At Last

Finally, after five years of knowing one another and being deeply in love, Whitney and I are married. Our wedding day was very emotional for us and our families. It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon and evening, and we enjoyed the company of our close friends and family who were able to join us in the celebration. I will definitely let everyone know when our proofs are available on Cassidy's web site. Everyone and everything looked great, and we were pleased to have Cassidy document our special day.

Now, we are on our honeymoon. I wanted to take a quick moment and share a few pictures. All of the pictures were taken with the Canon Powershot SD1000 with which I surprised Whitney. It has turned out to be a great wedding gift.

We stayed at the Cincinnatian Hotel on our wedding night. The next morning we left to arrive here in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We are spending four nights in a gorgeous chalet and will then travel to Asheville, North Carolina for a night followed by Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Lastly, we will visit my friend Ryan Helbach in Washington D.C. for a few days.











































Enjoy the pictures! We look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Love,
Damon & Whitney Givens

Home Sweet Home

This past weekend, Whitney and I had the pleasure of moving into our new apartment, part of Kenzi Estates, in Evansville, Indiana. Planes Moving and Storage picked up our belongings on Thursday, May 8 and delivered them bright and early to our new home at 1200 Kiwi Court on Saturday, May 10. Although I was very thankful that I did not have to do a lot of heavy lifting, my back was still extremely sore from sleeping on the floor of the apartment the night before they arrived.

Before adding some much needed decorations, the apartment was not atypical. It was very white and very neutral. Blah.





Piles of boxes were definitely not my initial idea for decorating the apartment.








This is much better. It quickly became home for Whitney and I. We felt very comfortable in our new apartment, even though we were five hours from home.

You can see our wonderful painting peeking out from the hallway. See Cassidy's blog for more on that work of art.

It is still going to require a little work, but the worst is over. We will no longer be worrying about the move. Now, we just have to concentrate on the wedding.

From Buckeyes to Hoosiers

I realize now how badly I have neglected my blog. Although I only try to post when I have a good subject, I apologize for not keeping it up to date with the latest breaking news. I have plenty built up for an informative post.

It has certainly been very exciting in the life of Whitney and I. I noted in my last few posts that I was finished with college classes and that I accepted a position with SABIC Innovative Plastics at their manufacturing plant in Mt. Vernon, Indiana. Now, I can gladly say that I am finished with college completely. I recently received confirmation of my graduation and, as far as I know, it will be with highest honor. I also took the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam on April 12 in Athens, which is the first step, other than obtaining an engineering degree, to becoming a licensed engineer or professional engineer (P.E.). Needless to say, I am overjoyed that I don't have anymore studying or eight-hour exams in my near future. Since my Walk to Emmaus and other enlightening events in my life, I am able to truly realize and appreciate the gifts that God has blessed me with. Without Him and these skills, with which I have been undeservedly blessed, these milestones could not have been reached.

The acceptance of the job in Indiana necessitated an apartment hunting trip. So, after doing a little research, and with the help of our unnamed friend simply known as the Garmin nuvi 200w, Whitney and I set off for the Evansville area during the last weekend in March. Less than five hours later, we arrived at our destination. During the next two days, we looked at several apartments and duplexes and kept a lookout for houses in the area that were for rent. I must digress for just a moment to mention the little town of New Harmony, Indiana. Wow. It is gorgeous, and I want to live there. It has some interesting history on Wikipedia.

Anyway, we decided on an apartment at a complex known as Kenzi Estates. Other than a 40-minute drive for me to work, we liked everything about it. We are looking forward to the move which is quickly approaching. The moving company will be picking up our belongings on May 8, including some wonderful furniture courtesy of the Lloyd Company in Bainbridge and Kirk's Furniture in New Holland. I highly recommend them both. I am very thankful for all of our family and friends who have offered to help and/or donated furniture to Whitney and I.

Of course, my graduation and exam and our upcoming move have required most of our attention lately, but May 31 is another date which is looming over the horizon and we have plenty to do with respect to the wedding and reception. We are counting the days. Although it has been a little busy and certainly stressful at times, we are excited about our wedding and the beginning of our new life together.

