Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Baseball pics
My son, Adam, is a junior on Wayland Academy's varsity baseball team, and normally plays second base. He hates it when I compliment him, but doesn't he look good?
Who will miss us when we're gone?
I'm feeling quite emotional this evening. I've been watching a movie, "Catch and Release", which is a manipulative "love story". A woman's fiance dies, and she learns more about him after his death than she knew beforehand. Who will care when we die? Will it be the love we left behind? The person we support financially? Or the friend who attempts suicide because they feel guilt about our passing?
If I die, I hope my kids still retain their relationships with Lee and their stepsisters. If Lee dies, I hope Cassie, Natalie, and Jeff still want a relationship with me and my kids. I know it would kill Lee or I to lose the closeness of our stepkids... we both love eachother's kids as if they were our own biological children.
I really believe our family is MUCH luckier than most. I believe we truly do love eachother, regardless of DNA. But, the rubber meets the road when people no longer feel an obligation. I pray we never need to deal with a loss before we are all too old to want anything but death.
One's measure in life is not their material accomplishments, but the impact they leave on other human beings in this world.
If I die, I hope my kids still retain their relationships with Lee and their stepsisters. If Lee dies, I hope Cassie, Natalie, and Jeff still want a relationship with me and my kids. I know it would kill Lee or I to lose the closeness of our stepkids... we both love eachother's kids as if they were our own biological children.
I really believe our family is MUCH luckier than most. I believe we truly do love eachother, regardless of DNA. But, the rubber meets the road when people no longer feel an obligation. I pray we never need to deal with a loss before we are all too old to want anything but death.
One's measure in life is not their material accomplishments, but the impact they leave on other human beings in this world.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Stunning Beauties
Pics from Oregon's MicroBrew Festival.... Ashley and Natalie, two of our gorgeous daughters. In the first pic, Ashley was mimicing a standup comic, but I can't remember which one...
New Blog
You may call me a real blogger now. I've begun my SECOND blog. That's right, two blogs... count them.. one, two!
I started a second blog and dedicated it to the process of building a house. It's a lot of work, which I expected. It's fun, it's frustrating, it's worrisome, and it's exciting. But I recognize while it is a VERY time consuming event for me, it's probably incredibly boring for others. (I mean really, how many people appreciate the deliberations between wood floors versus tile floors?) The fact that I created a separate blog just for the house building stories is a testament to how much I care about those that read THIS blog. That's right, I'm that altruistic.
I started a second blog and dedicated it to the process of building a house. It's a lot of work, which I expected. It's fun, it's frustrating, it's worrisome, and it's exciting. But I recognize while it is a VERY time consuming event for me, it's probably incredibly boring for others. (I mean really, how many people appreciate the deliberations between wood floors versus tile floors?) The fact that I created a separate blog just for the house building stories is a testament to how much I care about those that read THIS blog. That's right, I'm that altruistic.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
The best sister EVER!
Natalie is the "best sister EVER". (At least that's what she kept telling us last night after visiting the microbrew festival. :) Quotes from last night...
"Ashley and her crack babies can come live with me."
"Ashley and her crack babies can come live with me."
"Adam, I love you little bro. I hope you don't kill anyone. Please don't kill anyone I know. But if you do kill someone, I'll be your alibi."
"I love Cassie so much. She knows me better than anyone - even better than Jeff."
Seriously, Natalie is a great person and the best sister I've ever met in this world. She is always there for her sisters and brother. She is kind, intelligent, supportive, funny, and generous. I know all three of her siblings love her deeply and value her. And they should - because she is totally awesome!!!
I love you Natalie!!! I'm very grateful to have you as a stepdaughter.
Oregon MicroBrew Festival
I wonder if beer festivals are a Wisconsin event, not found elsewhere in the country.
We went to a microbrew festival on Saturday, and realized that beer drinkers have a unique sense of humor. Some of the shirts seen include:
We went to a microbrew festival on Saturday, and realized that beer drinkers have a unique sense of humor. Some of the shirts seen include:
- Jesus Loves You. It's the rest of us that think you're an asshole.
