Daddy.
There he is - asleep.
He's on the couch.
He's too big for the couch.
He's twisted like a pretzel.
The fan is spinning.
I'm hungry.
I will wake him up now to feed me.
Oh look the sun isn't up yet.
I need to turn on a light.
This one over his face looks perfect!
His lower back looks comfy.
I shall jump on it now to show him how much I love him.
bounce
bounce
bounce
bounce
Daddy's eyes are open.
He's so proud of me for being quiet on a saturday morning that he can't even speak.
"Good morning Daddy!!!!! It's Saturday - wake up you sleepy head."
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Surgery Day
I cannot believe the span of time which has flown by. It has been the quickest yet longest time of my life if that makes any sense. Holding down a full time day job, running my own business, tending to three precious girls and being the rock of support for my wife takes a lot of time. So tonight I'm pausing to reflect on my wife and the journey which we started so many months ago.
In my last post I said that I was going to use this as a blog where I'd post my feelings and lend some support to husbands going through as the lead support member for a wife fighting cancer. The truth is, I simply don't know how I feel. I've had to compartmentalize my feelings in such a way as to not disrupt any other area of my life. If I unwound it wouldn't be beneficial to anyone. Maybe that is my first piece of advice. Gentlemen, if you ever have to go through this with your spouse - suck it up and simply be a man. Keep the job sound and benefits secure. Take care of your children and answer honestly without scaring their tender hearts. No matter how scared you are, don't cry in front of them. Take a trip to home depot and cry in the power tool section. That is the one place that other men won't give two hoots if you're crying or not. You'll see many men sobbing over tools they can't afford and you'll fit right in. I've done it. I am not ashamed.
My wife started chemo on April 8, 2011 when she was 34. She had her second one on her 35th birthday, third on my birthday, 4th on a vacant weekend, 5 on july 4th weekend, and the 6th just before school started. It has been an emotional blender.
We started the morning of April 8th not knowing what to think, what to expect. I assumed my role as supportive husband and took my position in the waiting area outside the "Chemo Hut" as the brave patients at the hospital have coined the infusion room. By her side every step of the way sat her mommy - an eight year survivor herself. Time drug on and we were there for about 6 hours for her first treatment. It is amazing to me how much medicines have advanced in just the past few years. The doctors have been incredible - never scaring us, always informing us and I am humbled by their knowledge. With the first treatment over, now we had to wait to see what side effects would hit her. Everyone reacts differently.
As we settled into our routine, we somehow found ways to laugh. I know that laughter and positive attitudes really do make a difference. So I decided early on to be an ear when she needed to talk, be a shoulder when she needed to cry, but more than anything -provide a sense of normalcy and stability by acting like the same ole chubby dumbass just as I have for almost 10 years. 14 days in, I was shaving her head because her hair had started falling out just as her oncologist said it would. The preciseness of information is totally amazing to me.
This has been our routine over the past 5 months. Every three weeks like clockwork, we made the trip to the Chemo Hut for her treatments. She drug me on 2 mile walks after the first two treatments but we haven't been walking since. We need to start back up in a few but it has been really hot and she doesn't need that stress. Her last treatment was 5 weeks ago.
Neither cancer nor the medicines discriminate. Cancer doesn't care if you skinny, fat, black, white, nice, mean, a parent, a child, a spouse. The treatments don't care if it is a perfectly healthy cell, or a malignant tumor cell. The medicine's job is to kill everything. The only reason you don't die from chemo is because the healthy cells regenerate faster than the tumor cells. Still, chemo is brutal for the patients and it's heart breaking for the support team. My wife has the most gorgeous eyes, adorned by long eyelashes that just flutter and wave at you when she smiles. I can't wait for them to grow back. Of course, as always, my wife is simply stunning, with or without hair.
After the third treatment, we had to take her in for a bone scan and MRI. Both of these tests came back clear and I said many prayers of thanks. She also had a genetic test which came back negative and the HER2 test came back negative. From what the doctors could tell, her tumor would probably be a slow growing non-inflammatory type. That left us wondering how long she has already been a cancer survivor. You see, her doctors keep reinforcing that if you have lived one day with cancer, you are in fact a cancer survivor. Survival, Love, Faith, Hope. These are words which we have clung to for months. In fact, I wrap myself in them as a blanket each night as I drift off to sleep.
The MRI after the 4th treatment also showed that the tumors haven't shrunk that much. There are three tumors, 7cm, 1.3cm and 1.6cm on the right side and she tested positive for malignancy in the L1 lymph node in her armpit. The doctor told us that they probably won't shrink that much at this rate so he wanted to tweak her regimen and add Avastin to her IV bags. Avastin is actually a colo-rectal chemotherapy that is being used off label with good success in the treatment of breast cancer. It's controversial because it's really expensive. However - who cares what it costs as long as it works, right? I've had shots of Avastin in my eye for the treatment of a retinal hemangioma. However, I haven't had a whole IV bag. Just a little made me tired. Avastin specializes in basically cutting off the food supply for tumors and lets the main regimen really do its work. I knew at this point, she would be having more side effects and would more time to rest.
She proved me wrong. I am married to a cyborg of some sort. She is a machine who takes chemo, gets knocked down for a few days, picks herself back up and goes "ok now I need to get the girls ready for school, shop the thrift shops, refinish a few pieces of furniture..." She is incredible and has taught me how to be a better person in the last 4 months.
Chemos 4-6 just seemed to fly by and the doctors increased her Avastin dosage with each treatment. Somehow we found time to take a quick vacation to the beach even for just a few days. Sun, fun, giggles with the children, walks on the beach and time to unwind and take a deep breath. Then back to reality.
The last 9 weeks have been insane. Non-stop action with doctor appointments, school starting, family in town and even garage sales. You can't have nice summer days without a garage sale. During all of this she has refused to let cancer get her down. Sure she says she a little tired, in a little pain but she refuses to let his get her down. She fights like a girl and I am amazed that she has not really complained at all.
Tonight I sit in the hospital room watching her through this phase of her journey. I have the hum of the pneumatic bed and the glow of the laptop screen to keep me company and my friends and family on the internet to help keep my spirits up. I love you all for you words of encouragement and support. This has been a long, long day. This morning at 430am, we got up and grabbed the bag and headed to the hospital for her surgery. Since the tumors really didn't shrink that much we knew that she was facing a mastectomy. "Whatever it takes" has been her mantra since diagnosis. She lives by this every day. You see we have three of the most precious daughters that anyone could ever ask for depending on mommy getting better. Daddy depends on her getting better too.
Surprise visits from friends and family and new friends today have made it a lot easier on me. Thankfully she has rested well as the day has progresed. Seeing your spouse going through something like this is ... horrible. That is an understatement. I wish we had the technology to just take this cancer out of her and put it in me. Let me have to suffer the chemo and surgery, upcoming radiation and more surgery. Let me be the one laying in the bed in pain with drain tubes stuck in my side. Let me be the one.
