The time has come....

It's that time.

It has been a very theraputic place for me to share my life story.

To read other blogs and feel a comradery. A kinship.

My life has changed, and I have changed with it.

I stare at the posting box here on my blog, trying to figure out what to share, and it becomes a chore rather than a passion or a joy.
And sadly I realize, I have nothing to share.

So I close this chapter in my life.

May God bless you and keep you,
until we meet again.

Rambledge...

Summer is here with a vengance... which MY family happens to be thrilled about.
We love that dry, breath-taking heat and all the lovely play days that ensue.
We have spent fantastic time with family visiting for my cousin's wedding.
Lots of laughs and giggles and talks deep into the night.

M & J are busy working...and playing with friends.
J just bought her first car-- paid in CASH. I'm so proud of her for saving and preparing for the management of it. It was a matter of being in the right place at the right time. She has mastered driving a stick-shift--WOOT.
L is my official activities guide for the 2 youngers this summer. She is orchestrating fun adventures several times a week, including pool days, riding the bus to the movies days, putt-putt golf day, and picnics in the park. She also got braces 2 weeks ago and already seeing a difference in the shape of her mouth. Yay.
AJ is at scout camp this week, and he is loving the tennis and has found something that he really does well.
E finally finished school last week (year-round) and will start 5th grade 2nd week of August.
She's doing day camp for 3 of the weeks she is off.
I am working like crazy!
I'm grateful for a job that I love so much.
We have been playing tennis and got the giggles tonight when we got skunked by our regular doubles competition. We were pitiful!
At any rate, we are well.

"Laughter is a powerful way to tap positive emotions"--Norman Cousins

A month???

My life, as per usual, has forced me to pay attention.

And the internet has had to wait.

Life is hard.
But I can do hard things.

My kids continually amaze me.

I love my job... it's always changing.
I love the challenge of learning something new.

The kids are doing fun summer stuff-- Yay Sunshine.
AJ has started Tennis lessons... and is a natural.
L gets braces tomorrow (more to come) & starts dance next week and E will be done with school on the 3rd.
I'm glad because it's killing her to see how much fun everyone is having without her.
She's been a trooper tho.
M is taking Institute and dance class- dropped her astronomy class after discovering no way to get to the campus she accidently chose instead of the one she normally goes to. She's busy saving all her hard earned dough for a car. Same with J. Work work work.

I had a brilliant idea for Christmas presents for my mom and my inlaws so I am busy working on that. *sshhhhh*

Other than that... life.

"You learn something every day if you pay attention.”~~ Ray LeBlond

"Roche Jaune" & "Le Trois Tetons"

A couple of weeks ago, while sharing our Memorial Day plans with my brother, he was kind enough to inform me that a rough translation of "Grand Tetons" was "big boobs" in French.

















Thanks to him, I couldn't stop thinking of that when I captured these pictures:













We camped about 3 minutes from Yellowstone National Park for the entire weekend.


It was fantastic.


And a much needed get-away from life.

My Little Man---

13 years ago... I held you in my arms for the first time.

It was a wonderous thing, having a boy after 3 girls.

And what a wonderful baby you were....

never crying for much....

happy to just be in the room with us.

You're becoming such an awesome young man...

And I'm proud of you.

I'm so grateful that you still want to talk to me about things that most boys your age are embarrassed about.

Watching you change...

hearing your voice crack...

and seeing your wardrobe changes

makes me realize how grown you really are.

I tend to be a tad bit..... I dunno... in denial I suppose.

I don't imagine you know as much as you do.

But you constantly amaze me.

You are a great young man... and I'm glad you still call me "Mama."

I love you.

Mom

Happy Birthday, L

I look at this sweet face and realize what a year this has been for you.

In all actuality, you have learned some rough lessons.

You learned that some girls can been downright hateful, and don't care who they hurt in their own quest for self-identification.

You learned that trusting everyone implicitly and giving everyone the benefit of the doubt can be really painful.

You learned that some people will do everything in their power to be the center of attention, no matter what the cost to those around them.

You also learned that sometimes people do really stupid things, but regardless are still good people.

I could go on and on....

