Well I guess I had better try and stick with my job, because I just learned that I'll be needing my vacation during the week of July 15-20 of next year, because.....Exodus will be having it's conference that week in Asheville, NC, which is like, sixty miles or so from where I have family in Tennessee. So I will have the perfect cover!!!  I know, it shouldn't have to be done like this, especially at my age, but I can't let my family know, because it would cause way too many problems, and I'm just not able to deal with it yet.

Now seeing how this is still a year away, I need to do some serious praying, as well as some saving, so that if God be willing, then I'll have the means to do it. And I also hope that it would work out so that I would get to spend a lot of time with all of you, because you see, when I was with Danny, Jonathan and TM, I realized some things, I realized that I could be myself around them, and they accepted me, and I also realized that despite our common "problem", I never felt safer around anyone before. There really wasn't any feelings of awkwardness, or temptation, and it was wonderful!!!  To me it really was like being around my brothers and sister, and I'll always love each of you for that!!! Oh, and I've also decided that if I should ever tie the knot, I want each of you to be there, and I hope that Danny and Jonathan, along with gdoubled (yes, he's still around and doing quite well) would be willing to stand with me on that day.

It's funny how life turns out. I mean, if I hadn't found myself caught up in this whole SSA thing, then I might not have ever know any of you. Do I wish that I had never had those feelings? Of course, but on the other hand, I wouldn't trade my friendship with each of you for anything. Let's face it, people like us, if I do say so myself, are far more interesting then most people!!!

Well, that's all I have for now. I have to be leaving in about twenty minutes for my small group gathering, where I'll talking about all of you and showing off my pictures. I'll have to show you what I did with some of them sometime.

Love Always,

-Richard.

If you will recall, a few months back I talked about how I have been given this gift of discernment, where I can tell of God has His hand on someone in a really big way. Well, I bring this up because tonight at church, it was confirmed through someone else, namely, my friend Jeffrey, the pastor's son. You would think that I would have had this experience with him earlier on, because in so many ways, it's obvious that he is gifted for ministry, but for some reason it wasn't until tonight that it was confirmed. Nevertheless, it's still a moving and humbling experience to feel the presence of God in such a real way.

Love Always,
-Richard.

Oh, and BTW, for those of you that have my#, please feel free to ring me up sometime, especially if you live in Pennsylvania (hint hint)...

And as I said before, it was totally worth it!!!  As soon as I returned to Michigan I had to prepare for the wedding of my cousin Shannon. I was the photographer, so it was necessary for me to be there   the pics turned out lovely, especially the outdoor ones...

I call this one the "God is watching over you two" pic...

I was accompanied to the wedding by the lovely Miss Holly...

Sunday night after church at Victorious Secret Life, Holly and I decided to take a stroll through the streets of Ann Arbor. I sooo wish I had my camera with me. If it weren't so expensive to live there, I'd love to move there!!! But truth be told, I'm still mulling it over as to weather or not I should someday consider Chambersburg. Yeah, I enjoyed it there that much.

But anyways, moving on, I was talking to someone at church tonight, and the subject of the Oldsmobile came up, and I said that I could never get rid of it, because it has way too many memories associated with it, not to mention that courtesy of everyone's photos, it's becoming kind of famous

Here is yet another pic inside...

Don't hate me Holly!!!  I thought you looked cute there!!!

Well, I'm off to bed. Till next time...

Love Always,
-Richard.

...And I have all this stuff that I want to write about, but I can't seem to get myself away from that darn Facebook!!!  Oh well, at least it's NOT Myspace

I have LOTS that I want to share, but seeing how it's getting rather late, I will instead leave you with a couple of my favorite quotes from the Xanga Summer Tour '07....

A Random Conversation With Holly...

Me: Would you like to go to church with me tonight???
Holly: Where, over at Victorious Secret....um, I mean Life???

A Random Comment heard in the Oldsmobile...

"If you go straight, you don't end up at the mall..."

I love you guys bunches!!!

Don't ever change!!!

-Richard.

Today my cousin Laura and I went to the Jersey shore to enjoy the ocean breeze. It was my first time in the Garden State, and we had a nice time.

Here we are at the ocean...

It was surprisingly empty, and clean!!!

We also stopped at Mount Mitchill, which is the highest point on the Atlantic coast between Maine and Mexico. If it hadn't been so foggy, we could have seen the New York skyline from this point...

They also had a memorial there dedicated to the people from that area that died on 9/11. The eagle is clutching a piece of metal from one of the twin towers, and on the base is the names of all who died from there. Getting to actually touch a piece of the building really hit home for me.

Before we left we got to drive along the coast for a little ways. It was the first time I  have ever been to the ocean, and I wasn't in the South!!!

On the way there and back we had to travel on the Garden State Parkway, with it's eight lanes, and famous "odor" that people say is pure New Jersey!!!

Tonight after we got back we all went into Allentown for dinner so that I could experience an authentic Philly style cheese steak, which was quite good!!!

Tomorrow I head back to Michigan so that I can be there to take the pictures at my cousin Shannon's wedding. Keep me in prayer as I travel home.