But it doesn't work that way. Cancer is a honey badger - it simply doesn't care. All I can do is be supportive - no matter how scared or frustrated I am. I do this proudly and without ceasing - without question. God sent me an angel almost 10 years ago. He as seen us through quite a bit over the years and has never left our sides. Looking back, we may only see one set of footsteps but that is when He was carrying us when we could no longer walk by His side. I have no doubt what-so-ever that tonight He is in this room doing His miracles.
My wife is stunning. She is a beautiful warrior in pink. She is my teacher and I am her student, sitting here in utter amazement. If my feminine side is half the woman which she is, I am a better man. So gentlemen, for now, if you are reading this and starting down a similar journey I have one piece of advice. Suck it up and fight like a girl.
In my last post I said that I was going to use this as a blog where I'd post my feelings and lend some support to husbands going through as the lead support member for a wife fighting cancer. The truth is, I simply don't know how I feel. I've had to compartmentalize my feelings in such a way as to not disrupt any other area of my life. If I unwound it wouldn't be beneficial to anyone. Maybe that is my first piece of advice. Gentlemen, if you ever have to go through this with your spouse - suck it up and simply be a man. Keep the job sound and benefits secure. Take care of your children and answer honestly without scaring their tender hearts. No matter how scared you are, don't cry in front of them. Take a trip to home depot and cry in the power tool section. That is the one place that other men won't give two hoots if you're crying or not. You'll see many men sobbing over tools they can't afford and you'll fit right in. I've done it. I am not ashamed.
My wife started chemo on April 8, 2011 when she was 34. She had her second one on her 35th birthday, third on my birthday, 4th on a vacant weekend, 5 on july 4th weekend, and the 6th just before school started. It has been an emotional blender.
We started the morning of April 8th not knowing what to think, what to expect. I assumed my role as supportive husband and took my position in the waiting area outside the "Chemo Hut" as the brave patients at the hospital have coined the infusion room. By her side every step of the way sat her mommy - an eight year survivor herself. Time drug on and we were there for about 6 hours for her first treatment. It is amazing to me how much medicines have advanced in just the past few years. The doctors have been incredible - never scaring us, always informing us and I am humbled by their knowledge. With the first treatment over, now we had to wait to see what side effects would hit her. Everyone reacts differently.
As we settled into our routine, we somehow found ways to laugh. I know that laughter and positive attitudes really do make a difference. So I decided early on to be an ear when she needed to talk, be a shoulder when she needed to cry, but more than anything -provide a sense of normalcy and stability by acting like the same ole chubby dumbass just as I have for almost 10 years. 14 days in, I was shaving her head because her hair had started falling out just as her oncologist said it would. The preciseness of information is totally amazing to me.
This has been our routine over the past 5 months. Every three weeks like clockwork, we made the trip to the Chemo Hut for her treatments. She drug me on 2 mile walks after the first two treatments but we haven't been walking since. We need to start back up in a few but it has been really hot and she doesn't need that stress. Her last treatment was 5 weeks ago.
Neither cancer nor the medicines discriminate. Cancer doesn't care if you skinny, fat, black, white, nice, mean, a parent, a child, a spouse. The treatments don't care if it is a perfectly healthy cell, or a malignant tumor cell. The medicine's job is to kill everything. The only reason you don't die from chemo is because the healthy cells regenerate faster than the tumor cells. Still, chemo is brutal for the patients and it's heart breaking for the support team. My wife has the most gorgeous eyes, adorned by long eyelashes that just flutter and wave at you when she smiles. I can't wait for them to grow back. Of course, as always, my wife is simply stunning, with or without hair.
After the third treatment, we had to take her in for a bone scan and MRI. Both of these tests came back clear and I said many prayers of thanks. She also had a genetic test which came back negative and the HER2 test came back negative. From what the doctors could tell, her tumor would probably be a slow growing non-inflammatory type. That left us wondering how long she has already been a cancer survivor. You see, her doctors keep reinforcing that if you have lived one day with cancer, you are in fact a cancer survivor. Survival, Love, Faith, Hope. These are words which we have clung to for months. In fact, I wrap myself in them as a blanket each night as I drift off to sleep.
The MRI after the 4th treatment also showed that the tumors haven't shrunk that much. There are three tumors, 7cm, 1.3cm and 1.6cm on the right side and she tested positive for malignancy in the L1 lymph node in her armpit. The doctor told us that they probably won't shrink that much at this rate so he wanted to tweak her regimen and add Avastin to her IV bags. Avastin is actually a colo-rectal chemotherapy that is being used off label with good success in the treatment of breast cancer. It's controversial because it's really expensive. However - who cares what it costs as long as it works, right? I've had shots of Avastin in my eye for the treatment of a retinal hemangioma. However, I haven't had a whole IV bag. Just a little made me tired. Avastin specializes in basically cutting off the food supply for tumors and lets the main regimen really do its work. I knew at this point, she would be having more side effects and would more time to rest.
She proved me wrong. I am married to a cyborg of some sort. She is a machine who takes chemo, gets knocked down for a few days, picks herself back up and goes "ok now I need to get the girls ready for school, shop the thrift shops, refinish a few pieces of furniture..." She is incredible and has taught me how to be a better person in the last 4 months.
Chemos 4-6 just seemed to fly by and the doctors increased her Avastin dosage with each treatment. Somehow we found time to take a quick vacation to the beach even for just a few days. Sun, fun, giggles with the children, walks on the beach and time to unwind and take a deep breath. Then back to reality.
The last 9 weeks have been insane. Non-stop action with doctor appointments, school starting, family in town and even garage sales. You can't have nice summer days without a garage sale. During all of this she has refused to let cancer get her down. Sure she says she a little tired, in a little pain but she refuses to let his get her down. She fights like a girl and I am amazed that she has not really complained at all.
Tonight I sit in the hospital room watching her through this phase of her journey. I have the hum of the pneumatic bed and the glow of the laptop screen to keep me company and my friends and family on the internet to help keep my spirits up. I love you all for you words of encouragement and support. This has been a long, long day. This morning at 430am, we got up and grabbed the bag and headed to the hospital for her surgery. Since the tumors really didn't shrink that much we knew that she was facing a mastectomy. "Whatever it takes" has been her mantra since diagnosis. She lives by this every day. You see we have three of the most precious daughters that anyone could ever ask for depending on mommy getting better. Daddy depends on her getting better too.
