In Michigan you never know what Trick or Treating will be like. Most of the time, it is cold or rainy. I can only remember one or two times where it was mild. Yesterday was just crazy!
Sam realized that the kids hadn’t carved pumpkins that afternoon. So we sat on the kitchen floor cleaning out the pumpkin guts. That was pretty much when both kids said, “I’m done!” Ella said, “Daddy, make mine a cat!” I had no stencil or anything, so I did my best. She was happy with this terrible carving….
Andrew wanted a “Monster Pumpkin.” This was a better effort from me … still ridiculous.
We ventured out with our neighbor and their two little ones. It was chilly, but not freezing. The kids wore their winter coats under their costumes and Sam and I had on hats and coats. It was a good thing we were dressed that way! After 30 minutes in the neighborhood, the wind kicked up in an instant and the snow was blowing hard. Suddenly, it was bitterly cold and wet!
We were halfway through the neighborhood, so we had no choice but to finish. I felt bad for our neighbor, as her little girl looked like she was frozen. Ella was like a mail carrier – snow wasn’t going to stop her from nabbing candy!! Andrew was kind of done when the snow kicked up. I wound up putting him up on my shoulders for the last few minutes.
Ella was struggling a bit because her dress was a bit long. She kept tripping on it. So Sam and I took turns holding up the “hoop” so that she could walk from house to house. Bending down to hold that up and out of the way led to some back pain for both of us!
We were all soaked when we got back home. Sam made the kids hot chocolate and we ordered out for dinner. The snow fell for quite awhile and we got a decent coat. It wasn’t a solid coating, but still pretty as the sun rose this morning.
Why was I watching the sun rise? Well, the puppy decided that she had to go outside. Of course, she’d never seen snow before and it took her forever to finally go out onto the grass!
We realized this morning that we were so busy holding dresses, waiting for the neighbors to catch up to us, and carrying kids, that we didn’t get one picture of them outside that night!! I’m glad that we got those professional pictures done. At least we have some in their costumes!
The above text is how it started. My wife saw some puppies for sale and she texted me to ask if we could get one. Those of you who follow this blog know that not too long ago, we took in a dog on a temporary basis to see if she would be a good fit. She bit one of the kids and my sister in law took her in.
Both Sam and I said we’d wait until the kids got a little older before getting another dog. When she called to ask about puppies I told her that I would have to think about it. A few minutes later, Ella video chatted with me asking to get a puppy.
You already know what happened. We built the fence around the yard so the pup could run (and poop) around. The puppy (who Ella named Daisy) came to her new home on Friday. I’m not going to lie, I’m loving it.
We had dogs growing up and I forgot how fun they are, especially puppies. I also forgot how you really have to watch where you are walking, because there are plenty of accidents with puppies! However, we she jumps up on your lap and snoozes on you, it makes it all worth it.
The kids have plenty of toys that need to be picked up so that Daisy won’t chew on them. We have to make sure that the shoes are put away, too. Daisy loves to go into Ella’s room and grab her stuffed animals to play with. The other night she had been playing with one and then fell asleep. Picture perfect pose:
Tonight she went over to my in-laws house. They have a golden retriever. They hit it off pretty well.
All in all, she is a welcome addition to the family and I think she loves the kids as much as they love her!
I suppose I could take each one of the following items and make them into a separate blog, but I decided to put them all in one. Short blurbs, of course.
Daily Dad
One of the hardest jobs I have ever been handed is that of being “dad.” I cannot remember who suggested this book, but I had it in my Amazon cart for a few weeks before finally ordering it.
I have only had it a couple days and the introduction in this book would make a fantastic blog in itself. It is very powerful.
Like a daily devotional, it is organized to feature a thought every day. I am glad that I bought this and look forward to making it a part of my day. I want to be the best dad I can be and teach my children life lessons. I want to raise them right. I hope to use what I learn with my older children, too.
Daily Devotional
I have been a lot better as of late in reading my Bible every day, or at least watching a Bible lesson from pastors I know. I stumbled on this daily devotional quite by accident. A fellow believer had a small picture of it on her Facebook page and I was able to nab a copy of it.
This isn’t set up by date, however it does have 366 devotionals so you can read it in a year. Again, I’ve only had it a couple days and I have really enjoyed this. The pieces are not too long, but loaded with solid information.
Other Reading
My wife has been telling me about a book for some time. I kept putting it off because of the other books I had from the library. I have started it and am progressing slowly, as my time to read physical books isn’t what it had been.
My oldest son has Asperger’s Syndrome, and so does the main character of this book. It is described as a crime thriller, a lesson in motherly love, a primer on Asperger’s syndrome, and a heart stopping trip through the legal system. So far, it is very good.
In the car, I am listening to a very unique story. It has quite an interesting premise.
In a nutshell, Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00 p.m. There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit (yes, you become each witness). We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.
