HEY YOU!

HEY YOU!

You! 

 The love of my life!

It is your birthday today!!  

And allow me to say...I love it when it is your birthday.  

I love it that even though when I asked you yesterday, what you wanted for your birthday meal, you JUST realized your birthday was the next day.

I love it that our children have learned your expressions well.

I love it that this one really thinks she is a princess because of you.

I love it that your grandson went to town on your blueprints, while sitting with you way too early in the morning.

Because the 3 of you are morning people.  You, your daughter and your grandson.

I love it that you are trying hard to figure out how to live a life worthy of HIS name.

I love it that you make me laugh even when I don't want to.

I love it that you challenge me beyond my comfort zone, even though at the time I am * slightly * irritated.  

I love it that you sacrificed for your children's sake.  So much more than they will ever know.

I love you

 There is just so much to say and be thankful for on this day.

Happy Birthday My Love.

Giving Thanks

I was watching this very odd movie last night and I realized, again, it is an ugly, mean, volitale world out there.

Now, mind you I already knew that, but since I daily live in my world, I keep forgetting about out there.  And before you say I live a sheltered life, I know I do.  Never mind that we often go to the inner cities to serve, and yes, sometimes hang out; and we live in the NYC metropolitan area and we get to see, experience and know, probably more than the average person.

Still, in spite of my sheltered world...

I have talked to people who are strung out on drugs, protitutes, runaways, parents looking for their run away children from all states, alcoholics, dealers, illegals, people who just came out of prison, mafiosos, you name it, I probably came across it.

The difference is, that is their world, and even if I am in the outskirts of it, I will probably not be in their inner circle.  The circle of terror, or fear, of desparation, deep sorrow, anger, lack of hope.

Have I ever experienced any of those things?  I have experienced ALL of them.  But not to the degree of that they live in daily.

And so today, on Thanksgiving,  I have so much to be thankful for, my Jesus, my family, my home, my car, my everything.  The list could make you sit here for a good hour reading it and I would still not have put everything on it.

BUT I am specially thankful for the privilege of of knowing these people.  Not because it makes me happy I am not in their world, but I am thankful they bring so much to mine.  For in the midst of their suffering, hopelessness, anger, sorrow,  they smile... a genuine smile.  They teach me something no one else can.  They are happy to see me. So happy to have someone talk to them as equals.  So happy to have someone listen.  So happy to sit for a while where we both leave our worlds behind and just enjoy this minute, with each other.

I am thankful for the mean, ugly, volitale world out there, because I realize that when Christians leave their own world and walk into this one, Jesus shows up.

Every. Single. Time.

13 Things....

Happy Birthday, my youngest son.

In honor of your birthday, I will try to come up with 13 things of who you are today.

1.  Inspite of the fact that you never sleep, you have enough energy for 25 people at any given moment.

2. You never really care what others think about the way you dress.

3.  It takes you 2 hours to do a 45 minute math lesson.  But in between problems, you conquered the Huns, fought in WW2, dreamed of sciences of centuries past, became a time traveler, created solutions to conflicts, figured out good plans for the Sunday Night game or created musical masterpieces.  Then would get frustrated at me for bring you back to the next math problem.

4. You heard about the opportunity to play the piano at hospice, and you turned your world around to be able to do it.  And though it was emotionally hard, and sometimes you left with tears in your eyes, it never occured to you NOT to go back.

5. Your favorite birthday gifts usually require time, not money.

6. You have a temper that takes about 30 seconds to show up.  But at the same time, it can leave just as fast.  With no residue to spoil the rest of the time.

7. You love to DO things.  Whether it is with your hands like chopping wood or changing the brakes with your father, or physical , like jumping bridges or scaling rocks; sitting down is hard for you.  And that is ok.

8. You adore your family.  Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.  A good day to you is a day spent with them.

9.  You don't embarrass easily.

10. You are the most musically talented kid in the family.  I am always amazed when you sit at the piano or pick up the violin and play a song you just heard for the first time.

11. You like swift justice on people. But are grudgingly learning grace.  Because you are now understanding your own faults.

12. Age doesn't  matter to you.  You enjoy older people, little kids, adults, and your own peers.  You can carry a conversation with anyone, and not feel awkward.

13. You know GOD is fighting the battle for your soul, and you really want HIM to win.  Usually.

Happy Birthday my son.  You are a gift from HIM from whom all good things come.

I Wish I Had an Accent

  Granted, some people may say I have a Jersey accent.  Whatever, Jersey doesn't have an accent..  

This little girl is coming into her own.

She is a real-live NorthEast American girl.

She is learning sarcasm right along side her English.

:P

I would very much like to blame this kid for that.

But where...pray tell...did he get it from??!!??

FINE.  

The hard past about this is that I have gotten so much better then I used to be years ago.

My poor older children.

 I would very much like to live a life minus sarcasm.  

And how much would I like to blame somebody, anybody for the fact that I am too sarcastic. For example, why did my parents move here??!  Why not TX, or CO, or some southern state where people are just naturally kind, not cynical??!? ( I know I know, my daughter tells me that people can pull off 'not kind' in the south just as well as they do here, but we are in your face about it as opposed to walking away from it.  Walking away may not always be a bad thing.) 

But no.  I was raised in Jersey. 

It becomes painfully aware to us when we meet someone from another state, just how bad we are.   Because in reality, we don't even notice it.

And if need be, we can even point out Scriptures where sarcasm was used to justify that it is ok.

