Thanksgiving Week, 2006

On Saturday, Kathy, the boys, and Clover dropped me off at the Denver airport as they made their way to Vinita, Oklahoma. Neal spoke in a Sunday-Tuesday gospel meeting in Great Falls, VA (metro D.C.). He rejoined the family on Wednesday, finally getting to Tulsa Wednesday night (getting in the middle of Northwest's baggage handlers' information rally with management to discuss their contracts the DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING!! On Tuesday, he had half a day to go to the Spy Museum and China Town with Bobby Lawrence (who took this photo). It's always great to see Bobby.



The family had a super time with the Woodalls. We played football on Thanksgiving, had a surprise belated birthday for Gary, a "surprise" birthday party for Bud, and just enjoyed family. They live a solid 11 or 12 hours by car from us. Here's a great picture of Kristy and Bud.





Here's a gorgeous picture of Kathy with our nephew David.








We decided to try an experiment I got from Jackie and Bobby Lawrence. It's the old Mentos and Diet Coke trick. The Lawrences got their "rocket" to go 30 feet high. We were just short of 20 feet (Bud and I each tried it).













The boys had a great time just hanging out, playing, painting, and jumping and jumping on the trampoline. Lee isn't allowed to play on the computer (which he loves) when he has company at his house. The day we left, he said he missed his cousins. Kristy told him he could at least get back on the computer now. He said, "If I could have my cousins here all the time, I wouldn't care if I never got on the computer again." Wow! Lee, they feel the same way!




Kathy and Kristy did a super job with the Thanksgiving spread. We had more dishes than the Falcons have Michael Vick problems. It was great.






This is what "some" of us did after we ate. The word is "tryptophan." We saw a good LSU/Arkansas game (though the wrong team won). The UGA game Saturday turned out much better (though that was a radio only event).





All in all, it was a super week. We love our family. It was sad not being with Neal's family in the cabin. For the first time in 17 years, there was no family gathering there. Instead, Mendy flew up to Raleigh and the Pollards (minus our five) did Thanksgiving in Elizabethtown, NC (where Brent lives and preaches). We hope you enjoyed your holiday and weren't on any local TV newscasts for shoving and pushing at the neighborhood Target or Best Buy.

What A Teenager Looks Like...

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY, GARY!! WE LOVE YOU AND ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU, SON.

Gary with his presents...















...with his cake...















...The Pollard boys mugging!

a few more BEAR VALLEY LECTURES pictures

OPEN FORUM DAILY

GREAT SUNDAY CROWDRALPH GILMORE LECTURED ON ETHICS EACH DAY

This is an incredible picture: Bob Carr (shortest of the bunch) has this phenomenal website evangelism ministry. How incredible? He won these three men to Christ. Who are they? Far left is Kenny Garcia (Ontario, CA) and Andrew Lemus (far right and also from the L.A. area). Tall guy in the back is Mark Hopper of NYC. Their link? They didn't know each other but met Bob in a religious chat room. All three are preacher students at Bear Valley. Mark is a freshman and the other two will soon be Seniors. All three obeyed the gospel within the last couple of years. Bob spoke on our lectures.

OUR FIRST BEAR VALLEY LECTURES

The lectureship was actually September 24-27, but I just got around to posting them. They were a lot of fun. You can download all the lectures from Itunes. They're all podcasted (see www.bvbid.org).

This is from the alumni dinner at the JeffCo Fairgrounds. Denny Petrillo emceed and there was plenty of corn-ball humor!!

Between sessions, Dale had certain ones drawing their best alien pictures. Denny's at work above.

Will Hanstein is trying to "one up" Jeff Jenkins'.

