25 Things Tim should know.

So I did my 25 Things I want Caitie to know so I figured to be fair I should do one for Timothy as well. A list for him is a little bit harder for me to come up with since I can only look at things from a female perspective but here goes anyway:

1. Nobody owes you anything. NO ONE. Not me and dad, not the school, not your boss, not your friends. NO ONE.

2. Life isn't fair. Just isn't.

3. Not every one's mind works the way yours does. You see things others don't. It is up to you if you take advantage of it or not.

4. YOLO doesn't mean throw common sense out the window and have a good time. Take the time and learn from others so you don't have to make the same mistakes they make so you can make the most of the one life you have.

5. You don't always get to choose what life throws at you. But even though you don't get this yet .... you ALWAYS get to choose how you react to it.

6. Some of the smartest people who have lived believe in God and have the most amazing stories of faith. Don't let anyone tell you that because you are smart you can't believe.

7. If a girl ever tells you that you can "hook up" no strings attached she is lying to you. She may be lying to herself too but I am telling you right now girls aren't wired the same way guys are and no matter what she says to her it will mean something even if she never tells you it did.

8. Take chances. Safe isn't always the best.

9. Never ever ever get behind the wheel if you have been drinking or get in with someone who has. Some stupid choices are forever and boy this can be one of them.

10.  Actually interaction with real live humans is important. Gaming is fine and I know it is social but sometimes you need face time.

11. Ask for what you want. People can't read your mind and the only way anyone will know you need something is if you speak up.

12. Look people in the eye when you talk to them.

13. Sunblock... always

14. You are you. I don't know anyone else like you. I mean that. You are smart, you are funny, and you capable of doing whatever moves you. Don't settle just because you don't know what that is.

15. "Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings" Salvador Dali

16. If I could pick a son I would pick you. Truth is I like you which is cool cause there is no rule that says I have to. I am supposed to love you I am hard wired for that but it is an extra blessing that I get to like you as well.

17. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

18. Everyone is faking it. Everyone has a persona they show to the world. No one is as happy as they seem, as cool as they seem, and no one's life is as perfect as it looks. Everyone has things they don't want the rest of the world to see. Just be as genuine as you can.

19. Don't ever change who you are for someone else. Get to know the guy you see in the mirror. Do you like him? He is the only person you should change for.

20. Get good at giving gifts and remember the important days when you should give them. It matters.

21. Goofy is okay. Stay goofy.

22. Girls are weird. We change our minds a lot. We say one thing but mean another. We worry a lot about what other people think. Sometimes we are worth it but usually we aren't. So before you decide to turn your life upside down for a girl make sure she is one of the ones who are worth the trouble.

23. While it may be true that sometimes we say one thing but mean another No means No every single time period.

24. You may think it is funny to make PMS jokes but trust me girls don't.

25. Like I said in the list I made for your sister... No matter what happens. No matter how scared or embarrassed you are. No matter how bad you mess up or what you think we will think ... you can ALWAYS ALWAYS come home

Home?

My friend Andrea Anderson got the greatest gift today. The adoption of her foster son became final today. Matthew John-Daniel Anderson who was already the son of her heart became theirs legally. It was a long road. He has been with them almost 2 years. There were times it seemed like it wouldn't happen and times it seemed like it would and then finally it did. Matthew John-Daniel Anderson has a forever home.

I had that thought. When I saw the pictures she posted on facebook I thought wow he has a home. Then I thought to his little self today isn't really any different then yesterday. As far as he was concerned he already had a home. That of course got me to thinking about home in general.

What makes a house a home? A family a home? A town a home? It makes me think home really isn't a place. Home is a feeling. When I refer to Texas I always call it home. When I think about Quanah I think of it as home that is where my memories are. But you know the more I thought about it when I go back to Texas I go to Abilene and it feels like home. I barely even lived there but you know what my mom and brothers are there. When I see a facebook post about Newington I think of it as home. I have been gone over a year but you know what there are people that I love there. Here in Ohio we are renting a house. It isn't really ours but it is home. That is because the people I love most in this world are here.

So what is home really? It isn't a structure or a place or any other physical thing. Home is where you love and are loved and Matthew John-Daniel Anderson was already home.


Shell

25 things I want Caitie to know

 Caitie,


1. To quote Dr. Seuss “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”  The fact that you are you is one of the most special things about you. Don't ever let anyone take that away.

