First Day of School

Today was the first day of school for Seth and Chase. Seth is going into 2nd Grade and Chase is Kindergarten. It is always a hectic day because we aren't in a routine yet for getting up and getting ready, everyone is walking their kid in so the parking lot is a madhouse, and the halls are full.

So, we took our customary pictures and video but I didn't get to savor it. It was partly because it was crazy there, and second because I was preoccupied with going to work. I know I will regret it.

I don't want these days to go by too fast. Shelley and I are doing everything we can to take these days in. We have a ton of pictures and videos so we will have plenty of memories. Plus between the blogs and facebook, we will have captured a lot of the memories.

I am not ready for my babies to grow up yet, though.

Why Me?

God, why me? Why:

do I have a wonderful wife?
do I have 2 healthy boys who are not suffering from a disease?
was I born in the US and not some third world country?
do I have a job when others don't?
do I have a roof over my head when others don't?
do I not have to worry about my next meal?
do I have reliable transportation?
do I have a great family?
am I blessed with a wonderful mother in law?


These are just some of the things I wonder about Why Me?

God is not Boring

Yesterday as we were walking into school for Meet The Teacher I guess Chase had school on his mind.

He said, "When I went to Rainbow School all we learned about was colors and God. Colors were boring but God wasn't."

Living Alone

I spent my first night last night alone and it has made me really appreciate my family and all the craziness that brings.

I got up one time and walked bare foot from the living room to the bathroom and didn't step on a single lego and I was really sad about that.

4 days, 11 hours until I pick up Chase. 5 days, 3 hours until I pick Shelley and Seth up.

Money, Money, Money

I have been stressed out a lot about money lately. And I also have been experiencing some of that green monster, envy. It seems like all my peers at work are driving new cars. I then heard this song and it really leveled my head.

Home Alone

I am home alone for then next 6 days and I already think I am going to go crazy.

Chase has been in Oklahoma for the past few days and I really miss him. Our family isn't complete without him and this hasn't gone unnoticed by Seth. Once during dinner, Seth said "dinner isn't the same without Chase." Then last night when we walked in to church, Seth said "something is missing? It's not the same without Chase."

This morning I dropped Shelley, Seth and Tate off at Alasso Ranch for a week of church camp. When I walked in the house, I realized being alone was going to be hard. I don't want to ever take for granted the blessing that my family is.

Homesick

Can you be homesick and have never left your home? Well, I am or at least preparing to be.

Yesterday Chase left for Oklahoma and will be up there for the next 10 days. Then this next Sunday I am driving Shelley and Seth to Allaso Ranch where Seth will attend camp and Shelley will volunteer for one week.

I am already missing Chase and I am not looking forward to dropping Shelley and Seth off this Sunday. I am going to be alone next week and I dreading it. I don't think we all have been separated for this long ever.

While I will be sleeping in my own bed, I know I am going to be homesick. I will be posting and updating on my "condition."

Economics 101

Chase came into a little windfall courtesy of grand mama. So, with his new found wealth he decided to go on a little spending spree.

Yesterday, he went and bought some Phineas and Ferb sunglasses. Today, I took him out to Office Depot to buy a #14 Tony Stewart Office Depot chevy NASCAR model car.

On our way into the store he told me he got more money yesterday.

Me- "where did you get more money from?"
Chase - "when I bought my sunglasses they gave me more money. Am I going to get more money today?"

I love his economic model.

Praises

This week at church the message was about glorifying God and being thankful for all he has done. This isn't the first time I have heard a message on the power of praise so here are some things I am praising God for today.

1. You sent your Son to die for me.
2. Shelley
3. Seth
4. Chase
5. Shelley's theme of family this year and how much of our family we have seen.
6. My job
7. Having a roof over our head
8. Our wonderful church
9. Good friends
10 Our health
11. I don't have to worry about where our next meal will come from.
12. I'm home this morning with my boys.

Friends

I was sitting behind the boys when the picture above was taken. As soon as it was taken I thought about one of those coming of age movies where they start out showing a picture of a bunch of boys when they were kids and then you flash forward to them all graduating high school together. I wonder where all of these little boys will be in 10 years?


In the picture from left to right - Nolan Givens,Cole Ladrew, Isaiah Brogan, Cameron Bitz, Alex Ladrew and Seth

These made me chuckle

End of another week

It's Friday and we are approaching the end of another week. This week was marked with the boys attending Vacation Bible School at Compass Christian Church in Colleyville. They both had a good time but Chase had a few rough spots.

First we had the incident of the black eye which didn't turn into a black eye but it was still a nasty little cut. Then last night as a wrap up to the week the kids got to try and dunk the pastors in a dunk tank. Seth was successful in his attempt but our little perfectionist, Chase, was not. And this "failure" crushed his spirit and we had ten minutes of tears.

So, the challenge is how do we make the most of his desire to be the best but still allow him to fail?

The rest of the week included the first week of Cowboy training camp and the Rangers took 2 of 3 from Oakland extending their lead in the west to 8.5 games and their magic number is 53 (lowest in baseball).

Black Eye

Last night while the boys were at VBS I got a text from Chase's VBS teacher that said:

"Chase got a booboo but he's laughing & smiling. Want me to send ya a pic?"

I replied "No that is ok. Thanks!" figuring it wasn't that big of deal.

She replied - "OK. Got bumped in the face & his glasses cut his cheek. But he's tough! :-)"

Well, when we saw him I was taken a little bit back and I know Shelley was because he had a nice little gash in his cheek under his eye.

I am not sure what it will look like this morning but we prepared him that he might have a black eye. We then had to explain that a "black eye" was just a bruise around the eye and his eye wouldn't be black.

I'll post a picture when I get one.

Exhausted

I woke up this morning feeling really tired. So tired that I decided to "sleep in" and not go running. But, even after "sleeping in", I was really tired this morning. Just dragging...

Well, I got in the car to go to work, looked at the clock at it said 5:00 am and not 6:00 am. I paused, tried to process that bit of information, looked at my watch and was really confused. Some how I had got up an hour earlier than I thought.