The lovely Hanstein family and Warren family

Reunion of Safari For Souls 2004 (Plus Aubrey)
(L-R) Sarah Fallis, Gary Fallis, Gary P., Cary Sanford, Aubrey, Neal P., and Bonnie Sanford

Latest News As Fall Has Fallen

We continue to enjoy living in Colorado. It's feeling like home. The Bear Valley church has surely
made us feel welcome. All Pollards (including Clover) seem to have made the adjustment. This is a busy time. I've been more busy away from home than I have been in some time, but that will soon change. The Bear Valley Bible Institute is great (I would heartily recommend it to any potential gospel preacher--www.bvbid.org). Here's some pictures:





Here's the early part of that nine inch snow we had a few weeks ago (our third of October). It was melted by next afternoon. Neighboring areas got up to 28 inches.







The Bible Bowl at Northwest was a huge success. Seven of those kids are BV kids (all but the far left and the two on the back row far right)! We were very proud of them.








This was the whole group, twenty of which were BV kids (see if you can see Gary)










We were fortunate enough (through flyer miles) to fly the whole family to Virginia for the tenth annual CHR lectures. Here are the boys as they get their first glimpse of the fountain in Detroit's airport. They also got to stroll through the psychedelic tunnel (thanks to Mom's free-spirited suggestion; she's a great mom!)




That's supposed to be me preaching at Cold Harbor on Sunday morning (they had about 225 that morning). All I can see as I edit is a big brown spot (that may not be too far off). If you're interested, by double-clicking on it you may get a better pic (thanks to Ray Williamson for taking the picture). We enjoyed the return to VA.






Last Tuesday night (11/7), we had Garth, Angela, and Kiril Hilton over for dinner. They are on furlough from Ukraine. Garth grew up at BV, but we've actually known Angela and Kiril longer. Angela's flat was the first home I visited in Ukraine (May, 2002). Kathy stayed with her in 2004. Kiril is third from the right.



Some after dinner fellowship (those who have eaten at our house, guess what Kathy brought out to play after dinner). I have a clue: four letters and starts with "D."







I flew into West Palm Beach last night (10:30 PM EST). I'm speaking on the South Florida Lectureship and staying with Dan and Judi Jenkins (son Jonathan is attending and speaking; he lives in Snellville, GA, and preaches for the Avondale church).








This afternoon, Jonathan took me over to Juno Beach to see the Atlantic ocean. It's beautiful, in the 80s, and muggy! I hear it's snowing in Denver this weekend (but no humidity! Yeah!).

The First Snow Fall Of The.........Fall?!?

Before we get to the snow pictures, the boys and I had a great time doing a small fence building project about a month ago. They were all very helpful. Each of them put some fence up on the stringers.







A couple of weeks ago, the family spontaneously decided to take a trip over Guanella Pass. Go 285 south to Grant, then take the scenic bypass that ends with a picturesque view of Georgetown. You can come home via I-70. It's 40 minutes west of our part of Denver (by interstate).






Here's our favorite picture from that trip. The aspens were a perfect golden hue and it was as tranquil as it appears here.







NOW FOR THE SNOW PICTURES (TAKEN EARLIER TODAY):



This is a view looking west on Yale Avenue in Lakewood.









The boys got out with the girl (Clover) and played in some snow. Notice Gary in shorts and short sleeves. While it is 28 degrees in this picture, it didn't feel nearly that cold (except in that shade).







We got a tad over four inches of the white stuff in our yard. They had over a foot in the "high country." They forecast some more for this weekend, but it'll be 60 degrees on Friday.

A Pollard Update

Hi! Neal here in Butler, AL (look it up!). Kathy and the boys are in CO, doing school, church functions, and birthday stuff for a BV friend of the boys. Here's a few pics from August to keep you updated.



(the Pollards and VA friend Nancy Carter rode the train up Pike's Peak a few weeks ago. It was nearly 80 degrees at the bottom and 40 degrees on top.)

