Lawson gives a big grin to his cousin Jillian.

Well, I’ve been away because I was hesitant to write about the things going on in our lives.  I got clearance from “the boss” and so here goes nothing.

Back in November, Michelle got laid off.  When she got laid off, her company car went away as well.  Well thank you very much, cut the income and slap us with a huge unplanned expense at the same time.  Ouch.   We managed.  She got a good used car that is reliable, safe, and fuel-efficient.

Let me go back a little bit in time. (picture Wayne’s World doodly doo motion here)  Back in August, we moved to a new house.  Then in September, we got Lawson. Both of those were rather significant expenditures.  No need to talk numbers, but suffice it to say they were both budget busters.  So, to continue painting the picture….we had two mortgages when Michelle got laid off.  Ouch.

But wait, there’s more!  In December, Marvin, Michelle’s dad began having a serious medical concern.  I don’t have clearance to write about all the details, but suffice it to say it was serious enough to require hospitalization, and at present he is still in the hospital.  (though that may change soon)

Enough with the negative stuff, now for the positive.  As a result of some personal growth training I went through in our days back in Cincinnati, I have learned to try to always identify the opportunity in any given situation, no matter how challenging.  (yes Gator, I  paid attention)  The biggest and most significant positive is the fact that I now am the proud parent of two sons!  Lawson is growing like a weed.  He is in 6-9 month clothes (at 4 months old)  with the sleeves and pant legs rolled up.  He is happy and healthy, and so is Logan.

Logan is almost completely potty trained.  We have had a couple of accidents, but by and large that one can be checked off the to do list.

We also found a renter for the old house.  It was a family whose own home had burned just before Christmas.  They had a need for a 4 bedroom home to rent for a relatively short period of time, and we needed just that.  We gave them our old dining room furniture since theirs was ruined.  That felt pretty good.

Work has been a positive for me as well.  Sometimes hard work does pay off.  I’ve been recognized for what I know and can do, and while I am not at liberty to give specifics, suffice it to say that good things are in the works.

I am grateful to have good friends who are supportive and caring.  In fact, I read something interesting today.  Psychologists have come up with a method to measure happiness.  (Don’t ask how, I have no idea)  In their findings, they determined that a $10,000 raise in pay, on average, raised a person’s happiness by 2%.  A good and trusted friend raised it by 9%.  Also, there was only a very slight difference in the happiness levels of people who were millionaires over those of us who are everyday Joe’s.   It is an interesting article, and here is the link if you care to read it yourself.  One other point the article made was that people who display an attitude of gratitude are measurably happier.

Sure, times are tough for our little family at the moment, but I believe the reason for all of this, while not clear at the moment, is all part of God’s plan, and will have an outcome more positive than I can conceive.  In the meantime, we are paying our bills, looking for opportunities, and being grateful for what we have.

I’d like to request that you please keep Marvin in your prayers.

Thanks for reading.

You’re welcome.

Logan continues to surprise me on a regular basis.  He was at his grandparents house on Friday while I moved some boxes for them.  I learned later, that he told his Papa that he needed to get up and sit on the couch.  (He was seated in a recliner) When Papa asked why he needed to move, Logan said, “That is Nina’s chair.”   I think he may have seen her in it once or twice.

Logan also amused me by adopting one of my phrases.  I say, “Holy Smoke” fairly frequently.  It sounds much funnier coming from a two year old.

I think the holiday and the changes in schedule because of it have been a little tough on Logan this week.  He seemed tired most of the day today.  I put him down for his nap about 1 pm.  When I left at 5:30 he was still asleep.

As I sit here in my in-laws house, watching Ole Miss get creamed by Mississippi State we are discussing absolutely inane products offered by Hammacher Schlemer.  I don’t really see the need for a $700 laser hair rejuvenator.  Yup, I live quite the life.

A 500 mile drive with a 2 1/2-year-old and an infant is not something I would strongly recommend that you attempt.  There are long stretches of road where there is little or nothing to see other than trees and fields.  Those of us who are of the “pre in-car entertainment era” this is not that big a deal.  For kids who have only known wireless internet, and on demand video, long stretches of analog only cell phone access means that they no longer have access to entertainment.  Logan is not an addict of the TV, and by no means is he an internet addict,  but when you try to explain why he can’t see Sesame Street or Barney on the IPad he has always accessed it on, it is difficult for him to grasp.  Tears ensued.