Our honeymoon in Gatlinburg, Tennessee will be a welcome break from all of the excitement we encountered throughout April and May. Before we head home to pack the last of our belongings and to attend my graduation commencement ceremony, we will spend a couple of days in Washington D.C. to see the sites and a good friend of mine from college.

Now that my blog is back up to speed, I want to mention something important that was brought to my attention. A very nice lady arrived at my house this past week to conduct a pre-move survey to determine what exactly Whitney and I will be taking with us when we relocate. We made small talk about the area to which we are moving, marriage, my job, etc. In the course of my explanation, I realized, with her help, how blessed I truly am. Do not get me wrong, I have not take everything in my life up to this point for granted. I just mean that there are times when I do not realize how good that I have it. It was one of those moments that struck me like lighting. I needed it.

Man of Science and God

Some have probably given up on me and thought this blog was forever abandoned. I assure you that this is not the case. Once again, I have saved up for a particularly important post.

First, as of today I am finished with classes for my college career to this point. Although I do not see myself returning for a Master's degree or a Ph. D., I won't say that I am finished with college forever. I am glad that it is over for the time being. Now, only a week of finals and final papers stand between me and my ultimate academic goal of graduating summa cum laude (with highest honor).

The real subject I want to discuss involves a dilemma which has recently come into play in my life and will certainly haunt me as long as I live. It began to be significant when I started college and a major relationship with Whitney. I have heard numerous people deny that it is a problem at all, or they simply engage in selective hearing. That is not an answer to the problem for me.

As an engineering student, I have listened to my fair share of science and theories. I have been taught how to think critically and analyze problems based on the facts given. Most of this will have no bearing on my faith, or anyone else's for that matter. However, theories of the origin of species, natural selection, and evolution, for example, can be quite upsetting and even damaging to one's beliefs.

I have taken an English class this quarter in which we have read Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species, The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, and Sigmund Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents. Here, I must stick to my experiences with the work of Darwin, but I could certainly spend a blog post or two on these other titles that I have mentioned. Keep in mind that these three literary works are some of the most influential and revolutionary in our world's history. Of course, I can name a book, which I prefer, that has had an effect far greater than the three combined.

Without going into any unnecessary detail, I will tell you that some of Darwin's ideas, as you may already know, conflict with those of Christians such as the Creation. Remember, I am just using Darwin and evolution as an example. Science has many branches. Now, I could choose to forget everything I have learned on such controversial subjects and continue living life as it was before it was complicated by this thing called science. I could also take another path which would eventually lead to abandoning my faith and religious beliefs altogether. This is the dilemma which I mentioned previously. It is a constant battle between the way I live and the way I will make a living. Rest assured. I have no intention of forsaking my beliefs.

It is not acceptable for me to give up science in order to make this struggle easier no more than it is admissible for me to deny the existence of God. I have been gifted with skills that have fostered my engineering education and an insatiable desire for learning, both of which I intend to use to the fullest extent. The benefit of society and the environment are both ultimate goals of my career and of the engineering profession.

So, how does someone, in such a position, manage these forces? How does someone use everyday for their occupation the same tools of science which have given rise to the opposition of their beliefs? Some have found a compromise between science and God, which I believe is the best route to take. I think Darwin said it best in his conclusion:

"I see no good reason why the views given in this volume should shock the religious feelings of any one." He also quotes from a celebrated author who wrote to him that "he has gradually learnt to see that it is just as noble a conception of the Deity to believe that He created a few original forms capable of self-development into other and needful forms, as to believe that He required a fresh act of creation to supply the voids caused by the action of His laws."

Although science, in one form or another, may challenge your beliefs, you must simply stand strong. Do not let your faith be shaken by anything. Apart from this simple conclusion, I can say nothing else. It is a situation that I must constantly evaluate.

Decisions Decisions

It has been a while, but it is for a good reason. I only blog when I have a subject worth mentioning.

Since my last post in November, a lot has taken place. First, I finished my co-op assignment with SABIC Innovative Plastics, formerly GE Plastics, in Parkersburg, West Virginia. It was a bittersweet departure. I gained a lot of worthwhile experience during the six months at the plastic manufacturing plant as well as a very good friend. Brian Reed, my mentor and engineer with whom I worked nearly everyday, taught me countless invaluable lessons during my stay. He is truly a wonderful Christian man and good role model.

