I should be getting ready for work right now, but instead I opened my email and when I read the following poem I knew I HAD to add it to my website. I'm not sure if the address at the bottom is the author, but I didn't feel right erasing it. You will need a tissue (unless you have no heart)! My only wish is that every American could read this poem.
A different kind of Christmas poem
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
'What are you doing?' I asked without fear,
'Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!'
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said 'Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.'
'It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,'
Then he sighed, 'That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.'
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',And now it is my turn and
so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I c an sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.'
'So go back inside,' he said, 'harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.'
'But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
'Give you money,' I asked, 'or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son.'
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
'Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.'
PLEASE , Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's remember what we owe. Make people stop and think of
our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.
LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Praising Children
I hadn't thought much about what I said around others until I had kids. When my daughter started saying "shit" at the babysitters house, my husband told me it was time I cleaned up my act. Can I help it that while growing up in my house "shit" wasn't a swear word it was just an exclamation? I guess that explanation didn't fly for my husband.
This doesn't just hold true for bad words but for good also. When Nicole was two years old, Scott was out of a job and so he was home with Nicole. Because he was home he got assigned the wonderful task of toilet training. Though Scott had done numerous things in his life, this was a new one for him. Part of toilet training is a lot of discipline and praise, so whenever Nicole would go potty we would praise her and tell her what a good job she did. It became evident that the praise was sinking in when one day I was in going to the bathroom and Nicole came in and said, "You going potty mommy?", when I said "yes" she said "Good job mommy, good job!" Mission Accomplished!
This doesn't just hold true for bad words but for good also. When Nicole was two years old, Scott was out of a job and so he was home with Nicole. Because he was home he got assigned the wonderful task of toilet training. Though Scott had done numerous things in his life, this was a new one for him. Part of toilet training is a lot of discipline and praise, so whenever Nicole would go potty we would praise her and tell her what a good job she did. It became evident that the praise was sinking in when one day I was in going to the bathroom and Nicole came in and said, "You going potty mommy?", when I said "yes" she said "Good job mommy, good job!" Mission Accomplished!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Do it yourself projects?
It's hard to believe that it has been over a month since my last blog. Since it is summer things have been just a bit hectic. It seems as if I have more projects on my plate than my plate can hold. I feel like Michelle Pfieffer in the movie "One Fine Day" when she is talking about all the balls that she has up in the air.
We decided to put an inground pool in ourselves. We started it last Tuesday when the guys came and dug the hole, which took two days. We placed the sidewalls and formed the bottom of the pool on Thursday and Friday then placed the stairs on Saturday. Now we are just waiting to get the cement poured around the outside to set the braces.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Would you like a straw with that?
There are some people who are addicted to coffee. Some who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc.. Me, I must admit that I'm a hot chocolate addict!! It doesn't matter the temperature outside, if I'm craving hot chocolate....I have to HAVE my hot chocolate.
I also must admit at the same time that I am a creature of habit. You name the restaurant and my husband knows what I'll order from there. Pei Wei? Chicken Lo Mein. Taco Time? Soft floured taco with sour cream. Paradise Cafe? Chicken Walnut sandwich. So when I go to the coffee hut that I have gone to at least once a week for the past three years they know that I always get a large peppermint hot chocolate no straw and an ausiago bagel. So after all that time you would think that they would stop asking me if I would like a straw in my hot chocolate.....NO! the answer is ALWAYS NO! But again today I stop and get hot chocolate and what does the cute little blonde girl ask...."would you like a straw in your hot chocolate?" Politely I said, "no thank you". And she politely hands me my hot chocolate with a straw in it! Aarrgghh...did she not listen to a thing I said or is she just paid to stand there and look cute. I'm not saying that every cute girl is stupid, because I have known my fair share of very smart cute girls....this just wasn't one of them. I was very proud of myself that I didn't take the straw out of the hot chocolate and throw it at her....I'm sure my mom is very proud of me!
