April 17: A special day.

Ever have a quick pic become a timeless favorite?

I think it’s the reminder that linking arms makes us all stronger. Better together. I miss celebrating over pie, but now more than ever April 17 has me looking forward to what’s to come. 

Enjoy linking arms today with the King of Kings.

Siblings.....and the people they drag into the family.

This is something i've been thinking about for several years: the impact of siblings and the impact of in-laws.

This is my situation, because everyone lives in different circumstances....and i think mine is rare.

My siblings. We all get along, even though we don't always agree. We vacation together. We stay in touch, even the out-of-towners. We make fun of each other, especially with old pictures. We share inside jokes. We eat around the same table when possible. We hang out with each other for fun. We pray for each other, even if it's unsolicited :) If our lifetime remains typical, we'll spend more time on Earth living beside each other than with our parents or our kids. This makes the relationship all the more powerful, and again....rare. It's work, like any relationship, but has been so worth it. I'd encourage anyone with siblings to pursue it, take the 1st step. You. Today. How about right now?

My Inlaws. Different than siblings but still powerful, because they change your siblings. The question isn't if they'll change them, it's whether it's for the better or worse. Like any team or culture, in-laws have the ability to devastate and ruin, or become a solid vibrant part. Your job? Be the in-law you'd like to have, whether it's the family you're coming into....or the family being invaded.

Thinking more about this today as Luke & Nat celebrate 2 years. Congrats guys! Also a shout-out to in-laws TR, Griff, Amber, Luke, & Shari.

Because I've got it better than most.

31 and counting....

Couple weeks ago i turned 31. Wow. 30 was no big deal and i even embraced it a little, but 31 just sounds OLD. 

What i'm thinking about May 4, 2016....birthday week:

The Reach Out - My family does birthday's well. We plan a day, eat some cake, sing the song. I got a card from my 90 year old great aunt. and my Gma hand wrote one even when she struggles to write and you can tell, but she still did it. And my out of town family sends a card, every year. Kind of blows me away. Sister's plan dates and buy the popcorn. Or donate to a "whatever gift". Parents plan a 3-stage clever gift. And several times i get my favorite seasonal dish rhubarb cooked for me. Amazing, and probably taken for granted, but trying not too :) Friends on FB posting, texting and even a few calls. Pretty cool. 

The Boys - Sacrifice is always hard. Period. We talk a lot about investing for our future. 401K's, retirement funds, preventative maintenance on our cars, upgrades to our homes, ongoing education, etc. I'm found an unexpected joy in child investment. They've become the goal of much of my endeavors and it's fun. I've resolved that i'm better off today building my boys than i would be trying to repair them later on. What investment will ever yield as much as your kids? We struggle with this as adults, because it's hard to relate to toddlers....but we miss it too. So get immature, get on the floor with the kids, and lose a little responsibility. They don't have to be your kids.....go find some. Because all kids like to play. I miss a lot of old friends i used to see more, but my boys are quickly becoming my best friends. 

The Hope - My life is better than i deserve and i'm extremely grateful. I'm finding that much of our life experience is built on how we handle what we've been given. I believe in optimism, realistic endeavors, and hope. I also believe pessimism is a choice. It's my desire to become someone to people that encourages, lifts up, and shows people hope, and works to help people completely eradicate negativity from their lives. It's so devastating and everyone i know has the opportunity to be more. My plan is for people close to me to hold me accountable to this attitude when life craps on me. And hurts my feelings. And feels impossible. As my physical body changes for the weaker, i continually remind myself that at any point of life whether i'm 31 or 91....it might be that point in life that is most powerful in other's lives. I've no doubt that my God can make the last year of my life more meaningful & powerful than all the years before. So i'm gonna keep going. Join me in Hope, please....and lifting others? 

These thoughts have been repeat thoughts so they've become lasting thoughts. I'd love to help show you how to Reach Out, Be a Kid, and Have Hope. Let me know if i can, i'll do my best. Because BETTER is what i'm working for, not PERFECT. 

J

Vote?

What a beautiful, wonderful democracy we live in with the opportunity to have a say in our leaders.

Not voting feels lazy, problem is you can choose apathy and not even check a box. It’s easy. And unproductive. Tying our own hands feels good because then we aren’t responsible for who’s in charge, and then we have the right to gripe about them.

We don’t know the candidates. We don’t have time to get away from work. The line’s too long. Couldn’t find a babysitter. We can’t trust the media anyway to truly inform us. On and on.

