Blah, Blah, Blah

The funniest thing I heard all weekend was Kaiden walking down the hall saying Blah, Blah, Blah. We really do have to be careful what we say and do around this little guy.

Beautiful Advice

I have been very stressed with everything that has been happening in my life lately and sometimes let my worries and my agenda get in the way of God's plan for me, which we know only makes the stress worse. I came across this list from an e-mail my dear friend, Marilyn, sent to me. I love e-mails from Marilyn. They are always uplifting or informative or both. I thought this was worth passing on. My comments are in red.

1. Pray - I love that this is number one on this list - I need to make it number one on my list everyday.
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health. - If only I could do that at work!
5. Delegate tasks to capable others. - I admit I have a hard time with this one!
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time. - Another one I have a hard time with!
11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.. - Again - not so easy for me.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the backyard, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble. - I'm working on this one - my tongue hurts from biting it so often!
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday. - This is really hard for me, but Kaiden helps!
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line. - This is where my Baptist upbringing comes in handy - we memorized scripture and hymns, so I always have that in my head - although a Sunday School teacher once told us we needed to do this so we would always have the Bible with us when the Communists took over the world. This was about the time of the Cuban missile crisis and probably had more weight than "you can use it when you are waiting in line."
17. Get enough rest -If I could only stop worrying.
18. Eat right. - Really trying.
19 Get organized so everything has its place. - If the whole family were on board...
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life. - I would be much happier if I never had to drive and could just read my book on the bus.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray. - Why is this so hard to remember?
24. Make friends with Godly people. - Amen!
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand. - again, I was a very motivated memorizer - we got points and prizes.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good ' Thank you Jesus .' - This is also hard to remember.
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. - I am trying
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can). - Trying
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most). - Not as hard as it was when I was younger.
32. Sit on your ego
33 Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down. - another thing Kaiden is good for.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe. - But it would run so much better if I were! This one is really really hard for me!
36 Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. - I know I am so very blessed, so why is this so hard for me?

If God is for us, who can be against us?'(Romans 8:31)

As you can see by all the red, I have a long way to go. So I'll pray for you and you pray for me and we will both be better off. Deal?

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary, Nathan and Stacy. It has been four years since we welcomed this wonderful woman into our family. We love you both.

This is one of the wedding pictures dubbed "the best wedding photo taken" which I have written about before. If you want to see a picture of the groom, he is in this photo.

Observant

• Kaiden has really started to notice everything around him. He is looking at water going down the gutter which he found very amusing.
• He recognizes sounds, like an airplane and has to look when he hears one.
• He points to things he doesn't know and picks up on the words pretty quickly. It took one time to show him the moon and now he looks for it every time he is outside.
• He knows when you pray and say Amen, it is time to eat.
• He remembers where his toys are kept at our house (the cookies too!).
• He wants to do everything you do and repeats most things he hears. Having a little sponge like that around makes you very aware of what you do and say.

Cheers

This is something Kaiden has picked up - clinking glasses and saying cheers!

It's Been Crazy

It has been crazy around here the past few weeks. I have been working insane hours. Our brother-in-law, Roger came from California to meet Tito and his two brothers for a camping/fishing trip. While they were gone, I deep cleaned the house trying to get organized for our next big adventure.

Tito's first rotator cuff surgery (he will have the other one done after this one completely heals). It is supposed to be a fairly minor surgery with a 6-8 week healing process. But when your mobility is dependent upon having two arms to use crutches, hold your balance and move your wheelchair around, it is a whole other story. Since he cannot use crutches for 6 weeks, he will be mostly home bound unless I am here.

The surgery went well and we are so thankful. My dear friend, Janice, came and sat with me at the hospital on her birthday. That is what I call a great friend. Thank you so much!
Since he saw his Tito using the ice bag, he thought he needed to also!

Good Friends

We spent last weekend here....
with our good friends...

There was laughter, great food, laughter, adult beverages, laughter. Enough said.

Wrestler

Kaiden has found a new fun thing to do with his inflatable lion.
He picks him up and slams him down to the ground...

and either sits on him for the count or

lays on him and then starts all over again.

The pictures are blurry because he moves so quickly and I am not the best photographer around but this is just too cute a thing not to remember.

Happy Birthday Carrie!

Today is Carrie's birthday. I would tell you how old she is, but our math differs. She was 28 last year and seems to be aging backwards this year. What I can tell you is for what she lacks in counting skills (joking) she more than makes up for in art skills.
From the time she was little and tore the paper off her crayons and broke them into pieces because as she told her Dad "that is what artists do" drawing this picture of her Dad on his bike;

to drawing her cartoon people on everything - she doesn't leave you a note without adding a drawing;

to her whimsical sea life in such vivid beautiful colors;

to her mystical mermaids such as this one designed for her cousin's wedding invitation, she is an artist.

Happy Birthday, Carrie, we love you!

Ambidextrous

We don't know if he is right or left handed, but

we do know he can eat with both hands!