Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Since this is our first trip down the fourth grade road, we are learning the cool things that they get to do. We know the big fourth grade bike ride is coming up this spring, and for valentines day, the parents get to go in and decorate their kids desk as a surprise. I am about as artistic as a pile of, well, I'm not artistic. When the day came around, we decided that since my idea of decorating is toilet paper and candles, and both are frowned upon in the school, especially together, that Marcy should handle this one. We didn't know what to expect or what to do. The notes from the teacher warned to not get too carried away and be sure that all kids are equal. They didn't want a parent to try and "win" and bring in an X-Box for their kid when nobody else would be getting that. Marcy was smart enough to take a few things and then see what everyone else did. She said that it was crazy, that kids desks were covered with stuff and I'm guessing, didn't fall into the "don't get carried away" column. Here is a picture of Mason's desk:

I'm glad she took stuff because we would have felt bad if all he had were those chalk hearts, when the rest of the kids got chocolate and champagne. He was really happy with his desk and was surprised as well. Now when Makiah hits the fourth grade, we will have an idea on what we need to do. I'm thinking a laptop and big screen TV, we are going to win next year.

How old are you?

What did I learn about myself today? Well, I'm not as much of a big boy as I thought. The background on this is, I thought I broke a tooth on Friday night while preparing popcorn for family movie night. I bit down on a kernel and then began chewing on something that didn't quite break down as I had hoped. The pieces seemed a little sharp, so I spit one out and noticed it was white and hard, which kernels aren't usually white. I did what you always do if you break a tooth, you start probing your teeth trying to figure out which one is the casualty. I found it and went to the mirror to check it out. I could see silver under it, so I figured it was an old filling and I broke the tooth around it. I called Monday and set up an appointment at my dentist to have it looked at and they got me in this morning. I got up and showered and had breakfast, before I brushed my teeth. You always brush for a half an hour to try and make up for any lapses you had since your last checkup. I normally brush my teeth before I shower, then eat something on the way to work or at work. I always thought I did this to save time, turns out, there is a much bigger reason. As I began to brush my teeth, the toothpaste and spit mix started running down my chin and onto my work shirt, which happened to be blue. It appears I brush my teeth like a kindergartner. The sink my kids use is covered in toothpaste. Even the mirror appears to have smear marks, which means they are using their brushes as paint brushes. I've asked for this practice to stop, but I won't hold my breath on that one. I tried to get the paste drips off my shirt, but failed. I didn't realize I had failed until the water I put on them dried, revealing the paste marks as I'm sitting in the dentists chair, unable to change my shirt. Turns out I busted a crown and it has to be replaced. Maybe the next lesson Marcy and I take can be "Things you should have learned to do properly when you were 5." I wonder what that would cost.

Happy Valentines Day Baby!!!!!

I wish I were smooth, or that my last name was Hallmark, because I have so much I want to say, but not sure my feelings will be clear. I've had one hell of a year. We've been through a lot. Life isn't easy, it's hard, really hard. I've had some pretty big scares over the last year, life threatening ones, but I made it through. It wasn't my health in question, it was my heart. Not my physical heart, I'm assuming that is fine, but my emotional heart about gave out. It's one of the most emotional draining things I have had to do, and that is watch someone you love struggle with their own life, worth and dreams. I have been fortunate to be married to the love of my life for 11 years and have been blessed with 3 kids. As we struggle to keep our heads above water through this time in our life, my love for Marcy hasn't diminished, it has grown stronger. I see the beauty of not only her physical being, but her heart, which was the first thing that attracted me to her. I was fortunate to spend the past several weeks staring into her eyes and wondering what she is doing with me, as I stepped on her feet and led her through the steps we learned like I was piloting the S.S. Minnow. (Com'on, you got that reference didn't you) On the nights she is in Minnesota, my heart feels so empty, along with our bed. I pray for the day when those trips won't be necessary, I know she does as well. Through all of my frustrations, stress and overbaring organization, I hope that my love has shown through. I hope she knows that I would die for her. I hope she knows that my life is for her, that without her, I am lost. I hope she never forgets what a beautiful person she is, what a great mother she is, and that I love her. I tell her that, but now you know as well. If you don't have someone in your life to share today with, never fear, I love you as well. Happy Valentines day!

Inspiration

As you know, I'm a Christian music fan. I'm on the board of a local station, listen to that station exclusively when I can and attend as many local concerts as I can. The best thing about the music, is the lyrics have so many life lessons that you can relate to and that can inspire. I'm not saying that other forms of music can't do that as well, but they can be hit or miss. I'm a fan of the Black Eyed Peas, and they have a few songs that are inspirational like "Where is the Love," but you can't tell me that "Boom Boom Pow" brings you closer to God. I like the song, just not an emotional attachment for me. Whenever a song hits me hard, I like to share it with you, and I have a new one. It's by a band called Santus Real. I've seen them in concert a few times and really enjoy their music, but their song "Lead Me" has hit me square between the eyes. Here are the lyrics, but you really need to go to this link and see the video. Or, I just figured out how to put music on my blog, so pick it from the list in the player at the bottom of the page and read along.

