Doreen and I stayed up to 4:30a this morning talking after watching a movie. Oy, I'm a bit tired - and I got to drive to Kenosha, WI this afternoon. Oy!!!
Yesterday, when we were having some conversations with friends, someone mentioned that they're thankful to have had kids 'early' in their marriage - so when they're 40 something, their kids will be adults.
Obviously, Doreen and I started the kid thing 'later' in our marriage. So we'll be 50 something when they're adults.
So - the conversation turned to which is better? Kids early or later?
Well, Doreen and I determined that in our opinion, for us, later is better. I mean, we had 7 years before kids (BK) to just be ourselves with freedom from all the responsibility that kids bring. We got to thinking about 'those' who have kids early and plan to enjoy that 'freedom from all the responsibility' after kids (AK) may not quite have the 'freedom' we did BK. I've heard a number of 'elders' in and around my life say that even though the kids are moved out and gone, they still have all those emotional ties to what is happening with their kids and may even have to help out from time to time - so they don't truly have the "freedom" we did during our 7 years BK freedom.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts! BK or AK! :)
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Friday, July 28, 2006
Softball Wife
Doreen has become the softball player in our house this year! She joined a womens team and has been practicing and playing games the last few weeks. It's kinda cool getting out and helping her with some of the fundamentals of the game. Good exercise too!
Here in practice, she's about to put a hurtin' on that softball!!! That's one of the things we've been working on, hitting. We've got about 10 softballs and I'll go out and just pitch and pitch and pitch 'em to her so she get's her 'groove.! (The girls like to jump in and run the bases, play catcher and hit a ball as well - I'll upload some photos in the near future!)
My sweetie in her uniform. I'll try and get some photos of her and her team in action when they have the game in daylight. My camera doesn't do well at any distance at night. By the way, the team name - the Holley Rollers comes from their sponsor, Steve Holley, a painter. Pretty good pun don't ya think!Fun, fun, fun!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Downside/Upside
Got home this morning from work about 5am. (Yup, we drove ALL night returning from Mississhippy - got some sleep though and that is a good thing!)
For the last 4 months, up until this last week, when I'd come home during normal sleeping hours, a 'doggy' alarm clock would go off barking her fool head off - after she jumped under the bed of course! (Guess there was something under there she really needed to protect! He, he, he)
Of course, even though both Doreen and I knew this routine, it typically would scare the beejeebers outta us.
Well - getting home this morning - I subconsciously expected routine eruption, on the downside it didn't happen. How sad to think about our gone puppy. On the upside though, the routine eruption didn't happen so we both calmly crashed after I crawled into bed.
Another thing, yesterday morning when I was making my tuna sandwiches for my lunch, I always left a 'little something' in the can and called for Sugar. I left the 'little something,' put the can on the floor and was just about to call when I remembered. How sad!
Then this evening, after a little 'Pester' family softball practice - when got home, Joelle ran into the basement and called, "Sugar." She then paused for a sec, then said, "Oh yeah, poor Sugar died."
Oh - Doreen and my heart just went out when we heard that.
Precious yet sad!
For the last 4 months, up until this last week, when I'd come home during normal sleeping hours, a 'doggy' alarm clock would go off barking her fool head off - after she jumped under the bed of course! (Guess there was something under there she really needed to protect! He, he, he)
Of course, even though both Doreen and I knew this routine, it typically would scare the beejeebers outta us.
Well - getting home this morning - I subconsciously expected routine eruption, on the downside it didn't happen. How sad to think about our gone puppy. On the upside though, the routine eruption didn't happen so we both calmly crashed after I crawled into bed.
Another thing, yesterday morning when I was making my tuna sandwiches for my lunch, I always left a 'little something' in the can and called for Sugar. I left the 'little something,' put the can on the floor and was just about to call when I remembered. How sad!
Then this evening, after a little 'Pester' family softball practice - when got home, Joelle ran into the basement and called, "Sugar." She then paused for a sec, then said, "Oh yeah, poor Sugar died."
Oh - Doreen and my heart just went out when we heard that.
Precious yet sad!
Monday, July 24, 2006
Sad News Today
Today, we had a small tragety in our household. Our precious puppy, Sugar, got out into the road and hit by a car and died.