It's been a great week, and to be honest, I hate to leave PA. My time here that I have spent with all of  you has been so special to me, so much so that I hope we can do it again.  You all will forever be my brothers and sister!!!

With Love Always,

-Richard.

I am now coming to you from my cousin's house in Allentown, PA. I had a good little ride out here from Chambersburg, and got to pass through Harrisburg, AKA PA state capitol, and Jonathan's home. I would have stopped and said hi, but well, seeing how I didn't know where he was...I didn't.

But while here Laura and I went and did a little sight seeing. Have a look...

I'm telling you all, I'm really beginning to fall more and more in love with the Keystone State!!!

Love Always,
-Richard.

A note to the people that run Xanga, I thank God for your little site, for it has truly changed my life!!!

Today was the day I have been waiting for all year. In fact, it was literally the highlight of the year for me. Today I got to spend the day with Daniel, Jonathan and TM.  What was so interesting to me was that they were exactly how I imagined them to be, well, except for the fact that I always pictured TM as being taller

We went to Gettysburg, PA and took in some of the sites there. Here, have a look...

This was Danny and Jonathan looking at Jonathan's pics from Exodus.

Upon arriving at Gettysburg we began taking photos of well, stuff like this...

You know, I love my new friends, they're so, well, interesting!!!

Daniel was pondering what he just read on the world's largest book...

And here are the four of us in front of a miniature Washington monument....

And here we are heading towards a miniature Taj Mahal....

Daniel got a call from his "girlfriend". (Note the wide grin on his face!!!)

After Gettysburg we went back to Chambersburg and had dinner at Applebee's...

Jonathan was really surprised by how great his dinner was...

TM wasn't as impressed...

The waitress was nice enough to snap this for us...

After that we went to the mall and then rode around aimlessly till it was time to say goodbye....
Here I am with my little brother...

Here I am with my little sister...

And here I am with my other brother Jonathan...

So we like, parked on a hill and they were trying to keep the Oldsmobile from rolling away...

You know, I truly love my Xanga family. I told them that even though I love them as my brothers and sister, if I am ever blessed to have a wife and children, I truly hope that my kids turn out to be just like them.

Together with my friends, it truly was, the perfect day!!!

I love you all dearly!!!

Your Friend and Big Brother,
-Richard.

Well, I made it!!!  I had a lovely time traveling today. I stopped off in Deerfield, Ohio to visit my friend Ricky's grandmother. Every time I have the chance to travel through this part of the country, I always stop to see her. After that I headed south, but due to bad signage, I got turned around in East Liverpool, Ohio, and wound up in the sliver of West Virginia that is between Ohio and PA. I finally made it down to Wheeling, W WA and headed east into PA, then south back into W VA so that I could head east into Maryland, which is very mountainous, I might add (the Oldsmobile got quite a workout in those hills), and then north back into PA. I found an AG church that I guess isn't that far away, so I hope to attend there tomorrow. Unfortunately I won't get to see Danny until Monday, but we are hoping to have a wonderful day, and then when TM and Jonathan get here, it will be the get together of all get togethers!!! 

I am most thankful to God for allowing me this opportunity to make the journey here. I truly believe that He has a reason for us to gather here.

Oh, and earlier today I got a call from my pastor. He wanted to know if I would be willing to be a speaker for our youth group!!!  You all have no idea how much of an honor this for me!!!  I've been praying for an opportunity to begin to be used, and look at this!!!

Well, I hope this finds everyone doing well. Remember, I love you all, and I consider it such an honor to be able to come out here, and keep my promise of giving out hugs to my brothers and sister.

I am so truly blessed!!!

Love Always,
-Richard.

I can't believe that the day has finally arrived!!!  My little vacation trip, AKA the Xanga Summer Tour '07 begins tonight. I will be leaving late this evening to head to my grandparents house in Ypsilanti for the night, so that way I can leave bright and early Saturday morning for Pennsylvania. God willing, I hope to roll into Chambersburg Saturday evening around seven or eight. Unfortunately Ben from Columbus had to cancel our lunchtime get together, but it's okay, church work is indeed more important. Plus, we both figure that we can do it another time.

For those of you reading, please keep me in prayer, that I'll be kept safe, and that the car will run properly, and that we will all have a lovely time.

Hey Danny, TM and Jonathan, get ready, because.....here I come!!!!!!

With Love Always,

your big brother,

-Richard.

I can't believe that the day has finally arrived!!!  My little vacation trip, AKA the Xanga Summer Tour '07 begins tonight. I will be leaving late this evening to head to my grandparents house in Ypsilanti for the night, so that way I can leave bright and early Saturday morning for Pennsylvania. God willing, I hope to roll into Chambersburg Saturday evening around seven or eight. Unfortunately Ben from Columbus had to cancel our lunchtime get together, but it's okay, church work is indeed more important. Plus, we both figure that we can do it another time.

For those of you reading, please keep me in prayer, that I'll be kept safe, and that the car will run properly, and that we will all have a lovely time.

Hey Danny, TM and Jonathan, get ready, because.....here I come!!!!!!

With Love Always,

your big brother,

-Richard.