March 14, 2008
Pick YOUR favorite! UPDATE!!
Haven’t posted in a while, but thought that I’d update you on the dogs that I’ve had up here for a while.
Again, these in no particular order.
Puppies…….(not for us, we’re still potty training our own)
(photo from Hillview Kennels)
Randy……. ADOPTED!!!
Snow…….. STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!!!
Romey…… ADOPTED!!!!!
Admiral……. STILL AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION!!!!
Emily…….. ADOPTED!!!!!!!
We’re a few weeks away yet, and with the exception of the puppies, these animals are all rescue dogs. We’ll have to get together with them to see how they react to our kids, and in some cases, the rescue organizations themselves will come out and check us out at our home.
Remember, we’re in Chicago. Vote early vote often!!!
March 12, 2008
It is finished……almost.
Today at 12:04 pm, our realtor called, and told me that a price had been agreed upon concerning the sale of our townhouse. PRAISE GOD!!!!! Negotiations were textbook. Both sides met exactly in the middle of our asking price and their first offer.
Now what?
Ok, there’s the closing which will happen before the end of March, which is also a GREAT thing, but what’s next?
We got into the real estate market with the goal of giving ourselves some cash flow and breathing room month to month. So that we could have an emergency fund other than our credit cards. We haven’t crunched the numbers officially, but by all estimations, we’re at the same place in which we began. A GREAT thing if you consider we entered and exited the real estate market at it’s lowest point in decades.
But now what?
I don’t ask that looking for the next big challenge. I know Joni freaked out when I asked it the first time a paragraph or two ago. I ask it, looking for what God taught me/us through it. What did he teach me about himself? What did he teach me about myself? What is he trying to show me? My glass half empty way of asking it, is what am I missing?
This is still all fresh and technically still not over until the closing. I’m sure I’ll be back to share more of this saga.
For those of you that have been praying for us, T H A N K Y O U!!!!!
March 4, 2008
Parents, be thankful
As a father, there are times when I get really frustrated with my kids.
- When my son tries to ride his sisters tricycle down the slide, falls off and hurts himself, and then tries it again the next day.
- When my youngest, refuses to use the potty.
- When my oldest doesn’t respond to people the way that I’d like her to respond when they say something as simple as Hi.
And then I have a friend who has a baby, who the Drs. tell that they need to cherish every moment with their new daughter. That there’s no chance she’ll live past a few days at best.
Could you hear the smack? It was the sound of perspective hitting me square in the forehead.
Those things that drive me bonkers about my kids, don’t seem nearly so big, and I drop to my knees and thank God that Joni and I have been blessed with healthy kids. We’re 3 for 3. No miscarriages thank God. No defects of any kind, physical or mental.
I don’t know why we are so blessed, I just know that we are.
The fact of the matter is, that I also have a friend who’s son has Down’s Syndrome. And while she would confess that it’s probably the hardest thing she’s ever gone through, she would also tell you, that while her son is not “normal”, he is just as big a blessing as my own “normal” kids.
And then as a teacher, I hear of the things that some of my students must endure at home. It’s no wonder that they react the way they do at school. It’s an habitual reaction to what they are used to.
Parents, cherish your kids. They are a blessing. They are your legacy.
February 21, 2008
To Do List for Thurs. 2/21/08
- Get kids from sitter (5 min.)
- Laundry (towels) - 5th load in, 5th load drying, 5th load folded (11:00 pm)
- Unload, Reload the dishwasher (15 min.)
- Read w/Maddie (15 min.)
- Fix screen door in garage (1 min.)
- Get dehumidifier out of closet (15 min.)
- Fix Dinner (15 min.)
- Make sure Survivor and CSI/Lost are set to be recorded. Does anyone know if CSI is a repeat? (2 min.)
- PJs, Potty, Pearls, & Prayers (kids bedtime)(20 min.)
- Work on transcription for GIA.
- To bed after the news (10:30). (actually Midnight)
We’ll see how well I do. Check back in. I’m going to try and keep track of exactly how long each task takes to actually complete.
Thanks Jon!!
February 20, 2008
I don’t know how to pray.
I’m in a place spiritually that I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced…….
I don’t seem to know how to pray. I know that I need to, and have plenty of stuff to pray for, but nothing seems to come out. It all seems empty, trivial, repeated, redundant, worthless, dry……..
Plenty of stuff to pray for:
- My best friend’s dad is in the hospital
- We can’t even get an offer on our townhouse, much less sell it. I probably owe my realtor an apology. I kind of went off on him yesterday.
- Credit card debt continues to increase.
- I have a conversation (maybe difficult) hanging over my head.
- I am totally unmotivated to help take care of our home. Laundry, dishes, dinner for the kids, making my own lunch…… Could care less. Good husband huh? That doesn’t even take into account all the stuff that needs repair.
- I miss my dog.
- I’ve gained all of the weight back, plus some. I now weigh more than I ever have.
- I’m tired of winter.
- There’s a dozen other things that I’m forgetting.
There God. It’s out in the open. Now what?
February 8, 2008
Malachi 3:3……
…… says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” She asked the silversmith if it was true that He had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
The man answered that He not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”
He smiled at her and answered,
“Oh, that’s easy,” “When I see my image in it.”
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
My friend Julie sent this to me at a time in which I really needed it.
Thanks Julie!
February 4, 2008
Rambo Parenting
What?!!!
Friday night, my friend Packy and I went to see Rambo. Think what you want, but I’ve always been a big Rambo fan. Yes, even the third one. No oscars here, unless there’s one for ‘volume of dismemberments’. But I digress…..
We got into the theatre about 10 minutes early, and were greeted by 3 HS dudes running around throwing garbage at each other. They mistakenly got there 30 minutes early, and to their credit, chilled out once we arrived. Guy after guy streamed into theatre, which is to be expected. No chick flick here
About 10 minutes into the movie, it happened……
A family walks in and sits in front of us.
A Dad and mom, and 4 kids.
What’s the big deal you say?
2 of the 4 kids were probably not in school yet, kindergarten tops. The other 2 couldn’t have yet been in MS.
The carnage took on a whole new perspective. It was all we could do not to get up and lead the kids out ourselves. The more disturbing part was that it didn’t really seem to bug the kids too much. I kept thinking that they would hide their faces or jump during the explosions, but they just appeared to sit there and munch on their popcorn.
This is just more evidence towards some sort of parental licensing. You need a license to drive a car. You need a license to own a gun. Yet any man and woman who can fog a mirror can produce offspring.
PS……..
HD is not kind to my man Sly.
January 14, 2008
Week #48 Weigh-In
Loss This Week - +.2 lbs.
Total Loss - 4.2 lbs.
It appears that I’ve almost got the bleeding stopped, however, there is a positive this day. My attitude and mood are as good as they’ve been in weeks.
Here are some potential reasons for my mood, in no particular order:
1. My 5th grade students are on a field trip this morning, so I have no lessons until noon. 3 1/2 hours to myself (and progress reports).
2. Great weekend of worship @ The Orchard.
3. I’ve taken my “happy pills” everyday for the last 10 days, without interruption.
Whatever it is, I’ll do my best to hang onto it.
