In less than 12 hours, Laura will be induced at Clarion North here in Indianapolis. It doesn’t seem real. It’s our fourth rodeo yet we’re not sure what is going to happen. New hospital, new doctors, new town, new baby (Jude being a boy is new after three girls too) and new method (inducing). New member of our family; Jude Aaron Wolf. We can’t wait to meet him! Tonight, I’m sitting here in a pitch quiet kitchen (quiet in our home is also something new) wondering about a thousand different things. What will he look like? Who will he look like? How much will he weigh? What will the girls think of him? What will make him laugh for the first time? How will he survive with Adrienne in the house? What will he like? Sports? Art? Music? Cars? Building stuff? Movies? I am really excited to meet him.
We will have updates on Facebook and right here on The Blog of that Guy named Tony Wolf. Pray for safe delivery for Momma and Baby! I’m heading to bed! Barring a very long induction, Jude will have a July 10th birthday!!!
I remember every song on my dad’s Jackson 5 vinyl. I remember watching my TV on March 25, 1983 and saying to my Dad, “Wow! Did you see that? What is he doing?!” (like he had just turned into a cow or something) – no one had ever seen anything like the ‘Moonwalk’ before that night. I remember watching the premier of the “Thriller” video at my friend Rob’s house and how everyone at school was talking about it for weeks after. I remember hearing “We Are The World” and wondering how they convinced so many stars to sing on the same song. I remember hearing “Man In The Mirror” for the first time. I remember the first time I saw the “Bad” video, watching the “Black And White” video premier at college, hearing “Jam” for the first time and listening to the HIStory project while traveling through Kansas with Jay Banks back in the 90’s. I remember watching Michael sing “Heal the World” at the Super Bowl. I remember hearing “You Are My Life” playing in the church about ten minutes before I walked out to marry Laura. I remember my friend Rick calling me on my cell last week, “Did you hear about Michael Jackson?” “No,” I said. I will always remember seeing and hearing his daughter speak at the Memorial yesterday. This is how I will always remember Michael Jackson – with amazement and admiration; MJ was certainly one of the greatest entertainers of our time.
A few days ago, former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was murdered in downtown Nashville. Through my artwork, I had the pleasure of meeting him on four separate occasions when Laura and I lived in Spring Hill. The Titans fan club commissioned me to draw a picture of Steve that they presented his mother back in 2003. Steve signed a collage for me that same year. He just looked at it and said, “You drew this? With your hands? Wow!” He signed two pieces of my artwork and signed a jersey for me (that I still have) as well. I can’t say I was a friend of Steve’s. I’m sure he wouldn’t have remembered me if I walked past him on the street. I knew, even back then, that Steve had some struggles (just like the rest of us). In my opinion, dating people while you are married is wrong. That said, in the 20 or so minutes that I spent near him, I liked him. I really liked him. He was always very accommodating, soft spoken and friendly … and he liked my art. In the next few weeks (as with Michael Jackson) I’m sure we’ll hear every bad thing the man ever did, and that, to me, is a shame. On the field, Steve McNair was unlike anyone else. He may have been the toughest quarterback who ever played. Off the field, he was like every one of us. He wasn’t perfect. None of us are. I feel lucky to have met him and talked to him and I feel sad that he is gone.
I got a call this past Tuesday from the North American Christian Convention. They told me that they were meeting in Louisville this year and that one of their entertainers had fallen and broken his arm so they needed a replacement. I told them I could come down but that if my wife goes into labor, I would leave immediately, even if it was during one of my sessions. I was able to debut three things; 1. My new guitar. 2. My Kanye West parody called “Pointless” and 3. A new love song called “The One For Me.” I felt like it went pretty well. I was joined in entertainment by the likes of One Time Blind, Mosteller and Casting Crowns who finished off the convention with a bang!
Here is a spoiler free idea of what the movie is about (from family.go.com: “Carl Fredericksen married his childhood sweetheart Ellie, bought a house, and promised her a life of adventure. But things don’t go quite as planned, and as the years go by, Carl sequesters himself in the couple’s house until one day he decides to literally pack up the house and take flight.
What he doesn’t expect? Russell, a doughy 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer who’s as optimistic and sunny as Carl is grumpy, and who stows away on Carl’s front porch. Aloft in the house, the two head for South America and the adventure that Carl always dreamed of. But like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Carl finds that over the rainbow isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and some of the best adventures are right in your own backyard.” 
I’m in to it. Los Angeles Lakers v Orlando Magic. Bryant. Howard. It’s all good!!! Pretty good night for Kobe and the Lakers in Game One. 40 points with two minutes remaining. I think the Lakers will win the series in 6. However, I have been totally impressed with Orlando. They really put it on Cleveland. They were underdogs against Boston and Cleveland. Howard is a beast in the paint. But tonight has shown something that, even though I’m not a Kobe fan, I must confess; Kobe Bryant is one of the best ever. Tonight he is reminding me of some of the things that Michael Jordan used to do. Magic Johnson just said that Kobe is the “best player in the world,” and I must agree. So, here tonight I thought I would post some of my opinions about the NBA Finals.
Hardest working player in Finals History: 
Best Overall Player in Finals History - This one is easy. 
Best Shot in Finals history - 
Just to update my earlier post, Compassion International has informed me that our destination will be the Dominican Republic. They are finalizing the details this week; I will be sure to keep you posted on what we will be doing while there. My travel dates will be October 24-30. I am more than excited about this opportunity!!! Please squeeze this into your prayers over the next few months, I really appreciate it. Now, off to get a passport!!!
Last fall I informed some friends and family that Tony Wolf Productions intended to start reaching outside of the US borders and into the missions field. I asked for their prayer and support in making this happen. In March, Ryan O’Quinn (a representative from Compassion International) flew out from California to see me speak and minister with some folks in the Quad Cities area. This weekend I received word that I will be headed to an unnamed location in late October to be part of a missions project and learn the “in’s and out’s” of what Compassion does in the field. They are also sending a video crew with me to do a short film to post on my blog, site and such in order to let people involved in our ministry know more about Compassion. I’m hoping it may be the Philippines. That is where our little girl, Kayla, is. I will post further details as they are made available to me. If you wish to sponsor a child, just click on the Compassion link just below this post on the right – they make it easy for you. It is a wonderful and very personal experience and it’s very affordable. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know. Thank you for your prayers on this!!! Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!
