I grew up on a Dairy Farm in central Michigan. Our Days started early, I enjoyed being outside away from the city. We had a lot of animals. My dad owned at that time 55 to 65 milk cows, 20 to 30 heifers, a whole mess of calves, some  times as many as 40 barn cats, chickens, and geese who would usually chase all of us around. Dogs who wern't always doing a very good job herding cows, but always kept the chickens in a tight little group. One dog we called "slick wolf" because he loved to run behind the manure spreader get himself all covered in cow poop, then he would let it bake on in the sun. He would then lie on the ground and slowly creep up on the cows, and when he felt the time was right he would break into a dead run barking all the while and scatter the herd to the far corners of the farm. It was a wonder that the cows ever gave any milk at all.

  When I was older I became a Mechanical Designer because I was determined not to begin my days as early as my father, and not to milk cows. I usally had a long comute and actualy was starting my days even earlier than when I was on the farm. I've worked in numerous industries and became very deversified in my abilities. Somewhere along the line I met my wife of 20 years. It was a chance encounter at a friends New Years Eve Party. She was actually kind of matched up with a mutual friend but that didn't work out. Much to my pleasure, we had a wonderfull evening and thou I was quit attracted to her, I felt that there was no use pursuing her after all why would a Chicago girl be interested in a po-dunk farm boy like me.

  We were eventually married and had three terrific kids whom I can hardly beleive are almost grown. The years have had it's rough spots, but also many, many happy times. We have had many  wonderful friends whose relationships have been indeed a great blessing to our family.

  Four years ago I was involved in an auto accident which left me with crushed disks and some nerve damage in my legs. I wasn't able to return to my work. Juli had been home with the children for 14 years, she home schooled all three. Juli had to go to work and we placed the kids in Public School. Eventually we lost our home to forclosure and had to leave. It was one of the hardest things for me to endure, to watch my family lose everything and to be helpless to prevent it.

  The Lord has seen us thru, he has given us a new start in Georgia. It is difficult but no one has gone hungry. We continue to trust in him for he is our strength, he is our salvation, he is our Lord.