8:30PM
Hey!

by mi_girl at 07/27/08 9:33PM
Amy told me about that. You are the nicest guy in all the world - not just Alabama. Even if you didn't write it :)

by angiebrewer at 07/27/08 11:53PM
You are the nicest guy in the world. I'm sad I didn't get to see you on Saturday. I hope you enjoyed the movie and hangin out with Simp. I'm in TOTAL agreeance (is that a word) that Alabama camp is the most beautiful camp! It's amazing. Also, Mrs. Nowlin and Emily are wonderful women!!! I really hope I get to be a counselor at camp next year. I would love it.

by rica5219 at 07/28/08 10:18AM
Word.

by billiam at 07/28/08 1:00PM