First of all let me clear something up. In my last blog I mentioned that I only had 3 children. Well I have 4 and I am not sure how I forgot that. But sorry for this misinformation and I hope that I will not make that mistake again.
Now on to better things. This has not been the week that my wife and I had planned while the kids were gone. With me running in the evenings and other things that come up it my wife and I just have not had the time that we wanted together.
Last night when we got home from church we did set down on the couch and watch a movie and home some quality time together but it was not very long that we were falling asleep and ready for bed taht we did not even finish the movie. We will finish it later.
Tonight we will go shopping and go out to eat. We are looking forward to the time together. You know the longer my wife and I are married the more I want to spend with her. I believe that the more we are together the more I Love my wife. She is everything to me and she is the greatest thing to happen to me outside of my relationship with God.
Husbands take the time to tell your wives that you love them and that you appreciate all that they do. I know that any wife/mom has a full time job just at home taking care of husbands and kids and I love my wife for that.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A break
This week it is just my wife and I at home. We have sent our children to their grandparents for a week. We do this every year and it is just a nice little break from all three kids. But we do miss them.
There are times in our lives that we really do not know what we have until we don't have it. My kids are wonderful and I love them very much but I really do not know how much until they are gone. But you know that this is true in other areas of my life also.
Family should be so important that we don't lose touch with one another or wait to see each other at a funeral or some other tragic event. I know that life is busy and there is always something to do but we make time for the things that are important to us. I think that Family should be on the top of the list as important.
If you have not talked to your family in a while give them a call and tell them that you are thinking about them. I am sure that they would love to hear from you. I know that I will do more to stay in touch with my family and as nice as it is to have a kid break, I can't wait for them to come home. Life just is not the same without them around.
There are times in our lives that we really do not know what we have until we don't have it. My kids are wonderful and I love them very much but I really do not know how much until they are gone. But you know that this is true in other areas of my life also.
Family should be so important that we don't lose touch with one another or wait to see each other at a funeral or some other tragic event. I know that life is busy and there is always something to do but we make time for the things that are important to us. I think that Family should be on the top of the list as important.
If you have not talked to your family in a while give them a call and tell them that you are thinking about them. I am sure that they would love to hear from you. I know that I will do more to stay in touch with my family and as nice as it is to have a kid break, I can't wait for them to come home. Life just is not the same without them around.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Thoughts of a loved one
Here lately I have been thinking about my Grandfather who passed away a few years ago. I have greatly missed him. When I was a young whipper snappper I would go to his house and spend a week or so with him and my Grandma and it was some of the best times that I had as a child.
He always had farm animals like horses, cows, chickens and I remember one time he had a pig. But there was always something to keep me entertained while at their house. It was a great peaceful place to be.
I remember my Grandma's biscuits and gravy and how the house would smell when she was cooking. It seemed as GRandma could whip something together in a matter of minutes and she did not even need a reciept for her meals. She was a terrific cook.
But I also remember playing catch in the yard with my Grandpa, he taught me how to throw different pitches while he would tell me stories of how he use to play with some of the great players like Billy Martin. But it is those times that I miss.
My Grandpa was a truck driver for Yellow freight and his CB handel was RED. Everyone called him RED. He did have red hair when he was young but I really don't remember him having any hair at all. But no matter what anyone else called him I still called him Grandpa and he was Grand.
He would come and watch me play basketball and baseball, it seemed that no matter what I was doing he was always there. I always enjoyed seeing him in the crowd cheering for me.
My Grandpa was a godly man and always went to church and played his guitar for the music of his church. I would go to church with them and it was so nice to know that my grandparents were christians that when they did pass on they would be in Heaven. He loved to play blue grass and he would always show me how to play cords when I started playing he would teach me even more. That is one thing that he did well was he taugh me things. He would not just throw something at me and expect me to know how to do it. He would take the time to show me first and then expect me to do it. If I could not get it right it was not the end of the world but it was time for another lesson.
Grandpa I miss you and I cannot wait to see you in Heaven someday.
He always had farm animals like horses, cows, chickens and I remember one time he had a pig. But there was always something to keep me entertained while at their house. It was a great peaceful place to be.