So, now I am sitting in the living room about to rest my eyes for 50 minutes before going to work. I am really losing it..

July 28 2010

What to blog about?

I've taken my blog private so I can utilize this blog more as a journal and document more personal information that either Shelley and I or the boys will find interesting some day.

So, what to blog about? I don't know...

The boys are going to vacation bible school at Compass Christian Church in Colleyville. This is their third VBS this summer. I never went to a VBS and they have gone to 3 just this summer. I wonder if they will have fond memories of these events?


The Rangers have an 8.5 game lead in the West. Will they make the playoffs?

Cowboys have started training camp and the talk of the camp is their first round draft choice, Dez Bryant.

My job is still a struggle and is not fulfilling. My prayers continue to be to find my true purpose and do something with meaning.

Parenting

This is just a note to myself to remember how hard this parenting thing is. I don't want to look back and think, "oh, it wasn't that hard."

It seems Shelley and I are never on our A game together. When one is over reacting the other is the calm in the storm. We never seem to be rationale together. :-)

I wonder what Seth and Chase will remember from their childhoods? It might be their bi-polar parents.

Sleeping with Chase

Last night was another night when Chase came into our room to sleep. Shelley got up and went to his room, leaving just the two of us. Sleeping with Chase is an adventure and I feel sorry for his little wife some day. He is all over the bed and for most of the night I have his foot in my ribs. But, then his little hand will reach out and we will hold hands and that makes it all worth while.

I just try and burn that memory in my mind because I know it won't last forever.

Family Secrets

We have had one family secret since the boys were born. It really isn't a secret but we have never talked to the boys about it because they weren't old enough. Well, that all ended yesterday.

The secret has been that I was married prior to Shelley. We have held off on telling the boys until we thought they would better understand. Lately, they have been asking more about divorce and marriage because they have some friends who have parents that have been divorced. Shelley and I felt it was time because we never want to deceive our boys.

So, last night we turned off the t.v. and gathered everyone in the living room. I was pretty nervous and wasn't really sure how I was going to start the conversation. I explained to them that I had been married previously and they both took it well.

Chase was more focused on his legos but Seth did ask some questions. He asked what her name was, where she lived and why we got divorced. I answered all his questions best I could and he seemed satisified and was anxious to start watching Stars Wars Episode I. A boy must keep his priorities.

Thinking About Going Private

I have had this blog for 5 years and my activity on it has been sporadic. I once was very active and monitored the number of hits I was getting. Now, I have no idea if anyone reads this.

So, I am thinking about turning it into a private blog. If you read this and would like to continue reading it, please email me at jefftdowdle@gmail.com and I will give you access.

California Vacation

This year our family vacation was truly a FAMILY vacation. We flew to San Jose, California with Shelley's mom and one of her aunts. We arrived and visted with two of Shelley's cousins that live in California, her aunt and uncle who live there and another cousin from Oklahoma who also flew out.

The trip consisted of us flying into California on Saturday, spending the night at Shelley's cousin Shannon's house. Then on Sunday, the four of us plus Shelley's mom and aunt Kathy drove the pacific coast highway to Santa Paula, California. We spent the night there and then got up and on Monday visited the Reagan and Nixon presidential libraries.

We arrived in San Diego at a house we had rented that was about 5000 sq foot and beautiful. Monday evening the rest of Shelley's family arrived. Her 3 cousins, 2 spouses and 5 kids. In total there was 16 of us.

Tuesday we got up and took a bus tour of San Diego and then toured the USS Midway. We ended Tuesday with a tour of the Harbor.

Wednesday was the San Diego Zoo, a miniature railroad museum and a hands on science museum.

Thursday was Legoland.

Friday was packing, cleaning the house, a children's museum and the flight home.

We saw a lot of nice things, stayed in a beautiful home, had beautiful weather but the best part for me was spending time with Shelley's family and getting to know her California cousins better. I also loved watching my boys play with their cousins and getting to know their family as well.

Happy Birthday Chase!

Happy birthday Chase!

Good information to have

Chase was in our bed and I was patting his bottom.

He said, "you know I fart every time you do that."

That was good to know.

Coaching Baseball

Out of default I have become the coach for Chase's baseball team. I have 11 five and six year olds and I have to tell you, it is tough. Getting them to listen and do what I say is not easy if not impossible.

I seem to spend all my time just trying to corral them it seems.

But, I hope somehow this will create a memory for Chase that he finds special.

Seth's Baptism

Tonight was a big night in our household. Tonight at church Seth was baptized with about 25 other kids. It was a month ago on April 22nd prior to going to bed that Seth asked Jesus into his heart.

We were so excited about his decision but he was a little nervous about the baptism. Tonight prior you could tell he was nervous but by the time for the baptism he was excited. Seth was excited to have Pastor Dave O'donnell baptize him. Pastor Dave has been his kindergarten and 1st grade pastor and Seth really respects him.

We had a group of friends and family which included Marilyn, Chris, Valerie and April there to cheer him on. He enjoyed the attention.

For me it was very moving and prior there were several times I was about to cry with joy. I am so proud of him and this decision he made.

Family

The past few days have been dedicated to family.

Friday I got to go on a field trip with Seth's class to the Fort Worth Zoo. We were able to spend the day together and we really enjoyed our time together. I am always impressed by what an awesome little boy he is. I was a chaperone over him and another little boy. While the other little boy wasn't much trouble, he did have a tendancy to go in his own direction. Seth was great because I would send him after him and he was a great help with my chaperone duties.

Then this past weekend we had a family reunion for my Mom's side of the family. This was an event that would never have taken place with out the hard work and deligence of Shelley. This was her party and she did a great job.

The reunion was about 3 hours from us so I got to enjoy a road trip with my family. I have discovered that I love taking road trips with my family.

Saturday was spent at the reunion and I saw people who I had not seen in about 8 years. Again, when I see my boys in an environment with other kids, I realize that they are very special.

I could go on about all the details of the reunion but just say it was a lot of fun and I hope we can do another one.

Praises!