Surprise visits from friends and family and new friends today have made it a lot easier on me. Thankfully she has rested well as the day has progresed. Seeing your spouse going through something like this is ... horrible. That is an understatement. I wish we had the technology to just take this cancer out of her and put it in me. Let me have to suffer the chemo and surgery, upcoming radiation and more surgery. Let me be the one laying in the bed in pain with drain tubes stuck in my side. Let me be the one.
But it doesn't work that way. Cancer is a honey badger - it simply doesn't care. All I can do is be supportive - no matter how scared or frustrated I am. I do this proudly and without ceasing - without question. God sent me an angel almost 10 years ago. He as seen us through quite a bit over the years and has never left our sides. Looking back, we may only see one set of footsteps but that is when He was carrying us when we could no longer walk by His side. I have no doubt what-so-ever that tonight He is in this room doing His miracles.
My wife is stunning. She is a beautiful warrior in pink. She is my teacher and I am her student, sitting here in utter amazement. If my feminine side is half the woman which she is, I am a better man. So gentlemen, for now, if you are reading this and starting down a similar journey I have one piece of advice. Suck it up and fight like a girl.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Confirmation
Test results back in and Christina has Invasive Ductal Carcinoma breast cancer with malignancy in a lymph node biopsy. My heart is broken for her but she is an incredible woman I have no doubts at all that she is going to pull through this and come out stronger on the other side. We made the decision to at least start to tell the children about what is going on. She decided that it would be easier coming from her because Daddy can be intimidating even though I don't mean to be. I agree with her. Easing them into this new reality as innocently and honestly as possible is the way we're going to go. I can tell right now, those three precious girls are going to be a great support for us as we take this journey as a family. May God just wrap us all in a big hug and let the laughter and giggles continue even in this tough time we face.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Nightmare
I don't think I'll ever forget March 23, 2011. My wife of 8 years, my soul-mate and best friend stood quietly in the kitchen, face in hands, alone and silently crying. She didn't have to say a word. The doctor visit didn't go as planned and bad news would soon be shared. A lump discovered only weeks earlier was preliminarily diagnosed as breast cancer. My heart sank in a swamp of fear. Whenever the "C" word is uttered in your house, or to someone you know, you can't help but fear for the worst, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been placed at your feet.
The doctors said that the imaging didn't look good and conducted a biopsy right there on the spot without her having any support in the waiting room. She then had to drive herself, most likely terrified and still in shock. Her mother, whom I love dearly, is an 8+ year survivor herself. I'm sure there was a lot of hugging and support when she stopped by to see her mom as she is one of the strongest and inspirational women I know.
The last six days have been rough. Yesterday the biopsy results came back atypical meaning something is going on but they didn't have enough sampling from the biopsy for testing. At least that is my understanding. We are at, what i believe is, the best hospital in the region for cancer treatment- UT Knoxville Cancer Center. Her doctor has treated several people I know, and I trust this team of specialists and surgeons with my life and am therefore comfortable with my wife in their care. God has blessed them with healing and that is all I can ask for. He will work His miracles through their hands.
Over the past years, this blog has been mostly about the funny things which my daughters do on a daily basis. That will still be the case because they are a source of strength for me and my wife and are just hysterical in what they do, however, I think I'm going to paint the Dude Room pink in the coming days and maybe even make a sub-blog of my experiences and feelings as a husband of someone who is traveling down the same road. When I make an entry, I'll post the link on FaceBook. Husbands have a need to fix things and in this case, I can't fix it and it's causing a lot of pain on my own part. I know other men are going through this with their wives. Perhaps it will be my own emotional healing and help other husbands who have to walk a similar path one day.
Thank you for reading and your support.
The doctors said that the imaging didn't look good and conducted a biopsy right there on the spot without her having any support in the waiting room. She then had to drive herself, most likely terrified and still in shock. Her mother, whom I love dearly, is an 8+ year survivor herself. I'm sure there was a lot of hugging and support when she stopped by to see her mom as she is one of the strongest and inspirational women I know.
The last six days have been rough. Yesterday the biopsy results came back atypical meaning something is going on but they didn't have enough sampling from the biopsy for testing. At least that is my understanding. We are at, what i believe is, the best hospital in the region for cancer treatment- UT Knoxville Cancer Center. Her doctor has treated several people I know, and I trust this team of specialists and surgeons with my life and am therefore comfortable with my wife in their care. God has blessed them with healing and that is all I can ask for. He will work His miracles through their hands.
Over the past years, this blog has been mostly about the funny things which my daughters do on a daily basis. That will still be the case because they are a source of strength for me and my wife and are just hysterical in what they do, however, I think I'm going to paint the Dude Room pink in the coming days and maybe even make a sub-blog of my experiences and feelings as a husband of someone who is traveling down the same road. When I make an entry, I'll post the link on FaceBook. Husbands have a need to fix things and in this case, I can't fix it and it's causing a lot of pain on my own part. I know other men are going through this with their wives. Perhaps it will be my own emotional healing and help other husbands who have to walk a similar path one day.
Thank you for reading and your support.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Kibble
While tucking my youngest into bed late last night before retiring myself, I noticed that her pillow smelled oddly of dog food. "Perhaps the dog was laying up here with her?" I questioned silently. Scooping her up in my arms for one last hug and kiss, I felt dog food under her back. I followed the trail up and underneath her pillow I found some hair bands, hairbrush, comb, a book, some assorted Halloween trinkets and a tidy pile of dog food about the size of a small coffee cup. Rather than wake her up and clean it, I shrugged and laid her back down, soundly, to slumber the rest of the evening on her secret stash. In the morning I asked her about her treasures.
"Baby why do you have dog food under your pillow?"
"In case the doggies get hungry in the middle of the night." she said.
"Well baby I lock them in the bathroom at night where they sleep."
"No you didn't!" she exclaimed.
"Sweety, they are still locked in there." I said as I pointed to the door.
Realizing I had her in checkmate, she smiled and questioned "I love you daddy?"
"I love you too, Lydi-girl."
"Baby why do you have dog food under your pillow?"
"In case the doggies get hungry in the middle of the night." she said.
"Well baby I lock them in the bathroom at night where they sleep."
"No you didn't!" she exclaimed.
"Sweety, they are still locked in there." I said as I pointed to the door.
Realizing I had her in checkmate, she smiled and questioned "I love you daddy?"
"I love you too, Lydi-girl."
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Cleanupinator
Saturday was a day where daddy had some work to do and mommy wasn't feeling too well due to a headache. I asked the girls to go play rather than just stay glued to the floor in front of the TV. The two younger girls decided to go upstairs and cause yet-to-be-seen damage in the playroom. My oldest daughter decided to go to her room for some "me time".
From the den, I kept hearing sighs and soft exclamations of exhasperation like "why won't you just work?" This kept up for about 30 minutes. I figured she would come talk to me despite and overwhelming urge to sneak around the corner and just watch her little creative mind at work. I could tell she was in deep contemplation about something and just decided to let her figure it out on her own. Quietly a little red head appeared from around the corner and a big tear rolled down her face.
