Things

After a wonderful Christmas in Oregon with family and friends, I had to get back to work in AZ. I worked three long days right when I got back and during those days, realized how much I love and miss my family. I had a hard time of it when I got home and Kendra I think put it best, I was more sad because JR and Kate and Robin were still there having a good time and I was back at home working and what not. She was right, I don't think it would have been as hard if we all left at once, but knowing that fun is going on without you is hard to swallow.
But back to work. I was doing a small commercial job in Scottsdale, and Tim and myself went out to lunch at Jack in the Box or something, when a guy walks in with his hand gun strapped to his belt. Now I have heard that you can carry you gun on you with proper licensing or you can have it concealed with yet another license, but this was the first time I saw one. It really made me stop and think, why was this man carrying a gun with him anyways, he didn't look like a cop, unless he was on a narcotic vice squad or something. He had an unshaven face long greasy hair under a trucker hat, sleeves cut off his shirt to reveal his cubby tattooed arms, and a skinny little blond at his side. Why did he need to carry a gun? I didn't feel uneasy around him, he obviously had the proper holster and I would assume the right paperwork, it was just a strange thing to behold at a J in the B.
Last night I had the pleasure of going out to the boonies with some of Kendras old work mates to celebrate a birthday. We went to a cowboy bar called Greasewood Flat. I think this is my new favorite bar, it is all outdoors, lots of fire pits all around a dancing stage, two horseshoe pits, tons of old west wagons and stagecoaches, and a great kicked back cowboy feel. We got some food there, hung out in the bar while waiting for the food. The only covered room there is the kitchen where you wait for your food. It was a small room with people packed in waiting for their hamburger or hotdogs, I took that time to put one of my business cards on the ceiling along with the thousands of others and hundreds of dollar bills taped, tacked or gum glued to the roof. It looked like you were walking through a forest with moss hanging from all the branches, people posting from all over the world. I think it is the only bar that encourages you to vandalize it by having sharpies laid out all over the bar. I was the driver that night so I was unable to take in the spirits, but I was able to enjoy the others having fun. Even though it is a bar in the eyes of Arizona, they allow kids to be there as well, nothing like watching a father and his little girl dancing to the boot scoot boogie. Good times.
So tonight as we ring in the new year, and look back at what has passed this year, I want you all to know, I love you and miss you madly. You have made this year for Kendra and I the best yet. This year Kendra and I learned the true meaning of family and friends, thank you.
Oh and by the way, I got 10 bucks on a girl for JR and Kate.

Nick Cage

While we were in Newport we ran into this guy here, he was very nice and let us take a pic even though he wasn't looking his best. I wasn't either, maybe because we just had a wild night partying with the celebs in the OC (a.k.a. window shopping in the fashion island mall, and watching a movie until midnight).

Reagan Library

We also tried to go to the Reagan Library but this is about as close as we got, the line to get in was about 1/4 mile long, I think because they now have airforce one plane on display. Oh well maybe next time.

Newport Beach

Kendra and I went to Newport Beach on our Thanksgiving vacation, this is a photo from Balboa Island looking at Newport peninsula.

Check Out my beautiful wife's new dew

Special Ops Lt. Mark Rohl

All of that online game play as a navy seal has paid off this evening. We have(had) a mouse in our home. Traps didn't work, and this little thing had the stones to run across the room as I was sitting there watching football. I tracked it behind the fridge, pulled the fridge out and couldn't see it, but it came out of the wall where our water hook-up is for the ice maker, I told myself not to jump if it came at me, and it did. As it ran about on the wood floor, I took aim and whaaammmy, right in the head with my one pump hand gun. This is the same gun I shot James in the butt with years ago, so now it has two kills. The traps are useless, but my tommy gun isn't. whooaaah!

Movie Going & Chicken Eating

So after reading JR's take on the flick Emilytown or what ever it was, I thought to myself, I must see this movie. Fortunately Kendra was thinking the same thing when she won four tickets, and some dinner passes to Chik-fil-A (more to come on that one). So (is it us and or we and) Tracy and Brian went to see this movie. Jr hit it right on the nose, but I must add to it. The dialogue was painfully stiff and awkward. People don't interact like that, the accents were bad as JR said. The only saving grace about that movie was the final 10 min, as I am sure JR will agree. What an epic road trip and what an amazingly clever map and soundtrac to said road trip. Oh and by the way JR, she won the soundtrac as well.