Seth prayed and asked Jesus into his heart last night!

Sight Words

There was a note from Seth's teacher that he is moving on to 2nd grade sight words. Also they expect them to be reading at a level of I by the end of the first grade. Seth is already at a level J.

Way to go Seth !

Quotes from Chase

At Baseball practice - "Daddy, why in baseball is running called hustle?"

On the way home and listening to a praise song on the radio - "Daddy, they are singing about God and praising him. That's a good thing."

Happy Birthday Seth

Seven years ago today I became a father. Prior to that day I would have never guessed I would love being a father like I do. But, we were truly blessed by the addition to our family or actually the start of the family.

Seth, I love you and truly love being your father. I can't believe you are 7. It has been a great 7 years.

Happy Birthday!

Brave Diver

The boys are currently taking swimming lessons at an indoor pool. One benefit of taking swim lessons in the winter is it seems most people aren't thinking about swim lessons so we only have one additional boy in their class. So, we are getting private lessons at a group rate.

But that isn't really relevant to this story.

At the end of each lessons the boys take turns jumping into the pool. Last night I watched the boy in front of Chase jump into the pool and since he is a pretty good swimmer he chose to swim away from the instructor. So, when the instructor swam off to get his student I looked down for a moment. While I was looking down, I heard a splash and when I looked up, Chase was no longer standing on the edge and the water was rippling. Also, the instructor was still trying to catch up with his other student.

When I yelled out, "Chase!", the instructor turned to see the dilema and he and I got to the scene of the incident about the same time. I reached in, pulled Chase up and he helped push him on the ledge of the pool. Chase had a big grin on his face and I'm sure I was pale as a ghost.

We still aren't sure why he chose to jump in but one thing is for sure, he's not afraid of the water. :-)

Cowboys' Playoff Victory

The Cowboys' finally won a play off game this weekend. The last time they won a playoff game I was just 30 years old, going through a divorce, had not even met Shelley and the idea of having 2 boys was completely inconceivable.

For a die hard Cowboy fan it has been a long journey. I'm trying to savor it because who knows when the next victory will come.

Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 will always be remembered for snow. Yes, SNOW! The midwest was hit hit by a winter storm on Christmas Eve and this included Oklahoma and Texas. We had arrived on the 23rd in Oklahoma so we were safely in Oklahoma when the snow rolled in but it was evident that our planned return to Dallas on Christmas Eve night might be in jeopardy. And, in fact it was. We decided to spend another night in Oklahoma which proved to be a wise decision.

The boys Christmas will be remembered as the Christmas they got their Nintendo DSs. They also got a new microphone, piano bench, WII Lego Star Wars, scooters, Toy Story Woody and Toy Story Buz Lightyear and new bedding for their rooms.

It was a special Christmas because it was a white Christmas and we got to spend it with our family.

Christmas Services

We have been attending our church for over 10 years and I have to say my favorite service is always our Christmas service. I don't think we have missed one but I could be wrong. We usually schedule our Christmas travels to make sure we don't leave without attending the service.

Every service ends the same way and that is with everyone lighting a candle and singing Christmas carols. It is an amazing sight to see the sanctuary full of people and lit by only candles.

We just got home from the service this year and I am already excited about next year.

Memories

I am off this week for Christmas so I started a project of turning all the DV8 tapes we have into DVDs. In order to do this you have to play the tape through the camera and burn it to DVD. This has led us to watching some of the very first tapes we made of the boys and has brought back a lot of memories. I will always be thankful for all the video and pictures we have taken because I would have forgotten a lot.

But, two things are apparent. First we sure were a lot younger looking back then and second, our house sure was a lot cleaner. As we moved from one boy to adding a second boy, more gray hairs appeared and more toys were scattered through out. It sure is nice to have a messy house.

Getting a Haircut

I take the boys to a traditional barber shop where 99.9% of their customers are males. When you go there everyone knows each other and it is a bunch of men sitting around talking sports and hunting. It is great fun.

Today I took Chase and as we are driving up I asked him who he wanted to cut his hair. Ms. Johnann is who normally does it and she is Todd's wife. She and Todd are the owners of the shop. Todd is a bit of a haircut artist and you can never go wrong with him cutting your hair plus he is great with kids. But, Shelley really likes the way Johnann cuts Chase's hair and Johnann really likes Chase.

So his response to my question was he wanting Mr. Todd to cut his hair.

Me - Ms. Johnann is available and Mommy really likes how she cuts your hair.
Chase - But will she be funny?

Why Do I Watch Sports?

Why do I watch sports? It just drives me crazy. The Cowboys only frustrate me and after a great season, TCU only gets the Fiesta Bowl. I just need to give it up but I can't. It is my crack..

Dear God

Dear God,
Thank you for all your blessings. You have blessed me with an incredible wife, the two most special boys, good health, a roof over our head and food on our table.

With all these blessings why am I looking for more? I feel you have more planned for me and I am missing it. Lord, please make your plan for me clear and if I'm still not seeing it, please give me confirmation and leave me with no doubt.

If where I am is where you want me then praise to you for that. But, if I am missing it because of fear or an unwillingness please open my mind and heart to your desires.

In Jesus name
Amen

Sleeping Arrangements

I have probably posted about this in the past but the sleeping arrangements in our house are very fluid. Where someone goes to bed doesn't mean that is where they will wake up.

Shelley and I might go to bed together but I will wake up on the couch and she will wake up in one of the boys' rooms. Lately, Chase has been coming in and sleeping with me and Shelley has been moving to the couch. Chase says he likes to "sleep with Daddy."

I like sleeping with Chase as well because he is a cuddler and is the only one who let's me touch him when I sleep. These are memories that I hope I can burn into my brain.

Thanksgiving 2009

This was one of the best Thanksgivings in a long time. First I took the entire week off and it has been very relaxing. We went up to Oklahoma and spent Thanksgiving with Shelley's family where the food is incredible and plentiful. Also, my mother came down and also made the trip to Oklahoma. I think she enjoyed her time there as well. And finally, the Cowboys won!

