Be better... be a man!

First off I have to say that I totally stole this from my friend Al who has the "stayathometripletsdad" site... check it out.  Because I had so much to say about his topic of "Self awareness" I thought it would be good to post my same answer/discussion here.  So here it is and thanks Al for bringing it up.

My response to Al's post on self awareness:  I have often had this conversation with Blessed concerning the statement that many men (and women for that matter) make, "that is just the way I am".  I do not believe in, "this is just the way I am".  What a one dimensional, boring, selfish comment to make, especially if you are a husband and father.  I have fought my whole life to ask those internal questions and be the guy/person that constantly "discusses" things and focuses on communication... with everyone!  I too believe there is no greater tool than patience/communication.  How did I get so great, you may ask?!  Well, I am a failure... everyday.  I am impatient, quick to anger, and sharp tongued!  But, I know it, hate it, and work everyday to change it!  I also have gotten sooooo much better!  Why would you not want to be better?  Why would you not want to self evaluate?  Why would you not want to change what a majority of "good" people don't like (about you)?  Why would you not want your wife and kids to look at you and think, "what an awesome man"?  Why would you not want to be a hero?  Science and God will tell you if you do not change/evolve over time you are doomed to fail!  Men, the only sissy or unmanly thing you can do is to not be the best you can be for your family.  If you are asking yourself, "why you should do a certain job in the house/with the family" because that is a woman's job, you are asking the wrong question and you are behind the ball.  Instead ask yourself what can I do to help more, impress them, better my self, what would I want them to do for me?  Dads... be more... be everything!  Sorry Al for the rant but thanks for the forum.  I work in an industry full of "tough" guys and mens men, and this has been a stump that I have chosen to stand on with them.  If you choose to have a family, choose the family.  Don't run away from them every chance you get, run to them!  There is no greater or more important role than this one... no job is more important and I promise it will pay off in more/better ways than you or I could ever expect.  Thanks and God bless.

Happy Fathers day!

Happy fathers day to the greatest earthly father I know.  Thank you dad for your service to me and the country, your a great man.

Everyone else check out this Youtube video.

Dad Life (Father's Day Opening 2010)

Quote of the day!

“If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.”

Winnie the Pooh

Prayer and Pooh

So lately The Boy and Blessed have been reading the Pooh Bear adventures before  bed.  When I say Pooh Bear I mean the old school, full length, Kings English version.  The Boy eats it up.  21 months and he sits quietly and hangs on every word Blessed pulls from the pages (pages: Blessed's new I-pad... he loves that part too).  They lay there on The Boy's "big boy bed" (he was out of the crib by one year after climbing out and falling to the floor), read, and talk (I do mean talk) about every part of Pooh and the gangs latest adventure.  The Boy answers questions, finishes the sentences and ever predicts what will come next!  Tonight however something new happened.  Blessed began to pray and hold The Boys hand while doing so.  The Boy immediately pulled his hand away, placed them together (in a prayerful way) and prayed with blessed, not looking up until she was finished!  I am a blessed man!  How does life get any better or sweeter than my beautiful wife, little boy, Pooh, and prayer!  I am blessed.... deep sigh

Quote of the day!

All men are not created equal but should be treated as though they were under the law.
Andy Rooney

What can this boy not do?

Ok so Blessed and I were playing with The Boy last night after supper and we were throwing the ball to him and he was throwing it back.  As a father I was very impressed with his throwing ability, because as any father will tell you that it directly indicates hi level of "boyness", ha ha anyway.  Then as Blessed and I were teaching him how to catch, he just decided he would!  Im not talking a little accident catch, or a baby style bungled catch, Im talking a full out 10 ft across the room catch.  I was so impressed, we went nuts.  A little over 1 1/2 years old and catching a ball!  Well when we get excited The Boy gets excited!  We wanted a challenge.  He would make us scoot back further and further each time and throw the ball, he would then catch it mid-air every time.  So impressed, so impressed.  We did it all night, he did not want to stop, so much so that when we did take him to bed (an hour after his bed time) he cried and threw a fit.  I love his commitment and intensity already.  God bless the children, I didn't know life could be this good.

Quote of the day!

"Espionage is not a nice thing, nor are the methods employed exemplary. Neither are demolition bombs nor poison gas.... We face an enemy who believes one of his chief weapons is that none but he will employ terror. But we will turn terror against him....


William Donovan

I guess they have a saturation point...

So... I was at a local eating establishment with The Boy (just a father son eat out) the other day and we had just got our food and sat down.  We went out for pizza.  I thought, he has never had pizza, it is a sure win for him, and I don't have to cook.  Now let me go back a bit and say that we had been in the car for a few short hours on the way back from a three day father/son only trip to our cabin in the woods.  I want to encourage every father to do this a lot with their kids, even starting at 21 months.  We had a blast.  Hours of swimming, hiking, and discovering each other.  It was amazing to see him grow and learn right in front of me that whole weekend.  Absolutely no melt downs!  Anyway... we had been in the car for several hours when I decided to stop for dinner.  Like a good dad I checked the diaper for number 2 before entering the pizza place, no 2, good to go.  I knew that he had for sure done some 1 in it but thought it was OK till we got out.  Well we sat down and just got ready to taste that first cheesy bite when I look down and see The Boy squatting in the chair and "thinking real hard".  Then, the pee began to puddle...  Well I grabbed him up and went out for a changing.  I guess when those things reach a saturation point, they really reach a saturation point.  I compare it to getting gas now.  When you get down to a quarter of tank, don't push it just fill up you will be glad you did and you would have had to eventually anyway.  God bless and remember be courteous and polite to everyone but have a plan to kill them if necessary.