Back in the U.S. for some Daddy time

Even though last weekend's overseas visit to the United Arab Emirates only lasted 26 hours (Dubai travelogue to be published soon), I missed Lena and Levi so much.  I can't wait to start traveling internationally with both of those little Ls, as soon as Mommy gives us the green light!

At the moment, it's just Levi and me here at home.  Soon, I'll be picking up Lena from preschool.  Both Ls will be together with me at the house.  These are the days I love.

These are the two precious children I love.

Running with Daddy

For whom the bell tolls

Also, for those of you who missed Levi's big day last month...

Happy 2nd birthday to my baby boy, Levi!

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Jan 15, 2016 at 8:47pm PST

Opening late Christmas presents (so Lena doesn't feel left out)

And finally...

Vine video:  Light up that "unmute" button to hear audio of Levi puffing out his birthday candles.

Salt Lake City- Delta's Velvet 360

Posted from Hollywood, en route to hooking up with the fam in Australia…

After leading hikes and other outdoor adventures for NW Wilderness all summer, I would’ve normally already flown overseas a couple times this fall.  Being a Delta Airlines employee, quick international trips are a regular thing for our family.  In fact, I’m currently attempting 1 of 2 back-to-back overseas family trips, on three different continents.

The steep Devil’s Peak hike I led Saturday before I flew out was scaled back from my original 15 mile routing, but the roster was ANYTHING but scaled back.  I relaxed my usual limit of 10-12 hikers to allow a whopping 18 people attend my hike.  And over 30 people RSVP’d!

Posted en route to Australia: The massive hiking group I led to the top of steep Devil's Peak over the weekend

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Sep 30, 2015 at 3:13pm PDT

But the big event of last week was Delta’s Velvet 360 event in Salt Lake City.  I was very fortunate to be selected to represent our PDX station (see the two links to my posts about running in the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon in 2014, and also my latest from 2015).

After I worked late into the wee hours of Tuesday morning (we were short-staffed), Delta flew me to SLC on Tuesday and put me up in the AAA Five Diamond luxury hotel Grand America.  The swag bags were gone by the time I arrived, but I landed just in time to catch the opening night festivities.

Enthusiastic "Velveteers" greet us at the SLC airport with our motor coach

Grand America courtyard:  Before getting dressed up for the main event(s)

The courtyard was the setting for Tuesday night’s party:  Prizes, exquisitely prepared food and appetizers, drinks, music, and dancing.  D.J. Nunzio was on hand later that evening to get the dance floor hopping.

DJ Nunzio warms up the dance party at the @Delta Velvet 360 event here in Salt Lake City.

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Sep 24, 2015 at 3:25pm PDT

Day 2

After a very late night with some new friends, Wednesday morning breakfast arrived rather early

(7 a.m.!).

But Velvet 360 was just getting started.

An all-star lineup of Delta’s executive leadership team (including President Ed Bastian) took the stage throughout Wednesday to share with employees the Big Picture, a 360 degree view of Delta’s business.

Gil West, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, was one of many featured speakers from our Delta executive leadership team

At times, Velvet 360 was refreshingly less like a conference and more like an energetic, entertainingly-produced U2 concert.  Prize giveaways, cinematic short films, comedy skits, and the enthusiastic “Veveteers” kept the energy levels up during the transitions between speakers.

The jubilant Velveteer prize patrol whisks away yet another winner up to the stage

Lights, camera, action:  A 180 degree view of Velvet 360

Amidst the flashy production values, the message was clear:  Delta is actively involved in investing in the successful future of our customers, shareholders, and employees.

Props to Delta Airlines for a job well done at Velvet 360.  And thanks for sending me!

Bonus Vine video:

Hit the unmute button to hear audio of us getting our groove on to Bobby Brown the night before.

Honorable mentions: Most popular non-travel posts (Unpublished #1)

Happy New Year!!  Family time, ministry, international traveling, hikes, and climbs in December have kept me too busy to compile my annual Top 10 lists of popular posts for 2014.  Apparently, the end of 2013 was no different!