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're in independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

I'd love to add a few lines here that would express the feelings I get when I hear this song and sing the lyrics, but I feel I would only reduce the power of these incredible lyrics. I hope you enjoy it.

The lights go dim.

No, that isn't a comment on my brain power, it's in reference to my dancing. The lessons are over and now I must take my new "skill" and apply to my life. How am I going to do that you might ask? No idea. I have no plans to hit the local clubs so I can foxtrot around the 20 something year olds, although that would be hilarious to have on tape. OK, just dated myself with the "tape" comment. Do they even make recorders that record on tape? If they do, I'm guessing you can pick one up for a few bucks and the tapes are free, if you can find them. Maybe I could try out my east coast swing to a little techno music after a few hits of LSD and a glow necklace. Wait, I don't do drugs and the pretty lights would only distract me. Maybe I could go to the place I saw on the news the other night. It's a YMCA in Boone, about an hour from my house, where a little old man has organized and run a sort of dance club, every Thursday night, for the past several years. They did a story on it and the guy said, the first night he set this up, it was him and 8 ladies. This is a smart man. Now there is a regular group, looked to be 20 or so people, and they turned it into a potluck. I think the older couples would be pissed at the "young kid" crashing their dance, and might even try to take my girl, so maybe I should stay clear. Plus a belly full of potluck and I might have a hard time dancing around. I'm not big on potlucks anyway. You never know what people put in their dishes, kind of freaks me out. Getting back to the use of my skill, I guess it will only come in handy at weddings, which I do have one to go to this spring. Maybe I should practice every night from now until then, so I don't hurt anyone.

I was driving home from work today and listening to a Christian station on the radio, when what song came on, but a re-make of I'll Fly Away. Man that brought back memories of my grandmothers house when I was a kid. She always had the hardcore Christian station on, the one that preached fire and brimstone at 2pm on a Tuesday. The music back then sounded like it was right out of the little country church my grandparents went to, and some of my family still attends. The music wasn't as polished as it is today, but the people singing it meant what they were singing, you could tell, and that made it sound better than it actually was. At the numerous funerals I attended in Tennessee for my family members, there was a choir from this little church that would sing, behind a screen so you couldn't see them. Again, not always the prettiest voices you ever heard, but the songs sound great. My favorite, which has been sung at every funeral I have been to, is Amazing Grace. I can't hear the song now without getting choked up, let alone sing it. Hearing I'll Fly Away today, took me back to a time when I didn't have any bills, or responsibilities or any idea of how good I had it. I spent a lot of my summers as a kid down in TN at my grandparents house. My brother and I got to run up and down the mountain across the road from their house, following pig trails cut into the dirt. We used tobacco sticks as horses and hay bale string as the bridles. We played in the creek, probably filled with pig piss and God knows what else, but still fun all the same. I tell the boys about chasing pigs and playing in the hay loft and they think my story about my brother and I trapping the baby pigs in the barn and then them ripping the barn door off when they tried to escape, is like a story in a book. They want me to tell it over and over again. It's funny how things trigger your memories. I know that not all triggered memories are good, but I can tell you that today, I had an extra smile on and said a little thank you prayer to my grandparents, for being fantastic people and for giving me a lifetime of good memories, that I now get to share with my kids. May God rest their souls.

Blizzard, dancing and love

The blizzard has come and gone, and was far less damaging than predicted. The worst part, as usual, is the pile of snow at the end of the drive from the city plowing the street. That one was about 3 1/2 to 4 feet high. It's hard to see, but I took this while standing in the street and looking back at my house. Hopefully you can see the pile at the end of the drive.

The drifts were bad, but my snow blower worked right through it and I didn't throw my back out. Then I gave my neighbor the blower to do the rest of his drive and then shipped it down the street to another friend who did her drive and another neighbors. The last neighbor is a Redskin fan, so he is always welcome to whatever I have, got to take care of family. The city of West Des Moines, as usual, did a fantastic job clearing the streets and the Des Moines plows had the Interstate clear down to the concrete. Like I said in my last post, Iowan's know how to take care of snow and this storm was the proof.

