Hmmmmmmm

Yesterday was my oldest grandchild's birthday.  She turned nine.  In her mind being nine is very, very different than being eight.  She says it's a much more complicated year and it also marks a new season of being much more fashionable.  Well, she was decked out in sunglasses, a hat like her Aunt Miriam wears, necklaces and a casual but chic top, stretchy capris and sneakers.  And, she was feeling it big time!  (Just setting the stage here.)

In the midst of the conversation, she says to me, "paPa, are you going to be alive when I grow up?"  I say, "Well, I'm planning on it. She says (with a tone of give-me-a-break in her voice), "How... can you plan on it.?" "Well, you are nine now and nine more years makes you what?"  "Eighteen, she says." "Well, eighteen is considered being grown up in a lot of ways and nine more years isn't that far away." Then it happened.  She then asked,  "Then how old will you be? About 99 or 107?"  Silly child.

A Sign of the Times

http://www.ehow.com/video_4984803_tutoring-fifthgrade-math.html

For those of you who don't know, I teach 5th grade math.  A big part of 5th grade math is getting them ready for Algebra.  I try to present myself in a manner that connects with the student on his/her terms.  Here is a video that will show you what I mean.  Let me know what you think about the look?  For those who have known me for years, I have I changed?

The Original Proverbs 31 Lady...

This lady is a servant to all.  She is an example of what it means to give tirelessly to others.  She has spent the last 2 weeks helping 2 different generations grow, adjust, be happier, be more rested and hopeful.  She did it all with a genuine smile on her face while being patient and kind and selfless. 

She will now come home and continue the same.  She gives all she has...and sometimes, more than she has.  She will leave, someday, an enduring legacy.  Little Juliet, grow up to be like your Meme. She is my wife.  I am happy and honored to be able to walk through this life with her.  Here's to Meme and Mom.  Here's to Pam.

Love always,

Mike
Welcome home.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is a video clip worth??

This might as well be Kentucky.  Just substitute the Pacific Northwest with South Central Kentucky, and Deer Crick with Bowling Green.  The rest is is accurate.  I've been stuck in the house all day.  At least my wife gets to spend her time with the new granddaughter and Stella.  It's just James, our Yorkie, and me....2 slackers.  Enjoy the clip.  Oh, and make sure you have your sound turned on.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx6u0iiMQKg

This man is a natural!

I am so thankful for Nate and how the Lord brought he and Miriam together.  I have watched him with Stella, and now with his second daughter Juliet.  He is patient and kind and consistent.  He is quiet-spoken and gentle.  My daughter is blessed to have him as her husband, and my granddaughters are blessed to have him as their dad.  I'm on the other end of child-rearing now, but I have a feeling that I'm going to learn a few things by watching him.

Bless you, Nate, and thank you.

Jack summed it up today!

"I really like being a kid."  "Why, Jack?" He answers me with a tone that indicates that I should know..."Because, I don't have to deal with anything!"

 I'm thankful that is true in his young, little life as I think about the children of Haiti and other parts of the world.

Meet 'Dawg.' He owes me big time.

Look into those eyes. You can almost see the story hidden deep within. It was the wee hours of a 2009 summer morning, 2:30 a.m. to be exact. Our phone rang. My wife answered. It was her dad calling to tell us that someone was swimming in the pool. He was really panicking and afraid. I went right over to check on things. (We live across the woods from them so that my wife can visit them daily and help when their in-home caregiver leaves for the day.)

As I cautiously drove over, I found my father-in-law standing on his gazebo, holding a flashlight emitting a light no brighter than a glowing candlewick. He was standing there in his pajamas looking like Albert Einstein, with his white and wild hair, yelling toward the pool with growls and shouts of "I'm going to shoot!" LOL, has he ever pulled the trigger on a gun in his entire life??? This is the retired college professor/musician who has been at his craft, professionally, since he was 15 years old. He brags to this day about never having another job in is entire life other than being a musician. So, there he was...in all his dreadful, fearsome glory. Got the image?

I walked toward the pool, a bit spooked myself at this point, as David said to me, "Do you hear them, Mike? Do you hear? I heard them talking. There's somone swimming in the pool!" And....yes....I DID hear splashing. I had no choice but to make myself walk up to the edge to see who it was and what was going on. Strange thing was that I clearly heard what sounded like an adult feverishly swimming around, but there were no other sounds...no talking, breathing, etc.

I shined my light over into the edge of the pool to see...You-Know-Who at the top of this page. He had fallen, or jumped...we'll never know, into the pool and could not get out. He looked at me with such fear in his eyes. He was exhausted. He was soon to drown. Who knows how long he had been in there.

I slowly reached out toward him to assure myself that he wouldn't bite. I grabbed both of his front legs and pulled him out. He was instantly my best friend.

Dawg, as he was named by Dr. Livingston, my 85 year old father-in-law, now lives at their home and he sleeps on a couch that they placed in their garage for him to be comfortable. He has his on electric heater, sometimes rides on the golf cart and now has this look on his face most of the time.

Oh, I guess I should show you a picture of 'Albert' (hair tamed)...here he is with the whole family!