The Change Continues

One of the greatest and saddest things about raising children is watching them grow and change. It is very cool to watch but I often find myself wondering where my little boys went.

Seth has really changed in the last few weeks. First, he has developed a big interest in history, U.S. war history to be more precise. I've started recording anything I can find on the History channel that relates to the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI or WWII.

He has also just started practicing the piano on his own. Without notice he will go in and start playing where before we had to bribe, beg, plead and threaten to get him to practice. And reading has become a new obsession. He is now just getting books and going into his room and starts reading.

What could be next, picking up his toys? No way, that is just crazy talk.

Father Son Retreat

Seth and I had our 2nd Father/Son Retreat this weekend at Allaso Ranch.

This is a weekend we both have been looking forward to and it lived up to our expectations. We had a great time just being together and walking. The only thing missing was the smallest Dowdle but he gets to join us next year.

We bonded and I really enjoyed the time together. I just enjoyed walking through the woods with him and he really enjoyed taking a canoe out onto the lake.

We are ready to go back and next year will be real interesting as Chase will get to experience it for the first time.

Blogging

I am going to make a new effort at blogging again. I'm going to try and keep it simple and avoid worrying if it is interesting.

When they get older

I have been a real slacker on blogging and I'm going to try and improve.

Here is part of a comment Chase made to me.

"daddy when I get older, and if you are still alive..."

I was so moved by this. :-)

I've Got To Go Pee Pee

"I've got to go pee pee." Those are words that seem to come out of no where from Chase's mouth and it often seems to be at the most inconvenient times.

One evening Seth and Chase and I went to the UPS depot to pick up a package that we missed the delivery. We had been in line for 30 minutes and were finally next when I heard "I've got to go pee pee." This statement is also expressed rarely loudly and in a very urgent manner. It is also followed by a quick grab to his lower regions with both hands and a very stressed expression on his face. History tells us that time is of the essence and not to dilly dally. At this particular incident at UPS I quickly looked around and saw no public restroom. I also assessed the line behind us and knew if I got out of line, we were going to have another 30 minute wait. So, I began a high stakes gamble with time. Fortunately, I won the gamble and was able to get out to the parking lot where Chase was able to hose down my tire.

Today, we went to a movie and had made it right to the end. We were coming to the exciting conclusion when the words "I've got to go pee pee" echoed through the theatre. Again, I assessed the situation and knew if we left we couldn't get back in time so another gamble with time was undertook and again I won. I know my luck is about to run out.

Anniversary and Birthday

Facebook and Twitter are taking the majority of my social networking efforts but that is for another post.

This weekend was a busy weekend and will always be. The middle of June will always be occupied by Shelley and mine anniversary and Chase's birthday.

I surprised Shelley and took her away for a night at the Gaylord Texan and dinner. We had a great time and it was nice to get away.

Sunday was Chase's 4th birthday and we had a family party and an afternoon at Bedford Splash.

I can't believe that I have been married 10 years and have a 4 year old.

Chase was extremely excited about this birthday. For some reason, being 4 had a special place in his heart and he wanted to tell everyone about it. He enjoyed all of the attention. Last year his birthday party, while special because it was celebrated on the beach, I think he felt a little shorted because it was just us and Shelley's mom.

I think Shelley and Chase enjoyed their special weekend.

My Kindergartner (or soon to be former Kindergartner)

This past Friday was Seth's Kindergarten year end program.

It started off as each student went on stage and said what they liked about Kindergarten. I watched Seth through the video camera and was just taken by how grown up he looked. He approached the mike and said his favorite part was their play "How Does Your Garden Grow?"

They then all sang as a group, and since Shelley was able to get there early, we sat close enough that I could distinguish his voice from all the other kids. I sat there and listened and could hear the slight lisp that he has since he had just lost his second tooth that morning.

A slide show ran that captured all the pictures from the year. I looked through the crowd and at all the teachers and tears were running down everyone's face.

Our babies weren't babies anymore.

Seth,
I love you and you will always be my baby.

Dad

No More Red Drink Store?

Ever since Seth was about 2, something we have done and was always seen as something special, was going to QuikTrip together. Anytime we did something together, it often included a stop at QuikTrip so that Seth could get their strawberry banana Freezoni. (This is like an Icee.) This tradition has expanded to include Chase but his drink of choice is often either white cherry or blue rasberry.

Seth dubbed his favorite drink as a "red drink" and Chase has since followed suit calling his a "blue drink." Well, this then meant that QT was the "red drink" store, and for the last 4 years it has always been referred to in our house as the "red drink" store.

Well, another sad step in growing up occurred yesterday when Seth announced that he was going to start calling it QuikTrip instead of the "red drink store." This made me sad because it was just another sign that I can't keep them from growing up.

A conversation I overheard

Today we started scraping the wallpaper off of our walls in our bathroom. I was on a ladder with my back to the boys and they started having this conversation.

Chase - I want to go on the ladder.
Seth - When you are a grown man you can do whatever you want.
Chase - Like what?
Seth - You can do things on the ladder and you never have to go to your room.

Seth's Prayer

Last night Seth told us a prayer he says before he goes poo poo.

"God, please don't let it hurt."

Awkward Moment

Tonight Seth and I went to dinner together and when we were leaving the restaurant Seth looked over at a restaurant across the way and asked what it was called. I paused for a second as I looked at the sign, trying to figure out my response. Thinking of no good one, I just decided to answer the question.

"Hooters," I responded.

"That is a funny name for a restaurant," he replied.

Then on the drive home he kept repeating it, "Hooters, Hooters, Hooters...."

I just hope he gets it out of his system before school on Monday.

Loose Tooth

Yesterday while I was in a meeting, Shelley called my cell phone. The unusual thing is she left a voice mail, which she rarely does. This usually means it is important and I need to call her back.

When I got out of the meeting and was able to hear the message, I heard an excited plea to call them back.

I called back and Shelley said Seth had some big news to tell me. He excitedly told me that he had a loose tooth, his first. We are all very excited but I am sad as well. It is official; my little boy is going to continue growing up.