"What's wrong baby?" I asked.
"The Cleanupinator doesn't work." she said sadly.
"What's the Cleanupinator?" I asked.
She handed me a napkin with a neatly drawn almost-to-scale schematic as shown above. It appeared to be a table with voodoo dolls taking a shower and then a map to a worm hole in the space-time continuum. After a little explanation from her, I realized that her little entrepreneur mind is already at work coming up with the next big thing, just like her Daddy. See, the Cleanupinator is a brilliant attempt by a 6 year old to understand the basic laws of physics by swinging a pencil on a rope to push her dollies off her night table into a basket so she can then put them away when she cleans her room.
This turned into a 30 minute science experiment in the kitchen and a discussion on Newtonian laws as to why swinging a pencil on a piece of string can knock a hair clip across the table but barely makes an apple wobble.
She quickly understood that there wasn't enough mass in the pencil to knock her dolls off her nightstand and said "I guess i need to swing something heavier than a pencil to knock the dolls into the basket."
Watch out world. Baby, you will change the world for the better one day.
Daddy loves you.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Fruitcake
I have just decided to get back into regular blogging. I have to record this stuff because I think my daughters will just love it when they are older. I know I will.
This is a quick conversation I just had with Emma, my oldest daughter.
"Daddy was King Arthur real?"
"I'm not sure baby. Some think so, some think he was just a myth."
"Daddy what's a myth?"
"Well it's really just something that is passed from person to person. It's a story, usually with a moral, that is handed down like folklore."
At this point I was expecting her to ask about folklore.
Wide-eyed she responded, after a short pause, "Passed on kind of like a fruitcake?"
"Yes baby, like a fruitcake."
This is a quick conversation I just had with Emma, my oldest daughter.
"Daddy was King Arthur real?"
"I'm not sure baby. Some think so, some think he was just a myth."
"Daddy what's a myth?"
"Well it's really just something that is passed from person to person. It's a story, usually with a moral, that is handed down like folklore."
At this point I was expecting her to ask about folklore.
Wide-eyed she responded, after a short pause, "Passed on kind of like a fruitcake?"
"Yes baby, like a fruitcake."
Friday, June 4, 2010
Home
06/09: I was working 60-70 hours per week on a massive project @ work. I prayed that God put me in a position where I could spend more time with my family, "regardless of the cost".
07/09 - 09/09: Sales @ work drop like a rock for one reason or another. My boss graciously gives me 30 days notice that my position is being terminated. I still respect him for the soft landing he provided for me. Being cut to only part time forced me to use IRAs to make ends meet. Financial penalties paid for early withdrawal.
09/20/09: Drove from Maryville TN to Columbus OH and back on the same day for an interview with my present employer.
09/23/09: Position offered and accepted.
10/04/09: First weekly commute to Columbus.
10/05/09: First day of work.
Over the next 8 months I would make weekly commutes between my home life and work life. My beautiful wife showed her strength and determination as she kept our home in top working order, managing 3 little girls, housework, and finding time here and there for "me time."
Along the way, God kept reminding me how lucky I was to have a job in this economy. He kept putting people in front of me, in need of money or food. As recently as last Friday, I was able to help a young lady stranded at a gas station in Knoxville get home to her family in Chattanooga with $20 to cover gas.
The pain of leaving to go to Columbus every Sunday over the past eight months has been brutal - a very painful cost physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Every time I walked the dogs on the weekend, I'd turn around and look at our little house and thank Him for the job He gave to us, and also prayed that the house would sell or I would be offered a job here at home. I was offered a job closer to home a few months ago but turned it down due to religious beliefs. Being closer to home and having more money sounded good, but I couldn't sell myself out and prey on the poor working for a payday advance company.
This past Monday I was formally offered a position in Nashville. It was with a great company and closer to home. Moving to Nashville would be better for our family in every way compared to Columbus. I accepted the offer and tendered my 2 week notice at my present employer. I prepared to continue hotel life during the week until the house sold.
My resignation this week came as a shock. It was very hard for me to do. I love my job. I did cry in front of the CEO as I handed her my resignation. I don't count that as a sign of weakness by the way. The people I work with have truly become my extended family and I was going to miss them dearly. Sadly, she accepted my resignation and said she would talk to my direct boss and explain the situation.
I sat in the office working on my current project and my boss walks in and said "would you stay on if you could just work from home?" Silence. No crickets, no cars passing outside, no hum from the computer. The words were totally deafening to me. "For how long?" I asked. "There is no reason you can't work from home – we're programmers and can work from anywhere. You have proven yourself with your knowledge, rapid learning, good programming, and your dedication to drive up here week after week. We don't want to lose you at all."
Needless to say, I accepted that offer. I start working from home the week after next. I will still have to drive up there probably once a quarter for planning meetings, but the working arrangement is permanent with the same pay and benefits. The working conditions are mine alone to mess up.
Compared to my friends who have been through tougher times of sickness, joblessness, or losing a family member, the price I have paid is just a shadow of their pain. However, not being able to hold your spouse and not being able to tuck your children into bed at night, or not being able to live in your own home wears on you in all aspects and is quite painful in its own right.
My faith in God has grown 10 fold during this time. My love for my friends and family by the same measure. I hope that God continues to put me in a position where I can help strangers out. I hope that my family will begin to go to Church so that they have the same peace of mind that I have as I rest each night in the loving hands of my God. I have no doubt that He is the great creator and master of all. I hope that God blesses my friends and family richly just as He has blessed my family. There are no coincidences in life. I firmly believe that now more than ever.
Children, Daddy will be tucking you in each night again. Happy and grateful, I have once again started to blog about our adventures. For now, I'm going outside to remove the for-sale sign from the yard.
07/09 - 09/09: Sales @ work drop like a rock for one reason or another. My boss graciously gives me 30 days notice that my position is being terminated. I still respect him for the soft landing he provided for me. Being cut to only part time forced me to use IRAs to make ends meet. Financial penalties paid for early withdrawal.
09/20/09: Drove from Maryville TN to Columbus OH and back on the same day for an interview with my present employer.
09/23/09: Position offered and accepted.
10/04/09: First weekly commute to Columbus.
10/05/09: First day of work.
Over the next 8 months I would make weekly commutes between my home life and work life. My beautiful wife showed her strength and determination as she kept our home in top working order, managing 3 little girls, housework, and finding time here and there for "me time."
Along the way, God kept reminding me how lucky I was to have a job in this economy. He kept putting people in front of me, in need of money or food. As recently as last Friday, I was able to help a young lady stranded at a gas station in Knoxville get home to her family in Chattanooga with $20 to cover gas.
