A Brave New World

Sorry I ripped the title of this post off of a Disney song, but it seemed appropriate. Sorry also for the lack of updates of late. Been dealing with my grampa's funeral and just haven't had the time to write. My Lenten discipline really should be to force myself to sit down and write every night.

Anyway on to the reason for tonight's post. My sweet little happy Matty is entering his terrible twos a solid 5 months too soon. He used to run around all happy and would say yes to everything. Now he loves to say no. Every question you ask him he answers with a no. What's up with that.

I think it was the hair cut. He got his first hair cut a couple weeks ago and he started turning at that point. But this weekend he really picked up the whole no thing. He is such a little brat.

At least big brother is his usual happy self. Tommy is doing so good. We finally got organized and got him into outpatient therapy just to augment the stuff they can do at school, since they never get enough time with him. We finally got a PCA for him so I definitely feel a little better about the whole work situation if I find a permanent job.

Been nice to have a little more work, last week I was out at a place twice loading a rail car full of frozen turkey. Good, hard, work, I wouldn't mind a job like that for awhile maybe I could hustle my chubby ass into a little better shape.  

Settling In

Well the Minnesota experience is off to an interesting start. Still no steady work, but Tommy has gotten into school and we have begun the process of meeting a whole new village of specialists for him. In some ways I feel like God is trying to get us a little more settled before He opens the door for me on the employment front. Which is fine by me in some ways, but a little aggravating too. I would much rather be working.

My poor blog has been neglected, but I am going to try and dedicate myself to writing a little something every night. Especially right now with so much going on. Things like Obama essentially telling the Church to F off, the primary races, life with Tommy and Matty.

Tommy seems to have made the adjustment to his new school quite well. His classmates all seem to like him and miss him when he has been absent. Unfortunately he has been absent a lot so far as he adjusts to new germs and getting into a rotation with this new team of doctors.

Gillette Children's has been amazing so far (1 visit in). We met with a physical medicine and rehab doctor who gave us several prescriptions to get to a local facility for more in home therapy. She also referred us to the sleep doctor at Gillette and just generally had at least an idea for where to go for every time she asked a question and we had a negative answer. I like that.

So we might be able to solve some of Tommy's sleep problems and maybe start getting a full night of sleep. Wow. It seems overwhelming but once we get established and fit into the routine I know we won't be missing so much school with him.

Plus we will have an actual craniofacial team at Gillette, not just Dr. Peterson. Don't misunderstand I love Dr. P and she did amazing work putting a face that was once three parts together, but really a whole team just for this, wow.

Tommy's other big deal is whether we decide to send him to kindergarten next year or keep him in preschool for a third year. Personally I tend to lean toward letting him keep up with his classmates currently in preschool, but Traci and I will have to talk it over and see what we think.

So far both of the boys have adjusted pretty well, and I am thankful for that. We got to see just how well Matty had adjusted to his new life last week when we went to New Mexico for a week. All week he kept looking for his baby and his aunt, so he clearly likes it here.  Had a great time visiting the family and gorging on quality Mexican food.

Speaking of Matty, that kid is going to be smarter than me very soon if he isn't already. He loves being read to and anticipates things in stories he knows well. He understands fairly complex sentences for an 18-month old. 

Mother Nature has been gentle on us this winter only two or three really bad days so far and they weren't too awful. Limited snowfall and reasonable temps I can deal with, even if it will get rough sometime this first winter has been a nice introduction.

I need to apologize for the sparse postings of the last couple months but it has been hectic and I haven't had much time to think let alone write.

An Open Letter to My Sons

It's a big world out there boys, first take care of each other, the hell with the rest of it.

One day you may be all the other one has. Love each other, support each other and when you can lend a hand to help someone else up too. Help the ones who can't help themselves.

I want to personally apologize to both of you for the fact that you are inheriting a world, a country, that is lost. This country, especially, was set apart to be something different and now it teeters slowly toward its own destruction. With a little luck it might be getting better by the time you inherit it, but I doubt it.

Having siblings gives you both an advantage. Siblings are amazing things, someday everyone you know may leave you behind, if that happens call your brother. Someday you might even have sisters, I will try my best to help you understand how to deal with them. But I may well be out of my depth as I still struggle sometimes trying to figure out how to get along with my own. The best part about having a sibling, though is that you might be ready to pound on them, you are so angry. Until someone else comes along and says something about them. Then you pound that guy.

This is a flawed, fallen, world increasingly giving into a me-first, anything goes lifestyle. Don't buy into that, look for examples all around you of the right kind of man to be. Hopefully by the time you two can understand this I will be that kind of example. If not live life the way Jesus did. Read Philippians 2. Take it to heart, live it.  Be lights in the dark for the people around you.

Always see all of the wonder in creation. From the little bugs to the biggest whales. From the deepest oceans to galaxies far, far away. Learn something new everyday. Always ask why. If you don't know why, find out. 

Don't ever be ashamed of who you are or where you come from. Have regard for your name, since it will remain for you larger than a thousand great stores of gold. The days of a good life are numbered, but a good name endures forever. (Sirach 41:12-13).

Which reminds me, read your Bible. More importantly live the Bible.

I do my best to remember everyday to tell you each how much I love you. If I forget sometimes, don't think I don't love you. Someday I am going to embarrass you. I probably won't mean to, but I will. Love me anyway.

Love your mother. She has done and continues to do a lot for all of us and sacrificed for all of us. Be kind to everyone, even people you don't think deserve it, you don't know what brought them to that point in their lives.

Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other and know how loved you are. Know that wherever you go and whatever you do in this life, I will be right here ready to catch you when you fall. That's my job.