I remember my Grandma's biscuits and gravy and how the house would smell when she was cooking. It seemed as GRandma could whip something together in a matter of minutes and she did not even need a reciept for her meals. She was a terrific cook.
But I also remember playing catch in the yard with my Grandpa, he taught me how to throw different pitches while he would tell me stories of how he use to play with some of the great players like Billy Martin. But it is those times that I miss.
My Grandpa was a truck driver for Yellow freight and his CB handel was RED. Everyone called him RED. He did have red hair when he was young but I really don't remember him having any hair at all. But no matter what anyone else called him I still called him Grandpa and he was Grand.
He would come and watch me play basketball and baseball, it seemed that no matter what I was doing he was always there. I always enjoyed seeing him in the crowd cheering for me.
My Grandpa was a godly man and always went to church and played his guitar for the music of his church. I would go to church with them and it was so nice to know that my grandparents were christians that when they did pass on they would be in Heaven. He loved to play blue grass and he would always show me how to play cords when I started playing he would teach me even more. That is one thing that he did well was he taugh me things. He would not just throw something at me and expect me to know how to do it. He would take the time to show me first and then expect me to do it. If I could not get it right it was not the end of the world but it was time for another lesson.
Grandpa I miss you and I cannot wait to see you in Heaven someday.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Have to tell
Last night a friend and I went running. I think in a previous blog I mentioned that I was training for a 5K in September. So we were trying to decide how far we were going to run.
Earlier in the day I marked off a 4 mile route and it would not be an easy run. There are 3 or 4 bog hills and there is one house that has dogs. That is the last thing that I want, to get bitten by a dog. So as I was marking off this route I just went a head and marked off how far it would be if we ended where we started. It would be a 5.2 mile run.
So I walked to go get Joe and we were going to start running. He asked me how far we wanted to run and I told him about 3 miles would be good for me and Joe says "come on let's run it all, 5.2 miles. I kind of wimpered a little but agreed to go.
Now let me remind you that it is about 95 degrees outside and we will be on black top for most of the run and then there are the hills. These hills are not little either, they just look little when you are driving them and not running them.
We made it past the first two hills and then we were on a gravel road which was good because it made things a little cooler. But there are two more hills of good size. We made it past the dogs and I was feeling good, moving at a decent pace but not too fast.
Finally I am on blcak top again and the heat is hitting me in the face and I have to stop to catch my breath. I was alright and talked myself into running again. I was ready to stop and just finish with a walk but I kept moving.
I arrived at the finish in just under 55 minutes and it felt good. I was done, 5.2 miles, and now had a slow walk home for a cool down which does not seem right when it is that hot outside. I will run it again on Thurday evening.
Earlier in the day I marked off a 4 mile route and it would not be an easy run. There are 3 or 4 bog hills and there is one house that has dogs. That is the last thing that I want, to get bitten by a dog. So as I was marking off this route I just went a head and marked off how far it would be if we ended where we started. It would be a 5.2 mile run.
So I walked to go get Joe and we were going to start running. He asked me how far we wanted to run and I told him about 3 miles would be good for me and Joe says "come on let's run it all, 5.2 miles. I kind of wimpered a little but agreed to go.
Now let me remind you that it is about 95 degrees outside and we will be on black top for most of the run and then there are the hills. These hills are not little either, they just look little when you are driving them and not running them.
We made it past the first two hills and then we were on a gravel road which was good because it made things a little cooler. But there are two more hills of good size. We made it past the dogs and I was feeling good, moving at a decent pace but not too fast.
Finally I am on blcak top again and the heat is hitting me in the face and I have to stop to catch my breath. I was alright and talked myself into running again. I was ready to stop and just finish with a walk but I kept moving.
I arrived at the finish in just under 55 minutes and it felt good. I was done, 5.2 miles, and now had a slow walk home for a cool down which does not seem right when it is that hot outside. I will run it again on Thurday evening.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
No Time for Family life
Yesterday after work I ended up taking a 4 hour trip and got home about 8:30pm. The bad things about this unexpected trip was that we had plans as a family to take our daughter to get her baseball pictures taken and then go get some ice cream with the team. Then after that we were going to go to a friends house for a birthday party.