But as painful as it has been for me to watch, I realize that you have handled this year with the grace and beauty that you have always had.

I'm proud of you, sweet girl.

Happy Birthday.

Blessings blessings blessings....

Every time either of my girls leave the house, driving the car... I say a little prayer.

I suppose all mothers do.

Just a simple one....
"Please, protect my baby."

When either of them call me on their cell phone while out, my heart skips a beat and when I answer the phone, I listen with an audible 'fine-tooth-comb' for any sounds that are accident-related.

I wondered how long it would be before I would be blogging about 3 dreaded words:

Teenager. Car. Accident.

Today, in rush hour traffic, at one of the busiest intersections I know of here, my 2nd daughter accidently ran a red light.
She t-boned a car hard enough that her airbags deployed and her brakes gave out, and coasted into another non-moving car in oncoming traffic waiting for the left-turn light.

She walked away with cuts and bruises and burns on her arm from the airbag.
The t-boned car---?
I could only see a dent on the part between the front and back doors.
The car that was standing still? No visible damage whatsoever.
Our van?
I believe it's totalled, but I could be wrong.
I have an appointment tomorrow to find out.

And all I could think of was "Thank you, Merciful God."

I cannot express the agony of hearing your daughter on the cell phone, alone and afraid, and being only 2-3 miles away, stuck in the rush hour traffic exacerbated by the accident and unable to get there, but at a snails pace.

It was heart-wrenching to finally reach her and see her standing bravely, watching the tow-truck load up the van.
To see her answering the police officer very calmly and very rationally.
And to see her face the moment we locked eyes.

Her apologies were ferverent and anguished...
... I simply held her in my arms and rocked her gently, crooning a tender lullaby softly in her ear.

"It's just stuff.
And in the end, it doesn't mean anything.
What matters is that you are safe."

God protected my child today.
And I am forever grateful for His tender mercies.

"What men call accident is God's own part"~~Phillip James Bailey

Scratching an itch...

I spent a very restful Mother's Day... feeling inspired to do something new.

We watched the Amazing Race final leg today, and when Luke and Margie came in 3rd, I was both disappointed and inspired to pick up my sign language again.
When I was a teen, I'd learned sign language from missionaries in our church, who taught us to sign for a deaf family in the ward.
I LOVED it... and used it often, even after moving away.
Years have gone by, however, and with no real use for it, it's sort of gone by the wayside.

And now, I feel like taking a refresher course.... and my daughters thought it might be fun to learn it with me.

And then we watched the movie "Chocolat"--my sweet 10 year old made a coupon book for Mother's Day, and in it were tickets for watching a movie. So we did!

And besides making me want to make hot chocolate, truffles, and any kind of chocolate I could get my hands on,
It made me realize how little I've laughed in the past few weeks.

And I'd like to look back a year from now and say that I made an effort to laugh more.

Happy Mother's Day!

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."--Charles M. Shulz

These 5 wonderful people you see at the top of my blog are the most precious things in my life.

And I've been amazed at the grace and strength they've shown on a regular basis, no matter how frustrating life can be.
No matter how busy and exhausted I get, they pitch in together and take care of things...and try to make my life better.

And I thank God EVERY.SINGLE.DAY that I get to be a part of their lives.
That they include me in every aspect of themselves.
And that they love me, inspite of my lack of patience sometimes,
and my dumb parenting skills.
And that they prove that they are smarter than I ever was at their age.

I love you guys.

Be Still, My Soul...

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heavenly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, they confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: The hour is hastening on

When we shall be forever with the Lord

When disapointment, grief and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

--LDS Hymn # 124

Racing along...

Life's never ending race keeps popping up hurdles for me to practice on... and mostly, I seem to leap over each one full force without slowing down.
Sometimes, I knock one or two over, as my momentum seems to wan a bit, but then I clear a few more that seem simpler.
Sometimes, a hurdle stops me in my tracks for a moment, and knocks me down.
As I lay on the ground, I assess the damage.
Examining the scraped up hands and knees, and face full of dirt...
I wipe away the tears that sting my eyes, and stain my face.
After a few deep breaths, I realize that I'm ok and can get back into the race.
I pick myself up off the ground and gingerly take a few steps.
Shaky, but standing.
I'm Ok.