The pain of leaving to go to Columbus every Sunday over the past eight months has been brutal - a very painful cost physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Every time I walked the dogs on the weekend, I'd turn around and look at our little house and thank Him for the job He gave to us, and also prayed that the house would sell or I would be offered a job here at home. I was offered a job closer to home a few months ago but turned it down due to religious beliefs. Being closer to home and having more money sounded good, but I couldn't sell myself out and prey on the poor working for a payday advance company.
This past Monday I was formally offered a position in Nashville. It was with a great company and closer to home. Moving to Nashville would be better for our family in every way compared to Columbus. I accepted the offer and tendered my 2 week notice at my present employer. I prepared to continue hotel life during the week until the house sold.
My resignation this week came as a shock. It was very hard for me to do. I love my job. I did cry in front of the CEO as I handed her my resignation. I don't count that as a sign of weakness by the way. The people I work with have truly become my extended family and I was going to miss them dearly. Sadly, she accepted my resignation and said she would talk to my direct boss and explain the situation.
I sat in the office working on my current project and my boss walks in and said "would you stay on if you could just work from home?" Silence. No crickets, no cars passing outside, no hum from the computer. The words were totally deafening to me. "For how long?" I asked. "There is no reason you can't work from home – we're programmers and can work from anywhere. You have proven yourself with your knowledge, rapid learning, good programming, and your dedication to drive up here week after week. We don't want to lose you at all."
Needless to say, I accepted that offer. I start working from home the week after next. I will still have to drive up there probably once a quarter for planning meetings, but the working arrangement is permanent with the same pay and benefits. The working conditions are mine alone to mess up.
Compared to my friends who have been through tougher times of sickness, joblessness, or losing a family member, the price I have paid is just a shadow of their pain. However, not being able to hold your spouse and not being able to tuck your children into bed at night, or not being able to live in your own home wears on you in all aspects and is quite painful in its own right.
My faith in God has grown 10 fold during this time. My love for my friends and family by the same measure. I hope that God continues to put me in a position where I can help strangers out. I hope that my family will begin to go to Church so that they have the same peace of mind that I have as I rest each night in the loving hands of my God. I have no doubt that He is the great creator and master of all. I hope that God blesses my friends and family richly just as He has blessed my family. There are no coincidences in life. I firmly believe that now more than ever.
Children, Daddy will be tucking you in each night again. Happy and grateful, I have once again started to blog about our adventures. For now, I'm going outside to remove the for-sale sign from the yard.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
From Columbus - To my wife and daughters
I miss you and love you more than I can express. The pain in my heart of being separated from you during this transition in our lives is quite heavy. It is lonely up here without you and I'm pretty much on the verge of tears during the hours in which I am awake. In my dreams I get to see you and hug you and tell you to your faces how much I cherish and love you. I am happy and content in my dreams.
When the alarm goes off in the morning, happiness is quickly replaced by anxiety and uncertainty and a sadness which cannot be described even though the laughter from my dreams still echos in my ears. My heart literally aches due to these circumstances. My faith in God, however, is unshakable even as the sun sets in this big and lonely city. I fully trust He is working for good in our lives even though I don't see His plan for our family.
I want you to have that same belief as well. Sweet daughters - always know that God does not want to hurt us. He is there to lift us up and to comfort us. He is my friend in this big town and He is great. He has provided me with a wonderful job so I can keep you clothed, fed, and sheltered. We are so very blessed even in this time of separation. Never forget that. There are others which are not as lucky as our family and we need to be compassionate to them and help them however we can. We have been given a wonderful gift in this economy and we need not forget it. Rather, we should figure out a way to help those less fortunate and thank God in any way we can by helping people out. I'm not sure how we can help them yet when our own finances are so tight. He will reveal how we can help on His time-line.
As I write this to you, I look out my office window through the tall buildings at the interstate heading South which leads me to you all. I can feel the rush of the tires as they curve through Cincinnatti and race through Lexington along beside the horses running in the white fenced fields. I feel the steepness of the mountains and the racing of my heart as I enter our little town. I drive home to you every night in my mind. I know each curve and each mile which leads me home. It would be so easy to just do that after work... and it would be the wrong thing to do.
We are blessed. Keep telling yourselves that and believe it with all of your heart. In time, God will reveal His wonderful plan for our family. On that point, I have the greatest of faith. Until He reveals His plan for our family, I count the days until I can hold you in my arms and hear your laughter and to just enjoy our precious time together. I would love to come home every weekend and would gladly make the drive. However, finances are uncertain so there will be times where I can't come home every weekend. It could be 2-3 weeks before I could come home. I do not know if we can afford my trips home as often as I would like to make them. And perhaps that alone is the heaviest weight on my heart.
I love you all. Girls, obey your mother - she has a LOT on her plate.
Your loving daddy and husband
When the alarm goes off in the morning, happiness is quickly replaced by anxiety and uncertainty and a sadness which cannot be described even though the laughter from my dreams still echos in my ears. My heart literally aches due to these circumstances. My faith in God, however, is unshakable even as the sun sets in this big and lonely city. I fully trust He is working for good in our lives even though I don't see His plan for our family.
I want you to have that same belief as well. Sweet daughters - always know that God does not want to hurt us. He is there to lift us up and to comfort us. He is my friend in this big town and He is great. He has provided me with a wonderful job so I can keep you clothed, fed, and sheltered. We are so very blessed even in this time of separation. Never forget that. There are others which are not as lucky as our family and we need to be compassionate to them and help them however we can. We have been given a wonderful gift in this economy and we need not forget it. Rather, we should figure out a way to help those less fortunate and thank God in any way we can by helping people out. I'm not sure how we can help them yet when our own finances are so tight. He will reveal how we can help on His time-line.
As I write this to you, I look out my office window through the tall buildings at the interstate heading South which leads me to you all. I can feel the rush of the tires as they curve through Cincinnatti and race through Lexington along beside the horses running in the white fenced fields. I feel the steepness of the mountains and the racing of my heart as I enter our little town. I drive home to you every night in my mind. I know each curve and each mile which leads me home. It would be so easy to just do that after work... and it would be the wrong thing to do.
We are blessed. Keep telling yourselves that and believe it with all of your heart. In time, God will reveal His wonderful plan for our family. On that point, I have the greatest of faith. Until He reveals His plan for our family, I count the days until I can hold you in my arms and hear your laughter and to just enjoy our precious time together. I would love to come home every weekend and would gladly make the drive. However, finances are uncertain so there will be times where I can't come home every weekend. It could be 2-3 weeks before I could come home. I do not know if we can afford my trips home as often as I would like to make them. And perhaps that alone is the heaviest weight on my heart.
I love you all. Girls, obey your mother - she has a LOT on her plate.