See when things happen you have to just roll with it. There was not really anything that I could do about it but move on. I was not real excited about missing the evening but you have to do what you have to do. the good part is that my family went on without me and enjoyed the evening.
One thing that I have come to realize the past few months is that getting mad over things like this is not going to change anything and then the people that you love suffer because you are mad. for example, not too long ago I was trying to move a barbeque grill with my explorer. I tied this massive grill to the back of my truck and started rolling along. I did not tie it real well and my truck paid the price for that.
I have a 2003 Ford Explorer and it is fairly nice and I have always tried to keep it in good condition. Well on this day it was out of my hands. I was moving this grill, and I did not have very far to go but at one point the grill started to turn and so I was going to stop and retie it but when I stopped the grill did not and it smashed into the rear of my truck shattering my back glass. At that point there was no need to get mad because it was not going to help anything. I was more humbled than anything because there were peaople around and watching and I am sure that they were in shock just as I was.
So I decided not to get mad becuase it was not going to put the glass back together but rather I just went on with my day. Another story is that 30 minutes later I ended up in the medical clinic getting 5 stitches in my head. Not the best day that I had, but I did not get mad and the people that I love and care for did not have to suffer because if my lack of planning.
So taking this trip was just something that I had to do and I believe that everything will be fine.
Have a great day.
See when things happen you have to just roll with it. There was not really anything that I could do about it but move on. I was not real excited about missing the evening but you have to do what you have to do. the good part is that my family went on without me and enjoyed the evening.
One thing that I have come to realize the past few months is that getting mad over things like this is not going to change anything and then the people that you love suffer because you are mad. for example, not too long ago I was trying to move a barbeque grill with my explorer. I tied this massive grill to the back of my truck and started rolling along. I did not tie it real well and my truck paid the price for that.
I have a 2003 Ford Explorer and it is fairly nice and I have always tried to keep it in good condition. Well on this day it was out of my hands. I was moving this grill, and I did not have very far to go but at one point the grill started to turn and so I was going to stop and retie it but when I stopped the grill did not and it smashed into the rear of my truck shattering my back glass. At that point there was no need to get mad because it was not going to help anything. I was more humbled than anything because there were peaople around and watching and I am sure that they were in shock just as I was.
So I decided not to get mad becuase it was not going to put the glass back together but rather I just went on with my day. Another story is that 30 minutes later I ended up in the medical clinic getting 5 stitches in my head. Not the best day that I had, but I did not get mad and the people that I love and care for did not have to suffer because if my lack of planning.
So taking this trip was just something that I had to do and I believe that everything will be fine.
Have a great day.
Monday, July 18, 2011
The weekend
I was so glad to see the weekend come but it flew by so fast that I am not sure that there was a weekend for me. It was a good time but I wish that I would have had another day.
Friday evening is a blur becuase of the rest of the weekend and staying busy. Well I can say that my wife and I had a couch date Friday evening and watched a show on TV, but we must be getting old or just getting wiser. I would hope that we are getting wiser. We use to stay up on Friday nights till the early mornings and now we are wiped out and in bed by 10:00 or so.
Saturday morning we all got up and we went to watch a girl in our school and community in a horse show. He mom works for me in my office so we went to show support to this young lady. I was surprised at how well she did. She was in a first and second year class on two events and she took 1st place in both of them. She had a horse that is 22 years old and that horse and her did great.
After the show we came home to eat lunch and the family was going to go back to finish the horse show and I was going to go play golf with a friend. The family went to the fairgrounds and the horse show was already over. Ha I just remembered what I did Friday night (please don't kill me hunny, I will write about it in a minute). So the family ended up going back home and I still went golfing. I got home around 6pm and we had dinner and went to prayer at church.
Now for Friday night, I took my wife golfing and it was such a good time. You see long ago when we first got married we tried to golf together and for me I was not patient enough with her to let her play. I also thought that golfing was my time to get away from her and be with the guys. So we never went again.
This year for Mother's day I bought her a set of clubs and then there is a man in our community that gave my wife the golf clubs that belonged to his wife that passed away not too long ago. My wife and this lady went golfing one time together and I think that they just went to a driving range.