It Was A God Thing

This weekend our church has a community outreach program call Love Your Neighbor going on. We are participating in a variety of community service type projects and just doing random acts of kindness.

Chase had his first soccer game this morning and I was going to have to take him by myself while Shelley and Seth went to an apartment complex to pass out Easter baskets and conduct an Easter egg hunt. The forecast was for it to be bitterly cold so Shelley suggested I take some hot chocolate to the game and pass it out. It fit perfectly into the theme of our weekend but WAY out of my comfort zone.

Chase and I were the first to arrive from our team at the game and it was bitterly cold. We got there just as the game in front of us was ending and the families were leaving. Just then a man walked up to me with 2 containers of hot chocolate left over from the first game and offered them to me for our team.

So, God was not going to let me sit in my comfort zone and there I was passing out hot chocolate. :-)

Littering

The other night we were in the parking lot at church and I was trying to get the boys unloaded from the car. Chase had fallen asleep so I was carrying him and was in the process of helping Seth down from the truck when the wind blew a piece of paper out of the car. I asked Seth to track it down when we had this exchange.

Seth: Why?
Me: We don't want to litter.

Seth captured the piece of paper.

Seth: What is littering?
Me: It is when we throw trash down on the ground.
Seth: Is it illegal?
Me: Yes.
Seth: What can happen?
Me: They can make us pay a fine but also God doesn't like it either.
Seth: But God saw the wind blow it out. He knows it was an accident.

I then had to explain that it was only littering if you left the trash on the ground...

Shelley, I love you because..

You took a chance on me.
You brought me to Christ.
You gave me the 2 most precious sons.
You make me laugh.
You are beautiful.
You have a wonderful heart
You put up with me.
You are spunky
You are willing to do anything for our family.
You have a great sense of humor.
You love Elvis
You go to birthday parties
You are my everything..

12 Years Ago Today Was The Start of the Journey

The title of my blog is "The Journey of a Happily Married Man with Two Kids." Well, this journey started 12 years ago today. On February 16, 1997, I had my first date with Shelley.

This was a very dark time of my life and I had no idea what this date would turn into. I was going through a divorce with the one I thought was my "soul mate." I thought I had the perfect life until about 4 months previous when she said "I want a divorce." I still remember hearing those words and just dropping to my knees. I felt like my life was over at that point.

At this point in my life I wasn't a Christian and didn't have a relationship with Jesus. I felt that you just needed to be a good person and going to church was what people did to make themselves feel better.

But I remember clearly one evening having a "discussion" in our kitchen. I was trying to convince her that we needed to try and save our marriage and I suddenly had a question pop in my head, "What does God think about this?" We had gotten married in a church by a preacher and in front of God but up to this point that was just because that was how you were supposed to do it. Now I found myself wondering what God would think if we broke those promises we had made in front of him.

This was the first crack in my heart that was opened to let God in. Now I didn't drop to my knees and accept Jesus at that point. The truth is it took me several years but this was the beginning.

Shelley and I went on our first date a few months later and I was taken by her beauty, intelligence, sense of humor and "spunkiness." But I was just looking for someone to keep me company and help take away some of my lonliness, it wasn't supposed to last.

Shelley was a Christian but had drifted so we were two lost souls. We weren't right for each other but we were filling a need each of us had. I believe this gave God the time he needed to work in our lives.

Through a series of events, Shelley found our church and started attending. I started going but it was just so I could be with her. Shelley resumed her walk and then started working on me.

When we got married we were "unequally yoked." I agree with everyone that this is a recipe for a disaster and it was almost for us. We were on a path of potential divorce until two things happened. The first and most important was that I accepted Christ as my Savior. I will always be thankful to Shelley and her persistance along with Ed Young and Fellowship Church. The second thing that happened is we started going to a Christian counselor.

Today we have an awesome marriage, two wonderful boys and are growing in our walk with Jesus. And this journey all started 12 years ago today.

My Incredible Wife

On this Valentines Day I am so thankful for my incredible wife. I don't have the words to describe her but it can't be said any better than in Proverbs 31: 10 -31.

10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Valentines

This morning Seth made me a Valentine card. A little later he came up to me and asked where it was.

I told him it was on my dresser so I could take it to work with me.

Seth - Are you taking it to work with you tomorrow?
Me - Not tomorrow, I have to go to San Diego today and won't be in the office until Tuesday.

A little later he brought me another valentine and said:

Seth - Here is a Valentine you can take to San Diego so you won't forget me.

That made me melt and I just gave him a big hug and told him I will never forget him.

My Hugger

Last night I gave Chase a kiss on his forehead and he immediately wiped it off as he always does when someone kisses him.

Chase - I don't like kisses
Me - Well, what do you like?
Chase - I like hugs!


This is true. He has always liked hugs and he is a very good hugger.

Happy Birthday, Seth

Today my oldest turns 6.

Happy birthday, Seth!

Mr. Mom

We have had a tragic event occur this weekend; Shelley got sick. This has disrupted our entire house and thrown me into the role of Mr. Mom. While I feel I have filled the role well, it isn't one I want to have for an extended period of time.

I had birthday party duty on Saturday and that is one duty I have always tried to avoid. Now my resolve is even greater. After 2 hours at Pump It Up with 20+ 5 year olds and not getting home until 10 pm, I am certain this is not a spiritual gift I have.

Shelley also says I am lacking the spiritual gift of nurture but I will leave that to her to post about.

I also got to take them to a play date with some other boys, so it was just me and two other mothers.

Please pray for Shelley's return to health.

The Brady Bunch

We have all discovered a new show in our house, The Brady Bunch. The boys love it and have fallen victim to the catchiness of the theme song. They can be heard singing it all day long.

Now, for me it is also a new show despite seeing it hundreds of times. Now when I watch it I am seeing it from the perspective of the parents instead of the kids. Now, I see it all different as I watch their parenting techniques wishing it was as easy as they make it appear.

My Favorite Things

The Sound of Music has been a big player in our house. I can't count how many times that movie has played.

