Feliz día de madre amor! Gracias por todo lo que haces. The boys and I are so lucky to have you in our lives. You mother our children with the right amount of toughness and tenderness and to see them loving on you the way each one does shows you everything. We love you! ❤️
I guess the real story of the last couple weeks 5,000 mile cross country jaunt was my dad’s cousin Randy. See, Randy grew up helping my dad’s father on the farm as he was six years older than my dad. So until my dad could drive the tractor (@6 ) Randy’d be over helping in whatever capacity he could. My grandfather owned a dairy farm in Richmond Township Michigan and grew their own corn so plenty to have been done as you can imagine. Randy also bought my dad beer as a teen so the boys could cut loose a bit on the backroads. So Randy heard we’re arriving to town and drove out from snowbirding in Florida before having to drive back north to help plant 2,000 acres. As luck would have it Michigans weather wasn’t cooperating for planting as rain continued to be forecasted. So he stayed two weeks with us and we tore it down every night. We saw a ten day run of live music from the speakeasy at Gruene Grove, Gruene Grove MainStage to catching free shows at Gruene Hall(first place I came to in Texas in 21’) where walking by we ask the lady taking tix who’s playing, she goes I can get yall in “if” you buy beer and tip your servers “well hell, we can do that” was our reply. To the legend Ray Wylie at the hall. Red Bird listening room 3X’s. A four hour drive to the famed “Old Quarter” was my highlight as we rambled the entire way hearing stories of the local boys in Richmond beating up the “carnies” as to let em know not to mess with their towns girls. Willie Nelson at whitewater to Luckenbach pickers circle to Albert for afternoon reclined music hangs under their magnificent oak tree with 60ft low hung branching keeping everyone cool. Had Randy back my trailer in after failing myself for ten minutes. I’ll cherish this time spent with him and all the stories captured of my dad as a tough sob undersized football center farm boy he was easily stronger and fiercer that anyone to Uncle Doc throwing people over fences and the local boys who’s Pa was a boxer and grew up with boxing ring in yard and them putting the lights out of anyone unwittingly enough to test em. Thanks for hanging Randy and being a glimpse into the beauty of days gone by. ⚡️alltime seeing you cuttin the ladies
Bucket list - Willie Nelson @ WhiteWater Amp. “Last Leaf” was a powerful testament in common prose of an extraordinary life set under the high risen oaks off the Guadalupe River. Magical evening⚡️
Well we sure hit the ground running more on that to come.. nothing like being on the road getting to where you’re going. First things first as we descended into Texas we pulled the gym into the sacred lands of Luckenbach & Devils Backbone tavern to soak the energy in. Upon arrival we were met by my dad’s cousin Randy who drove in from snowbirding in Florida hearing that we’ll be in town before he heads back north to plant 2000 acres in Michigan. More on that story in a later post. Thankful for great friends @kennynorwood & @willywhipple for breaking their backs putting the gym in storage for the time being. Once that was done we whirlwind’d through town paying respects to my friends Family Abernathy Lehmann Krause & oldest headstone in Comal Cemetery Johan Krause 1797-1888. Caught an insane songwriter night @theredbirdnbtx Red Bird Listening Room & treated my family to the Legend Ray Wylie Hubbard at the famed Gruene Hall. We sat on the riverbank of the Guadalupe enjoying a case of LoneStars envisioning the years ahead watching my sons in their new lands. Futures bright. Thanks God for guiding me. ⚡️
Paid homage to the Legends, Wizards, Local Artisans & saw angels kitchen landscaped.. I love this land and the process of creation. The spirits calling to venture further fearlessly into the divine driven abyss ⚡️
“Road Goes On Forever Party” was all time.. ⚡️ very fortunate to have my Pastor John Blue lead our community in prayer.. the fantastic sibling bluegrass band The Wimberley’s @wimberleybluegrassband to kick off the festivities! Parker Smith & the Empty Saddles played such a killer set @parkersmithmusic and Victoria Bailey @victoriabaileymusic sent us into night fall capping an evening of magic. There was an incredible outpouring of community that came together. Many lives I’ve been so blessed to intertwine with. I could only say thank you and that I love you all and from the bottom of my heart thanks for showing up and being a part of it all. Not sure there’s anything better than spending time with one another. There’ll be an open door in Texas soon, come & let me show you what I found. Love yall! ⚡️photo dump to come with ability to download so be on the lookout.