This is a previously unreleased “Best Of” series from January 2014, based on page views for my 2013 posts.  I’m obviously stalling for time until my new blog content is ready for next month.  The page hits from 2014 will be tallied soon.  The actual Top 10 list is coming in a few weeks... and the all-travel companion post to this list is coming later this month!

Links to each of the original photo-filled posts are below, in this color.

Before we get to the Top 10 non-travel posts in a couple days, here are a few  honorable mentions which were very popular but just barely missed the list:

Post-skydiving! A birthday throwback, Pt. 2

For whatever reason, this throwback day-after skydiving post was more popular than the parachuting action photos from Skydiving! A Birthday Throwback, Pt. 1. 

Part. 2 featured photos from my birthday weekend festivities that didn't involve jumping out of a plane:  hiking, rock wall climbing, laser tag, go kart racing, and a Los Lobos concert.

Munra Point: Losing a climb, gaining a 14k frozen trail run

Ironically, this icy #HikingFail along our renamed Not Munra Point Trail was the result of me relying on trail directions from another hiking blogger.  It wouldn't have hurt for us to consult a map as well.

Spoiler alert:  Shaun and I did finally ascend past Munra Point proper in late 2014, when I led my “Munra Point morning scramble" hiking event for NW Wilderness.

Lena’s first zoo visit

 
The photos of Lena’s fascination with the animals are wonderful.  But the real highlight is an early video clip of Lena showing off her new walking skills!

Video: Twerking 9 to 5

A controversial YouTube video inspired this call to the ladies to keep it classy, and for the guys to respect the ladies.

A defiant birthday: Hiking Mount Defiance

Shaun, Seamus the dog, and I hiked up our favorite steep-y, the one and only Mount Defiance.  Yet again.  Since those skydiving posts were throwbacks to the previous year, this was my official birthday post of 2013. 

And finally...

Cleaning up after Typhoon Haiyan

The final post on this honorable mentions list was a simple plea for typhoon disaster relief, via either Church of God Ministries or Compassion International.  This may be old news to the western world, but the recovery and restoration efforts are still a reality for those living in those areas of the Philippines affected by this natural disaster.

Prayers and financial support for worldwide disaster and poverty relief efforts continue to be appreciated.

Coming later in January...

2014's unpublished post #2-

Top 10: Most popular recent non-travel posts!

Southern Oregon road trip, Pt. 2: Wildlife Safari

Mommy and Lena get a shotgun seat view of a giraffe as I drive through the Winston Wildlife Safari

In the company of friends again

...Continued from Southern Oregon Road Trip, Part 1: Visits and hikes (link).  And consider this story the unofficial prequel to our upcoming safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa.  Let's hope we make those flights!

Guest blogger Kathy picks up our Southern Oregon road trip story where my Part 1 left off:  After the driving, visiting, and hiking.  Thanks to Kathy for writing this post.  I was happy to merely be on tap to plug and caption the safari photos.  Enjoy!

We had a great time so far with our hiking, visiting, and swimming.  On our final morning down south, we took advantage of the continental breakfast the hotel offered and then set off for the Wildlife Safari in Winston.

Neither Garth nor I had been to the Winston Wildlife Safari since childhood. We were so excited for Lena experience it, too!  Levi was too little to care.

Once Garth drove through the gate, we were allowed to take Lena out of her car seat to sit on our laps up front.  She was thrilled!

As we began making our way through the safari, I forgot how up close and personal the animals could be.  Lena loved seeing all the animals: lions, giraffes, rhinos walking right next to our car, bears, and the list goes on.

Lions resting in the shade

A zebra mixed in with the herd

A hungry giraffe stops traffic ahead of us

Black bear UFC pond/cage match: Tag team edition

Lena brakes for llamas

Buffalo roam

Lucky for this deer, another safariing family had randomly given us a bag of animal feed

This emu poked his beak inside our cab a bit too aggressively for Lena's taste

"I'll take the wheel from here, Daddy."