I finally have grown up enough to realize that spending time with my wife is priceless. We went golfing and it was so much fun. I think that she even beat me on a hole or two. The hardest part for my wife was putting. SHe had never done it before and it is hard to gauge how hard to hit the ball. but the longer that we played the better she hit the ball. If we would have played 27 holes she would have been ready for the tour. I love you Tara.
Now we look forward to playing again sometime as a whole family.
Friday evening is a blur becuase of the rest of the weekend and staying busy. Well I can say that my wife and I had a couch date Friday evening and watched a show on TV, but we must be getting old or just getting wiser. I would hope that we are getting wiser. We use to stay up on Friday nights till the early mornings and now we are wiped out and in bed by 10:00 or so.
Saturday morning we all got up and we went to watch a girl in our school and community in a horse show. He mom works for me in my office so we went to show support to this young lady. I was surprised at how well she did. She was in a first and second year class on two events and she took 1st place in both of them. She had a horse that is 22 years old and that horse and her did great.
After the show we came home to eat lunch and the family was going to go back to finish the horse show and I was going to go play golf with a friend. The family went to the fairgrounds and the horse show was already over. Ha I just remembered what I did Friday night (please don't kill me hunny, I will write about it in a minute). So the family ended up going back home and I still went golfing. I got home around 6pm and we had dinner and went to prayer at church.
Now for Friday night, I took my wife golfing and it was such a good time. You see long ago when we first got married we tried to golf together and for me I was not patient enough with her to let her play. I also thought that golfing was my time to get away from her and be with the guys. So we never went again.
This year for Mother's day I bought her a set of clubs and then there is a man in our community that gave my wife the golf clubs that belonged to his wife that passed away not too long ago. My wife and this lady went golfing one time together and I think that they just went to a driving range.
I finally have grown up enough to realize that spending time with my wife is priceless. We went golfing and it was so much fun. I think that she even beat me on a hole or two. The hardest part for my wife was putting. SHe had never done it before and it is hard to gauge how hard to hit the ball. but the longer that we played the better she hit the ball. If we would have played 27 holes she would have been ready for the tour. I love you Tara.
Now we look forward to playing again sometime as a whole family.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Oh What a night
What a good evening we had last night. It probably could have been better but it was good. My wife and I are really in need of some rest and yesterday after work we went home and just relaxed around the house. See my wife use to fix dinner and I would fix breakfast but we have switched that roll.
I went home and made smothered hamburger patties with mashed potatoes and corn. It turned out pretty good. If there is one thing that most people don't know about me it is that I love to cook. I love to grill, cook breakfast foods and cook meals for my family. We ate and then watched a few shows on TV, but I took a nap. Felt good when I woke up around 6:30 but I know that the evening was far from over.
You see Joe and I had planned earlier in the day where we were going to run and it turned out to be 4 miles. So I knew that this run was coming up around 8pm. So the more I thought about running the lazier I got. But as I was just relaxing with my wife it was good to just be able to sit for the evening and not have to worry about anything except getting life done around the house.
The kids were playing outside or down stairs playing video games, while my wife and I just had some alone time together. I enjoy those times, because with 4 kids it is sometimes difficult to get that alone time. But we did it and the clock drew closer to 8pm.
I grabbed my running shoes and socks and called Joe to see if he was ready, he said that he needs about 10 minutes so I layed on the floor and stretched while I waited form him. Here we go. My wife drove us out to a certain spot where we wanted to start and then we were going to run back to our the Cafe on the corner here in Heartland, this was going to be the farthest that we (I) have ran for a long time. the last time that I ran 4 miles I was in the 8th grade.
So we were dropped off and Joe and I took off running. we started on level ground but it quickly moved to where we were running up some hills. The whole time we were running I was thinking to myself that I am not going to quit until I get to my destination. As we ran I felt that I was getting stronger and could run this course with no problem. As I neeared the finish I tried to really push myself and run faster and faster. I kept encouraging myself and it got to where I finished strong. it was over and I was wiped out but I was proud that I finished.
I look forward to see what this excercise does for me and my family. I am hoping that before too long we can all be walking and/or running together.