We were over at Larry and Sandra's house helping them move a bedroom suite to Grandma March's house. Doreen, Larry and I were inside, Joelle & Natalie were sitting on the tailgate when we heard Sandra begin hollering. She was rummaging in the pickup for something when she heard the noise and looked up to see Sugar laying in the middle of the road, hurt. I ran over and picked her up - she wasn't moving except gasping to try and get a breath. She was moving her head some - but very little.
Larry and I rushed her to a local vet only 5 minutes away, but on the trip there I keep checking her little heartbeat and by the time we arrived - it had stopped. We ran in and the doctor confirmed the same thing, Sugar was gone. The Dr suspected a broken neck along with massive internal injuries.
Poor little puppy didn't understand. Doreen and Sandra had made mention that we needed to keep her off the busy road and we'd called her back a couple of times when she got to close - but it just didn't register with her that was a 'danger' zone. Unfortunatly, for 2 mintues we got occupied putting the furniture in the truck and in that extremely short period of time, she went out and got hit.
Fortunately, the girls didn't see it, and Doreen kept them in the garage while I got her, loaded her up and took off. At the vet we 'paid' them to humanely 'dispose' of her. I would have liked for them to have been able to say goodbye, but not in the shape she was in.
They both seem to understand and were sad for a while, but seem to have put it out of their minds. Occassionally one will say they 'Miss Sugar' but overall, it hasn't been too tramatic of an experience.
Maybe it's because we only had her for about 4 months, and she was just really getting to be part of the family. But we'll miss her.
I'll miss her hiding under the bed, anytime I came into our bedroom to lay down for the night, then when I got cozied in, she'd come up and want to be petted then the 3 of us would fall asleep.
We were over at Larry and Sandra's house helping them move a bedroom suite to Grandma March's house. Doreen, Larry and I were inside, Joelle & Natalie were sitting on the tailgate when we heard Sandra begin hollering. She was rummaging in the pickup for something when she heard the noise and looked up to see Sugar laying in the middle of the road, hurt. I ran over and picked her up - she wasn't moving except gasping to try and get a breath. She was moving her head some - but very little.Larry and I rushed her to a local vet only 5 minutes away, but on the trip there I keep checking her little heartbeat and by the time we arrived - it had stopped. We ran in and the doctor confirmed the same thing, Sugar was gone. The Dr suspected a broken neck along with massive internal injuries.
Poor little puppy didn't understand. Doreen and Sandra had made mention that we needed to keep her off the busy road and we'd called her back a couple of times when she got to close - but it just didn't register with her that was a 'danger' zone. Unfortunatly, for 2 mintues we got occupied putting the furniture in the truck and in that extremely short period of time, she went out and got hit.
Fortunately, the girls didn't see it, and Doreen kept them in the garage while I got her, loaded her up and took off. At the vet we 'paid' them to humanely 'dispose' of her. I would have liked for them to have been able to say goodbye, but not in the shape she was in.
They both seem to understand and were sad for a while, but seem to have put it out of their minds. Occassionally one will say they 'Miss Sugar' but overall, it hasn't been too tramatic of an experience.
Maybe it's because we only had her for about 4 months, and she was just really getting to be part of the family. But we'll miss her.
I'll miss her hiding under the bed, anytime I came into our bedroom to lay down for the night, then when I got cozied in, she'd come up and want to be petted then the 3 of us would fall asleep.
Sugar Pester March 2005 to July 2006 RIP
Confession...
Ok - I've got something serious I have to fess up to. I need to get this out and not keep it as a secret. It's something I'm not ashamed of though. I think you all should know I've been having an affair with my hair stylist. Yeah, its true. Not at all shocking though when you see the beauty that my hair stylist is...
...of course it's my beautiful wife! :)
He, he, he! Did I get any of ya? Hope so! I've been after Doreen for years to cut my hair. She always claimed that she couldn't do it. Too hard, don't know how, etc! Well, the ladies I've been going to get my hair cut at lately have been doing a mediocore job. $10 a cut, including tip, is just too much to pay to be unhappy with the result. So... I watched closely the last couple of times I went in, and then proclaimed to Doreen that she COULD do it!
This last week, we went and bought a hair trimmer and today was the day she gave me my first cut. I explained to her exactly how they do it at the store, and voila - with a little prompting here and there on how the 'pros' do it - she did it. And what's more I'm VERY pleased how it turned out. As good or better than any of the people who'd been to beauty school and I paid 'em to cut it.