Baby Levi watches with envy as Mommy lets Lena ride the bear

Lena runs through the Australian Outback

We've got no food, got no jobs... our parrots' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!!

Levi, Mommy, me, and Lena leaving the Australian Walkabout

Before Garth and I started driving the kids back up north, we made a final stop to visit friends who live 10 minutes from Wildlife Safari.  It was nice to catch up and see how big their girls are getting.

Beating the heat with longtime friends

Thus, we began the long journey home.  A stop for burgers and ice cream at Rice Hill was a must do.

Lena and Levi got plenty of sleep on the drive home, even as we stopped to redeem yet another Groupon for the grownups.

Lena reminisces about the safari animals with one of her favorite books, "I Love My Daddy Because..."
(At least that's MY vote for her favorite book!)

Thanks again, Kathy, for writing about our first ever road trip with our all-new Hamilton Four.  Lena and Levi would've loved to join us on the upcoming African safari that we have planned.

And it's a shame that the L's can't come along on our REAL Australian walkabout in 2015!

Bonus Vine video:

Click the mute button for audio of two bears throwing down at the Wildlife Safari

Video: Winter beard-fest

No one looks forward to the month of No Shave November more than my wife Kathy.  Including me.  Since I'm not a fan of sporting facial hair at all, I oblige her pleas for "scruffing material" a few times a year--  during select overseas trips, and right after Halloween.

After returning from my most recent visit to northern Italy in the fall (link), I used my friend visits to the Netherlands, central Italy, and other quick year's end getaways to grow out what would become an unprecedented full winter beard.


The beard is long gone now (depending on whether or not my latest casting calls/ video auditions call for stubble, anyways).

A more current, beardless pic from last month

The January night that my beard became one with the earth was a happy occasion, but only for me.

The rest of the fam didn't take it so well:

Lena isn't happy to say goodbye to Daddy's beard, painstakingly compressed for this pic.

Stage 1:  Trimming it back a little

Baby Levi refused to be consoled, even though the beard shaving process had only begun.

We had a little fun with it on Vine, though.  For anyone who isn't able to access my oft neglected Vine page, here's the embedded video:

Silent sneeze? Click the upper left of the video screen for audio

But cheer up, beard fans.  November is only 6 1/2 months away.  And our next overseas trip is always just around the corner!

Coming up on Garth's Blog...

We're getting back into it next week with some photos of frolicking in the snow,

followed later by recent tales from overseas, 

and then last weekend's harrowing adventure on the trails!

The birth of Levi, Pt. 3: Lena meets Levi!! (with video)

Posted from Belfast, Northern Ireland this morning:

Part 3 of this story actually happened on January 16 in Beaverton, Oregon.

Loading our newborn son Levi into the car at Providence St. Vincent hospital

The time had finally come. After three days in the hospital, our two day old Levi was finally ready to come home with Daddy and Mommy.

As mentioned previously in The birth of Levi, Pt. 2: Levi's first two days (link), the moment when our nearly 2 1/2 year old Lena would meet her newborn brother Levi was one of the most anticipated moments of my entire life. I wanted everything to be perfect. As I drove Kathy and Levi home from the hospital, I asked Kathy to phone her parents at our house to make sure Lena would be ready.

My heart lept into my throat as we pulled into our driveway. I gently set down Levi's car seat on the ground, and Kathy approached the door.

Anticipation...

Tom and Lora opened our storm door so little Lena could step down into the sidewalk. I fired up my Galaxy Note's video camera and held my breath.


My lack of technical expertise is preventing me from successfully uploading the clip here to Garth's Blog.  But the photos that follow are still shots from that priceless video:

Lena gets a first glimpse at her baby brother, Levi.  After months of buildup, is this what she was expecting?

Lena goes in for the first kiss.  It's an air ball.

Inside the house:  Lena's arms involuntarily pop up at the sight of Levi, in anticipation of holding her new baby brother.

The first sister-brother kiss!!

And finally, here is the first ever photo of our whole family together:

Introducing the newly expanded Hamilton clan!  Lena is happier than she looks.

