It’s Our Anniversary

Welcome World Wide Web to the home of the offdachainandouttdabox  family.  We are a family of six and only one male, but I always say, “I am not a quitter and I like PRACTICE.” (unlike Allen Iverson) I have four daughters ages 9, 6, 4 and 4 months.  My wife and I have known each other for twenty-six years.  We met the summer before entering high school.  There you have it.  The short husband version of how we met.  I am sure you will get the long version from my wife later.  So to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary,which is today, myself (Mr. offdachain) and my wife (Mrs. outtadabox) are launching our first blog (10 years together married*in a row*, in this culture, surely makes us Subject Matter Experts).  We have…well my wife would say I HAVE started lots of trouble on Facebook and Twitter talking about everything from homebirth to extended breastfeeding to parenting to education(public vs. private vs. homeschooling) to if wives should be SAHM to Lebron James leaving Cleveland for Miami to the best tasting apple on the planet. (honeycrisp no doubt). All this activity has led us here and we are glad that you thought enough about us to join us on OUR journey.  I say OUR because the true joy of blogging is that everyone gets to participate in the journey. The thing I need everyone to understand up front is we all need to be open to grow.  If you are set in your ways, don’t want to research anything different and grumpy….I will enjoy you a lot.  If your the person who just says, “That is how we have always done it!” You have come to the blog spot that will challenge your thinking.  I know because I was once you.  I grew up in North Carolina and thought that was the center of the world, but after moving to New York, Washington, DC and now Atlanta I just found out last week that it is not.  But I have learned that the key to growth is reading, research, and being open.  So during our journey we will discuss perspectives in the areas of marriage,  parenting, finances, and health.  (I will also sneak in an all important sports post every now and then…against my wife’s wishes…hence offdachain, because I am the missing third Mike of Mike and Mike and Mike on ESPN) I am glad you guys are here and feel free to sound off at anytime on any subject.  Also, feel free to sign up to get email alerts on new posts and invite your Facebook/Twitter friends/family to join in on the journey.  Excuse me.  My wife is staring at me.  I think she wants to add something.  See you in a second.

Why offdachainandouttadabox? My husband is Offdachain because he brings the pain! He’s passionate about his views and being “PC” is never on his radar. As we say in our church, “it needs to be brought…bring it!” As a family, we have not followed most “mainstream” ideas and values. It is our hope that we can bring an awareness about the misconceptions and actual ignorance that exists in the areas of marriage, parenting, finances, and health in our community. So, when you see “Offdachain” post, don’t bring your sensitive side, but PLEASE, bring your research!

I’m “Outtadabox” because my motto is “do what everyone else does and you’ll get what everyone else gets”. I like to understand the “why” behind traditional ideas and beliefs and I seek to understand the societal impact of why we do what we do.

Okay! So I am back now and this is our blog.  Offdachainandouttadabox and it’s here for all to enjoy and take part in OUR discussions each week.  Our hope is that we all will read, research and grow during our journey.  Happy anniversary to the cutest girl in the Eutaw Skating Rink from the summer of 1984! THE START OF THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE!