No, Lynley, just because I decided to do two loads of laundry this morning does not mean you woke up in some alternate universe.
Jeez, it is hard for a guy to have a little purpose around here.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Anonynousness
Well, well it has been a long time. I guess it says something that I just have not had much to say. The good news is that all seems to be going well. All in all, it has been an excellent summer. For a change, I have more time to spend with the family. Call it selfishness. Call it laziness. But, for once in the last 10 years, I have gone from an average of 80 hour weeks to about 45 hour weeks. It has been a nice hiatus.
Stress is down. Family is up. Life is good.
It isn't that I don't miss being smack dab in the front lines but, it is nice to just BE for a change.
Anonymousness feels nice.
The kiddos, well they are awesome. Perfect, no? We are still battling infighting. Sydney is still exhibiting strange "illnesses" quite regularly. Graham is an overly emotional germaphobe (his words, not mine) , and Ainsley is still stealing candy and hiding it under the couch. No, our lives are still far from perfect. In that sense, there remains a lot to write about. None the less, it is who we are and I would trade it for nothing.
Oh, and I can't forget Lynley. Little has changed with her either. She remains smokin' hot and, thankfully, brainwashed regarding me.
Yep, it is good to be me.
It was nice writing again. I have missed it. Perhaps there will be more in the future.
Although my writing has diminished - my purpose has not.
Stress is down. Family is up. Life is good.
It isn't that I don't miss being smack dab in the front lines but, it is nice to just BE for a change.
Anonymousness feels nice.
The kiddos, well they are awesome. Perfect, no? We are still battling infighting. Sydney is still exhibiting strange "illnesses" quite regularly. Graham is an overly emotional germaphobe (his words, not mine) , and Ainsley is still stealing candy and hiding it under the couch. No, our lives are still far from perfect. In that sense, there remains a lot to write about. None the less, it is who we are and I would trade it for nothing.
Oh, and I can't forget Lynley. Little has changed with her either. She remains smokin' hot and, thankfully, brainwashed regarding me.
Yep, it is good to be me.
It was nice writing again. I have missed it. Perhaps there will be more in the future.
Although my writing has diminished - my purpose has not.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Breaking Through
Home sweet, home. Well, we have been back home from California for the better part of a week. Overall, Sydney and Graham's Tae Kwon Do team did well. I think that with each passing day Sydney has gained more and more pride regarding her bronze medal. At first, she was sad that she only achieved bronze. I just don't really think she digested the scale of her accomplishment until after she realized how tough this venue was. When some of her team heros (people who she looks up to for their dominance) came back with bronze and silver medals she began to realize that just getting to compete was a big accomplishment and a medal, any medal, was like walking on the moon.
It has had a profound effect on her confidence. I mean this, of course, in a good way. But, she walked into this tournament with doubt that she could accomplish anything on her own and walked out knowing nothing stood in her way. I don't know how long the effect will last but it is this feeling that is exactly the reason we put her in Tae Kwon Do.
Unfortunately, Graham did not walk out with the same feeling. He is a self doubting wreck. You would never expect a little boy with so much good stuff going would have such an unhealthy picture of himself painted in his mind. He is smart, athletic, funny and so incredibly creatively talented and yet, to listen to him, you would think he had failed at everything. The good news is that he is no worse off than when we began our road to the Junior Olympics. However, Graham needed this win more than anyone.
He is my biggest challenge as of late. Graham is tough for me. I absolutely love the little bugger but he is the one that I have the most difficulty communicating with. I don't know whether it is because we are both male or because we are so much alike that it pushes us apart but, I just don't ever feel like I can get through to him. In this sense, he is a momma's boy. Yes, Lynley has his heart. It is frustrating though, because he needs me. He is just like his dad. There is so much that I can impart to him if he would just give me the chance.
It is one of my greatest frustrations in life.
I just want to help him and, right now, he needs it.
This one will take weeks, months and years of purpose.
It has had a profound effect on her confidence. I mean this, of course, in a good way. But, she walked into this tournament with doubt that she could accomplish anything on her own and walked out knowing nothing stood in her way. I don't know how long the effect will last but it is this feeling that is exactly the reason we put her in Tae Kwon Do.
Unfortunately, Graham did not walk out with the same feeling. He is a self doubting wreck. You would never expect a little boy with so much good stuff going would have such an unhealthy picture of himself painted in his mind. He is smart, athletic, funny and so incredibly creatively talented and yet, to listen to him, you would think he had failed at everything. The good news is that he is no worse off than when we began our road to the Junior Olympics. However, Graham needed this win more than anyone.
He is my biggest challenge as of late. Graham is tough for me. I absolutely love the little bugger but he is the one that I have the most difficulty communicating with. I don't know whether it is because we are both male or because we are so much alike that it pushes us apart but, I just don't ever feel like I can get through to him. In this sense, he is a momma's boy. Yes, Lynley has his heart. It is frustrating though, because he needs me. He is just like his dad. There is so much that I can impart to him if he would just give me the chance.
It is one of my greatest frustrations in life.
I just want to help him and, right now, he needs it.
This one will take weeks, months and years of purpose.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
US Junior Olympics Bronze Medalist
Well, it has been a very long and nerve racking couple of days. First up was Graham. While I am incredibly proud of him, I am sad for him to say that he finished just out of medal contention. Graham fought excellently and, in the match that would dictate whether he made it to the metal rounds, I am sad to say he fell just short. Honestly, I think he fell victim to electronic scoring. While he did not totally dominate the match, I think it was clear to everyone that he was the more skilled competitor. Had this match been decided by judges there is no doubt that Graham would have won. Unfortunately, his kicks just never scored with the electronic gear. Although, we have plenty of photographic evidence of good, solid kicks that should have scored. :) Regardless, he lost in the last 10 seconds of the final round to a series of punches that we are still trying to figure out.
Sydney's day started out hard as well. Her forms competition was stacked with 25 of the best girls from all around the country. She did an incredible job on her form but, unfortunately, it was only good enough to place her 11th amongst the tight competition. Still, an impressive feat considering these were the best of the best.
Sparring, however, was where things began to change. Make no mistake, none of it was easy. Every round was close and competition was fierce. There wasn't a single girl without the mojo needed to win. Sydney, however, was fierce. She went out with a fire and vigor that would lead her out of the preliminaries and into the medal rounds. Sydney would fight a tremendously hard match which would place her in third place. In the end, she lost the match 3 to 1 which would have placed her in the final gold medal match to a girl that was flatly incredible.
I felt incredibly proud of her winning the bronze at the US Junior Olympics.
It has been a long road for a little girl with stage 4 Neuroblastoma.
Who would have thought?
I am beginning to think she may have even more purpose than her father.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Resurfacing in San Jose
Okay, so I know it has been a long time in coming. But, what can I say, things have been going well and for once I have just been participating in life. No stresses, no worries. Just me and the fam. For better or worse, I have not felt the need to be the reporter.
Selfish?
Probably, but it has been nice to just breath a little.
So, today I find myself in San Jose awaiting Graham's grand entrance into the Tae Kwon Do Junior Olympics / National Championships. In a bit he will be competing in forms and then later today in sparring.
My expectations?
Growing a great human being. Could he win? Maybe. But he has 40 of the top 6 and 7 years olds from around the world. In my eyes he has already won.
It is the journey.
That's our purpose.
Results to follow.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Cat Scanning of a different sort
Good morning! Long time no write. Well, it should still come as no surprise that my lack of writing is not a sign of nothing going on. No, it seems like there just hasn't been a moment's notice. Regardless, here I am, with an update.
To say things have been busy would be an understatement. Most notably, we are just two weeks shy of the Tae Kwon Do National Championships (Junior Olympics). With that comes brutal and frequent practices. Currently the kiddos are having two-a-day practices and on top of that private lessons to polish off their forms. When Sydney is not doing that she is at "horse camp" this week where she is learning how to ride horses. The other two kiddos have found themselves doing a lot of traveling as they usher themselves from home to horse camp and Tae Kwon Do and back all over again. When they aren't carpooling they still seem to be finding hours upon end to swim.
Yes, times are good and the summer seems to be going superbly.
Lynley and I? Well, between work, play dates, swim parties, horse camp and Tae Kwon Do; we really don't get out much. In fact, we don't do much of anything but chase kiddos and muddle through chores. Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. This is simply the life of a child's servant.
On a funny note:
Yesterday, Ainsley and Stephanie, our nanny, made a stop by Pet's Mart while they were waiting for Sydney's camp to finish for the day. Ainsley watched as someone brought a kitten up to the cashier for purchase. Ainsley did not understand how they would be able to scan the cat at the register so that they could by it. In her mind, the scanner is how it keeps track of what you buy. After all, it is the scanner (and apparently only the scanner) that tells the machine how much invisible money it has to take off of my debit card.
