Where did the time go?

We closed on our new house this week. After signing about 50 trees worth of paper we were given 10 keys to the new house. Why they had 10 keys I have no idea, but I should never have to visit Home Depot or Lowe's for a spare key.

Last night we started painting. We were able to get quite a bit done. Tonight we are going to focus on getting all four bedrooms painted...its a lot, but I think we can do it. Saturday is the big "official" moving day with the moving truck and our first night in the new house.

I hope to get some before and after pictures posted for anyone who would like to see the house and what we have been doing.

Since my last post we also had our 20 week ultrasound. We found out that we will be having a baby girl for our first child. Not exactly what we had expected thanks to a home test called Intelligender. (save your $35 bucks and wait for the ultrasound) The at home test had made it appear to be no chance we were having anything but a boy, but boy was it wrong. Luckily we hadn't painted the nursery or bought too many boy clothes yet. We are planning on 3-4 kids so with any luck one will be a boy and he can use the cute little boy outfits we had already gotten.

My life has been very hectic lately, and I'm sure it will be for another couple of weeks. Luckily there is a trip to Vegas in our future in early July. A few days of relaxing together and enjoying each other's company before the baby comes will by just what the Dr. ordered.

Ruffled Feathers

Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to reach out and punch someone in the head?

Today is one of those days for me. It is hard for me to fathom how some people can be so inept in their ability to deal with others. I work in a customer service industry. That leads me to believe that anyone working with me should be capable of conversing politely and professionally with customers and co-workers. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Some people either never have the skills needed to be in customer service, and sneak through the cracks some how, or they lose them somewhere along the line.

Today's tip of the day: Stop for a split second before you speak. If you talk without thinking, you will either end up with your own foot in your mouth or someone's else's fist.

I am so glad that this website isn't blocked here at work, because I needed to vent a little steam after being angrered by co-workers.

The Happy Redwing Name

As you know my wife and I are in the process of having a new house built. We stop by several times a week to see the progress and daydream. This after all will be the house that we bring our first child home to, and this house could easily be our home for twenty plus years.

Every time we visit our new house there is a happy little red-winged blackbird at the back of our yard singing away his cheerful song. We say that he is our bird, but as of yet we have not named him yet. I don't know exactly what it is about him that makes him so special to us. Maybe it is simply that he is a part of our next big adventure with our new house almost completed. I think that it is probably that his happy song is representational of what we imagine our lives will be filled with once we move. Unfortunately, because of my father, my life has been filled with hurt and drama. Once we leave our current home, I am leaving his problems behind. Being happy and sharing my life with people who truly want to be a part of my life is simply too important to me to allow anyone to bring me down. I have a beautiful home being built, a wonderful wife, two great little dogs, other family members and friends that would do anything for me in the blink of an eye, and almost unbelievably my son on the way. Why should I let anyone stop me from enjoying all the blessings that God has given me? On the other hand, maybe there simply weren't any other blogspot names available.

We "broke into" our new house tonight. The locks were installed this week, but we were not given a key. Before this week we could come and go as we please as the house was completely unsecured. On Tuesday we stopped by the house and arrived just as the trim company workers were leaving. They let us in with the request to lock the door back when we leave, and lock the door back we did. What we didn't do however, was to lock back the window that we unlocked so that we could sneak into the house and keep track of the progression. We close now in 17 days and the house is really starting to come together. The electricity is on, and the lights are installed and working. Our cabinets and counter tops are installed. Beautiful hard wood floors are down in certain sections of our house. With a little carpet and some more paint this house would almost be ready. I can't wait.

Beginning's & Endings

Yesterday a wonderful woman passed away. She was a family friend, and she will be greatly missed.

It is truly amazing how everything can change in the blink of an eye. Having our friend pass got me thinking about just how much we take our time on this earth for granted. Some of us get to live long lives to ages well over 100 while others get mere hours. You can never know how long you have left so make sure you take your time to enjoy all the little things in life.

My wife is really starting to show this week. Around 22 weeks from now I expect to be holding my first child in my arms. I can't even imagine the feelings I will have flowing through me that day. I thank God for the time that he has given me on this Earth with the people I love, and I pray he gives me many more to experience all the finer little things with my family.

Here are a couple tips to keep in mind:

Don't get too wrapped up walking through this world with blinders on because you are so focused on your daily routine, that you miss all the great little moments like laughing with loved ones until it hurts, passing ball with your kids in the backyard, or enjoying the feeling of sunshine on your face on a perfect summer day.

Don't let family or friends bring you down. Just because there is a "family bond" with someone doesn't mean they deserve to be an intrical part of your life. Family is a verb not a noun. Family means being a family; loving each other, supporting each other, helping each other out without being asked, enjoying each others company, putting them before yourself. If you have people in your life that you are "supposed" to have a good relationship with but they aren't willing to live up to their part of the relationship, then move on and find people who are. I have friends that are more my family than some of my blood relatives will ever be.

A Hectic Week

Sorry that it has been so many days since I updated the blog. With our anniversary, packing, and the holiday weekend I didn't get a chance to spend much time in front of the computer.

A Crazy Little Thing Called Life

Three years has disappeared in the blink of an eye. 1,096 days ago today my life was changed forever when I married the love of my life in Hawaii. Our wedding was in the most picturesque chapel imaginable on the eastern side of Oahu. At the front of the chapel there were 5 large arched windows that offered a breath-taking view of the pacific ocean and allowed for us to be bathed in the warm glow of the morning sunshine. Some will argue that this same light allowed for an optical illusion to occur during our wedding by making it look like there was a little moisture on my cheeks, but this was merely the light sparkling off my shining smile I'm sure.



I find myself sitting here three years later happier than ever. So much has happened since that day that filling you in on all the details would take too much time away from the future postings, both in my writing of them and your reading of them. While I can't fill you in on all the details of the past, it is necessary to tell you about a couple of major events.



In early February, my wife Jamie and I decided after much debate to have a house built. We found a model home with one of the largest home contractors in the country, that we absolutely loved. On February 12th we signed the paperwork to buy the house. Currently we are in our starter home. It is nice and has been a good home to us and our two dogs, but it is very small. Our new house will be almost four times as large. As we leave our starter home, we are very happy to be moving to a house we can grow into with the large family we hope to have.



There are many different types of people that you could call me that I would not argue with you about, but if you called me a morning person get ready for a battle. Two days after signing our house paperwork, I was awoken early on Valentine's Day by Jamie. Even though I am anything but a morning person, I am a guy...and when a woman is in your bed waking you up on Valentine's Day you someone how wake up like a shot of epinephrine was injected directly into your heart. Instead of seeing my wife in some sexy lingerie, I see a her thrusting something in my face while asking "do you see anything?". You guessed it. She was asking me if I saw a line...and I did. Finding out our first child was on the way was the best Valentine's Day I could ask for...so I let the fact she wasn't wearing a new sexy outfit slide.



I invite you to join me on my trip down the road of this crazy little thing called life. I hope you enjoy a glimpse into the extremely ordinary, yet incredible unique life that I have...my ups, my downs, my hopes, my fears, from the routine to the huge changes, everything.