I know you want to hear about my dancing, so I thought I would give you a quick update on that. We have moved from the foxtrot to east coast swing. I have to say, I thought I was going to suck at this, and as usual, I was right. Really got mt feet on backwards and struggling to just not spin Marcy into a wall or run into another couple. I think I will be able to get good enough at least to dance at our friends wedding, but hopefully everyone will be drunk before I get out there and they will think I'm doing it right. I am enjoying it, but the teachers don't get my sense of humor. There were several times when I made a joke and Marcy laughed, but they did not, just stared at me, or worse. Example. We were working on the guy turning during the east coast swing. When you do this, the guy brings his hand up over his head, but close to your head, so the guy teacher said that you should give yourself a Mohawk and rub your hand across your hair. He said this several times, then looked at me and grinned and apologized, seeing as how I have zero hair. I was laughing, but said I was starting to get offended by his comments. If you know me, you know I'm always cracking jokes, so I was kidding. The lady teacher apologized for his comment. Really? I'm supposed to think he was intentionally being mean? Marcy and I were still laughing and now even more, but the lady just apologized again. The couple are a bit odd. Nice, but odd.

And finally, I have been overwhelmed with praise and kind words from my blog readers. Here are a few quotes:

"Love it! You should publish!"
"My favorite blog! It will always make you laugh!!"
"Whoever gets on first when you post gets to read it out loud.... we fight for it :)"

OK, so all of those quotes are from family, that doesn't diminish their power does it? Maybe it does, they are from family after all. The day after Marcy posted my blog address on her Facebook page and these quotes were made, I received this comment to a post I made August 17, 2007.

"What a great web log. I spend hours on the net reading blogs, about tons of various subjects. I have to first of all give praise to whoever created your theme and second of all to you for writing what i can only describe as an fabulous article. I honestly believe there is a skill to writing articles that only very few posses and honestly you got it. The combining of demonstrative and upper-class content is by all odds super rare with the astronomic amount of blogs on the cyberspace."

Now I don't know if this is one of you screwing with me, or if there is actually a non family member who liked what I wrote. I hope nobody is screwing with me, because that actually felt good to read. I know I'm not a writer, and when I go back and read my stuff, I'm amazed at my grammar errors and broken statements. I don't know how you guys follow some of my thought strings, perhaps you can't and just don't tell me. The odd thing was this comment was from a post in 2007. Did I hit my peak way back then, but every post since is crap. Ouch. Regardless, I think I'll have to start a "Review" section of the blog. And the funny thing about the Facebook post was, after she posted it, my daily hits on my site went from a normal day of 5 to 8 hits, to 32 hits in one day. Wow, I was able to offend or bore 6 times as many people in one day. That's got to be a record.

Brrrrr, I can't feel my face.

I've written alot about the joys of living in Iowa, both truth and sarcastic. I'm sure I've made it quite clear, that overall, I do love Iowa. Of all the places I have lived, it's my favorite when you factor in traffic, people, crime, and overall living happiness. If it weren't for Iowa, I wouldn't be married to my beautiful wife and have my three kids. That's not to say that I wouldn't have similar things, but that is an unknown, what I have is real. What is known about Iowa, in the winter, is you never know what you are going to get. I'm not even going to do the "Life is like a box of chocolates" bit, too used. The worst part of living in Iowa is baring down on us as I write this, a blizzard. For those of you who have never experienced a blizzard, or haven't in so long that you don't remember what it feels like, let me give you a refresher. IT'S FREAKING COLD. Lesson over. Current conditions are snow and 40 mph winds, which is a bad combo in any state, but once you get out of the Des Moines metro area, it's dangerous. The wind blows the snow across the roads, and you can hope that the snow sticks to the road, because if it doesn't, it just gets polished into a nice sheen for you and your car to slide down. When it comes to snow, we Iowan's are familiar with the stuff. We can handle it, we know how to get it off the road and most of us know how to drive in it. I would make fun of those that don't and appear to be parking in the grass on my way to work as they have slid off the highway because they thought the snow meant speed up, not slow down, but I won't tease them. No, my fear is I will end up in the ditch and have to eat crow in a future post. Not that I'm unfamiliar with the taste, just want to avoid when I can. This morning, I ran to the gas station to get gas for the snow blower, seeing as how the 6 inches that are coming are more than I want to shovel, and passed a street where a Mayflower moving truck was in the process of loading a house for it's move. My guess is, the people have had it with Iowa winters and are moving south, but that's just a guess. When I saw that truck, with the doors open and stuff in the back, my heart sunk for those movers. I was a mover once, in a life a long time ago, and moved people in the rain and snow. It sucks. Today, however, isn't snow, it's a blizzard, and I'm guessing that "sucks" isn't a strong enough word for what it is. I wish I was there when they carried out the sail, I mean mattress, and tried to get it on the truck with 40 mph. I moved someone in the pouring rain once and by the time you got the boxes from the truck to the house, they were soaking wet and starting to come apart. That was a hard rain. I've moved people in the snow where you had to clear the snow off the boxes before you brought them into the house, plus you couldn't track in snow, so I carried the box from the truck to the door, cleared it off, and the "inside guy" carried into the warm house. That's what happens when you are low guy on the totem pole. Tomorrow will be a challenge to get to work, I'm guessing, but I'm sure things will be back to normal on Thursday. As normal as they can be in AntarcticIowa.