I guess the moral of the story is if you get a straw just smile and say thank you then take it out and save it in the car door for the next time the kids need a straw for their drink!
I also must admit at the same time that I am a creature of habit. You name the restaurant and my husband knows what I'll order from there. Pei Wei? Chicken Lo Mein. Taco Time? Soft floured taco with sour cream. Paradise Cafe? Chicken Walnut sandwich. So when I go to the coffee hut that I have gone to at least once a week for the past three years they know that I always get a large peppermint hot chocolate no straw and an ausiago bagel. So after all that time you would think that they would stop asking me if I would like a straw in my hot chocolate.....NO! the answer is ALWAYS NO! But again today I stop and get hot chocolate and what does the cute little blonde girl ask...."would you like a straw in your hot chocolate?" Politely I said, "no thank you". And she politely hands me my hot chocolate with a straw in it! Aarrgghh...did she not listen to a thing I said or is she just paid to stand there and look cute. I'm not saying that every cute girl is stupid, because I have known my fair share of very smart cute girls....this just wasn't one of them. I was very proud of myself that I didn't take the straw out of the hot chocolate and throw it at her....I'm sure my mom is very proud of me!
I guess the moral of the story is if you get a straw just smile and say thank you then take it out and save it in the car door for the next time the kids need a straw for their drink!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Trust
I don't think I have thought about the word trust much before until my fifteen year old son, Braedon, threw it in my face on Sunday.
My husband sold his ATV to my older son and so we bought a new go-cart so he can have a toy to play with. We had all taken a turn riding it through the cul-de-sac to make sure there weren't any kinks before we take it up to the cabin. Braedon even had his share of turns. But Sunday when I was taking Scott to the airport Braedon called and asked if he could take the go-cart over to the school and ride it. I told him that the go-cart isn't street legal and that he couldn't. That's when he says, "It's because you don't trust me!" I told him that wasn't the case but he just kept throwing the trust word in my face. When he finally said he wouldn't ride it, I said, "And I trust that you won't".
For some reason it has really bothered me that he would even say that I don't trust him. Unfortunately I have trusted him and maybe too much at times. I was raised this same way. My parents always said when we were growing up that they gave us enough leash to hang ourselves and sometimes we nearly did. I have almost always let the kids do whatever they wanted; they know what our standards are and I expect them to uphold them. My main criteria is that I know where they are, who they are with and when they will be home. I have trusted him when he has told me something that is what he has meant, and last week he let me down. Since he broke that trust I've told him that he will have to earn it back.
I hope this will be something he more fully understands when he is grown with a family of his own.....just as I hope all my children will know.
My husband sold his ATV to my older son and so we bought a new go-cart so he can have a toy to play with. We had all taken a turn riding it through the cul-de-sac to make sure there weren't any kinks before we take it up to the cabin. Braedon even had his share of turns. But Sunday when I was taking Scott to the airport Braedon called and asked if he could take the go-cart over to the school and ride it. I told him that the go-cart isn't street legal and that he couldn't. That's when he says, "It's because you don't trust me!" I told him that wasn't the case but he just kept throwing the trust word in my face. When he finally said he wouldn't ride it, I said, "And I trust that you won't".
For some reason it has really bothered me that he would even say that I don't trust him. Unfortunately I have trusted him and maybe too much at times. I was raised this same way. My parents always said when we were growing up that they gave us enough leash to hang ourselves and sometimes we nearly did. I have almost always let the kids do whatever they wanted; they know what our standards are and I expect them to uphold them. My main criteria is that I know where they are, who they are with and when they will be home. I have trusted him when he has told me something that is what he has meant, and last week he let me down. Since he broke that trust I've told him that he will have to earn it back.