So now, we've got to get through 4 cuts and the trimmers will pay for themselves and then we can start saving that $10 every trip I had to go in, plus I get to keep my hair shorter - cuz I can afford to. I told Doreen that after we 'pay' for the trimmer, she needs to budget in a small amout for herself to 'pay' her for the haircut job!
Kinda, extremely COOL!
...of course it's my beautiful wife! :)He, he, he! Did I get any of ya? Hope so! I've been after Doreen for years to cut my hair. She always claimed that she couldn't do it. Too hard, don't know how, etc! Well, the ladies I've been going to get my hair cut at lately have been doing a mediocore job. $10 a cut, including tip, is just too much to pay to be unhappy with the result. So... I watched closely the last couple of times I went in, and then proclaimed to Doreen that she COULD do it!
This last week, we went and bought a hair trimmer and today was the day she gave me my first cut. I explained to her exactly how they do it at the store, and voila - with a little prompting here and there on how the 'pros' do it - she did it. And what's more I'm VERY pleased how it turned out. As good or better than any of the people who'd been to beauty school and I paid 'em to cut it.So now, we've got to get through 4 cuts and the trimmers will pay for themselves and then we can start saving that $10 every trip I had to go in, plus I get to keep my hair shorter - cuz I can afford to. I told Doreen that after we 'pay' for the trimmer, she needs to budget in a small amout for herself to 'pay' her for the haircut job!
Kinda, extremely COOL!
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Photos & Stuff...
In trying to blog a little more, I thought I'd share some photos with ya before I have to go to work tonight. Gotta go to Kentucky. Oy vie! Ok, so here are the girls helping Doreen one morning make gluten. Yummy!
One afternoon, we headed out to a park in downtown Chattanoonga. It was a VERY hot day, so we played in the fountain! In the water, I see a little girl having a TON of fun! :)
See if you can find 3 people in this photo you recognize. Oh yeah, we are having fun and staying very, VERY cool!
Joelle hollered to me the other afternoon that she needed help. Turns out she had climbed to the top of her doorway. It was cute, so I grabbed the camera - shot the photo and helped her down. So precious!
Friday, July 21, 2006
Still Alive and Kickin'
Hey y'all,
What do these dates have in common??? (Kinda like the game Tri-Bond!
Jul 02 Hint
Jun 11 Hint
May 20 Hint
May 04 Hint
Apr 26 Hint
Apr 25 Hint
Apr 08 Hint
Mar 10 Hint
Each of these people, my favoritiest family and friends, like me have seriously procrastinated with blogging. (Note; I spared listing those who have at least posted in July.) These are a few of the links I check each day to see if any news of family or friends have been posted to keep up with what's going on with everybody and feel sad when I see nothing. Then I realize, I have been neglegent in posting since the beginning of the month myself. Shame on me!
So I'll share a couple of quick stories and then later in the week, as time permits, I'll put up some photos I'm sure, or at least hope, you all will thoroughly enjoy!
Lately, we've had a 'time' with our dog, Sugar. On the 4th of July, I was in Michigan working and got a call from Doreen - our dog was missing. They'd put her in our fenced in backyard, and headed out to see fireworks. When they returned home - the dog was gone. It wasn't until late the next day that Sugar appeared at a guys house, miles and miles and miles away. He called the number on the tag and Doreen, Joelle and Natalie went over there to retrieve our dog.
To combat that problem, we purchased a 'metal-rope' to keep her tied up when we leave the house. Again - on a trip, I get a call from Doreen, the dog is gone. The plastic hasp on her collar was broken. So, the dog is gone and the collar is still there. No way for anyone to call this time. Sure enough though, a few hours later - she shows up on the front porch.
So - we've gotta find the 'hole' she's escaping through, and then we've got to do some serious training so the dog will learn to stay home!!!
Last Friday, we had a get-together at a friends house to say "goodbye" to the team that had worked so well at My Former Place of Employment. Many of them don't have any idea of what they will end up doing. They're all searching and trying to get some Heavenly guidance on where to go. We wish nothing but the best for each of them.