Yeah.

Pray for us here.

We need to be kinder, more gentle spirited. 

And HEY!!  

Guess what happens in 4 days??!!??!

Go ahead guess.

I will give you some hints.

1. it involves my youngest son

2. it involves the number 13

3. it involves cake

4. and presents

5. and family coming over

6. and probably a couple of friends too

7. and a little sister wanting it to be her turn, because a year is so darn long to wait.

I think those clues may help in guessing.

Maybe not.

But regadless, he is spending the night before and next day doing his very favorite thing.

I won't see him until late afternoon!!

But who can argue with his request to spend his birthday eve & birthday doing this??!!???!!

GOD is good.  I am watching HIS hand on my son's life.  Not that he is this great holy person, but there is a level of desire for HIM and humility in the midst of the hormones, business, bouncing off the walls of his life.

Well, off to rake the million new leaves on our yard.  Thankfully, I raked last week, just in time for it to look worse then before, seeing as how the rest of the leaves just decided to drop all in one shot. :P SHEESH is that sarcasm??!!? 

See you on the flip side.

NYC Marathon and:::sigh:::

SHE DID IT!!

Waking up at 4am, to get ready to leave by 5am to take the shuttle bus into NYC from Giants Stadium.

You can tell who has adrenolin already hard at work and who doesn't.  :D

This is it.

The family dressed in red, walked all over NYC in order to cheer for her in several places.

Mile 25+ looking for his baby girl.

THERE SHE GOES!!!!!    Less than 1 mile to go!!
She is the one with the blue shirt and cerulean blue socks.

 ALL DONE!!!

 She got her finisher's medal.  She has been dreaming about this since she was 7.

He was super proud of his bride.  

 And then, she couldn't walk anymore, so he gave her a piggy back ride to the car.

I have been wanting to write a post about how awesome my daughter is.

And how she completed the NYC Marathon this past Sunday.

And how she did it all after having a baby 5 1/2 months ago.  

And how she only had 4 months to train. 

And how she just didn't do it for herself, but she ran and raised money for Samaritan's Purse, in order to bring a child over here to get surgery. 

And how when I saw her after she finished, I just wanted to cry.

It as inspiring.  And humbling.

And I wanted this post to be all about that.

Even though there are loads of pictures and Lots of information, there is so much more to say about this day.

But then life happens and now I look at what is hapening in this world.

I love football.

I really do.

Today, I can't turn the radio, read the paper or turn the computer on without seeing something about Joe Paterno, and what is happening.

I watch as students and people in general and rallying and fighting and chanting and crying over his firing.

All I can think is...ReaLLy people?

OK

I think Mack Brown is coolness on 2 feet.  And Mike Tomlin?  <3

But really, it is JUST football.

People...you should be crying, rallying,fighting over this:

Joe Paterno will be fine.

Football will still be played.

These children, these people of the world, they depend on our rallying, or crying, our fighting for their sake.  They depend on our efforts, our hearts, our compassion.

Who else will show them HIS grace?

  

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. ~ James 1:27

So next time you see another article on Joe, remember... life is just so.much.bigger than that.   And you should live it accordingly.

STOP WHINING AND DO IT!

I think the most exciting this about the NYC Marathon this weekend, is that I get to see Beautiful Boy again.

Ok, FINE.  It is wonderful that my daughter has worked so hard for this day.  And that she is trying to raise money, because in the end it is not about her.

And I so enjoy her company in general.

And my son is law's too.

BUT have you ever smelled a baby?  And watched him laugh??  And hold him close and realize he is just such a GIFT from HIM?

I used to be insulted when people would say all those if I knew grandkids would be so great, I would have had them first jokes.  Because quite frankly, I REALLY enjoyed my children.  And did it really get better than that?

IT TOTALLY DID!!

And now I get it.

:::sigh::: I can't wait.

But that brings me to another thought.  One that I keep forgetting about.  Intentionally. On purpose.

Only 137 more days until my 1/2 marathon.

I REALLY need to start training.  I really need to go buy a new pair of sneakers.

I really need to stop whining about it and just do it.

I really don't want to.  But I need to.

And so, when we go tomorrow to the Javitz Center and get her number, and see all the stuff that is there to excite you about running...it may just be the swift kick in the pants that I need!!

Or not.

Regardless, the days keep coming and this body wil need all the help it can get, come St. Paddy's Day.

SO... of to the races.

November

November...

 ~You bring birthdays.

Like this child of mine will become a teenager in 18 days.

And The Love of My Life also has a birthday... at the end of the month.

(notice the running theme , mainly SLEEPING, of the men in my home.  :P )

~You let my daughter fulfill her dream of running the NYC marathon.

~You bring my favorite holiday.

~ You prepare the way for the crazy season, which in its own way, is delightful.

~ You show us beauty beyond reason.

~ You dump that beauty for us to clean up, in about 3 days.

~ You allow us to wear our favorite sweater, light our Yankee Candles, have the fireplace going, sip hot cocoa, tea, hot cider, and it is all nostalgically new again, not like when it is Feb./March and we are sick of our sweaters and freezing all the time.  And if we have to drink one more cup of tea to warm up...

~ You remind us that the end of the year is right around the corner, and have we wasted away our year, instead of enjoyed the life out of it.

~ You remind us that we are a good nation, regardless of all our faults.  And we have many.  And many more waiting for their chance to 'shine.'

Black Friday.  Enough said.

You are my favorite month.

Good to see you again.