I hope this will be something he more fully understands when he is grown with a family of his own.....just as I hope all my children will know.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Sisters
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| Kim & Kaye Christmas 1969 |
She is the one who introduced me to the world of blogging. Whenever I need some humor in my life I know that I can always go to her blog http://digiziners.blogspot.com/ and get a good laugh. She sees the world through my dad's eyes (my dad is also someone who doesn't take the world too seriously). I've decided that God must have a sense of humor, or at least this is my hope. Who else can laugh off all of the bad haircuts and color jobs that she has had, and then humorously write about them. However, her blog "Hair Whore" always gets me kicked off of the internet at work (you'd think I'd learn to stay away from that one!).
Growing up we had our own language. Slobobovitch - someone who looks like a slob; aka the one whose half of the room was the messiest. Ramona - a name used for each other when the other one did something unheard of. Tard - a term used for someone who did something stupid.
Here's to sisters everywhere! Oh the things we shared! Here's to you Kim!
Corporate America
I'm not sure if there is a law against posting more than one blog in a single day, but if there is please don't send the blog police here!
I'm here at work and bored to pieces. We are having a real slow day and I have to get in my 8 3/4 hours so that I don't lose benefits. Who thought of this? They get mad if you get over time but they don't mind if you sit around twiddling your thumbs trying to get in your hours.
Seems I could be doing alot more useful things such as laundry, floors, dishes, etc..
I'm here at work and bored to pieces. We are having a real slow day and I have to get in my 8 3/4 hours so that I don't lose benefits. Who thought of this? They get mad if you get over time but they don't mind if you sit around twiddling your thumbs trying to get in your hours.
Seems I could be doing alot more useful things such as laundry, floors, dishes, etc..
Remembering
This last Monday was Memorial Day. Growing up I always thought this holiday was for decorating the graves of any one you might ever have met that had died. It wasn't until I got older that I realized why the holiday was really created....for remembering those who died fighting for this great country of ours.
I was reading USA Today the weekend edition and saw the story "A Club Nobody Wants To Be In" about the soldiers from the Iraq war buried in a special section of Arlington Cemetery and the loved ones left behind to mourn them. It tells about the bonds that have formed of those loved ones left behind to mourn. I think it is this part of the war that we don't see. My heart goes out to the many mothers, fathers, wifes, husbands, sisters, brothers, daughters and sons of those lost in this war and at the same time I am grateful that it wasn't my son.
My son served his time in Iraq from March 2005-Feb 2006 and thankfully returned! He served because this is what he wanted to do! He wanted to fight for the freedoms we enjoy and make sure that another 9/11 never happens again on U.S. soil. I am proud of his unselfish service as I am grateful for all of the other men and women who have volunteered for this duty! May God keep them safe and return them home to their loved ones soon!!!
God Bless America!
I was reading USA Today the weekend edition and saw the story "A Club Nobody Wants To Be In" about the soldiers from the Iraq war buried in a special section of Arlington Cemetery and the loved ones left behind to mourn them. It tells about the bonds that have formed of those loved ones left behind to mourn. I think it is this part of the war that we don't see. My heart goes out to the many mothers, fathers, wifes, husbands, sisters, brothers, daughters and sons of those lost in this war and at the same time I am grateful that it wasn't my son.
My son served his time in Iraq from March 2005-Feb 2006 and thankfully returned! He served because this is what he wanted to do! He wanted to fight for the freedoms we enjoy and make sure that another 9/11 never happens again on U.S. soil. I am proud of his unselfish service as I am grateful for all of the other men and women who have volunteered for this duty! May God keep them safe and return them home to their loved ones soon!!!
God Bless America!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Electronic Lunatics
It looks like the age of electronics is turning all of us in to raving lunatics!
The other day I was headed in to the grocery store when I noticed a woman in the parking lot just standing there talking and no one was around her. My first thought was that she must be psycho, then I noticed that she had a bluetooth in her ear and I realized that she was just talking on the phone.
Maybe we should buy all the schizos a bluetooth so that they won't seem so crazy just standing there talking to themselves....we will just think they are talking on the phone!
