Psalms 91:11-Cameron's work in progress

The tattoo is based on Psalms 91, but with the specific reference to Psalms 91:11 where it says: "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."

Cameron had an opportunity for an on-camera interview for the LA Ink show. There was a specific tattoo that he wanted, but after realizing the cost it would be decided he would pass on the opportunity with LA Ink. In steps Uncle Rick with a great suggestion of Dr. Quinn down in Balboa! Richard and Cameron met with Dr. Quinn and there was an immediate bond. They sat down together, discussed what Cameron wanted, and the sketches started...above is the beginning sketch, minus the shading. The shading is where the art will really take a form of its own. You also can see how the new artwork is being blended with the Brother/Sister tattoo Cameron got last year with Chelsea that talks about the bond between a brother and a sister, which means: "When you love, protect, care for, and have a deep bond that only brothers and sisters can."

There is more work to come, but Cameron is currently working on earning the remainder of the money to finish the shading of the tattoo. John and I gave him the initial money to get it started, but it's his responsibility to pay for the rest. Stay tuned for the updates and the pictures as the artwork continues to take shape!

Richard was thankful to have found this new artist for some more work he wants to have done, but was more thankful Cameron was the guinea pig to make sure her work is good enough...it is; don't you agree?

He's back!

It's been some time since John has played during a worship service; in fact, it's been since our trip to Missouri when John got to play at Open Door with Dennis, Brad, Roger, Roberta, Rebecca, and Trent.

Last night was John's first rehearsal with one of the worship teams at our new church, and he will be worshipping with them this Sunday during both of the main services. There are sooooooo many musicians and so much talent in this church, but the Lord has allowed John the opportunity to join the group. We don't know how often he will be playing; however, at this point he's just so thankful for the opportunity to just worship together with an amazing group of people who love the Lord and love to worship! Some of the people that will be playing on Sunday were away for various other events within the church, so John will get to meet them Sunday morning. Everybody there last night, though, was so warm and welcoming, and the atmosphere was simply sweet last night!

Our Bible Study teacher Wayne was there watching his beautiful new wife Tia rehearse and was so excited to see John up there. He came up to me and was like, "Look at your hubby up there, stepping out and getting involved." Wayne was so supportive and thrilled that John was up there. "He looks so happy up there," is what Wayne continued to comment, and how true that is! John's back where he loves to be, worshipping the Lord! And how thankful we are that he's been given this opportunity!

For our benefit??????

Well, this is all for our benefit; right? Oy!!!! So John and I met with our endurance coach today, Ken Snowden from EnduranceCoaching.com. Ken was on the 1972 Olympic Cycling Team and currently trains both runners and cyclists. Today was our initial meeting/bike fitting with Ken. The good news is our new Trek Madones are the right size...well, Praise the Lord, I can't even begin to think about shopping for new bikes any longer. The bad news is, our nice, comfy seats had to go!! The only thing I said this week to John was, "I don't care what he changes, as long as I don't have to give up my seat!" Well, that's one of the first changes made!

Basically what Ken does is puts us on our bikes while we "spin" in a bicycle trainer so he can see our positioning on the bike as well as our pedaling stroke, then makes adjustments accordingly, whether it is to higher or lower the seat height, or move it back or up, or in the case of my bike, he changed the angle of the handle bars. The ultimate goal is the most comfortable ride with the most efficiency.

John was up first. Okay, so John's the ringer in this family; right??? Ken watches John's pedaling form and was impressed!!!! Everything was so fluid and smooth, just a bit of a tweak to the height and position of John's seat. Ken then took some measurements and took the bike out of the trainer to watch John on an actual ride. He just kept commenting on how great John looked and how even after all of these years, John has maintained incredible control and precision. That's my man!!!

Then, it was my turn...okay, totally different story!!!!!!!!! So we first had to explain to him about my knee problem with the ligament damage. Dr. Duddey, our chiropractor, who also is a die-hard cyclist has suggested some massage therapy and told me to lose the ligament brace I had been wearing, so my knee is quite swollen and quite sore; that's Problem No. 1 with Shannon! Then I have to explain that on the same side, I've got a jacked up ankle, which doesn't have a socket that rotates and where all the bones have fused into one mass, making a very stiff ankle with no movement; but, hey, at least it's all on my left side! Well, after some tweaking and adjustments to the seat and the handlebars, I'm good to go...or at least get started! Ken was extremely supportive and understanding, and at the end of our 2-hour session as we are leaving, notices that the left foot is extremely flat and said some of the problems I'm having with my knee, among other issues, is directly related to that foot being flat, so Monday I'll be making an appointment for a podiatrist to get some orthotics, and again talk to him about my ankle issue! Of course my form wasn't as nice as John's, but I've got some things to work on and I'm even more encouraged!

So, another shopping trip to the bicycle store, another couple hundred bucks, and new seats, that as you can see don't quite look as comfortable! I mean, seriously, check out the padding difference. I was cracking up when we put the old seats on top of the new seats to truly see the padding difference...okay, Coach! Whatever you say! We'll check 'em out for comfort tomorrow morning before church!

Lesson Learned?

Well, I hope the lesson has been learned; otherwise, I'll have to hear it more from John!



So we're moving right along on 4th of July and I felt GREAT! We slept much later than we usually do, so we didn't get on the road until almost 9:00 a.m., and it was HOT already! I was experimenting with eating a bit before our long morning rides so a breakfast of oatmeal, almonds, and a banana it was, obviously a bit too much initially because I felt too full for probably the first 5-6 miles, but we were moving along at a speedy little pace and felt INCREDIBLE! As we passed each marker I would remember in my mind how much more difficult that trail used to be, so I had a sense of accomplishment; however, when we got to the 17-1/2-mile point John pulled over to say we were turning around. What???? I felt good, let's keep going!! Being the stubborn woman I am I kept going...BIG MISTAKE!!! Not only did John then reluctantly follow me, he passed me up and pushed me even more to the end of the trail, to the 20-mile point. Boy did I hear it there! By the time we got there, with the extreme head-wind as well as the major congestion with weekender-type riders, it wasn't the same ride as the first 17 1/2 miles! I was wiped out and had hit empty...bad, bad, bad, when I was still 15 miles from home! John was angry that I didn't listen to him and either turn around and have an incredibly successful 28-mile ride, or at least re-fuel a bit with a fruit and nut bar to fill my tank a bit! He read my body language and knew better than I how I was riding at that point, but I was just feeling so great, I thought I'd push through and end a longer ride! I didn't listen my coach/hubby who obviously knows more than I and paid for it the remainder of the weekend! I limped on home, completely exhausted! We still managed to maintain a 12.2 mph average speed for the 34 1/2-mile ride, but only because we were averaging such a high speed on the way down! Not only was I exhausted and competely depleted, my body was sore...still is.

So, what did I learn? #1-Listen to John #2-a shorter ride, ended strong is better than a longer ride, physically depleted #3-Listen to John #4-Listen to your body, not your mind when training #5-Listen to John #6-pushing it for a 34-mile ride messed me up only able to push myself for 10 1/2-mile rides the next two days, instead of riding moderately for the 28-mile rides two of the days and the 10 1/2-mile ride the third day, which would have resulted in less physical fatigue and more time in the saddle!

Three days later, I'm on my way to the chiropractor and masseuse a day earlier than anticipated, and still am sore and exhausted, but I'm right back in the saddle tonight for whatever length John tells me!!!!