When I think of some of my favorite things, the list can be numerous but always on that list is Peanut Butter. (There is a funny story about peanut butter from when Shelley and I were first together and how she found out she didn't know me as well as she thought)

Well, anyway, this salmonella and peanut butter issue is making me think more about how much I eat peanut butter. I love it and it is often my default "flavor" when it comes to things. In fact this morning I realized my cereal was peanut butter puffs and I just chose to eat it anyway. Pray for me...

Heard around the House

Chase has become fascinated with the YouVersion app (bible) on my IPhone.
While sitting on my lap playing with my IPhone and YouVersion he announced, "I want an IPhone".

It was cute to hear the words "IPhone" come out of a 3 year old's mouth and I realized it probably wouldn't be too long before he actually had an IPhone.

Heard in the Car

Tonight on our way home Chase said, "I see a tasi."

Seth - "what is a tasi?"

Chase - "it's a yellow car." (a taxi)

No Green Beans

We tried a different restaurant after church, a Tex Mex restaurant. Our boys can be particular about their restaurants so I expected this one wasn't going to be a hit, but one can eat at Chili's only so often.

We often eat at another homestyle cooking restaurant that offers 2 sides with every meal. So, tonight when Seth's order of chicken fingers arrived, he exclaimed with glee, "They didn't bring me green beans!"

And now we have a new favorite restaurant because they don't bring green beans.

How Old Am I?

Last night Shelley and I went out to eat at Ruth's Chris courtesy of a couple of gift cards Shelley received from a co-worker.

Neither of us had been to this particular steak house, and I had some preconceived ideas about this restaurant for no particular reason. When we got there it was nicer than I had expected, and Shelley and I were both impressed by the fact that they offered her a black napkin since she was wearing black slacks.

This was a particular courtesy that I had never experienced at any other restaurant.

As Shelley and continued to talk about this little bit of extra service I suddenly felt like that 16 year old going on his first date to a "nice" restaurant and having to act like I knew how to crack open the king crab legs I had ordered but in reality I had no idea.

I then snapped back to reality and realized I am still 42 but it was nice feeling 16 again.

Wii Fit

We got the boys a Wii for Christmas along with Wii Fit. You would think they wouldn't get much enjoyment out of the Wii Fit but today Seth put in 1 hour on the Wii Fit.

He really enjoys it and is getting a lot of exercise.

Cowboys 6, Eagles 44

A disappointing end to a disappointing season. I don't have anything else to say about the game.

I am not one to typically blame a coach, but I can't see how they can't fire Wade. He took a really good team and made them average. They had every chance to get in the playoffs and were obviously not prepared for either the Baltimore or Philadelphia games. I also don't believe Jason Garett is the answer as coach.

Jones needs to hire a new head coach and if he wants to keep Garrett he can but if not he should have the power to fire him as well.

It is time to clean house and hopefully find a coach that can tap into the great potential they have.

Another Christmas in the Books

Another Christmas has come and gone and I always hate it when it is over. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and I can say this was a really good Christmas.

Our morning started off with a little birthday party for Jesus including cake and singing happy birthday. It's a new tradition and I already like it. It was a great way to start the day.

We then started opening presents, and this is the part I haven't figured out yet. It is always chaos as we open a present then the boys become focused on that gift and want it put together, turned on and figured out at that time before moving on to the next gift. I also determined today that when I win the lottery one thing I will treat myself to is hiring someone to come on Christmas morning and put all the toys together and make sure all the batteries work.

The Gold gift we got the boys was a Wii. (We get them 3 presents, each representing the presents Jesus got with Gold being the big gift). The Wii has been a big hit even with us. We also got Wii Fit, and it is really cool.

After a LONG day of playing it was capped off by a visit from their aunt, uncle and 2cousins which is always a fun time. We spent several more hours playing Wii.

Now we are all exhausted and in bed, and I sit here writing wishing Christmas wasn't over....

An Old Controversy Revisited

A few years ago I wrote this post on a Dadblogger website. (The site has since been taken down so I am having to link to an archived version, but it does have the comments available and that will help you see some of the controversy it caused.)

This post was about the struggles and decisions Shelley and I have made about telling our kids that Santa is not real. It hasn't been easy to find the right balance but now that the boys are a little older I am glad we made the decision.

Just to be clear, Santa is active in our house. We have a blow up Santa in our yard and just last night Seth told Shelley he wanted a Santa costume.

But I heard a recent non-scientific secular study about what happened when kids finally realized or were told that Santa wasn't real. In a large percentage of the cases the child's next question was "Is Jesus not real either?" That is a credibility question that I'm glad I don't have to answer.

However I can imagine our approach might have caused some discussions in other households. Here is a statement Seth made to me the other day.

Seth: Suzy and Steve think Santa is real but Amy believes me [that he's not]. (The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Merry Christmas.

Cowboys 24, Ravens 33

This loss is sickening. The fact that this team allowed themselves to get beat on the final game in Texas Stadium shows they have no heart. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Unless Wade makes it to the Super Bowl he is going to get fired and I don't think Jason Garrett is the person to replace him. He is showing that he still lacks experience.

I feel for Jerry Jones because he does everything to help this team win and they come out and perform like that.

A Giving Heart

This past weekend we delivered food and presents to two families we adopted for Christmas. We took the boys and each were given small packages to carry in. Both boys enjoyed their assigned tasks.

After we finished at the second house, Seth and I had this exchange.

Seth: Where are we going next?
Me: Home. We are done.
Seth: Why?
Me: We only adopted 2 families and we have delivered everything.
Seth: Why?
Me: Well, we adopted only 2 so that we could give them as much as possible. If we adopted more we wouldn't be able to spend as much on each family.
Seth: Next year we need to adopt more families.

He is probably right; we can always do more.

What a Week

This has been quite a week.

It started off on Tuesday night when Shelley and I attended a Christmas reception for this organization. Here is a post Shelley wrote about the event.

Then the next day I flew to San Antonio and was there until Thursday afternoon.

Saturday morning started off with a 2 hour drive to participate in a Christmas Festival for my mother-in-law's church. Here are some photos from the event.