As a former collegue and I were discussing this event, we decided to have our own little awards show, to have some fun and yet, say "Thanks for being a 'great' coworker." I believe it came off quite well!!! I think we all enjoyed it thoroughly and it gave each of us a time to remember, with fond memories, working side by side in a ministry Connecting Listeners with Christ. It will be time cherished, both the work and the get-together!
Here's another story, and I believe I've saved the best for last. It's about the differences between my two girls.
In searching for 'gag' gifts for these people, we went into the Dollar store for an item or two and walked down the 'toy' isle. Mistake. Gotta remember as a parent to NOT take kids down the toy isle - to avoid the question, "Daddy, can I have (Input whatever toy you can think of here!)?
Well, since we were in the Dollar store, Natalie, my youngest a HUGE Barbie/Dolly/Prissy toys fan, saw a Barbie like character and began begging for it. So I said yes. Then my oldest, Joelle, asked for one and I said yes to here. Not 20 seconds later she saw a bag of little green toy soldiers - and immediatly said, "Daddy, can I have these instead?" Talk about shocking my socks off. My girls are SO very different in their personallities. It is so very cute, and quite fun to watch!
Okie, dokie - watch for some pics to follow - SOON!!! I promise!
Later y'all!
What do these dates have in common??? (Kinda like the game Tri-Bond!
Jul 02 Hint
Jun 11 Hint
May 20 Hint
May 04 Hint
Apr 26 Hint
Apr 25 Hint
Apr 08 Hint
Mar 10 Hint
Each of these people, my favoritiest family and friends, like me have seriously procrastinated with blogging. (Note; I spared listing those who have at least posted in July.) These are a few of the links I check each day to see if any news of family or friends have been posted to keep up with what's going on with everybody and feel sad when I see nothing. Then I realize, I have been neglegent in posting since the beginning of the month myself. Shame on me!
So I'll share a couple of quick stories and then later in the week, as time permits, I'll put up some photos I'm sure, or at least hope, you all will thoroughly enjoy!
Lately, we've had a 'time' with our dog, Sugar. On the 4th of July, I was in Michigan working and got a call from Doreen - our dog was missing. They'd put her in our fenced in backyard, and headed out to see fireworks. When they returned home - the dog was gone. It wasn't until late the next day that Sugar appeared at a guys house, miles and miles and miles away. He called the number on the tag and Doreen, Joelle and Natalie went over there to retrieve our dog.
To combat that problem, we purchased a 'metal-rope' to keep her tied up when we leave the house. Again - on a trip, I get a call from Doreen, the dog is gone. The plastic hasp on her collar was broken. So, the dog is gone and the collar is still there. No way for anyone to call this time. Sure enough though, a few hours later - she shows up on the front porch.
So - we've gotta find the 'hole' she's escaping through, and then we've got to do some serious training so the dog will learn to stay home!!!
Last Friday, we had a get-together at a friends house to say "goodbye" to the team that had worked so well at My Former Place of Employment. Many of them don't have any idea of what they will end up doing. They're all searching and trying to get some Heavenly guidance on where to go. We wish nothing but the best for each of them.
As a former collegue and I were discussing this event, we decided to have our own little awards show, to have some fun and yet, say "Thanks for being a 'great' coworker." I believe it came off quite well!!! I think we all enjoyed it thoroughly and it gave each of us a time to remember, with fond memories, working side by side in a ministry Connecting Listeners with Christ. It will be time cherished, both the work and the get-together!
Here's another story, and I believe I've saved the best for last. It's about the differences between my two girls.
In searching for 'gag' gifts for these people, we went into the Dollar store for an item or two and walked down the 'toy' isle. Mistake. Gotta remember as a parent to NOT take kids down the toy isle - to avoid the question, "Daddy, can I have (Input whatever toy you can think of here!)?
Well, since we were in the Dollar store, Natalie, my youngest a HUGE Barbie/Dolly/Prissy toys fan, saw a Barbie like character and began begging for it. So I said yes. Then my oldest, Joelle, asked for one and I said yes to here. Not 20 seconds later she saw a bag of little green toy soldiers - and immediatly said, "Daddy, can I have these instead?" Talk about shocking my socks off. My girls are SO very different in their personallities. It is so very cute, and quite fun to watch!
Okie, dokie - watch for some pics to follow - SOON!!! I promise!