The main character wakes up each day as a different person, reliving the same day and it is his job to find out who murders Evelyn Hardcastle. So far, it is really good. The audio book is like 17 hours long!! I am about 4-5 hours in. I’m hoping it doesn’t disappoint.
At home, I read a chapter about one of my favorite characters of all time and a different case.
Great book by a fellow Columbophile!
The Biggest News of the Weekend
I’m not sure who is responsible – my wife or my daughter – but come this weekend, we’ll have a new addition to the family.
I’m not sure if that puppy is spitting her tongue out at me or is looking at a bone. I am sure that she is coming to our house on Friday.
It started with a text from my wife. “I want a puppy.” That was followed by a video call from my daughter telling me why we needed a puppy. Then my son chimed in, too.
We housed a dog for a while, but she bit one of the kids, so she went to live with my sister-in-law. Because of this, I was apprehensive about even entertaining the thought of getting another dog, let alone a puppy.
Sam decided to send me pictures of the available pups. Then they picked a couple (of the 9 pups) that they liked. Then the owner allowed us to go look at them.
It became very obvious which one liked Ella and which one Ella liked. So, she will be ready for us to pick up this weekend. Many names were thrown out by Sam and me, and Ella shot most of them down. We did talk her out of naming the puppy after her pediatrician!! Anyway, it looks like “Daisy” will be very welcomed in out home.
Puppy Project
When we had the previous dog, it didn’t go far and stayed in the yard. However, I know puppies. I don’t want to be chasing it through the neighborhood. So my father-in-law (my project manager) and I worked this weekend setting posts for a temporary fence. Pardon my amateur art skills….
Our backyard is huge. So my father-in-law and I mapped out how we were going to give the pup it’s own area. There is an area up near the back of our house where we can run fencing from the back of the garage to the chain-link fence of our neighbor. Then we can run some fencing from the house to the garage and add a gate. This will give the pup a nice little area to play (and poop) in for the next couple months.
Once the snow melts in the spring, my father-in-law and I are going to buy chain link fence and run 100 feet at a time and finish fencing the entire yard. For now, this will work.
Be ready for plenty of puppy pictures (probably of stuff it chewed up!).
I still don’t feel up to writing today. My last post was three days ago, and I wish I could say that I am past it. I’m not. I have nothing planned out, which is kind of a “no-no” when you are writing. I am only writing because I am forcing myself to sit here and write.
Ideas?
Do I have things I can write about? Sure. I have a few ideas I just jotted down in my blog notebook. A blogger I follow has been going through the Alphabet and featuring his favorite TV shows. I liked the idea and feel like I might be able to do something with that. Another blogger is featuring an episode by episode review of one show in particular. I might think about doing something like this, too.
A music blogger I like has a weekly post that features their five favorite albums from a certain year, while another features the Top 10 songs from that week in a specific year. Those are easy to do and can be fun at the same time.
I also have some personal things I can blog about. I was recently going back through some of the ideas I have for the project my brother and I are working on about my mom. I’m LONG overdue to work on those.
My Favorite Game Shows? What exactly makes a YouTube “star” a Star? Yeah, I have ideas….. I just don’t feel like writing about them.
I’m Hurting
With all the things going on in my life right now, I should be smiling more! I’ll be the first to admit that. Don’t get my wrong, I am happy. It’s just that right now, there are things I am trying to process.
In the past month, I’ve seen my sons only one day – for breakfast. It seems that he “doesn’t want to come over” anymore. I have given him absolutely no reason whatsoever to not want to come. This is something that I have been fighting for some time. I’m not going into detail about it, especially since I know that my ex has trolls who share things from my blog, my Facebook, and my Instagram with her.
I’ve never understood why some people get so much pleasure in making others miserable. These people spread lies, rumors, and gossip because it brings them joy! Shame on you. You profess to be loving Christians and you get your joy from those things. Hypocrites! The Bible has over 100 verses about gossiping alone! Maybe you should read them!
Ephesians 4:29 says “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Easier Said Than Done …
Despite the issues above and all that goes with it, I do have a lot to be happy about:
My beautiful wife and I are having another baby. Another miracle! Just the thought makes me happy!
I believe, after much discussion, that we may have decided on a name for our baby boy. It was a lot harder than we thought. Of course, he is not due until October, so there is still the possibility that it can change! LOL
Lesson Learned
I wonder if my daughter has any idea that she teaches me a lesson every day. What lesson? “Find happiness in the little things.”
I need to look amongst the chaos of every day life and find “it.” I need to find that one thing that makes me wonder. What is that one thing that makes me smile? I experience these things daily, but so often over look them.
Watching Sam read a book to Ella. Watching how excited Ella gets when she goes outside.
Little things – Big Happiness.
She see’s beauty in what we see as a weed –
She gets excited to watch and try to catch bubbles –
She is thrilled to pet the new puppy that our neighbor’s brought home –
It truly is the little things …. I guess I just need to focus on them.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 