The other day I was headed in to the grocery store when I noticed a woman in the parking lot just standing there talking and no one was around her. My first thought was that she must be psycho, then I noticed that she had a bluetooth in her ear and I realized that she was just talking on the phone.
Maybe we should buy all the schizos a bluetooth so that they won't seem so crazy just standing there talking to themselves....we will just think they are talking on the phone!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Warped Drive
I'm afraid with all of our travel, we have warped our six year old daughters sense of distance and time. My husband Scott has been working in upper Washington State since last September and we have gone up to see him a couple of times. The last time we went was the first of this month and during that time we drove up to Vancouver, BC one day and the next day we went out to the San Juan Islands. Now she thinks that traveling long distances is "no big deal".
In Vancouver we went to Granville Island and went to the market (we had so much fun the last time that I wanted to go back). Just outside of the market is a little area that kids were out feeding the pigeons. Well Nicole, being her usual shy self, found a "friend" (Mikey) who shared his bird seed and let her feed the pigeons with him. I went out and took pictures and Mikey's mom was really cute when she commented, "Don't they just remind you of a little eighty year old couple sitting there feeding the pigeons"....and they really did!
We do enjoy taking her and think that it is very educational for her to visit many different places. So far we have taken Nicole to New Jersey, England, Hawaii, Colorado, California, Washington State, Vancouver B.C., and Cabo San Lucas Mexico....she is well traveled.
The biggest reason for taking her to Washington is so that she can see where her dad spends 5/7 days a week. He usually leaves here Sunday night and comes home on Friday night so needless to say the weekends are very much family time! I think we have all adapted pretty well, but I will be glad when this assignment is done the end of June and I hope that he will have a little time home before he starts his next project.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Deep Thinking
My husband, Scott, and I recently have had to do some estate planning due to some extenuating circumstances beyond our control. Now I remember why I had put off this lovely task. When the lawyer asked us if we had any burial preferences we looked at each other and said with a smile that the only preference was to not be buried by our ex's.
Thinking of splitting up your assets after you are gone has been a hard thing to go through. Maybe because this is a second marriage for both of us has made us examine our decisions that more closely. Scott and I did come to the conclusion that the main objective is to make sure that none of the kids feel like they got the short end of the stick.
The main objective in setting up the trust at this time is to make sure that our youngest child Nicole will be taken care of until she is done with college (if she chooses that route).
After all is said and done, my prayer is that Scott and I will live long enough to see all of the kids raised, married and having kids of their own. Then we can SPEND all of their inheritance!!!
Thinking of splitting up your assets after you are gone has been a hard thing to go through. Maybe because this is a second marriage for both of us has made us examine our decisions that more closely. Scott and I did come to the conclusion that the main objective is to make sure that none of the kids feel like they got the short end of the stick.
The main objective in setting up the trust at this time is to make sure that our youngest child Nicole will be taken care of until she is done with college (if she chooses that route).
After all is said and done, my prayer is that Scott and I will live long enough to see all of the kids raised, married and having kids of their own. Then we can SPEND all of their inheritance!!!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Doggie Treadmill Update
Well, it seems Daxter (the puppy) thinks the treadmill is his. I've tried to fight him for it but whenever I'm on it he stands at the side with his front paws on the treadmill racing along with me. So I've finally given in to the inevitable.....I now share the treadmill with the dog. Daxter runs on the right and I run on the left. The other day he ran for thirty-five minutes at my side. My husband (Scott) thinks it sounds like an accident waiting to happen, but actually Daxter is very kind and stays on his side and I just have to be more consciences about where my feet are.
Now if I can just figure out how to keep him from drooling all over the treadmill!!!
Now if I can just figure out how to keep him from drooling all over the treadmill!!!