Later y'all!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
This Week in Photos
It's time for Joelle to learn to ride her bike sans training-wheels. So we (Doreen) just took 'em off. So Sabbath afternoon we went to the local Academy parking lot and did a lot of running. Doreen and I switched off so one of us didn't have to run ourselves ragged.
Here's Joelle's little cheerleader. Natalie's bike ended up with a flat tire - that we gotta get fixed! So she hung out in the truck playing and occassionally sticking her head out the window and saying, "Go Joelle, go Joelle, GO!" Too Cute!
Joelle was getting it but not with a lot of confidence. She was still very wobbly concerned that we were hanging on. Here she's almsot got it - so on the next time I had my turn, when she got going - I ran beside her showing her that she was doing it on her own and riding. She seemed to gain a LOT of confidence, then...
...she took off and just did it all on her own - riding and riding and riding and riding. Too Cute!
This past week at our church was VBS - and it was a "Fiesta!" They had a LOT of fun with all the stuff they did, from the stories to games, snacks, crafts and the Adventure Theater.
Group publishing sure comes up wih some pretty good ideas on this stuff and the children really seem to enjoy it and the best part is they learn about Jesus! We sure love taking our kids to these things!That's last week in a nutshell!!
Have a good week!
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Politics vs Doing the Right Thing
Once again, I'm thinking about church politics and politics in general. We noticed on the way home from church that gas, again, has jumped another $.07 cents since I bought gas yesterday morning. That means in the last 5 days it's jumped almost $.30. That is shameless.
I've got a friend who has a very good friend that works at a local gas station and at this particular station they only make $.06 on each gallon of gas. So who get's the rest? Big oil.
Who is and has been sticking it to the car owners/drivers of the country the last year, year and a half? Big oil!
Who is protecting Big Oil, allowing them to get away with this type of price gouging? Our goverment. Who's in the government? Politicians. Why are they there? To have power, to stay in office, to make money! Is that what they are there for? No - they are to be there for the good of the country. That is definetly NOT what they are doing!
Just like politics in the church. Are they there to help the benefit of the church? Not most of them. Why is politics in church, to have power, to be in control. Why should they be in leadership in the church - to get the message of Jesus Christ to ALL people. Is that what they're doing? Not as efficitvely as they could.
It is sad - so very sad. So many people, in goverment and church politics are making decisions to help themselves and their own, when they should be making the right decision to help others and the cause.
They need to be doing the 'Right' thing.
I am so tired of having companies make HUGE money at the cost of the little people. (A company is entitled to make a good profit, but it has a responsibility to be fair to consumers.) I am so tired of having church politics be played to the point where people focus on themselves and what they get or deserve to where it hurts people in and out of a church and distracts and detracts from the message of the Gospel getting out! I'm tired of living with the devils influence all around us. I'm looking forward to heaven!!!
So, here's to the "Right Thing," looking towards Heaven and a perfect world, once again!!!
I've got a friend who has a very good friend that works at a local gas station and at this particular station they only make $.06 on each gallon of gas. So who get's the rest? Big oil.
Who is and has been sticking it to the car owners/drivers of the country the last year, year and a half? Big oil!
Who is protecting Big Oil, allowing them to get away with this type of price gouging? Our goverment. Who's in the government? Politicians. Why are they there? To have power, to stay in office, to make money! Is that what they are there for? No - they are to be there for the good of the country. That is definetly NOT what they are doing!
Just like politics in the church. Are they there to help the benefit of the church? Not most of them. Why is politics in church, to have power, to be in control. Why should they be in leadership in the church - to get the message of Jesus Christ to ALL people. Is that what they're doing? Not as efficitvely as they could.
It is sad - so very sad. So many people, in goverment and church politics are making decisions to help themselves and their own, when they should be making the right decision to help others and the cause.
They need to be doing the 'Right' thing.
I am so tired of having companies make HUGE money at the cost of the little people. (A company is entitled to make a good profit, but it has a responsibility to be fair to consumers.) I am so tired of having church politics be played to the point where people focus on themselves and what they get or deserve to where it hurts people in and out of a church and distracts and detracts from the message of the Gospel getting out! I'm tired of living with the devils influence all around us. I'm looking forward to heaven!!!
So, here's to the "Right Thing," looking towards Heaven and a perfect world, once again!!!
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