Your loving daddy and husband
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
On Working and Faith
Dearest Daughters,
I love you three with the most unexplained love. I cannot describe it to you, but just as Mammie and Pop-pop told me when I was younger "you will understand one day when you have kids of your own." I'm writing this to you all tonight with a heavy heart. Soon I will be leaving for another town to start a new job. Daddy didn't get fired from his work - he was let go because someone at the place he loved to work at every day didn't do their own job with all of his heart and there wasn't enough money to pay daddy to do his job.
I hope that you all learn a lot from me. I hope that I can live as an example for you, just as Pop-pop has lived as an example for me. I hope that you learn love, kindness, patience, happiness, trust, independence, and that your tender hearts never harden in this old world in which we live. I also want you to learn that no matter what you do in life, do it the best you can.
If you do something in life and don't try hard, someone else will have to pay the consequences. It is not my choice that we are going to go through some tough times in the coming days. Please know that although I may not be there at night to tuck you in, I will be looking at your smiling faces in the pictures which I will have with me and I will still whisper "Good Night Sweet Princesses" as I kiss each of you before going to bed each night. I hope as you sleep, you can still feel daddy giving you a big hug.
I also want you to learn about Faith. Daddy has it. I have unshakable faith in God. Faith is something that you can't see, but you believe in it. For example, when you walk over the bridge at the park, you don't know that the bridge will hold you up. However, you walk over it anyway, believing that it is safe and will protect you from the water below. That, in a nutshell, is faith. Daddy had faith that God would provide a new job so that we can have clothes, food, and shelter. He provided two offers for me to choose from and in this tough tough economic time, it has been a true blessing. We are very very fortunate.
I just wanted you to know these things, my beautiful daughters. Whatever you do in life, do so with a happy heart to the best of your abilities, and have faith in God and yourself. The rest of life's problems just seem to work themselves out over the long run.
Daddy loves you babies. May you have the sweetest of dreams as you sleep.
I love you three with the most unexplained love. I cannot describe it to you, but just as Mammie and Pop-pop told me when I was younger "you will understand one day when you have kids of your own." I'm writing this to you all tonight with a heavy heart. Soon I will be leaving for another town to start a new job. Daddy didn't get fired from his work - he was let go because someone at the place he loved to work at every day didn't do their own job with all of his heart and there wasn't enough money to pay daddy to do his job.
I hope that you all learn a lot from me. I hope that I can live as an example for you, just as Pop-pop has lived as an example for me. I hope that you learn love, kindness, patience, happiness, trust, independence, and that your tender hearts never harden in this old world in which we live. I also want you to learn that no matter what you do in life, do it the best you can.
If you do something in life and don't try hard, someone else will have to pay the consequences. It is not my choice that we are going to go through some tough times in the coming days. Please know that although I may not be there at night to tuck you in, I will be looking at your smiling faces in the pictures which I will have with me and I will still whisper "Good Night Sweet Princesses" as I kiss each of you before going to bed each night. I hope as you sleep, you can still feel daddy giving you a big hug.
I also want you to learn about Faith. Daddy has it. I have unshakable faith in God. Faith is something that you can't see, but you believe in it. For example, when you walk over the bridge at the park, you don't know that the bridge will hold you up. However, you walk over it anyway, believing that it is safe and will protect you from the water below. That, in a nutshell, is faith. Daddy had faith that God would provide a new job so that we can have clothes, food, and shelter. He provided two offers for me to choose from and in this tough tough economic time, it has been a true blessing. We are very very fortunate.
I just wanted you to know these things, my beautiful daughters. Whatever you do in life, do so with a happy heart to the best of your abilities, and have faith in God and yourself. The rest of life's problems just seem to work themselves out over the long run.
Daddy loves you babies. May you have the sweetest of dreams as you sleep.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Midnight Giggles
It's 12:36am early on Wednesday morning.
The house is still and quiet except for the clicking of the keyboard as I program, the slight buzz of the ceiling fans, restful breathing of loved ones dreaming, and the hum of the sole compact fluorescent light bulb which illuminates the room in which I work.
Occasionally the ice in my drink shifts and clinks against the tumbler's wall almost as if cheering me on, saying "hang in there just another hour before you call it a night..." in its sleepy voice. My glass of Diet Dr. Pepper sweats onto my notepad which holds the shadows of my workday.
The screen is blurry - yet I forge ahead only to take a short break to write this humble blog post. I am thankful for everything in life which God allows me to experience for it is through experience that we knock another rough edge off of this human vessel in which we temporarily reside.
The dog moves in the light shadows beside me, hearing the unheard. She walks a few steps before stretching out on the floor facing the nursery where our youngest slumbers in fanny-raised comfort. I stop typing for a moment and strain to hear what momentarily peeked the interest of our beloved dog.
Softly at first she cries "Dahhhhhhhhhh" from the nursery. I pause and listen and there it is louder and a little quicker - "Daaaaaaaah Daaaaaaaah". My heart races to hear my baby call for me.
"Daaaaaaahhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaa" She sighs.
The light buzzes loudly and I blink a few times. It is not for her father that the young toddler cries. I realize that she she is calling for her best friend, Dora The Explorer. Deflated, I slump in my chair, defeated by a cartoon character in my daughter's eyes.
When we are down, if we are perceptive, God talks to us. I wait for a few seconds, listening for His words of wisdom faintly carried to my ears on angel's breath. It arrives through the laughter of my youngest child as she sleeps in her crib.
Nothing much in life's experience can top the midnight giggles of a sleeping baby.
I now have enough energy to make it another hour into the night, programming key stroke by key stroke.
Giggle on, baby princess. Daddy loves you.
The house is still and quiet except for the clicking of the keyboard as I program, the slight buzz of the ceiling fans, restful breathing of loved ones dreaming, and the hum of the sole compact fluorescent light bulb which illuminates the room in which I work.
Occasionally the ice in my drink shifts and clinks against the tumbler's wall almost as if cheering me on, saying "hang in there just another hour before you call it a night..." in its sleepy voice. My glass of Diet Dr. Pepper sweats onto my notepad which holds the shadows of my workday.
The screen is blurry - yet I forge ahead only to take a short break to write this humble blog post. I am thankful for everything in life which God allows me to experience for it is through experience that we knock another rough edge off of this human vessel in which we temporarily reside.
The dog moves in the light shadows beside me, hearing the unheard. She walks a few steps before stretching out on the floor facing the nursery where our youngest slumbers in fanny-raised comfort. I stop typing for a moment and strain to hear what momentarily peeked the interest of our beloved dog.
Softly at first she cries "Dahhhhhhhhhh" from the nursery. I pause and listen and there it is louder and a little quicker - "Daaaaaaaah Daaaaaaaah". My heart races to hear my baby call for me.
"Daaaaaaahhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaa" She sighs.
The light buzzes loudly and I blink a few times. It is not for her father that the young toddler cries. I realize that she she is calling for her best friend, Dora The Explorer. Deflated, I slump in my chair, defeated by a cartoon character in my daughter's eyes.
When we are down, if we are perceptive, God talks to us. I wait for a few seconds, listening for His words of wisdom faintly carried to my ears on angel's breath. It arrives through the laughter of my youngest child as she sleeps in her crib.
Nothing much in life's experience can top the midnight giggles of a sleeping baby.
I now have enough energy to make it another hour into the night, programming key stroke by key stroke.
Giggle on, baby princess. Daddy loves you.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Out Of My Shell
Last night I shaved my goatee off. I had worn this badge of hipness since the late 90s. My wife and kids have never seen me without either that or a full beard during the winter. I asked all of them if I should do it and everyone agreed that if they didn't like me sans facial hair, that I would grow it back and never do it again. Emma and Chloe really didn't know what "shaving it off" meant and Lydia was out out of the room turning circles and giggling to herself.
So I took out the dog clippers (yeah that's how I roll) and asked everyone if they were sure and then proceeded to give my face a good garage sale type cleaning. The looks on my daughters' faces was absolutely priceless. Half in amazement at what I was doing, and the other half in great curiosity at this funny looking creature emerging from behind the goatee.
"Daddy why you erasing your face?" Asked Chloe.
I just laughed and said "Daddy's just giving his face a hair cut."
That seemed to make it clear that I wasn't hurting myself and she climbed up on the garden tub next to the sink and just looked on in wonder. When I was through with the clippers she smiled at me in the mirror and said "you look funny." Emma agreed by shaking her head and giggling in her cute bubbly chuckle. Lydia was still spinning and babbling outside the door of the bathroom.
I lathered up and started shaving as the girls told me about their day. When I finished, Chloe touched my face and said "smooooooooooooooooooooooooooothe Dah Dah" and then jumped down and ran off.
We'll see if it stays off for good or comes back this Fall when the leaves begin to drop and this old Earth starts to hibernate for the winter.
So I took out the dog clippers (yeah that's how I roll) and asked everyone if they were sure and then proceeded to give my face a good garage sale type cleaning. The looks on my daughters' faces was absolutely priceless. Half in amazement at what I was doing, and the other half in great curiosity at this funny looking creature emerging from behind the goatee.
"Daddy why you erasing your face?" Asked Chloe.
I just laughed and said "Daddy's just giving his face a hair cut."
That seemed to make it clear that I wasn't hurting myself and she climbed up on the garden tub next to the sink and just looked on in wonder. When I was through with the clippers she smiled at me in the mirror and said "you look funny." Emma agreed by shaking her head and giggling in her cute bubbly chuckle. Lydia was still spinning and babbling outside the door of the bathroom.
I lathered up and started shaving as the girls told me about their day. When I finished, Chloe touched my face and said "smooooooooooooooooooooooooooothe Dah Dah" and then jumped down and ran off.
We'll see if it stays off for good or comes back this Fall when the leaves begin to drop and this old Earth starts to hibernate for the winter.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Star Wars - Episode 4
This morning Emma and I were exchanging typical father and daughter banter. There were lots of "you look pretty"'s and "you're a sweet girl"'s from my side of the conversation and a lot of precious "I know Daddy"'s from her side.
"Now remember you can't go crawling around in the gravel at school today." I said.
"I know Daddy." She replied. "But it's ok when we play Star Wars..."
"Well didn't mommy say for you to not play so rough since your killing your shoes about every 2 weeks it seems?" I asked.
"Yeah.... But remember Star Wars?" She asked.
"Yes I do - I saw it in the theater. " I said "However, what does Star Wars have to do with gravel on the playground at School?"
"Wellllllllllllllllll. You See. There was Julia and myself and we play Star Wars -" She said.
"Do you even know what Star Wars is?" I interrupted.
"Duh." she smiled. "It's a movie silly Daddy. Julia plays like she's Princess Leia and I'm a kitty cat and kitty cats crawl on the ground."
I stood there totally speechless as she pirouetted across the floor. Dance little girl. Dance!
"Now remember you can't go crawling around in the gravel at school today." I said.
"I know Daddy." She replied. "But it's ok when we play Star Wars..."
"Well didn't mommy say for you to not play so rough since your killing your shoes about every 2 weeks it seems?" I asked.
"Yeah.... But remember Star Wars?" She asked.
"Yes I do - I saw it in the theater. " I said "However, what does Star Wars have to do with gravel on the playground at School?"
"Wellllllllllllllllll. You See. There was Julia and myself and we play Star Wars -" She said.
"Do you even know what Star Wars is?" I interrupted.
"Duh." she smiled. "It's a movie silly Daddy. Julia plays like she's Princess Leia and I'm a kitty cat and kitty cats crawl on the ground."
I stood there totally speechless as she pirouetted across the floor. Dance little girl. Dance!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Not Available In Stores
Tonight was taco night - complete with tater tots. For some reason that is a long-standing tradition in our family. I can't remember when it started, but if you cook tacos, there better be tater tots in the oven.
As I stood there browing the meat, the girls and their momma were talking about Mother's Day and what Mommy wanted for her special day.
Somehow the conversation swung in my direction.
"Daddy, what do you want for Mother's Day?" They asked.
"Well I guess just for you all to be on your best behavior all day long on that day!" I said with enthusiasm.
[[ crickets ]]
"Uh Daddy they don't have that in the store." Chloe said.
I have been pwned by a not yet four year old.
As I stood there browing the meat, the girls and their momma were talking about Mother's Day and what Mommy wanted for her special day.
Somehow the conversation swung in my direction.
"Daddy, what do you want for Mother's Day?" They asked.
"Well I guess just for you all to be on your best behavior all day long on that day!" I said with enthusiasm.
[[ crickets ]]
"Uh Daddy they don't have that in the store." Chloe said.
I have been pwned by a not yet four year old.
Rainy Sunday
Quiet.
Not for Long!
All women but one asleep.
Smallest one on her tummy -
chin resting on big Dora
doll, holding smaller Dora
doll, wearing Backpack on
her head - watching Dora on TV
twisting her single red pony tail.
Rainy Sundays are great for relaxing.
Daddy works on, watching the rain gather
in muddy puddles.
Not for Long!
All women but one asleep.
Smallest one on her tummy -
chin resting on big Dora
doll, holding smaller Dora
doll, wearing Backpack on
her head - watching Dora on TV
twisting her single red pony tail.
Rainy Sundays are great for relaxing.