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Spring Fever
On February 2nd the Ground Hog predicted an early spring. I've always been pretty skeptical about this age old tradition, but maybe this year he really is right. This whole week the temperatures have been in the forties; a wonderful change from the frigid January where we had about twenty straight days of below freezing. The weatherman says that today is supposed to be in the mid fifties....woo-hoo!
Now I have spring fever. It seems way to early to have spring fever. Mainly because this is Utah and I know that we will have at least one more good snow storm before spring is officially here. But for now I will enjoy the nice warm weather and leave the snow shovels handy just in case!
Now I have spring fever. It seems way to early to have spring fever. Mainly because this is Utah and I know that we will have at least one more good snow storm before spring is officially here. But for now I will enjoy the nice warm weather and leave the snow shovels handy just in case!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
A Day Off.....Really?!?!
Today is my day off, but it's only my day off in the sense that I won't be driving in to the office and putting in my eight hours and gettting PAID for it.
This is the first time I have sat down today. The day so far has been filled with cleaning windows, cleaning out the fridge/freezer (in hopes that the fridge repair man would come today...no such luck), adding water to the pond outside (35 gallons to be precise) with a five gallon bucket of warm water in the house, fixing the fence around the pond so the stupid dogs will stay out, filing a foot of paperwork that my husband has had lying around since 2005, filling the dishwasher twice and washing clothes. I know there should probably be more puctuation in that sentence, because if you read it in one breath you are on the verge of passing out; but that's just the way it is!
There are times I wish I were a man. When a man has a day off, it's usually just that. They turn on the t.v., switcher in hand and vegitate for the weekend; no cares of laundry, vaccuming, cooking, dishes,toilets or any other disgusting job. At least I have two extra days a week to keep up, I guess I should be grateful for that!
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if someone would just recognize all the hard work I have done!
This is the first time I have sat down today. The day so far has been filled with cleaning windows, cleaning out the fridge/freezer (in hopes that the fridge repair man would come today...no such luck), adding water to the pond outside (35 gallons to be precise) with a five gallon bucket of warm water in the house, fixing the fence around the pond so the stupid dogs will stay out, filing a foot of paperwork that my husband has had lying around since 2005, filling the dishwasher twice and washing clothes. I know there should probably be more puctuation in that sentence, because if you read it in one breath you are on the verge of passing out; but that's just the way it is!
There are times I wish I were a man. When a man has a day off, it's usually just that. They turn on the t.v., switcher in hand and vegitate for the weekend; no cares of laundry, vaccuming, cooking, dishes,toilets or any other disgusting job. At least I have two extra days a week to keep up, I guess I should be grateful for that!
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if someone would just recognize all the hard work I have done!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
The Running Monster
It's cold here and has been for about the past two weeks. An Arctic blast has griped most of the nation but the brunt seems to have settled over the top of us, or maybe that's just the way I feel. The highs during the days have been the high teens with the lows reaching below zero in many areas around us.
Because it's winter and it's harder to go outside and exercise, my husband and I decided it was time to get a treadmill. My husband has a bad back and walking seems to be the best thing for it, but with the temperatures we've been having it's hard to get out.
Well, last week I decided to start a regular exercise program using the treadmill. So the first time I used it my six year old daughter sat there during the whole work out ask "how much more time?", "how much more time, NOW?". With that sort of question every minute it can sure make a work out drag on FOREVER! So the next day I worked out early in the morning while she was asleep and I would have enjoyed the workout, but we have two dogs that know when I put my running clothes on and they get all excited because they want to go too. So since I left them upstairs the puppy (Daxter) barked and barked because he was so upset....so much for a quiet workout.