" I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent"
~~D&C 19:16

Bloggy Break...

Not that anyone will really notice....
I'm going on Hiatus.
I'm not sure for how long ...
but I must focus on family.
First and foremost.

May you all feel the love of our Savior at this glorious time of year.

The one where I question someone's sanity....

So today, I was minding my own business when my boss called me into her office.

And asked me to be the team lead.
She mentioned that she'd debated long and hard, but eventually made the decision.

I am still shell shocked...
but even more so... feel heartsick for others on the team.

I had no way to know that I would be considered seriously.
And there are people who are more knowledgeable.... and one gal has been there two weeks longer than me.

And the only thing I can come up with, is that it is meant for my growth and learning...

I look at it as an opportunity to serve my team and my boss.

A good friend of mine pointed out that I sound like a politician.

Gads I hope not, because I truly mean what I say.

In my opinion, this changes nothing for me and my teammates....
We're still a team and we work together for the good of our group.
And if I can utilize my job to help our team... the better for us.
Other than that.... business as usual.



Now... excuse me while I eat some chocolate.....

Randomness...April Showers style.

1. April. Really???
How come I'm still stuck in January somewhere?
Month 4 of the year... and I'm in denial.
Just like I am about the year.
2009???
What the...?


2. Who plays April Fools jokes these days?
I'm so lame at tricking people... I can't ever get a decent "fool" on.
Yesterday, one of the girls I work with and I were wracking our brains trying to come up with something to trick someone on our team.
Because I'm so lame, I finally googled "Office Pranks" to see if there was something I could come up with based on any of the suggestions.
After reading a few ideas... I sheepishly walked over to her cubicle to tell her that my lameness knew no bounds and that I googled a few ideas.... when I noticed her browser was at the exact same web page I'd just read.
And all at once I didn't feel SO lame.
Just old.

3. I love my job... and I love what I do. I enjoy the busy-ness of it all...and that I laugh many times throughout the day.
(I do NOT love month end, however---although changes abound... but that's an entirely different post.)
However, I sometimes feel like I'm in no position to move up.
It's really is a double edged sword.
What lead to the pensive mood??
A new job opened up in our group.... that I don't really have a chance of getting.
Not that I feel I'm the most perfect person for the job... but you know what I mean.

4. Raising teenagers has provided me tons of insight on my own teen life. What a stinker I was.
And next month?? I will officially have 4 of them living under my own roof.
'Nuff said.

5. How can a 12 year old boy eat as much food as the rest of the entire family in one sitting??? Where EXACTLY does it go? I mean seriously....
The mechanics of it all boggles my mind.
His voice is finally changing... he's been going around talking with a pretend lower voice, just so he 'doesn't sound like a girley man' (::his words::) and so he can fit in with his other homeys....
He has finally gotten his wish.
However, learning to master the decibles at which his voice cracks has only just begun.

6. Achilles continues on his new journey of discovery ... while violently dragging me around for the ride. I keep telling him to do it my way... but does he listen??? noooohhhhh. Stubborn fool. Doesn't he know that I'm always right???
::Insert Sarcasm Here::

*sigh*

Creativity is the ability to introduce order into the randomness of nature.~~Eric Hoffer

The one where I wonder where my hutzpah is...

Occasionally I find myself in situations, in which I have every intention of portraying the total confidence and secureness I feel in myself.....
when I come off sounding like an insecure teenager.

Why is that??

I'm an educated 40 year old woman, and pretty much know what I want (not that I'm always successful in getting it) and there are moments, thank heavens they're more rare, when I launch into a nervous giggle and hem-n-haw about something I want or need.

I HATE that.
HATE. it.

I didn't feel lame and insecure when I started, but by the time I walked away from the situation, I feel my mouth turn acrid with the need to throw up.... as I mentally shake my head and even wince at the replay of the conversation.

I wouldn't even take me seriously, even though I know what I meant.

I don't know how to combat such ridiculous scenarios... because by the time I realize I'm coming off insecure and lame... I'm walking away.