2.  Don't grow up too fast. I am not sure when 12 became the new 17 but enjoy yourself and have fun. There is no reason to rush into all that drama.

3. Sometimes people aren't who you thought they were. It happens. They will let you down sometimes. It hurts. It sucks. It will be okay.

4. Choose your friends wisely. Right or wrong, fair or not... people will judge you based on the company you keep.

5. The clothes you choose to wear make a statement. Make sure you mean what they are saying.

6. Always create. You have a creative spirit that makes me smile. Don't ever let any person's criticisms cause you to stop being artistic.

7. Take care of yourself. You need to eat good foods, sleep at night, and be active. Physically, mentally, spiritually it all matters.

8. Don't let any boy define who you are. You do not belong to any person. You are a child of God and you belong to Him.

9. Read! Always Read!

10. The day will come when you will love all that crazy curly hair.

11. Don't ever let the fact that you are a girl stop you from doing whatever you want to do. You can do anything. I know people are supposed to tell their kids that but I really mean it. You have the talent, the intelligence and the fortitude to do ANYTHING.

12. Go places! See things! There is a whole lot of world out there to experience. There is nothing wrong with Virginia or Ohio but there is also Seattle Washington, Denver Colorado, Dallas Texas, Paris France and of course London England.

13. Breathe! In and out slowly and deeply. When you are stressed breathe. When you are angry breathe. When it feels like the world is crashing in Breathe! It seems crazy but really it is calming. It allows your body to respond appropriately to the situation. So stop and breathe!

14. Don't use prayer as a last resort. It should be the first thing you do not the last.

15. Choose to be grateful. Choosing to be grateful can truly change your life. Even when things are going wrong if you stop and look there is so much to be grateful for.

16. Music sets the tone for your day. It truly honestly does. The kind of music you choose to listen to has a great impact on your mood. Choose wisely.

17. Sometimes you just have a bad day but remember "It is a bad day not a bad life."

18. The one time I was the most wrong in my whole life is when I said I only wanted one child. I am so grateful every single day that Dad wanted two. My life wouldn't be half as wonderful if you weren't part of it.

19. You are going to mess up. We all do. Learn from it. Move on and forgive yourself. Carrying around the weight of all the times you messed up will keep you from being your best.

20. Smart is the new cool. Never ever be ashamed of the fact that you are smart. Go ahead be good at Math and Science. There is nothing wrong with being smart.

21. Mean is never okay. Making others feel small is never the way to feel bigger. Treat other people the way you would want to be treated.

22. When people do things you don't understand remember that we all have a story and you might not know theirs.  You never know what people are carrying around with them. Parents who don't care, parents who drink too much. Mom's with too many boyfriends, Dad's who are in jail. Physical abuse, emotional abuse. Family members who are sick or who have died. Remember that decisions they make are about them not about you and cut them some slack.

23. Drugs are bad. Simply enough they destroy lives and ruin futures. Just don't.

24. Never ever ever take a picture (or allow a picture to be taken) of yourself that you don't want everyone to see. Once things are out there in cyberland via text message, email, or on the web it can never be completely erased.

25. No matter what happens. No matter how scared or embarrassed you are. No matter how bad you mess up or what you think we will think ... you can ALWAYS ALWAYS come home.


Love,

Mom

Thankful November 15-30

Okay so here is my second half of Thankful stuff

16. Snow
17. Coffee
18. Cream Soda
19. Books
20. Audio Books
21. Books on Kindle
22. Office Supply Stores
23. DSL
24.Thankful my kids have outgrown legos (those suckers hurt)
25. Iphone Apps
26. Chinese buffets
27. Local Honey
28. Ideas
29. Old Friends
30. New Friends

So there it is some small thing that I am thankful for each day of the month.


Shell

15 days of Thankful

Year before last I did a blog a day in November of what I was thankful for. Last year I didn't because we had just moved and things were crazy. This year I have been to busy too blog but not too busy to be thankful. I have so many things I am truly truly thankful for that trying to pick one a day seems impossible and I tell you what that is a good problem to have.

Part of the problem is that after reading 1000 Gifts, which I have talked about probably 10 times too many, I view gratitude differently than I did before. Once again like in my journal these aren't the biggies. The biggies are too easy. These are the little things that make me look for things to be grateful for everyday everywhere.

