BethFamily and Friends

The stone! Give me the stone!

The set-up: My boy Adam and I were driving home after a haircut this weekend. We were listening to the radio but only one of us was paying close attention. The conversation: “I wish I had my notepad.” Why do you say that Adam? “Because I want to write something down.” That’s my boy! “What?” Nothing. What do you want to write down? “That commercial…
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Beth

When in life

I was really excited this morning. I surfed the web for images and maps of campus. I gave Beth ten answers for every question she asked. Maybe one in ten were pertinent to the question. I found a picture of a room from the dorm she’ll be staying in at UF. Countless pictures of my dorm came to mind. There was so much excitement and nostalgia floating around it’s hard to imagine a better…
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Family and Friends

Beth, pride, and The Gators

My daughter has been been accepted by the University of Florida. I am bursting with pride. As Yoda might say, “A proud father I am.” I admit it’s a touch misleading though. Beth is just finishing ninth grade. She is not graduating early and she is not enrolling with the freshman class at UF next fall. She will be dual-enrolled in college courses next year, but they won’t be at…
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Family and Friends

Adam's got wheels

Adam has two speeds: sprinting as if for his life and “this is as good a place as any to lie down and die.” I asked him yesterday on our evening skate: “Why do you have to go so fast Adam? You’re not afraid of me are you?” He didn’t answer. He didn’t have enough air in his lungs for speech. I think it’s his way of competing and I hate to admit…
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Family and Friends

Breaking!

Those of you who know about my skating probably thought this post was going to be different. In order to satisfy your blood-lust, I’ll tell you: the thumb still hurts. There! Are you happy now?!? No, the true purpose is to announce a friend’s new book, now available at Amazon. You already know from my hobbies that my judgement is gold, so go pick up a copy or three. AND, if you…
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Family and FriendsWellbeing

Canadian Cold

I’ve never had any reason to dislike a Canadian before this weekend. Looking at the averages, they still come out ahead in the overall likability rankings, but Saturday night was still disappointing. I’m telling my friends at work I’m coming down with a Canadian Cold. Knowing my travel habits (I have none), this invites a simple request: “explain yourself kind…
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Family and FriendsTravelWellbeing

Worth it

Parenting is hard. For some, this is obvious. For others suffering denial, this is a sign of a severe character flaw. For a blessed few who’s beatification awaits them at their death, who’s names will be remembered in song and psalm for all time, this is an inconceivable truth. God did us this one favor – he made these people rare. This is not to say parenting is without its…
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Family and Friends

Friends

You may take them for granted. I try not to – I can’t afford it, having so few of my own. It makes my absence from this space and others like it self destructive. This year I’ll try to keep my head out my but. I’ll try to think about other people more than myself. I’ll try to give more than I receive. I’ll try not to let politics and current events have the…
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BethFamily and Friends

No complaints

Woo hoo! That’s a good one! Just because I’m not going to use this post to whine doesn’t mean I’ve got no complaints. I promise you though – I won’t go there today. Today I want to cheer myself up as much as anything. I do this with full knowledge of the consequences: this will be a boring post. Ask the news director at your local television station. Misery…
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Family and Friends

This one's gonna be trouble

I know. It’s hard to believe for some of you, but Adam does get into trouble. This evening I had to take Adam’s TV privileges away. That’s what we parents like to say. I had to take the little devil’s TV. He had it coming and I had to deliver. Parents are like the post office that way. Neither tears nor sympathy nor full throttle tantrum shall keep us from our appointed…
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