I went home and made smothered hamburger patties with mashed potatoes and corn. It turned out pretty good. If there is one thing that most people don't know about me it is that I love to cook. I love to grill, cook breakfast foods and cook meals for my family. We ate and then watched a few shows on TV, but I took a nap. Felt good when I woke up around 6:30 but I know that the evening was far from over.
You see Joe and I had planned earlier in the day where we were going to run and it turned out to be 4 miles. So I knew that this run was coming up around 8pm. So the more I thought about running the lazier I got. But as I was just relaxing with my wife it was good to just be able to sit for the evening and not have to worry about anything except getting life done around the house.
The kids were playing outside or down stairs playing video games, while my wife and I just had some alone time together. I enjoy those times, because with 4 kids it is sometimes difficult to get that alone time. But we did it and the clock drew closer to 8pm.
I grabbed my running shoes and socks and called Joe to see if he was ready, he said that he needs about 10 minutes so I layed on the floor and stretched while I waited form him. Here we go. My wife drove us out to a certain spot where we wanted to start and then we were going to run back to our the Cafe on the corner here in Heartland, this was going to be the farthest that we (I) have ran for a long time. the last time that I ran 4 miles I was in the 8th grade.
So we were dropped off and Joe and I took off running. we started on level ground but it quickly moved to where we were running up some hills. The whole time we were running I was thinking to myself that I am not going to quit until I get to my destination. As we ran I felt that I was getting stronger and could run this course with no problem. As I neeared the finish I tried to really push myself and run faster and faster. I kept encouraging myself and it got to where I finished strong. it was over and I was wiped out but I was proud that I finished.
I look forward to see what this excercise does for me and my family. I am hoping that before too long we can all be walking and/or running together.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Good Times
When friends and Families get together there are good times such as yesterday when my wife and I had a party for the baseball team that I coached this year. Sure it had to be hot (102) outside since we were going to a pool to have a cookout.
As the day was getting started there was a 40% chance of rain and around 9am there was thunder and rain but by the time we had the cookout it was hot and humid. It was beautiful for a pool party.
The families started showing up with their side dishes and desserts as I was cooking hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. The kids were so excited to get in the pool and it was a great time.
Families are precious and should be cherished by everyone. There was a time that I never thought that I would have a family or even know where I was at in my life because of the choices that I made As I turned my life back to God and His plan for my life He began to bless me with a great family of my own. I have always been a part of a great family with great parents and siblings but it took me growing up to realize just how great I had it. My parents loved each other and loved their kids as much. We did not have everything that we WANTED but we were not in need either.
Now that I have a family of my own I want my children to see how good they have it and it is not because of what I have doen but because of what God has done. I have a wonderful wife (Tara) and 4 amazing kids (Justin, Jordan, Jonathan and Julienne). I am truly a blessed man.
Well the evening of the party was just great. The kids swam with a few of the adults, some adults were apprehensive about getting in the pool so the adults sat around and had conversations about our familes and stories of laughter.
We got things cleaned up from the party and went home. We have a freezer in our garage that someone (not mentioning any names because no one will own up to it) left the door open on it and it thawed out and there was water everywhere and it must have happened last week because the garage started stinking so bad. So as we got home last night I knew that I was going to go running and my wife had her plans but I was not sure what they were but I figured it would be getting the kids ready for school the next day or even just taking a shower and getting the sweat off of her. But instead she and the kids cleaned out the garage while I went running. That was just a great feeling to come home to. The garage was in much better shape and so was I.
What a great family I have!!!!
As the day was getting started there was a 40% chance of rain and around 9am there was thunder and rain but by the time we had the cookout it was hot and humid. It was beautiful for a pool party.
The families started showing up with their side dishes and desserts as I was cooking hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. The kids were so excited to get in the pool and it was a great time.
Families are precious and should be cherished by everyone. There was a time that I never thought that I would have a family or even know where I was at in my life because of the choices that I made As I turned my life back to God and His plan for my life He began to bless me with a great family of my own. I have always been a part of a great family with great parents and siblings but it took me growing up to realize just how great I had it. My parents loved each other and loved their kids as much. We did not have everything that we WANTED but we were not in need either.