Although it was tough to leave it all behind, it was great to get back home and enjoy the holidays with my family and the Halls. Naturally, it involved a lot of excessive eating, weight gain, and fellowship. It could not have been better. Whitney and I also enjoyed another fantastic performance by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in Columbus after a lovely dinner at Buca di Beppo.

Now, for the more exciting and important news. I pursued an interviewing opportunity with Timken in Canton, Ohio during the month of October and another with SABIC IP near Albany, New York in December. My first commercial flying experience turned out to be quite enjoyable even though it was very cold and snowing most of the time. While in New York, I received an offer from Timken. On the day that I left Parkersburg, I received an offer from SABIC IP. So, this made for a difficult decision for Whitney and I to make. We tried to see the big picture and consider all portions of each offer including the cost of living in those areas in which we might live. After consideration, we decided to accept the offer from SABIC IP for a position in their two-year program known as the Operations Development Program. The job will require relocation to Mt. Vernon, Indiana just west of Evansville. It is roughly six hours from the Chillicothe area.

I have to say that I am truly blessed to have the loving support of Whitney. Without her help, the decision and our future move would be near impossible. For her to be willing to stick with me blows my mind every time I think about it. Her patience and reassurance is refreshing. I am glad I do not have to face this challenge alone.

I moved back to Athens on Friday, January 4. Classes started today. By the looks of it, it should be a fairly light quarter with respect to work load. That will definitely be a change considering last year.

As our future plans develop, I will be sure to post the information. We appreciate the prayers.

Engagement Pictures

I am truly blessed to have two wonderful families. Just when I thought that having one loving and supportive family was the best blessing ever, I met Whitney and I am received into yet another. The Halls (this is meant to be collective and includes the newly-wed Brunings and Drummonds also) have influenced me and have made me who I am just as much as my own family.

On that note, one specific perk of being part of the Hall clan is having a gifted photographer as a soon-to-be sister-in-law. Although I may be somewhat biased, I have always enjoyed Cassidy's style and perspective. We all have our special gifts. She has definitely mastered the art of photography as far as I am concerned. I have a little to learn before I win any awards. My pictures leave something (maybe a lot of things) to be desired. I will stick to my math and science.

This past Saturday, Whitney and I had were privileged to have an engagement shoot with Cassidy in Maysville, Kentucky. It is a beautiful town with plenty of opportunities in regard to photographs. We shuffled around a two block area near Cassidy and Justin's apartment most of the afternoon. The weather was also on our side. I encourage you to take a look at Cassidy's blog if you have not already. She was nice enough to post our most exciting picture of the day.

Wherever I go, I surround myself with pictures of those I love to remind me of home. I can't wait to get a few more of me and my future bride.

The Real World

Everyone knows a time of a time in their life when everything seemed overwhelming, messy, confusing, frustrating, or just plain crazy. I see such an era quickly approaching. The job search is heating up. School will start again in January. Graduation will be in March. Depending on the location of my job, I will be looking for a house during this time...somewhere. Of course, the most joyous occasion will be marriage to Whitney on May 31.

Right now, it seems like a lot to take place in the next few months. Fortunately, I have the guidance and advice of friends and family. Most of all, I will put my trust in the Lord. A close friend of mine from work reminded me that He will guide me. I pray for open ears and eyes to hear and see where I should go. The most difficult thing I will have to do is resist the urge to try and control the situation according to my own will.

Anyway, I want to take this opportunity to bring those interested up to speed on my job search. I have had interviews on campus in Athens with The Timken Company in Canton and Babcock & Wilcox in Cleveland. I will be traveling to Canton sometime next month for a tour of The Timken Company's facilities and a final round of interviews. I have also had phone interviews with AEP in Columbus and U.S. Steel in northern Ohio. I expect to schedule an interview with AEP in the near future. Finally, I have an interview this Friday with Weastec, Inc. in Hillsboro for a position in Dublin.

As things continue to get messier and crazier with each day, I continue to pray for strength and guidance to make the best possible decisions to benefit me, Whitney, and the family we plan to start someday. I hope for a job that allows us to stay in the area near family, but we must take it one day at a time. The first job does not have to last a lifetime.

Do not fear the future or the unknown. Accept what happens and adapt as necessary. Everything happens for a reason. It makes us who we are.