Meh.


"When you accept yourself completely you do not have to maintain a phony front, drive yourself to ''achieve'' or feel insecure if people tune-in to you and what you are doing."
Ken S. Keyes

Ever ride the Collosus...the Fire Dragon Roller Coaster??

Daughter #2 passed her state license.
She's picking up her license this morning.

'Scuse me....Mr. Thrill-Ride Operator....
I'd like to get off the ride...
I'm feeling a little sick......

*sigh*

Seventeen.

Happy Birthday J-,

Seventeen is such a different place than 16...

although, you- the old soul that you are- probably won't notice.

I wish I could show you a glimpse into your future...

It's been a rough year for you....

Finishing high school at 16 isn't all it's cracked up to be, I suppose.

And the whole dating scene... meh.

I'm sorry for the hard road you're on... I wish, with all my soul, I could take it away from you.

I wish I could travel it for you.

But you handle things wonderfully...

And I'm proud of you.

I love you sweet girl.

Happy Birthday.

Happy Birdie 2 U

This squawling little girl came into my life when I was just 3 & 1/2 years old.



I giggle when I see this picture of us... me with my protective arm around her...along with another one of our sisters.... and she's had enough of the big sisters.



When we were young... my mom dressed us alike.
A lot.


It was mostly fun.
Mostly.


She and I didn't always get along.
Probably because we're so alike in a lot of ways.
She challenged my "older-sister" status, and I wielded it as an almighty power, at times.
Ok. A lot.


It wasn't until we both were married, that we began to talk on the phone... she in California, and me in Colorado, Texas, and even Germany...that we connected.

This sister of mine is exceptionally talented.
In anything she attempts.
It makes me quite jealous of her natural abilities.
The jerk.
*grin*

Now that we are both supporting our families, we rarely get to talk...
but each week....
I get a little suprise in my work email...
My sister pops in and asks me how my life is going.
It makes me smile.


Happy Anniversary of your 29th birthday, Lolly.
I lub you.

Happy Birdie--

These two little girls came into my 12-year-old life and turned everything topsy-turvey.

The family lore is that E hitched a ride with J since it would be my mom's last pregnancy,

And she knew this was supposed to be her family.

My poor mom's tummy was enormous near the end....

but we all suspected that this baby was just a huge one...

After all.. she'd had an ultrasound and they could only see one baby, heard only one heartbeat.

But my dad knew.

He kept saying it would be twins.

Nothing could sway him.

I remember my mom just shaking her head.

We came home after school one day, and my dad was home, and mom was no where to be found.

"DID SHE HAVE THE BABY??" We all clamoured around him....

He simply nodded.

And held up 2 fingers...and held a simple grin.

"TWINS?????!!!!!"

A grand cheer went up from the 6 of us children.

The moment I got to hold those precious little babies, they held my heart in their hands forever.

When they had their 6-week check up, my mom checked me out of school so I could help her out with them at the doctor's office.

An older couple walked by, their 'tsk-tsk' and shaking heads confused me.

At first I didn't register why they weren't simply enamoured with the twins...

everyone else was....

But then realized that they thought those babies were mine.

In an age when teen pregnancy wasn't common...

it boggled my mind that they would assume such a thing.

These two darling babies grew up to be wonderful beautiful people....

and have babies of their own now.

And they still hold my heart in their hands.

Happy Birdie- Erdbeere & Jenibird

I lub you.

..And mark my words, what bodes ill for Jack Sparrow bodes ill for us all."

Meet Jack Sparrow.

His divorcing parents wanted to find a good home for him, because neither were in a position of taking him with them.
So we gladly took this little quaker parrot, because we could afford it.
(Free is VERY affordable, especially when he comes with cage and all!)

He's a year old and originally named 'Gideon'...which we felt didn't suit him.

Since he didn't really answer to his name, a unanimous vote went up to give him a new name for his new life.

We set up a notepad next to a glass jar for any and all name ideas.

Over the course of a week, everyone submitted their creations.
Names from "Waffles" to "Weesly", from "Peter" to "Almond Joy."