Rising Sons “Road Goes on Forever” Party tomorrow 4pm.. kids water balloon fight 430~.. opening prayer lead by Pastor John Blue of @pacificpointchurch @ 5. Opening band @wimberleybluegrassband a four piece sibling bluegrass band sure to knock your socks off @515 .. @parkersmithmusic and his Empty Saddles band will carry yall through the south west roots he’s known for.. and the siren songstress @victoriabaileymusic will carry us into darkness with light in song shining on a collection of family & friends who’ve ridden a road together building a path that leads through shared spirit, a cultivated energy that’ll live on forever! Bring your favorite lawn chair and put er in neutral for an enticing evening of magic⚡️we built a stage for this collection of talent, a show of honor to the artists as the spirit called to have done! Let’s send one up to the most high⚡️
Boy do we have a treat for you all! Next Saturday March 28th @ 4pm Rising Sons Thai Boxing “Family & Friends Road Goes on Forever Party”. Join us. Parker Smith & The Empty Saddles @parkersmithmusic kick off @ 5pm along with his Bowman Hat Co @bowmanhatco come get yourself a custom Bowman Hat. Followed by Victoria Bailey @victoriabaileymusic another top swooning local artist. Kids pregame water balloon fight. The wienersnitzel hot dog mobile will be here to fuel the festivity with the usual roping fireside s’mores induced antics accustomed to our party’s. Would love to spend time with you all! ⚡️⚡️🦅🇺🇸🦅⚡️⚡️
When you show your coach @brycekrause the punches you’ve been practicing at home… 🥊😂
@risingsonsthaiboxing
KJ: “Coach, check these out!”
Coach: “Alright… we might have something here.”
The confidence is already championship level… now we just keep working on the aim 😆
Nothing better than watching the little man put in the work and have fun doing it. One day he might be knocking dad out for talking too much.
#FutureChamp
#HVACGODJr
#trainhard
#ProudDad
#Boxing
Rising Sons was built late 2020 by a small tribe of friends who envisioned a facility to uplift a community using Thai Boxing as the vehicle. Initial prayer at our Grand opening in October of 21’ set the wheels in motion as I prayed for the gym to be a refuge where community can come together and grow themselves. Through that we’ve had the opportunity to affect everyone who’s passed through the doors weaving the grit of Thaiboxing training with personal development through human interaction. There’s something about doing hard things together that bares one’s soul allowing a more communicable space for the adjustments of character to take root. We’ve seen couples marry, children be born, addictions dropped, confidence restored to name a quick few. This has been the greatest reward achieving what we set out to do in making an impact in others lives. The gym will be closing down April 9th as I’m now tasked with a greater vision in building my family’s future. The time spent with Rising Son’s community has been nothing short of a dream and I ask that everyone come to our final party March 28th @4pm . It’d be an honor to share another great evening amongst family and friends. ⚡️ I love you all. Thank you.
Valentines afternoon with @occowboychurch at the ranch for their monthly high spirited sermon lead by pastor Cowboy Larry Day. Bob and lovely wife Caroline bring together quite the ensemble between music fellowship & animals where nature harmonizes and ultimately unfolds more on that saga later. Tucked in the barn where community sat to hear scripture, the stalled horses neighed, dogs rustled amongst another and the birds chirped songs throughout the trees. The fantastic bluegrass siblings @wimberleybluegrassband kicked off the afternoon followed with cowboy songs and poetry by @jasonrichards714 Cowboy Larry Day talked of love and service to the lord and our partners. Bobs wife Caroline sang a beautiful song and showed true artistry having to regroup from witnessing natures savagery unfold just feet away as a barn cat decided to bring a gopher behind Larry as he preached the gospel and well let’s just say the gopher was well outmatched this afternoon. Balance I guess you can chalk it up to. Balance of mind thought and action as we thank our lord for these days. And thanks to Joanne for providing the space for community to congregate. ⚡️