Below is a picture of Carl's eighth birthday:



A look at Gary and Dale (miscellaneous goofiness):






The boys and I shooting off a rocket at an "Open Space" park a few Fridays ago:




Kathy spoke at East Ridge church of Christ at a Ladies Day and then to the ladies at Polishing the Pulpit a couple of weeks ago (saw the CHR elders and Snells there, too):

August's end

Hi! I'm sorry I've been so long updating. It's been super busy getting started here. Getting drivers license, license plates, basic utilities, etc., is even more complicated when coming from another state. Anyway, enough whining. FYI, if anyone not reading this would like to receive my daily devotional via email, write me at NealP@bearvalleycofc.org to subscribe! All our newer pictures are on the camera. I'll post soon, putting Carl's eighth birthday on there and Kathy's recent trip to PTP (Polishing the Pulpit, for the unitiated. Have a great day.
Love,
Neal (for the Pollard pack)

Life In Colorado (lately)

August 7, 2006
Hey! Since some have asked for a blog update, I'll take a few moments to do so. We had some adventures setting up housekeep and getting certain utilities going, but things seem settling in pretty well. Here are a few pictorial updates to fill you in on the Pollards.

A couple of Wednesdays ago, I looked out my window and across the street on

the hillside, I saw these two bull elks! They were huge . Maybe you can tell that the rack on one of them is

broken.

Last week, we were thrilled to have our first house guests. Kathy's sister, Kristy, her husband Bud (James), and our nephews Lee and David came for a visit from northeastern Oklahoma. We made a day trip to Estes Park last Friday. This photo was taken on a hike to Emerald Lake of the Woodalls and Pollards.

This photo of the "high boys" was taken at the Alpine visitors' center on Trail Ridge Road (also in the Rocky Mountain National Park). Back row, L to R: Gary, Dale (perching), Lee, and Carl. Front and center: David

The day before we left, we took Bud & Kristy to Red Rocks amphitheatre. We also hiked the Trading Post trail around the rocks. Here's just a pic of how majestic they are.

EVERYONE COME SEE US!!!

Day 3 (from Stratton, CO)

We're here in Colorado! But, it was mostly all about Kansas today, a big, wide, long stretch of real estate that never seems to end. It was beautiful, though!! Gorgeous farmland and rolling hills. We did our customary stopping at the rest area to take a picture of the state sign, after a slow, leisure start to the day...

We stopped for a long break in Abilene, Kansas, so Kathy could get her antique fix and I could get my history fix. The boys (and Clover) are having a great time. Kathy said that the car thermometer read 110 degrees for most of the afternoon!! Here's a pic at the Eisenhower center (his boyhood home)...

And a restored grave marker in old historic Abilene town..

Finally, about 7 PM MST (we crossed that in the last county of Kansas), we crossed into Colorado. Lord willing, we'll press on in to Denver tomorrow!! We've logged about 1500 miles in two cars since Saturday morning! I'm going to bed.

Day 2 (from Topeka)

Our July 16th was a neat day. It started, of course, in Mt. Vernon, IL. We got as far as west of St. Louis, where we attended North Lindbergh church of Christ. We passed into Missouri around 9 AM CST. We couldn't get a photo until after lunch, as there was no rest area at the state line. Gene Wood preached a terrific sermon on biblical predestination. Guess who attends NLCOC? Kirk and Mendy Crews. They were students at U of Richmond (graduated in '01). I baptized Mendy and performed their wedding. They took us to lunch after worship. Also visiting NL that morning were the Hills, super dedicated members at Hillcrest church of Christ in Neosho, MO. Sister Hill is a sister of Winford Claiborne. Mendy is a candidate for teacher of the year for the state of Missouri. Kirk is very successful, working as an auditor of investing firms. Here's a picture taken at the church sign after services (it was hot! Clover stayed in a downstairs classroom during worship)...

We saw the Arch on our way in, right before services...

Below is the picture of the first welcome center on I-70 in Missouri. We worshipped at Bonner Springs, Kansas, for evening services and ended our travels for the day in Topeka--staying at an Amerisuites on Wannamaker Rd. Not the trailblazing of day one, totaling only about 375 miles.