Now on to Chick-Fil-A, this place is good, fast chicken food, but the thing that really knocked my socks off, Kendra can vouch for this, I was blown away. My socks came off when Kendra told me that the place is closed on Sunday because the owners are Christians and they believe that Sundays should be spent with family or at church so "why make their employees work." Are you kidding me? This is a fast food world we live in, and everyone likes chicken, and Sundays are a huge day for family's coming home from church to stop and get some fast chicken food. But they remain closed so more people can spend that day with family. Just think about it, sock blowing isn't it? And to top it all off, as I was sitting there trying to grasp this, we noticed a worship song playing over the speakers. My new favorite restaurant

Three perfect wedding accessories. Us Rohl boys have done well for ourselves eh? Don't you love how all three of them, Kate from Indiana, Kendra from Arizona, and Mom from Oregon, can span the miles and find a way to coordinate their outfits?

Hey JR, where did you get such a sweet suit, at the Mens Wherehouse?

Who knew you could have so much fun throwing jelly beans at a wedding? Can you say "hosted bar"?

Linsey, Robin, and um, wait it will, her name is, oh yeah she's Taken thats right.

Comin A Yeahhaa!

Last night my wife and I had the pleasure of seeing, in concert, a legend of the stage and screen. Neil Diamond. Thanks to Jenny and Verado Realty we got this once in a lifetime experience. I must say it was very strange, you see, Neil is 72 years of age, I was not aware of this going into the event. Even though he did sound like an old man singing, his voice was strong and it brought back memories of the 8 trac my father had in the little Toyota truck. There was no lack of blue hair in the crowd, Kendra and myself were by far the youngsters but we had fun none the less. Thanks again to Jenny for the tickets, we had a great time. And he really does say Comin A Yeahhaa!! Oh and he has a new album coming out as well, still making sweet music. What a legend!

That 70's Show

Tonight was 1970's name that tune at Main Squeeze. Kendra and I were, as you can see, dressed the part, and it showed in the final standings. Mark & Kendra 1575, Jenny & Heather 0.

Hey Dave, check out this stash!!

Asinine comments

"George Bush doesn't care about black people."
Kanye West at hurricane relief concert.

"If you are killed, you have lost a very important part of you life."
Brooke Shields

"The word 'genius' isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
Joe Theisman, quarterback and sports analyst

"Those who survived the San Francisco earthquake said, "Thank God, I'm still alive." But of course, those who died, their lives will never be the same."
Barbara Boxer D California

"First, it wasn't a strip bar, it was an erotic club. And second, what can I say? I'm a night owl."
Marion Barry

"It isn't pollution that is hurting our environment, it's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it"
Dan Quayle

I leave you with this deep thought, by Jack Handy
Maybe in order to understand mankind we have to look at that word itself. MANKIND. Basically, it's made up of two separate words "mank" and "ind." What do these words mean? It's a mystery and that's why so is mankind.

This is Wee Man, a few days after getting run over by a truck. He got hit, by a truck, and this is pretty much the worst of it. Freaking amazing. Can you tell by the two pictures what his favorite shirt is?

Ethan "Wee Man" Dailey

I know that I know

How do I know?

I was there. I watched a woman, hunched over in pain, make her way to the front of church with her cane to receive prayer, and then leave that same cane at the front, arms raised, head held high, WALK down the isle out of church.

How do I know? Because I was there.

I was there in Verado tonight, at Main Squeeze open mic night. Listening to the sounds of the pneumatics. I was there when a man ran in, yelling for 911, saying a kid had just been hit by a car. I was there when Ethan Dailey was laid on the sidewalk bench. I was there when his mother was on her knees weeping, when his father was by his side, telling him it would be alright. There watching the police, then the firefighters, then the ambulance, then the helicopter, come for the broken and bruised boy. I was there, driving the father to the hospital, as the mother took flight with Ethan. There talking with Josh, him: calm, peaceful, strong. "I know it's going to be alright", he says. There in the hospital emergency room with the two brothers to Christy, Kyle and Aaron, Joshs' brother Aaron, my wife and I, praying for Ethan, for healing for strength.
I was there when Christy came down to tell us the news. Broken collar bone, broken hand, fractured skull, bleeding in the brain. The nero-surgeon was on his way to look at the cat scan. I was there in the parking lot when Mel got the call from Josh, Ethan is okay, he is going to be okay. I was there when he told us the doctors where wrong about their assessment. No fracture, no bleeding, collar bone with a slight fracture, and his hand was still waiting for x-rays. There, to witness again, a miracle.

How do I know? Why do I believe? Because I have seen. Seen the broken woman asking for healing, and the broken child, in desperate need of a miracle.

I know that I know.

Hmmm a possible Kodak sponsor? Nope just a 22 year old goalie signed by the Kings from the Japan national team. Go Kings Go

New link

Okay so I added a new link here to the site. It is for some more photos, just click the "Mark's flipbook", clicking the other link, "get your own" will take you to their web page. As will clicking on the photo itself, which I think is odd, most people will want to click the photo to see it larger, but this wont take you to the photo. Only the "flipbook" link. Alrighty then, just trying to add more things, and posts will help too. See you soon, most of you.