Shelley and I then left the boys there at 1 p.m. and made the 2 hour drive back home where we had time for a quick nap and then we had to get ready for my office Christmas party. The party was at the house of our Chairman, and I must say it is an amazing house. We were at the party for about 90 minutes before we then left to make a return trip to pick up our boys.

We were all tucked in by 11:30 pm.

Sunday then started with a trip to church where we got to see this group.

The African Children's Choir is an amazing group and they show the great promise of African children.

Following church we delivered food and presents to two families our Home Team had adopted via this organization.

I am exhausted and I now have to get on a plane tomorrow and fly to San Diego. I can't wait until next weekend when I can finally get some rest.

Business Travel

I am fortunate that my job doesn't require much travel, and when I do have to travel, I am reminded how much I dislike it.

Right now I am sitting alone in a hotel room recovering from a flight and dinner with clients. Tomorrow I have a 3 hour meeting with same said clients and then back on a plane. Where is the fun in all of that?

The only benefit of travel is that I do get to watch what I want on TV but that wears off really quickly.

I am now just waiting on a call from my wife to say good night to her.

Cowboys 13, Steelers 20

This was a disappointing loss. Mostly because they had it won and let it slip away and a win would have been huge.

They played a good game against a good team in tough conditions, but they had way too many turnovers and that goes on the shoulders of Romo. I can't complain because the things that make Romo great are the things that drive me crazy.

Now I feel they must win their last 3 games to have a chance.

My Boys

Last week I was on vacation and spent the entire time home with my boys. I might be a little biased but I just have to say, I have the coolest kids.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving. Here are just a few things I am thankful for.

1. Jesus died for me.
2. My beautiful wife who puts up with me.
3. Seth, my oldest.
4. Chase, my youngest.
5. I still have a job.
6. We all have a place to rest our head at night.
7. For family who care about us.
8. We are healthy (for the most part).
9. I'm thankful for all the things I don't have as well.

Jack is Back

Last night I watched the "24" movie "Redemption" and I had forgotten how much I liked the show and how much I had missed it.

The other thing I forgot is how stressful it can be. I'm not sure if my 42 year old can take another season but we will find out come January 11th.

1000 Posts

This is actually my 1001 post since I started blogging.

Cowboys 35, 49ers 22

This was a nice win because I have come to appreciate any win as nice. I t wasn't as dominating as I had hoped and the offense still struggled at times. The defense looked good for most of the game until the end when it looked like they just let down. Special teams were better with a blocked punt and Nick Folt hitting 4 field goals, but he still doesn't have a touch back and even kicked one out of bounds.

Now we must go and beat Seattle on Thursday.

I love having boys

On our way home tonight we had this exchange.

Chase: Daddy, smell my feet.
Me: Why?
Chase: Because they stink.

This had been preceded by Chase telling us he hadn't said "poo poo" to his teacher like he had promised us.

You just can't beat having little boys.

The Countdown has Started

We are now at 11 days and counting. Counting to what? Thanksgiving? Christmas? Seth's birthday? No to all of these.

We are counting down to the Day After Thanksgiving. This is the day that traditionally we put up our Christmas decorations and the boys can't wait.

This weekend we made a couple of purchases. First, we bought one of those inflatable decorations for the yard. It is a Santa driving a tractor. Classy, huh! The boys love it and that is all that matters to me. The second is a new Christmas tree. Yes, we are an artificial Christmas tree family.

The boys have started a countdown....

Father Son Retreat 2008 - pictures

Here is a link to some pictures from the Father Son Retreat Seth and I went on a week ago. Just notice how great the camp is.

Cowboys 14, Redskins 10

A big win for the Boys! While they weren't perfect, it was one of the best games they have played in awhile.

The defense was great and the offense did just enough. Problems still existed, though. Special teams are horrible; they have too many penalties and there were 2 turnovers.

But it was good to have Romo back and the next 2 weeks they have to take care of business. Another stumble and they are probably out of it.

Seven Days of Sex

Father Son Retreat 2008

This past weekend Seth and I went to a Father Son Retreat here. It was an incredible weekend and we are really blessed that our church has built such an incredible place. It offered all the boys a chance to get to do things they don't ordinarily get to do.

One of the favorite activities was playing with fire. By each cabin was a big fire pit that had a fire going most of the time and the boys just loved gathering branches, leaves and anything else they could find to burn.

They had the opportunity to ride horses, play paintball, basketball, go down zip lines and ride in paddle boats a round the lake.

They also got to learn to work as a team as the entire weekend was a competition between teams. Seth and I were on the Lime team and we had a task of building a race car out of cardboard and racing it the last day. Our team came up with a brilliant idea that involved duct taping the kids to the dads. It is too hard to explain but it was a great idea that led to our victory and the eventual crowning of the Lime team as the Grand Champions of the 2008 Father Son Retreat. The boys were so excited to get their medals.

I loved my time with Seth. I can't wait until next year.

Congratulations Barack

Yesterday was a historic day. While my candidate didn't win, Barack Obama will be my President and I will support and pray for him. I know I will not agree with him a large percentage of the time and I will vow to oppose any effort to increase government in our lives, raise our taxes or eliminate our rights and freedoms.

I am tired of all of the anger that has been shown towards President Bush and I hope that we can move forward, and as Republicans, take a higher road and have more constructive discourse with our opponents.

It is a new day and we are definetly going to have some sort of "change."

Cowboys 14, Giants 35

I only have one thing to say:

The Cowboys are in last place.

Legend of the Three Trees

Tonight I read Chase one of my favorite books, The Legend of the Three Trees. If you have never read it, it is about three trees and what they thought God's plan was for their lives. One tree was going to be used to make a treasure chest, one tree would be a powerful ship and the other tree thought it would stay on its mountain. But one tree became a feeding box for animals but it was here that Jesus was born. The other tree became a simple fishing boat but it carried Jesus and he calmed the waters with just a word. The final tree was turned into a cross that Jesus died on to save people from their sins. God had a different plan for each of these trees.

