Tuesday, August 28, 2012

"No, Sweetie...we didn't eat God."

While at dinner:

Our lovely daughter looked up at Mommy.

"Mommy I wish I was peach like you."

"Why, Honey? You are beautiful.  You have beautiful brown skin and God made you special just the way you are."

"God's not here."

"Yes he is."

"Where is he?"

"He's in our hearts."

"What? Did we eat him?"

"Uh...no, Sweetie."

 Sean

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Yes, I'm a little bit crazy....

Well, call me crazy if you must...but, I've applied to and been accepted to another graduate program.  

I will begin M.A. number three in the Fall (first one: MA - MUSIC @ UCLA,  second one: MA - Organizational Leadership @ APU) .  This time, I will be studying Clinical Social Work in Boston University's Online MSW program.  

No, I don't have to move to Boston.  Coursework is online..... Field Work is done locally (during 2nd year of the program).  

Then, in a few years when I tell someone "what the crap is wrong with you? ... you friggin' need THERAPY!" ... I can follow that statement up with my business card.   :-)

Sean

Monday, February 6, 2012

Not a Morning Person....

Okay, can I just say that "I hate mornings?"  Really.  I was not designed to be awake before 9a.m. 

If left on my own without having to deal with a "regular" schedule imposed upon me...I would do my best and most creative work from 10p.m. --> 2a.m.    I then would sleep.  I wouldn't particularly sleep all that soundly... until about 5:30 a.m. --> 9a.m.   Those are the hours that my body is programmed to get it's BEST and most deep sleep.  Unfortunately, that is shortly before alarms go off and/or my kids decide to wake up.  What the CRAP is that about? 

Really? I mean, being a night owl is all good and fine when you can: remain on that skewed schedule, get the work done you need to, not interfere with the lives and schedules of others, AND get enough sleep yourself.  But, does that EVER happen for anyone?  Seriously??!!??  Any of you night owls actually able to either adjust yourself out of "night owl syndrome" ....OR find a way to reconcile REAL LIFE with it - and get some sleep in the process?  FYI:  over-the-counter sleep aids (medicinal AND herbal/homeopathic), going to bed at the same time every night, not drinking caffeine at night, and other such lame and useless sleep help tricks do absolutely nothing for me.  So, if you suggest something...don't suggest the obvious...and, so help me if you suggest I drink warm milk (yuck) I'll smack ya!  I mean, I SUPPOSE I could go to the doctor for prescribed drugs...but, that would definitely be a last resort.

Anyhow, the reason for a post titled:  "Not a Morning Person."   So, this morning my lovely wife walks into the restroom and sees me digging around in my medicine cabinet looking for something.  Digging through it with my RIGHT hand I might add (since I am right-handed...not all that unusual or crazy).  She sees me frustrated and asks, "what are you looking for?"   I say, "my toothpaste."   Her response, "the one in your hand?"  ...... "errrrr..... uhhhhhh, .... yeah, that's it!"   Apparently, I don't know.... I moved the toothpaste out and was holding it in my left and and then forgot ... or SOMETHING, and continued to look around with my right hand for what was in my left hand.   WTC??   (What the Crap...cuz I don't use bad language). 

So, again... I repeat:   "I HATE MORNINGS!"  

At least my wife and I were able to start our morning with a good laugh...and I don't even friggin' care that it was at my expense.  But, in my defense, I hadn't had my morning Diet Pepsi/Caffeine fix.... so, coherency was not to be expected.   :-P

Whatevs!

Sean

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Big Enough....

Random things our kids say/do....

One morning our 4 y/o daughter declared that she was "big enough."   Wondering what the heck exactly she meant we prodded for further information. 

Here is (the gyst of) her angle:  "Now that I can reach the top of the bookcase, I am big enough that I no longer need broccoli.  After all, broccoli is forced upon me so that I may grow big and strong.  I'm clearly big and strong enough now.... thank you."

My response was very eloquent and parentally appropriate...something like:  "Yeah, nice try, Turd!" 
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Our 2 y/o son is learning the joys of discipline, having the fun opportunity to sit on the "time in" chair for two minutes while we sit on the footstool next to him.  We give him time to reflect about how his behavior is inappropriate...'cuz, ya know - two year olds L.O.V.E. that sort of thing. 

In reality he doesn't even spend THAT much time in the chair.  He is often able to be redirected, distracted, or corrected without need for it.  However, he knows the consequences of his poor behavior.  This is proven by the fact that when we tell him to do something he doesn't want to do and/or has NO INTENTION of doing... he just marches his little butt to the chair and starts climbing in. 

Oh the joys of parenthood. 

Sean

Friday, December 9, 2011

Come Home Already!

My wife is coming back home tomorrow after 2 weeks out of the country for work.  Yay!

Did I miss her?   Yup.  

Did the kids miss her?  Yup.  

Are all the clocks in the house flashing since last week when the power went out?   Yup. 

Are they going to remain that way until she fixes them because I don't have the patience to pretend to care about such nonsense?   Yup. 
 
Come back, J!    We miss you.... and we don't know what time it is!!

Sean

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Being Thankful...

So, as Thanksgiving rolls around and I take 2 seconds ('cause frankly, that's all the time I have) to reflect on all that I am thankful for - I have numerous items. 

However, I will name a few... I am thankful:

that we FINALLY have our children home with us from Ethiopia after a 3 year process

that our children are adjusting beautifully

that our children are relatively healthy and growing after a history of malnutrition

that I have an awesome wife to share the joy (and pain in the frigin' @$&*#) that parenting can be and that we are learning and growing in it together

that my grandfather hung on long enough to meet my children - AND that we have pictures of him with many of our immediate and extended family members that were taken recently.  (So, go out and take those 3 and 4 generation pictures while you can... you will miss them if you let the opportunity slip by.)

that my grandfather left us with much more than pictures... many things really, but what is sticking out now is that by example he showed us that while it's not our job to condemn and judge, it is our call to serve and love

Well, that's not ALL I'm thankful for...but, it's a good start! 

What are you thankful for?  Take a moment to reflect on it.  Don't let this season pass you by with only an awkward stammering of some crap you just made up when someone at thanksgiving asks you the same question.  Think about it on your own.  Know it. Own it.  Live it.   You don't even have to vocalize, write, and/or share it with anyone... they should be able to tell by your actions anyways.

Blessings,

Sean

Friday, October 14, 2011

You put up with me for 9 years!!??? You MUST be CRAZY!!!

So, October is a special month.   This week marked 3 months home with our beautiful children.  First post-placement report finished and sent in... CHECK! 

This weekend we celebrate 6 years of marriage.  At the end of the month my wife and I will have been a couple for 9 years. 

So, to my lovely wife... thank you for putting up with me and all of my anal, perfectionist, can't leave well enough alone issues.  We are truly lucky that we found each other and it is funny at times how well our individual un-stereotypical strengths complement each other... (AND that after 9 years we still compliment each other). 

I'm happy that we have several common interests that we can share and enjoy together...AND I'm glad we each have our own things that the other couldn't care less about - so we don't get in each others way while enjoying them!   :-)  

Sharing brownies with you and bonding over our love of chocolate = similarity = GOOD. 

You drinking milk with that brownie and not touching my Diet Pepsi = difference, and also = VERY GOOD.  

I cook - you eat.  You do laundry - I wear clothes.  It's like a perfect match... who could PLAN that sort of thing?  I mean, you have good taste in men...I have good taste in women!  See, there's just a neverending list of why we work together. 

I'm glad and thankful for the series of events (that I don't believe is at all "coincidental") that brought us together. 

Happy Anniversary!  Hope you can tolerate me for many more years to come!!