So let's end on an even happier note.  My video upload above may have failed, but anyone who missed the Vine that I tweeted on January 16 is in for a treat.  Here's a 7 second video clip of Lena trying to say baby Levi's name, while holding him in her lap:

 Click in the upper right corner of this Vine video for audio of Lena trying to say, "Levi"!


This was, without exaggeration, one of the greatest days of my life.  Our family is complete.  Lena and Levi are perfect together!

Are youth group Super Bowl parties worthwhile?

This was Sunday's "guys only" blanket... including 2 1/2 week old Levi!  The Vine video from our Super Bowl party is at the bottom of this post.

This is yet another post shared from my other blog.  I've had zero free minutes to work on those upcoming posts that focus exclusively our newborn baby Levi for this main blog.  Chalk that up to focusing on Kathy, Lena, and baby Levi in real life!

For readers who keep asking, the anticipated post with Levi's baby delivery story/photos should drop later next week, after Homecoming weekend at Warner Pacific College is behind us.  In the meantime, I'll continue to include baby Levi in every post and feature new baby pics each time I update "Garth's Blog!"

**********

Until the Dallas Cowboys (remember this trip to Cowboys Stadium?) bring home another Super Bowl ring, I can't think of a happier ending to this pro football season than Sunday's E.P.I.C ministry Super Bowl party. A few students and graduates joined our house party to witness the world domination of the Seattle Seahawks, a.k.a. Super Bowl XLVIII.

Anyone still unaware that the Seahawks utterly defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8 is probably blissfully ignorant of sports in general. More power to ya'll. I'm originally from Washington state, though, so I was pumped to cheer on the local team as they won their first ever Super Bowl title.

More important than the big game's outcome, however, is enjoying opportunities like this to spend time with our students. Save for saying a tough goodbye to a deeply loved graduate who is moving away, there were few spiritually earth shattering moments here. The on-screen gladiatorial combat occasionally took a back seat to our laughing, snacking, gaming on the Playstation 3, and playing with Lena and our 2 1/2 week old Levi.



Some youth pastors in the blogosphere have been skeptical that Super Bowl parties can have any value in a Christ centered student ministry. Objections range from the lack of ministry intentionality to the potential of sexual objectification in the commercials and half time show.

My evolving perspective on nonessential, fun events such as Super Bowl parties is this: Why not?

1. Can't we honestly discuss those cultural excesses that will be seen by students anyway, instead of pretending they don't exist? The ability to view culture through the lens of Scripture is a hallmark of spiritual maturity, and it may not happen without being taught. Not to mention, a DVR tape delay does wonders for dodging future wardrobe malfunctions-- I'll never forget my own relief (and disbelief) the year when EVERY SINGLE ONE of my high school guys somehow managed to miss Janet Jackson's infamous Super Bowl slip on live TV.  I'm not gonna lie... they were unhappy campers.
2. Does setting aside time for "just for fun" life moments like sports, capture-the-flag nights, and backpacking trips detract from the more intentional ministry opportunities that we as ministers plan? Granted, time with our young people is precious and shouldn't be wasted. But is wasting time a total waste? One person's perceived "wasted time" may be received by another person as an affirmation of love, acceptance, and validated self worth.

So, are Super Bowl parties worth it?  I can't answer that question for you. While we don't plan on canceling our annual Super Bowl parties any time soon, there are certainly more efficient, effective, and purposeful events that should deserve priority on our ministry calendars.

But if a dedicated Dallas Cowboys fan like myself can take a day off to unabashedly cheer for his second favorite NFL team during their Super Bowl spotlight... then perhaps there's room on our ministry calendars to also have fun with the less essential stuff.


Related:  William Lane Craig: God Hears Your Super Bowl Prayers (from Christianity Today)

Here are a couple of extras from our Super Bowl party:

Lena, Levi, and cornerback Richard Sherman (remember this?) are dumbfounded by the Seahawks' staggering lead.

My latest Vine video on Twitter: Go Seahawks!!

Unclick the "mute" button above for the obnoxious audio.track.

Garth's Blog will return in a few days.