But anyway I decided that I wouldn't do a thing a day. I am doimg half the month today and the second half the end of the month.

So here goes ... 15 things I am thankful for:

  1. Carmel Frappe' from McDonalds
  2. A warm house
  3. Food in the cabinet
  4. Jobs: Mine and Dan's
  5. A school Tim likes
  6. The view on my way to work in the morning when it is all frosty out.
  7. Facebook cause it lets me stay in touch with my family and friends who live far away.
  8. Water that doesn't need a filter to be clear instead of rust color.
  9. Good Report Cards
10. Jigsaw Puzzles
11. Bing Cherries
12. Coffee
13. The Hot Tub
14. The Amish Market
15. Highlighters. Crazy I know, but for a color coding fool like me they are amazing!


Shell

Who I am most upset with this election year

I have definite political leanings. I don't want to even try to start this blog out while claiming to be impartial because I am not. I vote republican because I believe that is the least of the two evils I have to choose from. I am however much more a libertarian than anything else.


Knowing that I will say that I am very discouraged this year politically. I really don't care for either candidate. But the truth is neither President Obama nor Mitt Romney are the people I am most upset with. Mitt Romney does nothing for me and I personally think he is too far removed from the reality of the American people. President Obama has been exactly who he presented himself to be when he was elected 4 years ago. I don't like his politics, didn't like them then but you can't fault the man for being exactly who he is and doing exactly what he said he would do. This is what the American people asked for. Most too uninformed to vote in my opinion but yet still this is  what they asked for.


And that leads me to my real issue:



I  have heard some disturbing ads from both candidates. Reports that 78% of the stimulus money when to over seas companies. Stories about the amount of money Mitt Romney made as his companies went under. Horror stories about what life will be like under the Presidents health care plan. Stories about how Romney's plan either isn't any different or about how it will leave millions uninsured. Stories about birth certificates, failure to support our military, our country and the American people some that seem to have credibility some that seem to come from people who are as crazy as a loon. But those are the ads. That is to be expected.

But here is the problem: where do you go to get the TRUTH? You can't rely on the news media. You can debate and argue the benefits of your chosen place to get your news but let us be honest here... there really aren't sources of non biased information readily available.  No matter how many times they claim they are they just flat out aren't.

I won't even go into listing which media leans which way if you are a person who is interested in politics you already know. No matter how many times you claim CNN isn't an left wing news source or how many times you try to claim that FOX News isn't so right wing it can't even see the middle you know they are.

There isn't a place for the American people to go to learn the TRUTH. If you know the actual truth about who the candidates are, what they believe, and what they direction they want to take this country and you still want to vote for them then you should. What makes me sad is that we don't know. We hear so much crap from each side about the other and no way to tell what is true.

I hate to say it but there is no journalistic integrity at all anymore.

My Faith in Photos: Colossians 1:17

This is one of my favorite verses. One Sunday in church about a year or so ago Pastor Mike Gray read this verse during his sermon. It wasn't the key verse for the sermon. I don't remember what the sermon was even about. All I remember is that when he read the verse the hairs on the back of my neck tingled.

I could hear the Holy Spirit saying "I threw that one in there just for you today".

Some days I truly feel like things are coming undone. I can't explain it. It is part of the anxiety I suffer from on occasion. Sometimes I feel that way because I have over commited myself and I am stressed and it feels like everything is rushing at me.  That is enough to drive you crazy but I can cope with that fairly well. It is the times when there is no reason for it and yet still I can feel everything spiraling out of control.  That is when I come very close to losing it.

And then when I start to feel things spinning out of control that is when this verse comes to my mind. Things aren't going to come apart. The earth isn't going to spin off its axis. If I stop and breath. If I just stop and be still and remember the things I know deep inside I can calm the storm inside my mind and get back on track. If I remember "in Him all things hold together".

There is an old video from the heavy metal band Korn's song called "Coming Undone" It was the best visual representation of the way that feels that I have ever seen. I am going to post a link to the video but I am giving you warning if you aren't into heavy metal Korn is a bit rough.

I actually had just watched that video the day before I heard the sermon. I was in a place at that time where I really felt like things were coming undone. And just when I needed it, that feeling of helplessness and of craziness, that feeling of everything falling apart was replaced by an image instead of a loving God holding everything together.

Shell