I guess I should explain a little bit about the dogs. Winston is the oldest and he is 4 1/2 years old. I've been taking Winston running with me since he was just a pup. And because of this every time I put on my running clothes he goes crazy looking for his leash. He is well mannered on a leash and I love taking him with me; however, Daxter is another story. Daxter is ten months old and taking him running is kind of the equivalent of lassoing a train engine and then running with it! We even bought a choke chain for Daxter thinking that it would tame his wild abandonment but all that happens is he pulls until he can't breath, his blue tongue hanging out and eyes bulging to the point I can't stand it any more so I reign him in and loosen the collar only to let him go and he does it all over again. One day my husband and I went running with Nicole (the six year old) in the jog stroller and the two dogs. I figured with the two of us running we could handle the brood. Well, as usual, Daxter took off at break neck speed with me being drug behind. That was when I came up with the great idea of harnessing his energy and I tied him to Nicole's jog stroller. I was so proud of myself, it seem to be working like a charm. The dog was trotting along instead of running helter-skelter. We were coming to an incline and I had to adjust something so I let go of the stroller leash and the dog must have sensed free reign so off he went. I took off on a sprint to try and catch them but it was Nicole's smarts that saved the day, she reached down and tugged with all her might on Daxter's leash and he finally stopped. When I reached them Nicole was cussing him out, and he was a solemn repentant dog....at least for a moment!
So yesterday I thought I would bring the dogs downstairs so that they could see that I was just running on a treadmill and I wasn't going anywhere. Well, needless to say the dogs were intrigued and they both kept trying to get on the treadmill with me. At one point the older dog (Winston) jumped on from the front. It was a good thing I saw him because I just stepped wide and he went sailing on through my legs and off the back. He wasn't exactly sure what to think of it then. I decided I would see how they would like running on it and so I stood on the side rails while I grabbed each of them one at a time and boosted them from the back of the treadmill. I thought it would be a one time thing and that they would decide it wasn't all it was cracked up to be....boy, was I wrong! Winston went first, but it didn't take him long to realize this wasn't for him. Daxter, however, was another story. Daxter got on and loved it. No matter the speed or the incline he kept right up.
Today I went downstairs to run and Daxter kept barking until I let him get on and run. This time he ran for six minutes without me even holding onto his collar. I finally had to stop his running so that he would slide off the back and I could finish my workout. This didn't stop him from trying to get back on. I fear I have created a monster named Daxter!
Because it's winter and it's harder to go outside and exercise, my husband and I decided it was time to get a treadmill. My husband has a bad back and walking seems to be the best thing for it, but with the temperatures we've been having it's hard to get out.
Well, last week I decided to start a regular exercise program using the treadmill. So the first time I used it my six year old daughter sat there during the whole work out ask "how much more time?", "how much more time, NOW?". With that sort of question every minute it can sure make a work out drag on FOREVER! So the next day I worked out early in the morning while she was asleep and I would have enjoyed the workout, but we have two dogs that know when I put my running clothes on and they get all excited because they want to go too. So since I left them upstairs the puppy (Daxter) barked and barked because he was so upset....so much for a quiet workout.
I guess I should explain a little bit about the dogs. Winston is the oldest and he is 4 1/2 years old. I've been taking Winston running with me since he was just a pup. And because of this every time I put on my running clothes he goes crazy looking for his leash. He is well mannered on a leash and I love taking him with me; however, Daxter is another story. Daxter is ten months old and taking him running is kind of the equivalent of lassoing a train engine and then running with it! We even bought a choke chain for Daxter thinking that it would tame his wild abandonment but all that happens is he pulls until he can't breath, his blue tongue hanging out and eyes bulging to the point I can't stand it any more so I reign him in and loosen the collar only to let him go and he does it all over again. One day my husband and I went running with Nicole (the six year old) in the jog stroller and the two dogs. I figured with the two of us running we could handle the brood. Well, as usual, Daxter took off at break neck speed with me being drug behind. That was when I came up with the great idea of harnessing his energy and I tied him to Nicole's jog stroller. I was so proud of myself, it seem to be working like a charm. The dog was trotting along instead of running helter-skelter. We were coming to an incline and I had to adjust something so I let go of the stroller leash and the dog must have sensed free reign so off he went. I took off on a sprint to try and catch them but it was Nicole's smarts that saved the day, she reached down and tugged with all her might on Daxter's leash and he finally stopped. When I reached them Nicole was cussing him out, and he was a solemn repentant dog....at least for a moment!
