Best Kids Award

I have the best kids in the world.


I know for a fact that the above statement is true.

I was so happy yesterday. I was trying to get some things done for my business and I was a little stressed. My kids made it so easy. They were content to play with each other, with the occasional coming in to make sure I was still there. It was so nice.
It's a little sad too (repeat after me) "my kids are growing up".
I think parents must say that a lot... Or at least think it a lot. I know I do. At least once a day one of the kids will do something and I think, "wow, they are getting so big" or " they are growing up so fast." It's amazing to me to think that just 9 months ago Alexa was not even born yet. And here she is trying to walk and talk and getting in to everything... (where does the time go?)
Anyway, I will be at my parents over the Halloween weekend, so any blogging will likely be done by Mike.
So, I will post some cute pics and be on my way... gotta pack and shop and make sure all is well before I leave tomorrow.
Have a happy and safe Halloween, and don't worry I will be sure to post pictures of the kids in their costumes next week when I get back. LOL

Sporadic ruminations

Catching up on the recent events, illness has swept through my family, then it did again, and made one final sortie before giving us a rest...until last night when Shannon was once again ill. I just keep reminding her of Job and his patience--and she keeps reminding me of Jael and her Hammer and spike.

Timothy has been growing by leaps and bounds. His vocabulary and perception are evident on every level. He understands multiple commands, he tries to make original sentences. In fact, just last night I was playing "The Claw" with Timothy. "The Claw" is a game originated by my oldest brother to play with him. "The Claw" is just my hand with that ominous voice and those fearsome words "the claw is coming." Tim giggles and runs from the claw.

What made us realize that he tries to put his own thoughts and words together is when he finally got past "The Claw" (the claw was "distracted" so he could run to mom) he was clearly trying to tell his mom about the claw. We could hear him say "daddy," "Claw," and "get me," "mommy." There were no clear words in between, but since Daddy was the claw and the claw was trying to keep Tim from bothering mom we gather he was trying to tell us how Daddy and the claw were trying to get him when he went for Mommy. It is our best guess, but it will do.

Oh, and, by the way, Tigger and Pooh have become a regular part of our audience for Storytime with Daddy. I don't even get a half page in when I hear, "Pooh!" This is his indication that he wants both Pooh and Tigger since he grabs both even though he only says "Pooh."

Alexa is quite the growing little girl. We think she is days away from her first step. She can stand quite well on her own right now, and is so very motivated to play with brother (either that or just get out of his way because...well, those who know Timmy know that if we give him another 200 pounds he'll be Pro linebacker material).


I have always been one of those guys who wanted to come home from work and hear "Daddy, daddy, daddy!" when coming through the door. This is what happens when I come home now. Timmy runs to the door yelling Daddy and wants me to pick him up. I think I had the greatest experience the other day when I was holding Tim up and getting mega-Timmy hugs and hearing about his day when suddenly I felt the gentle Tap Tap Tap on one of my feet. That was Alexa indicating that she wanted me to pick her up as well. She had crawled all the way from the thriving metropolis of the living room through the vast wasteland of the kitchen, just to have Daddy pick her up (I know we are only talking 20 feet but my description sounds better).

They love it when I swoop them both up and dance with them.

Shannon has really been working a lot of overtime trying to be Mom and work her business. She gets up early with the kids, stays up late to work on her craft projects. I think the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 is described like that. Now, if we can only get her some handmaids to help her with her duties. Hmm...nah, Alexa is just too small, I guess.

Shannon and the kids are going to be off to the Grandparents in Yuma this weekend. Grandparents (especially grandma and great-grandma) are really excited since they will see cute kids dressed up.

And, Dad is going to be all alone. Although, he was invited to a costume party. He and his weightlifter friend may just go as Hans and Frans.

Whew! I hope I am never so busy that I miss all these wonderful things that are happening in my life right now.