On voting day, after going through the entire repertoire of name choices, we narrowed it down to two names:

CHARLIE and JACK SPARROW.

It was torturous and tumultuous, but we finally agreed.
And Jack instantly became a part of the clan.

He gives kisses and has finally warmed up to every member of the family.... flying to the one he prefers at the moment, without any previous notice.
He says about 15 words, imitates a baby crying, a duck quacking, a dog barking, and we're working on "Here, Kitty-kitty."
We just couldn't resist the irony.
*grin*

"If you're going to let a parrot speak for you, at least find one that makes sense!" ~~Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

March Madness

The old "In like a lion... out like a lamb" addage keeps coming to my mind as we stepped in to our 2nd March in this house.

It's no secret that I detest the colder months.... and last week, I began to feel the stirrings of spring.
The earth has warmed... I see it in the tiny tips of tulips, daffodils and crokus that have made their debut this week.
But, alas...the snow will not be stopped.
Old man winter lulls us into thinking he's finally bowed for his last curtain call...
then jerks the rug out from under us.

March brings reflection for me.

Last year, my mom sent out cards to each of us for St. Paddies... that chronicled our "Irishness".
I come from a long line of hearty, strong Irish people.
And I'm proud of that.

This month is also the 20th anniversary of our marriage. I've taken a week off of work to focus on our marriage and spend time with my kids.
I wanted to say 'celebrate' our marriage... but these days I don't feel much like celebrating where our marriage is. So, I say "focus" because we're in 'repair' mode.

Reality.

I've been reflective after watching the movie "Fireproof".

I imagine that I will look back on this year with new eyes.
A lot of hard lessons learned.
I wonder what I will think of when I look back 5 years from now.

We'll also celebrate the birth of our second daughter.
17 years ago seems like just a blink.
So cliche'.


The addage seems true....'in like a lion... out like a lamb'
even in my life....
and more reflection makes me realize that I'm in the 'lion' stage of life....
still fighting.

"Don't ever become a pessimist, Ira; a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun--and neither can stop the march of events."
Robert A. Heinlein

Home Sweet Home, Pt. 2

PS: The house we are buying is the one we're living in.

We're lovingly calling it "Pyper House" since it's been in the family for over 30 years.

Still waiting on the loan info.... although I've become rather skeptical.

Our credit, while we're fixing it, took a hit a few years ago.
We haven't gotten much ahead (aka savings)

Funny how one picks apart their life, when applying to be in debt.

"Teach us, O Lord, the patience of waiting; for to wait is often harder than to work." ~~Peter Marshall

Home Sweet Home

The teenagers are laughing and talking about their day, sitting around the table... American Idol blaring on the TV behind them.

Heads together, Achilles and I are reading the fine print on each webpage.

I never realized how stressful a "submit' button can be...

We are applying to buy our first home.

and just finished our first home loan application.

It's an old home, but a good one.

And now we wait.
24-48 hours, we should know something.

::insert 'Jeopardy' theme here::

I've resigned myself to not worry about the process:
Either it will be approved or not.
And I really am ok with either at this moment.

::humming along with the 'Jeopardy' theme...while tapping fingers impatiently::

It's just a matter of a few days.
And we'll know.

::tap-tap-tap::

*sigh*

Could this be the day??
My son actually uttered these wonderful words:

"Reading my book was actually fun today."

::insert orchestra music here::

The beginning of a new chapter in a young man's life.

::fade on close up of proud mother's smile::

The 'good-ole' days...

One of my fondest memories as a kid was when we had this light blue, vintage Volkswagon Bug.

I thought it the cutest car on the planet...

For a time, it was our only mode of transportation.

For all 10 of us.

Yes ..

you read that right.

T E N.

I was about 12 years old and my youngest (twin) sisters were just born.

We would travel with my parents in the front,

the three of us big sisters on the main seat, each holding a sister.

My two brothers would cram into the back cubby.

And we'd travel the 30-40 minutes to church like that.

That was mostly the time I remember all of us in the car.... on the way to church.

When we'd get to the church, we'd all climb out like a clown car...

Of course, those were the days before seatbelts and carseats.