Now that I have a family of my own I want my children to see how good they have it and it is not because of what I have doen but because of what God has done. I have a wonderful wife (Tara) and 4 amazing kids (Justin, Jordan, Jonathan and Julienne). I am truly a blessed man.
Well the evening of the party was just great. The kids swam with a few of the adults, some adults were apprehensive about getting in the pool so the adults sat around and had conversations about our familes and stories of laughter.
We got things cleaned up from the party and went home. We have a freezer in our garage that someone (not mentioning any names because no one will own up to it) left the door open on it and it thawed out and there was water everywhere and it must have happened last week because the garage started stinking so bad. So as we got home last night I knew that I was going to go running and my wife had her plans but I was not sure what they were but I figured it would be getting the kids ready for school the next day or even just taking a shower and getting the sweat off of her. But instead she and the kids cleaned out the garage while I went running. That was just a great feeling to come home to. The garage was in much better shape and so was I.
What a great family I have!!!!
Monday, July 11, 2011
First 5K
On July 4th of 2011 I ran my first 5K. I really never thought I would do something like that in my life. I have always (when younger) been a long distance runner but now that I am older I could not see my self completing a 5K race. But hey I did it at 39 years old. My goal was to complete the race without walking or stopping and it was tough but I reached my goal.
Here is how the 4th started for me. I woke up about 6:30 in the morning and started some coffee and I had one cup at 7am which was two hours before the race. It might have been an issue also that I did not eat anything for breakfast. So it is race time and I am feeling pretty good, standing at the starting line looking around me at 40 other runners and saying to myself that I just want to finish.
The race started and I was off like a sprinter in a 100 meter dash trying to keep pace with the runners in front of me. I quickly thought to myself that there is no way I will make it at this pace, so I gathered myself and slowed down to my pace. About 1/2 mile into the rave the coffee started playing with my stomach and I was hurting. I will not drink coffee before a race again, that was a bad idea.
I was running with my hands on my head, on my side just trying to get the pain to stop before I did. I tried to control my breathing but was not able to due to the pain that I was in and the fact that I had a ways to go. So I just tried to focus on the praise music in my ears and keeping my eyes forward. I made it to the last stretch and I tried to up my pace to get me to the finsih line quicker so the pain in my stomach would stop hurting. I could hear the cheers from the people but at that time I was hurting so bad that I just wanted to finish, then I heard the cheers form my family at the finish line saying "come on dad" and that got my across the finish line. I was hurting but proud that I had completed my goal.
I am continuing to run to stay in shape but also I will run another 5K in September and I hope to run a 10K next year sometime. My wife and kids were very supportive in this race and they helped me get through it. One of my sons (Jordan) has started to run with me a little and that excites me because he could be a good runner if he will keep at it. We will see how long this will last.
Here is how the 4th started for me. I woke up about 6:30 in the morning and started some coffee and I had one cup at 7am which was two hours before the race. It might have been an issue also that I did not eat anything for breakfast. So it is race time and I am feeling pretty good, standing at the starting line looking around me at 40 other runners and saying to myself that I just want to finish.
The race started and I was off like a sprinter in a 100 meter dash trying to keep pace with the runners in front of me. I quickly thought to myself that there is no way I will make it at this pace, so I gathered myself and slowed down to my pace. About 1/2 mile into the rave the coffee started playing with my stomach and I was hurting. I will not drink coffee before a race again, that was a bad idea.
I was running with my hands on my head, on my side just trying to get the pain to stop before I did. I tried to control my breathing but was not able to due to the pain that I was in and the fact that I had a ways to go. So I just tried to focus on the praise music in my ears and keeping my eyes forward. I made it to the last stretch and I tried to up my pace to get me to the finsih line quicker so the pain in my stomach would stop hurting. I could hear the cheers from the people but at that time I was hurting so bad that I just wanted to finish, then I heard the cheers form my family at the finish line saying "come on dad" and that got my across the finish line. I was hurting but proud that I had completed my goal.
I am continuing to run to stay in shape but also I will run another 5K in September and I hope to run a 10K next year sometime. My wife and kids were very supportive in this race and they helped me get through it. One of my sons (Jordan) has started to run with me a little and that excites me because he could be a good runner if he will keep at it. We will see how long this will last.
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