Out of the mouths of babes. How times have changed...
I have really become very close to Ainsley over the last couple of months or so. She is at a particularly snugly stage and we are having a blast together. And to think, this all began with a few trips to 7-Eleven for Slurpees.
The power of one and one time...
And purpose...
To say things have been busy would be an understatement. Most notably, we are just two weeks shy of the Tae Kwon Do National Championships (Junior Olympics). With that comes brutal and frequent practices. Currently the kiddos are having two-a-day practices and on top of that private lessons to polish off their forms. When Sydney is not doing that she is at "horse camp" this week where she is learning how to ride horses. The other two kiddos have found themselves doing a lot of traveling as they usher themselves from home to horse camp and Tae Kwon Do and back all over again. When they aren't carpooling they still seem to be finding hours upon end to swim.
Yes, times are good and the summer seems to be going superbly.
Lynley and I? Well, between work, play dates, swim parties, horse camp and Tae Kwon Do; we really don't get out much. In fact, we don't do much of anything but chase kiddos and muddle through chores. Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. This is simply the life of a child's servant.
On a funny note:
Yesterday, Ainsley and Stephanie, our nanny, made a stop by Pet's Mart while they were waiting for Sydney's camp to finish for the day. Ainsley watched as someone brought a kitten up to the cashier for purchase. Ainsley did not understand how they would be able to scan the cat at the register so that they could by it. In her mind, the scanner is how it keeps track of what you buy. After all, it is the scanner (and apparently only the scanner) that tells the machine how much invisible money it has to take off of my debit card.
Out of the mouths of babes. How times have changed...
I have really become very close to Ainsley over the last couple of months or so. She is at a particularly snugly stage and we are having a blast together. And to think, this all began with a few trips to 7-Eleven for Slurpees.
The power of one and one time...
And purpose...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Sydney's Birthday with "Lobster Legs"
Yesterday was Sydney's 10th birthday. This is a pretty big milestone in any child's life but I think given Sydney's history it just means that much more. She, of course, is just proud to be 10 and seems to be enjoying just being in her skin more than I have seen before. If yesterday was any indication, it looks like my little walking decade is going to have a wonderful year.
Well, to celebrate such an auspicious occasion we had to do it just right. Sydney, of all things, wanted lobster for dinner. (Typical woman thing to want in our family I might add.) Now, you may think that with that fancy new car that Lynley surprised me with for my birthday, that lobster must be the way that I roll. Oh you know, expensive cars, posh duds, fine jewelry.
Nope, not this guy.
I admit it. I am a coupon cutting, penny pinching tight wad with a neat freak streak. Regardless, 3 kids with lobster dinners - not this guy. We had to get creative. Now don't get me wrong, it was, after all Sydney's birthday. For her, a $20 lobster it was. However, for the other grubby little money scarfing munchkins, not so much. They wanted lobster because their sister was having it. Not because they could tell the difference between the lobster and the $7 snow crab legs.
That is when they became "lobster legs."
And that is exactly what Graham and Ainsley greedily chowed down on. Oh yes, they just love "lobster legs."
We now have a really nice thing going so please, please don't laugh if you are out with us and my kiddos order lobster legs. Else you might just end up with the bill.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Sometimes my purpose feels dirty. But still, it is so darn fun.
Well, to celebrate such an auspicious occasion we had to do it just right. Sydney, of all things, wanted lobster for dinner. (Typical woman thing to want in our family I might add.) Now, you may think that with that fancy new car that Lynley surprised me with for my birthday, that lobster must be the way that I roll. Oh you know, expensive cars, posh duds, fine jewelry.
Nope, not this guy.
I admit it. I am a coupon cutting, penny pinching tight wad with a neat freak streak. Regardless, 3 kids with lobster dinners - not this guy. We had to get creative. Now don't get me wrong, it was, after all Sydney's birthday. For her, a $20 lobster it was. However, for the other grubby little money scarfing munchkins, not so much. They wanted lobster because their sister was having it. Not because they could tell the difference between the lobster and the $7 snow crab legs.
That is when they became "lobster legs."
And that is exactly what Graham and Ainsley greedily chowed down on. Oh yes, they just love "lobster legs."
We now have a really nice thing going so please, please don't laugh if you are out with us and my kiddos order lobster legs. Else you might just end up with the bill.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Sometimes my purpose feels dirty. But still, it is so darn fun.
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