- I'm with Stupid. (Picture with hand pointing directly downward at the wearer's crotch.)
- I got Totally Naked in New Glarus, WI.
- Some people make bombs in the northwoods... We're sticking with beer.
If you've never been to a "beer fest" before, it's like a wine tasting for beer. You pay $30 for a glass, and then can drink of 100+ varieties of beer. Beers with funny names were there too -- Totally Naked, Mustache Ride, Woody's Wheat, and Lazy Mutt. You can buy food if you get hungry... or better yet, just wear your own! (That's right - I said "wear" your own food. Many people wore "necklaces" made with strings and pretzels. They get hungry, and viola!... pretzels are handily available for munching. :)
But the best thing to see at a bonafide beer fest is real BEER GOGGLES!! People wearing sunglasses shaped like beer mugs. Only in Wisconsin....
Thursday, May 1, 2008
The teenage years
The joys of parenthood are phenomenal, but sometimes its hard to remember that during the teenage years. Daughters can be snippy, angry, full of attitude, and make mothers feel like they can do nothing right. Sons just seem to fade away. The daughters did "come back" from the dark abyss of teenagerdom... I'm hoping the son finds his way back too.
Adam is 17 and finishing his junior year in high school. I never see him anymore. It's sad for me because I feel him slipping away, but also very heartwarming to see him mature and grow. He's a GREAT kid, with a love of life, fun sense of humor, intelligence, and kindness. As he's grown into a young man, he seems to have kept all of these qualities and developed gentlemanly manners too. I know it's the high school activities that are keeping him from his family. (It's not just me.... all of his family complain of not seeing or speaking with him enough.) I hope he decides that it's worth spending a little bit of time and effort to nurture his relationships with his sisters and parents. I'd hate to see him become distant from his siblings now, as it can span into the rest of their lives. I regret not staying close to my sisters and brother, and wish better for my kids.
Anyway, on to the joy of the teenage years! Adam is so darn talented!! He's an amazing athlete, wonderful singer and actor. He just performed in his high school musical, "Back to the 80's". I was surprised at how rich his voice sounded during his first solo. I know I'm biased, but he really is a very good singer! I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear watching him laughing with his friends before & after the performance. He seems so confident and comfortable in his own skin, which is so rare for teenagers. I won't comment much about his second solo, because his sisters gave him too much grief over it. (Adam singing Never Gonna Give You Up). I thought his dancing and singing were very well done and in character. The only thing we could have lived without during the performance was Adam grabbing his crotch in a Michael Jackson sort of way. :) Of course Adam played the role of a high school jock... and he wore acid washed jeans!
Adam is 17 and finishing his junior year in high school. I never see him anymore. It's sad for me because I feel him slipping away, but also very heartwarming to see him mature and grow. He's a GREAT kid, with a love of life, fun sense of humor, intelligence, and kindness. As he's grown into a young man, he seems to have kept all of these qualities and developed gentlemanly manners too. I know it's the high school activities that are keeping him from his family. (It's not just me.... all of his family complain of not seeing or speaking with him enough.) I hope he decides that it's worth spending a little bit of time and effort to nurture his relationships with his sisters and parents. I'd hate to see him become distant from his siblings now, as it can span into the rest of their lives. I regret not staying close to my sisters and brother, and wish better for my kids.
Anyway, on to the joy of the teenage years! Adam is so darn talented!! He's an amazing athlete, wonderful singer and actor. He just performed in his high school musical, "Back to the 80's". I was surprised at how rich his voice sounded during his first solo. I know I'm biased, but he really is a very good singer! I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear watching him laughing with his friends before & after the performance. He seems so confident and comfortable in his own skin, which is so rare for teenagers. I won't comment much about his second solo, because his sisters gave him too much grief over it. (Adam singing Never Gonna Give You Up). I thought his dancing and singing were very well done and in character. The only thing we could have lived without during the performance was Adam grabbing his crotch in a Michael Jackson sort of way. :) Of course Adam played the role of a high school jock... and he wore acid washed jeans!
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