So yesterday I thought I would bring the dogs downstairs so that they could see that I was just running on a treadmill and I wasn't going anywhere. Well, needless to say the dogs were intrigued and they both kept trying to get on the treadmill with me. At one point the older dog (Winston) jumped on from the front. It was a good thing I saw him because I just stepped wide and he went sailing on through my legs and off the back. He wasn't exactly sure what to think of it then. I decided I would see how they would like running on it and so I stood on the side rails while I grabbed each of them one at a time and boosted them from the back of the treadmill. I thought it would be a one time thing and that they would decide it wasn't all it was cracked up to be....boy, was I wrong! Winston went first, but it didn't take him long to realize this wasn't for him. Daxter, however, was another story. Daxter got on and loved it. No matter the speed or the incline he kept right up.
Today I went downstairs to run and Daxter kept barking until I let him get on and run. This time he ran for six minutes without me even holding onto his collar. I finally had to stop his running so that he would slide off the back and I could finish my workout. This didn't stop him from trying to get back on. I fear I have created a monster named Daxter!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
What is Success?
A couple of days ago, my mom gave me a book of short stories my cousin had compiled from newspaper articles he has written. While reading through them I came upon one story where he talked about his daughter being in the junior miss pageant in their area. There is a part of the pageant where they ask the contestants a question and the contestant has to come up with an off the cuff answer. The question they asked his daughter was, "How would you define success?".
I've been thinking about that question quite a bit the last couple of days and decided that success can mean a myriad of different things to a myriad of different people. Success can be making your first million, or that fancy new car or house you've always wanted. It can be all those fun new toys like boats, snowboards, t.v.'s, atv's or fine home furnishings, but those are all just things. Things that can disappear in a moments notice taken by fire, flood, earthquake or other hapless ways.
Do I have the million dollars? No, but I have 5 great kids who are the pride and joy of my life so I'm richer than most! Do I drive the fanciest cars? No, but the cars I have run and get me to work and to the places I need to go. Do I have the nicest house in the neighborhood? Probably not but there is a roof to keep the sun, snow and rain off of my head and walls to keep out the cold and wind. Do I have all of the fun toys? No, but I have some and they aren't any fun without someone to share them with.
So I guess I'm saying that I'm successful because I have a good marriage to wonderful husband. I have five great kids who are contributing to society in a positive way. I have friends and family to share my good and bad times with. I have a fantastic job in which I have touched many lives and hope to touch many more. And each day I get up with the resolve to try something new and try each day to add more to the world than I take away. If that's not success, than I don't know what is.
I've been thinking about that question quite a bit the last couple of days and decided that success can mean a myriad of different things to a myriad of different people. Success can be making your first million, or that fancy new car or house you've always wanted. It can be all those fun new toys like boats, snowboards, t.v.'s, atv's or fine home furnishings, but those are all just things. Things that can disappear in a moments notice taken by fire, flood, earthquake or other hapless ways.
Do I have the million dollars? No, but I have 5 great kids who are the pride and joy of my life so I'm richer than most! Do I drive the fanciest cars? No, but the cars I have run and get me to work and to the places I need to go. Do I have the nicest house in the neighborhood? Probably not but there is a roof to keep the sun, snow and rain off of my head and walls to keep out the cold and wind. Do I have all of the fun toys? No, but I have some and they aren't any fun without someone to share them with.
So I guess I'm saying that I'm successful because I have a good marriage to wonderful husband. I have five great kids who are contributing to society in a positive way. I have friends and family to share my good and bad times with. I have a fantastic job in which I have touched many lives and hope to touch many more. And each day I get up with the resolve to try something new and try each day to add more to the world than I take away. If that's not success, than I don't know what is.
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