Daddy works on, watching the rain gather
in muddy puddles.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Attitude
Attitude is your perception of the world around you or how others perceive that to be. You can realize that you have a bad attitude on your own or others can help you see that in a kind manner. Kids are impervious to the idea of how their attitude affects others around them. I'm not sure at what point in life "ME ME ME" turns to "YOU YOU YOU". Anyway, we are teaching our oldest how to determine if her attitude is well - less than desirable - and needs correcting. This morning she was pouting around the house. I just don't "do" pouting. I never have at least that I can remember. As a result, I don't like pouting people around me. So I told her to go to her room until she found her happy attitude. After about 10 minutes in her room of being quiet, I hear her yell from across the house:
"DADDY I FOUND IT!" She exclaimed.
"What's that?" I asked.
"MY ATTITUDE! CAN I COME OUT NOW?" she asked.
She came out as happy as a lark and we all went to the Easter egg hunt at "Sandybricks" park.
"DADDY I FOUND IT!" She exclaimed.
"What's that?" I asked.
"MY ATTITUDE! CAN I COME OUT NOW?" she asked.
She came out as happy as a lark and we all went to the Easter egg hunt at "Sandybricks" park.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Doo Doo Hat
"Honey will you change Lydia?" the Mrs. hollered from across the house.
"Sure babe." I replied
As any good father would do, I tried to entertain the baby while changing her. Being silly makes her lay still and just laugh while I can do what needs to be done.
I was getting her ready for the changing of the diaper and put her pants on my head.
"Look Lydia - Daddy has on a silly hat!" I said as she preciously giggled.
I took the wipes and a clean diaper out of the dresser and began the task nobody enjoys. That's when I noticed that she had a massive diaper blowout and really needed a good cleaning.
That's when I remembered I still had her pants on my head. It is also when I realized I was wearing a doo doo hat rather than a silly hat.
Any man can continue to change a diaper in such a situation.
A REAL man can blog about it while laughing hysterically. I shall now go take a shower.
"Sure babe." I replied
As any good father would do, I tried to entertain the baby while changing her. Being silly makes her lay still and just laugh while I can do what needs to be done.
I was getting her ready for the changing of the diaper and put her pants on my head.
"Look Lydia - Daddy has on a silly hat!" I said as she preciously giggled.
I took the wipes and a clean diaper out of the dresser and began the task nobody enjoys. That's when I noticed that she had a massive diaper blowout and really needed a good cleaning.
That's when I remembered I still had her pants on my head. It is also when I realized I was wearing a doo doo hat rather than a silly hat.
Any man can continue to change a diaper in such a situation.
A REAL man can blog about it while laughing hysterically. I shall now go take a shower.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
homonym
Hi everyone! It's been a while since I posted. I've been working like a mad man but I'm taking a much needed night off. In fact, I'll be in bed before 1130pm which is a rarity. The Mrs. and I are trying to shake off a cold, just in time for our little ones to catch it. At least we will be better so we can comfort our sweet girls. Needless to say, neither of us felt like cooking tonight. With the economy in a downward trend, we're really watching the money situation quite proactively; however, we still decided to just pack the entire crew up and head out to O'Charlies. We hadn't been there in months and we would love just to kick back and get waited on and relax with the kids. We were loading the kids into the van when little Chloe laughed and said "Daddy look at my cute little pursey" as she held up a pink and blue denim purse. That is one homonym I would really like to never hear again from any of my sweet little daughters.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Dash Between the Dates
I really have to get back into blogging about my wonderful family and the crazy life which I know. Projects at home, at the day job as well as independent projects keep me busy from day to day to day. Sometimes you feel like you're just living life rather than experiencing it. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't change a thing at all in my life. I'm perfectly happy. Sometimes you just feel like you're the dash between two dates. The girls are growing so quickly, with the eldest starting kindergarten this year. I can't talk about it. "The kids really do grow up fast" so cherish each and every moment.
Last night we were picking up the house as we do every night after a daylong torrent of midget tornadoes which seem to use their little whirlwinds to toss anything and everything to the far corners of the house. I split the older two up to make the best use of the remaining hours in the day. Emma cleaned upstairs and Chloe cleaned downstairs and Lydia toddled around with a baby brush brushing her hair.
Chloe, now with her area clean, looked for her best friend - Baby Sarah (one of her many dolls). Baby Sarah had been cast under one of the tables in the den most likely during the mad rush to the dinner table.
"Daddy have you seen baby Sawah?" Asked Chloe.
"I think I saw her laying down under the table over there." I said with a quick point of the finger.
"NO DADAH - Baby Sawah with the chocolate hair." She replied.
Have I been too busy to notice that there is now a brown headed baby Sarah which my middle daughter so loves? I need to correct that by working smarter - not longer. I'm going to blog more as well.
I learn so much from my girls.
Last night we were picking up the house as we do every night after a daylong torrent of midget tornadoes which seem to use their little whirlwinds to toss anything and everything to the far corners of the house. I split the older two up to make the best use of the remaining hours in the day. Emma cleaned upstairs and Chloe cleaned downstairs and Lydia toddled around with a baby brush brushing her hair.
Chloe, now with her area clean, looked for her best friend - Baby Sarah (one of her many dolls). Baby Sarah had been cast under one of the tables in the den most likely during the mad rush to the dinner table.
"Daddy have you seen baby Sawah?" Asked Chloe.
"I think I saw her laying down under the table over there." I said with a quick point of the finger.
"NO DADAH - Baby Sawah with the chocolate hair." She replied.
Have I been too busy to notice that there is now a brown headed baby Sarah which my middle daughter so loves? I need to correct that by working smarter - not longer. I'm going to blog more as well.
I learn so much from my girls.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Snow Floaties
Yesterday was an awesome day. The girls and I got up (Momma got to sleep in a bit) and we snuggled and watched cartoons. When momma got up we all got dressed and went to have breakfast at IHOPs. We hadn't been there in months so it was fun to go. As we were leaving to go get our Christmas tree, it began to snow and Emma pointed it out by saying "LOOK AT THE SNOW FLOATIES!!!" It was just flurries but they were really coming down. I never have figured out where the line is drawn between flurries and a snow shower. Oh well. It was beautiful and really cool that it was doing it while we were getting our tree. We, for some strange reason, name Christmas tree every year. Last year it was Cinderella. This year, the girls settled on "Holly". She is 8.5 feet of pure pine-family beauty. After getting the tree situated and the lights on, I got to cook dinner. I actually love cooking for my family. I made a garlic herb crusted pork loin, green bean casserole and new potatoes. It was a great dinner. As I cleaned up in the kitchen, Momma and the girls put the ornaments on the tree. We capped off the night by having our (now traditional) Hendrix Saturday Night Red Carpet Popcorn and Fruit Juice Movie Extravaganza Gala. We snuggled on the couch with all three girls and watched The Blue Elephant. It was a great day.
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