After reading it, I asked Chase (3 years old) what he thought God's plan was for him.

Chase: To be saved.

Me: Do you know what it means to be saved?

Chase: I get to be with God.

Male Bonding

What is the best way for a father to bond with his 5 year old? Yes, I know everyone said "watching Dancing with the Stars."

I confess, it has become one of my guilty pleasures and now Seth has been sucked in.

In his own words, "Daddy, Dancing with the Stars is awesome!"

Cowboys 13, Buccaneers 9

This was an important win for the Boys. The defense looked impressive but the offense was still very average. Brad Johnson looks like a 40 year old quarterback and I'm afraid the Giants are going to have their way with him. But, a win is a win and we can worry about the Giants next week.

I might be becoming an Apple man

There are a lot of great rivalries in this world. Chevy vs. Ford, Coke vs. Pepsi, OU vs. Texas, Cowboys vs. Redskins, Democrat vs. Republicans are some examples. And usually no matter what side you fall on you seldom switch sides. Well, another great rivalry is Microsoft vs. Apple and I have always been a PC guy and I never really got what all this Apple talk was about.

But, then something happened. I bought an Apple product, the IPhone. I have been really impressed with its functionality, dependability and overall design. Another thing I have been struggling with is finding a browser I like. I've tried IE, Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome. I have had issues with each of them and so I finally tried Apple Safari and so far it has been the best of all of them.

So, now I am starting to drink a little of the Apple Kool Aid and I think the next time I am in the market for a new computer, I just might cross over and buy an Apple.

Josh Hamilton

Last night I went to another taping of Life Today and one of the guest was Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.

Here's a picture

If you haven't heard his story it is an amazing story of faith and forgiveness. He was the number 1 draft choice, got $4 million dollars and was considered a can't miss prospect. He then became addicted to drugs and alcohol, got kicked out of baseball and didn't play for 3 years. Then through his faith he was able to get clean and this year was the American League leader in RBIs and his fellow players voted him the American League Most Outstanding Player.

He's also got a book I plan on checking out.

I'm Ticked

Our church has being doing a series called "Politicked" and I have to admit I am a little ticked. I haven't commented much during this political season and it is really because I don't know where to start.

All of this desire for "change" has clouded people's vision and they seem to forget that change is only good when it is positive change. For example, the Cowboys changed quarterbacks this past weekend and that wasn't a very positive experience.

Now, my political leanings are no mystery so it shouldn't be surprised that I am not a supporter of Senator Obama. But, the reason many are supporting Senator Obama is disturbing. Here is a list that I found of some of the reasons:

1. It will be historical.
2. He's smart. (Is he really?)
3. We can relate to him.
4. The Republican Party
5. The campaign he has run
6. He's a good speaker.

These are just a few but I never hear people talk about his character, his ability to lead or how his life experiences have prepared him to run the country. Plus, no body really seems to want to talk about his socialist policies of wealth redistribution. And when "Joe the Plumber" called him on it, the left leaning media did everything the could to attack Joe but they never really addressed the answer Obama gave to the question.

I think everyone has become blinded by this desire for change and I fear we may be heading down a path that could radically change our country into something we never intended.

Cowboys 14, Rams 34

This is the worst loss I can remember in a long time. This team is unravelling and I won't be surprised if they miss the playoffs. It maybe a knee jerk reaction but this team is horrible right now.

There is not one area you can look at and say is going well. They are playing terrible, the coaching is bad and there are a ton of injuries. Plus some very tough games are coming up.

This is a bad time to be a Cowboy fan.

State Fair

Yesterday we all made a trip out to the State Fair. This trip was a lot more successful than our last visit two years ago. The last visit was so rough we had to take a year off before making another go of it.

In our last trip, Seth was 3 and Chase was 1. Chase was too young so this was essentially his first trip.

But, two years ago, I was sure the best part for Seth would be the train musuem. At the fair grounds they have several trains that you can climb up in and tour and since Seth loves train we just knew this would be a hit. Well it wasn't. He cried and cried and refused to go up on any train. I was very frustrated.

Prior to us making it to the trains we had to pas Big Tex which is a 4 or 5 story cowboys that greets all the fair visitors. Again, I thought Seth would love Big Tex but again we literally had to run past him as our 3 year old screamed in horror.

Well, this year was much better. But, we did have another 3 year old with us and he experienced some fear. He too didn't like Big Tex while Seth had overcome his fear. We also made another trip over to the trains and Seth loved it and Chase was a little scared. But overall, they both were little troopers.

Things like visiting the State Fair never lives up to expectations for me but we did make some very nice memories and I'm sure we will be back next year.

Closer to the Start

Our church has just released its first all original worship cd. They wrote and performed all the songs on it and I have to say it is very good. We've been playing it in the car and the boys love it as well. The video below is their favorite song and I have to admit it is mine as well.

For more info go here.


Closer to the Start - New Creation from Fellowship Church on Vimeo.

Cowboys 24, Cardinals 30

The team that was the favorite to win the super bowl at the beginning of the season doesn't even look good enough to make the playoffs.

They are playing so poorly right now.

I don't have any more to say on the subject.

Throw Up

I don't think Shelley knew what she was getting into when we had two boys. At times she seems a little overwhelmed by all of the bodily noises and poop jokes.

Last night was another example. I'm not sure if it was what he ate or the fact that I had been tickling him and spinning him upside down or a combination of all of these, but all of the sudden Chase threw up in the living room floor. The vomit had barely hit the floor when he proclaimed, "I want a snack." He was unphased and just saw this as an opportunity to make room for more cookies.

I love my boys.

Cowboys 31, Bengals 22

It is hard to be excited about this win. While they won by 9, this game was way too close.

Romo has to start taking better control of the ball and quit turning it over. He was responsible for both of the turnovers today. The running game looked better and showed that we need to get Felix Jones more involved but it was the 2nd week in a row that the passing game was shut down. It looks like defenses have figured something out and Jason Garrett needs to make some adjustments.

The defense played ok, especially considering the pressure that the offense put them in.

Next week is a road game in Arizona and they better step it up.