Stuff

Ok Ok, so I got on to my hubby about blogging and here it is 9 days later and I have not even managed to get a post up.
Things are well here, just busy. Or at least I think it's been busy. It seems like we are on the go all the time, but yet nothing ever seems to really get accomplished. Hmmmm, I think that has a lot to do with being a stay at home mom with 2 (mobile) kids under the age of 2. Then again, it could just be me.
With the holidays right around the corner it seems everything is moving so fast. Halloween is not to far off, then there is Thanksgiving and Christmas right after that, followed by the New year. Oh, it does not end there in our family, for in Feb., we now have 2 birthdays to celebrate.
Yes, in just a few months Alexa will be 1 year and Tim will be 2 years old. It's very strange to think about that. We tried so long to have kids and to now have 2 a year apart, it's pretty amazing. They are growing up so fast.
Anyway, I digress.
I am actually looking forward to the holidays. I mean, Holidays are always fun. There are costumes at Halloween, Turkey and lots of family at Thanksgiving, and opening gifts at Christmas have always been fun. Now those things are enhanced. Mike and I get to go back to being kids again. We have our own kids. We can relive all those things with them. They are still to little to care to much about dressing up, and at Christmas the boxes will likely enthrall them as much as the presents themselves. But just watching them and all the amazement in their expectant faces... It's a wonderful thing.
So this holiday season, take a moment to watch a child, really pay special attention... You may just find out what the holidays are really about.

Getting blogged down...

My dutiful and lovely wife kindly mentioned that I had not blogged here in a while. Part of the reason for this is that I have been guest contributing to another blogsite: www.aomin.org. It is not enough to keep me from blogging here, but I have been preparing another blog article. Unlike some people who seem to have the knack for writing outstanding blog articles with great substance, I have to work a bit more at it.

Maybe I should have my son take over blogging for me here on this site. I mean, who wouldn't want to here how there is no moon in the sky? We had a new moon the other night and he was perplexed that he could not find it when my brother took him out to see it. "No moon?" was his puzzled and dissapointed question. When by brother explained that it went "bye-bye" he looked up and waved bye to it.

The other day I had one of the greatest reactions from him I had ever seen. At my work I received a gift football that is made of that rubbery-gel type material (Are you gellin'?) that is see-through to a point. In the center there is a flashing light of red, yellow, blue and white.

My son met me at the door and was all excited to show me his blue triangle and green circle. After a bit of time passed to let him show me his toys I presented the football to him. He looked at it with a big smile. Then I turned on the lights and this look of absolute wonder filled his face as he suddenly forgot that he had to objects in his hands, dropped them in a heartbeat and said, "Whoooo!" and took it from my hands.

My daughter was less impressed as it simply served as a means for her to slobber on yet another of Timmy's toys.

As Shannon has indicated, Alexa is now a crawling dynamo and, at least for the time, Tim could not be happier that she follows him around watching his every move. He loves her as an audience. Whatever brother does she tries or just laughs.

We believe that she is saying words now. It came on us so suddenly that we did not even notice that she had been saying them. It is almost as though she went from incoherent babble to saying a few words with no time in between for us to hear any development. One day she said "Mom!" as clear as day. We thought that it was just a mimic of Tim's cries but then she said "Dad" while looking at me when Shannon was not in the room. She was crying and wanted to be comforted. As soon as Mom walked in the room, however, she started crying "Mom!" And now she seems to be able to say "bye." She can have Oprah's job. Tell me who wouldn't rather have her? Ok, besides Oprah.

Hmmm....Tim taking over Larry King's show and Alexa taking over Oprah. Mom and dad are going to be living easy.

How do you follow up that?

Thanks, Shannon.

My hubby

I was looking over past blog entries, and I realized that I have not had much to say about my hubby. (For shame on me!)
Mike is a great hubby and father. He does a lot for me and the kids. (Sometimes, I find out later just how much he REALLY does).
I mean, he even gave up his office so I could have a craft room to work on starting my own business. (All you geeks out there know what a sacrifice that was.)
Besides, he has to be pretty great to put up with someone like me (I know there are a few character flaws I need to work on...LOL)
Well, I just wanted the world to know how much I love my hubby and what a great guy he is. So, Mike if you are reading this... I love you and appreciate all you do! Thanks!

Update

I realized I had never posted an update about our Friends in Louisiana. Eddie and his family are fine, just trying to get back to some sense of normality. Please be sure to check out his blog for a more detailed update.
We greatly appreciate all the prayers and thoughts that went out to our friends and many others during this awful event. Thanks so much.
In reading Eddie's blog, one thing stands clear... God is good. In all that they went through they never lost site of that. Amazing.
God is good, and gracious and just.
In all the things going on in the world today, we need to be more vigilant than ever to remind ourselves of these things. We need to remind ourselves God has a purpose in all things.
We are to be truly thankful for the things we have. And not just the material things, but things like family, good friends, and leaders in our Churches who are out there doing what they can to help people in need (both physical and spiritual).
When I read Eddie's blog it was full of hope and even joy. Even in the midst of all that is going on, there is joy. I know I need to take a lesson from my friends in LA... To be joyful and realize all is well... God is in control.