When you stop a moment to think about perspective it is shocking.  Neither of my sons will grow up in a world of black and white TV.  No getting up to change the channel or adjust the antenna.  They have never seen a rotary dial phone.  Almost all phones have no wires.   The internet is everywhere all the time.  TV isn’t something you have to schedule your life around if you want to see a particular show.  In fact, when we were in Cincinnati, Logan was watching a cartoon, and said to me, “Pause it, I need to go potty.”  The hotel did not have a DVR, so I had to try to explain why I couldn’t pause the TV.  That did not go well.   I downloaded a song off of ITunes that he liked, and played it for him in the car.  As most 2-year-old kids would, he asked that it be played again and again.  In his world, this is no feat of engineering, but I remember when that would require rewinding, or worse yet, it simply couldn’t be done.   Logan often asks Michelle or I to take a picture of him doing something.  We comply, because we pretty much always have a cell phone on our person with a camera.  10 years ago, that wouldn’t have happened.

Our society has changed dramatically in the last 20 years.  Things that I consider luxuries are “standard equipment” for my kids.  I wonder what the future will hold for them that I can’t even imagine now.  Maybe they will look back on tube radio that I have that belonged to my dad and his father and write a similar blog post fondly recalling the days when mobile internet coverage was not everywhere, and  you actually had to have a phone the size of your palm to make a call.   In the meantime, I will just count my blessings that my boys will have things I couldn’t imagine at their age.

The thoughtfulness of friends has been amazing.  The words of encouragement, cards, and emails have been much appreciated.  A neighbor from the early 80′s, Mr. Bolton, knitted a sweater for Lawson (she did one for Logan when he was born as well)  (bye the way, Hi Polly! I’m told you read the blog)

This weekend Michelle’s aunt, niece, and her two kids came to visit, as well as Michelle’s great aunt.  We had a house full, as did Michelle’s sister Deb.   Michelle allowed me to have time to pursue stuff around the house while she and her family did fun things around the area.  I busted my behind to clean out and organize the storage shed, and then work toward getting my workshop organized.  Installing hanging cabinets by yourself is not at all fun,  but it is finally starting to come together.Logan calls Lawson either, “my baby” or “baby Lawson”, and is always wanting to hold him, hug him and kiss him.  Some day when they are 15 and 13 and screaming at each other, maybe I will have them both read this and show them the photographic proof.

Logan holds his little brother Lawson.

We went out to dinner with Michelle’s parents tonight. Lawson needed a change, and I was the first one done with my meal so I took him to the men’s room.  The baby changing table was in the only stall in the place.  For some reason, I feel it necessary to talk to my boys as I change their diapers.  At least in Logan’s case, he can respond to my words.  Lawson, not so much.  So, here I am, behind closed doors, in a public restroom…….”no, keep it in your mouth….no really, you’ll stop crying if you just keep it in your mouth.”  Of course, I was referring to a pacifier.  The other gentleman who was in the restroom at the time however did not fully understand the situation and left rather hurriedly.   I guess I can understand how he would get the wrong impression, but it really was innocent.

On a positive note, our newest little addition lifted his head off Michelle’s chest today and looked around.  Mind you, he is only 8 days old.  Yet another advanced youngster to raise.  I’m not sure if I should be busting my buttons with pride, or fearing for my future.  I can see some interesting situations coming up in my future when Logan and Lawson put both their minds to work and come up with new and terrifying ways to challenge my parenting skills.  Bring it on boys!

Logan holds his 4 day old little brother Lawson.

Updates to follow.

We tried to explain that Logan’s little brother was in Linda’s tummy, and he would be here tomorrow.  Linda asked Logan, “Have you watched your mommy prepare dinner before?” 

Logan: “yes”

Linda: “Have you seen her bake cookies where when they come out too soon they are still icky in the middle?”

Logan: “no”

The rest of the van….BWWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Yes, a sense of humor is genetic.

We were up front with Linda and asked her if she wanted us to bring Logan or not.  She said she’d love to see him, so he is going with us.  It is kind of like deja-vu because she will have her same support person with her, and the same social worker will be with her in the delivery room. 

By the way, Logan  is already calling his brother by his name.  He knows which room is his brothers’ room.  He has been playing with a toy from Michelle’s childhood while in the bathtub, holding the plastic baby in his lap and saying he is holding his brother.  Of course, we realize there will be a period of adjustment, but I think he is at least going into this with a positive attitude. 

Tune in next week to hear more!