We live in a world now with more information than ever, and not by a little bit. The amount of connection we carry in our pockets and purses is staggering. The ability to be informed is easier than ever.

Two things I’ve been thinking about:

     -  This is much bigger than the Presidential race. Local elections, state and county, have a huge impact on our homes values, taxes, school budgets, and many issues that affect our lives daily. It’s easy to get sucked into national topics of race, religion, & rights while not having any idea who’s spending our tax money across the street or in our community.

     - This is much bigger than me. I’m going to vote, but I keep reminding myself who the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is. We’re told what He plans to accomplish, and the attributes He possesses that make Him worthy. We aren’t going to get Jesus as the next President so stop trying to make the candidates Him. Christ spent his life with the poor. Thieves. Liars. The Lost. He never intended to sit on an earthly throne, to the dismay and confusion of many.

I’ve found being an informed voter that cares to be hard. But that’s what being productive, caring, and making a difference is. It’s hard. 

J

A Brother Milestone

Finally it happened. Opened Jones door to his room and instead of him being in the crib he's behind the door playing with White Bear and the door stopper. Fluke? Absolutely not. From then on it was the norm after every sleep. Being the responsible parents we are, we've finally managed to graduate Mr. Jones to a "big boy bed" 3 weeks later. Since it was an all or nothing kind of night we went with The Brother Milestone....and moved Max in with him! Jones can now get out anytime he wants, and gets to share a room with Brother. Life = never the same again.

I'll let my sisters attest to how lovely life is when sharing rooms with siblings.

Step 1: Move said un-assembled bed into room and unpack. Ask all house members that aren't visionaries to head downstairs.

Step 2: To reserve all man-hood....immediately find instruction manual and burn, solidifying your role as Father and supreme commander of castle.

Step 3: Find good labor. Tonight we went with what we had...although at times unproductive, his attitude was superb. Also never condescending and negative about Dad's perceived ability in furniture construction. 

Step 3 cont...

Also Step 3....quality help doesn't quit till the jobs done.

Step 4: Mattress Test. 32 lbs. repeatedly bounced will usually separate a good Serta from the one dad found at a garage sale for $2.

Step 5: Last but not least the trial run. Bed and mattress are working excellent. 

Boys are doing OK so far....the only thing they're missing is Ol' Dad. maybe next purchase will be a bunk bed so Dad can join them!

J

What do you LIKE?

Today I’m thinking about my LIKE differently. Bear with me even if you don’t have Facebook…

The pressure to LIKE something on FB comes from many sources. Who posted? What’s the content? Is it culturally popular to LIKE? Who will see that I liked it? FB has now made it possible to “LIKE” posts with more than a thumbs up . It’s almost too easy.

The ease (1 click) of liking something has made it possible to start trends, raise money and awareness, or sway points of view. While these can be powerful and good things, I’m afraid of the diluting. Of quantity ruining quality.

The temptation is to log on, like everything, and log off. But does that really tell anything about anyone. I’ve always held my mouse button in reservation and I’m more convinced than ever that the world is in a race to the bottom. A race to have the most likes, or be the one to like the most things.

Don’t let the powerful, impersonal connectedness of our world keep us from the engaging with people in a way that is lasting. LIKE the post if you want, but don’t trade it for a breakfast together. Or a phone call on the way home from work. Or a handwritten note. My favorite lately is Facetime, Skype, or a video message.

Bring your best to the interactions/relationships of your world, I’m saving my LIKES for when it supports my connection and isn’t my only connection.

J

Max Lyndan turns 1?!?!?!!!

The older I get, the faster 1 year goes- especially one's 1st year of life.

He's been an absolute delight of a child.. From an easy delivery on into this 1st year- he's been our sweet, sweet Max. 

Max and Liza are 5-6 weeks apart in age:) Cousins are such fun!

Max, in dad's baby outfit- I think we almost made grandma cry real, reminiscent tears that day.. 

In August when Max was just 4 months old I was hospitalized for 9 days.. the worst part of the whole ordeal was not getting to be with my lil sweet boys. Thankfully we had some wonderful people (including daddy) who brought Max up for snuggles.. I cried every time they left. Max was really good wherever he went while I was in the hospital and dad was trying to work- we're SO SO blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives to support us through hard times like that week and the months of recovery that followed. 

Poor Max, brother is always pestering him. 

And Lucky Max, brother is always snuggling him. 

He's the best dad.. 

Bath time is both boy's favorite thing.. 

Peanut Butter Kisses!

Happy, Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!!