I dreamed that I would grow up and have a vintage VW bug...
and still think about it on occasion.
Course, I gotta get through raising kids first.


"The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.”

Dear Dogs :

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food.
The other dishes are mine and contain my food.
Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack.
Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, bark, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine attendance is not required.
The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog's butt. I cannot stress this enough.
Sincerely, Mom.

Remember, dogs are better than kids because they (1) eat less, (2)don't ask for money all the time, (3) are easier to train, (4) normally come when called, (5) never ask to drive the car, (6) don't hang out with drug-using people; (7) don't smoke or drink, (8) don't want to wear your clothes, (9) don't have to buy the latest fashions, (10) don't need a gazillion dollars for college and (11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children~~Anonymous

Driving in the car with Mom.

My evening commute was, as it always is when I call my mom, too short.

I never want it to end on those days when I get to chat with her.

Tonight was no exception.

We shared what was new in our lives...
and we shared giggles...

It's so wonderful to share stuff with my mom, and have her totally 'get' me.

I love that she's a great sounding board, and a soft place to land my feelings.

And that she doesn't judge me...
she just offers her thoughts on the matter.

Thanks, Mom.
You make my life so much better being part of it.
I love you.

Have you ever noticed that the smell of states is different everywhere you go?

Each place I have lived over the years has a certain smell that is unique to itself:

The salty sea-air of California.

The wet pavement after an afternoon monsoon in Arizona.

The bakery around the corner in Germany.

The warmth of the air, just mid morning, in Texas.

The snow, yes - the snow, after weeks months of bone-chilling cold in Nebraska

My grandma's house... just as you breeze in for ice cream.

Everywhere.

Each smell conjures up a faded memory that brings a smile to my face.

I smelled a memory of when I lived in Arizona... sitting on our porch swing just after an afternoon rain... watching kids ride their bikes and run through the wet grass.

Those were great times... and who knew what life would bring me 25 years later.

We took our kids to see the Globetrotters this week.

Did you ever see them when you were a kid? I can't remember if I did or if I'm remembering them from TV.

We didn't tell them what we were going to see.

When the teams came out to 'warm up', there was a lot of shenanegans and goofing around...

And at first... the kids were confused.

Well, the younger 3 were confused.

The older child got it and boo'ed and hissed the opposing team along with the croud.

E leaned over and said, with a disapointed air, "Mom. That's bad sportsmanship. You don't boo people who are trying their best."

I giggled and told her it was part of the game.

She looked at me... confused.

AJ, recent expert on the game of Basketball, watched the game for a few minutes and shouted, "MOM! You can't run with the ball! MOOOM, YOU CAN'T HIT THE REFEREE WITH THE BALL."

I looked at him with a barely concealed grin... and said, "You can in THIS game."

L raised her eyebrows in doubt... but smiled with slow dawning.

Soon, they were screaming and yelling their heads off... having a grand time.

When the final seconds of the game came and went.... sighs of contentment and reinactments were heard all the way home.

We stopped for Frosties and Fries and laughed about our favorite parts of the show.

Achilles and I looked at each other, frantically trying to imprint this moment on our memories.

"Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor."~~Benjamin Franklin

Who Ever Loved, That Loved Not at First Sight?
It lies not in our power to love or hate,
For will in us is overruled by fate.
When two are stripped,
long ere the course begin,
We wish that one should love,
the other win;
And one especially do we affect
Of two gold ingots, like in each respect:
The reason no man knows, let it suffice,
What we behold is censured by our eyes.
Where both deliberate, the love is slight:
Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight?
~~Christopher Marlowe

Workout

I've been getting up a 1/2 hour earlier to work out each morning.

This past weekend, my son asked if he could work out with me.

When I told him I started at 5:30am, he didn't even bat an eye.

He's anxious to try out for Football this year, and now that he doesn't have PE in school this quarter, he's worried about staying strong.

So, we work out.

And the conversations have been priceless.

I realize that it won't last forever, but I'm relishing in that opportunity to get to know him and hear what makes him tick...without his sisters around.

And happy he realizes the importance of keeping up on exercise...no matter how early he has to get up.

"Every parent should remember that one day their son will follow his example instead of their advice”