Too lazy for a real post, but a few semi-notable items. . .
Please join me in wishing 6F a very happy 17th birthday today. Altho, I don't recall her ever asking my permission to be 17. . . You know what I mean? . . . And the way she looks is WAY beyond compare (considering who her mother is, how could it be otherwise?). . . But you know, 'My heart went boom', when she left Jen's womb, and I held her tiny hand in mine. . .
Rode 32 miles Sunday afternoon in absolutely hellacious wind - 18mph, gusting higher. As I approached the halfway point, I was starting to run out of gas from the exertion of pedalling 16 miles into the gale (note to would-be cyclists - it's always a good idea, when wind will be a factor in your ride, to go out into the wind, and let it push you home; I've done it the other way, and it's brutal). Once I turned the corner, though, the riding got much more pleasant. Over 300 miles for the season already; I'm typically hoping for 200 or so by the end of April (see what a mild winter, and 80-degree March weekends, can do?)
Jen and I saw 'October Baby' last weekend. Inspiring story. Check it out, if you're so inclined. . .
Birth-mom will be visiting for a week, arriving this Friday. It's always great to see her. Such a blessing, that we've built such a close relationship, and that she's fully integrated into our family. Birth-mother reunions don't often go quite as well as ours has. . .
So you'll understand if, from time to time [especially when I look at my wife and our marriage, or the family I was raised in, or the kids that are literally made from Jen and me, or the aforementioned birth-mother reunion, or the rich community life, and the friendships we've made over the years], I sorta shake my head and wonder how it is that I, of all people, have had so many rich, wonderful things in my life. Not that we haven't had any sorrows; we have. Oh, yes, we have. But, next to the blessings, they just look really small. . .
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(add, April 25)
In case anyone is interested. . .
Here is a 10-minute clip from a speech by the young woman (okay, she's 35) on whose story October Baby is loosely based. Try telling her that her life isn't worth living. . .
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Happy birthday to your 6F....and it's always a positive thing to count your blessings.
ReplyDeleteI'm a firm believer in Attitude is Everything.
ReplyDeleteYou've help confirm that.
happy birthday to your girl. they do grow fast, don't they?
ReplyDeleteenjoy your visit too. blessed indeed.
Ya know, enjoying life is a choice. I feel very blessed by the life I've been given so I understand whatcher talking about ...
ReplyDeleteAnd we had a graphic reminder this week of just how blessed and wonderful this life is.
Bijoux - It absolutely is. . .
ReplyDeleteSkip - I'll have to think through the 'everything' part of that, but I have learned that Gratitude is one of the fundamental components of happiness. . .
Lime - They do, indeed. And howcumizzit that I'm way older than you, but my kids are way younger than yours?
;)
Blessed, indeed. . .
Xavier - See my above comments re Gratitude. . .
And yeah, I bet you did. . .
;)
I say my prayers at night, Craig, and about the best I can come up with is, "Thanks!", so I know how you feel. Really, the Irishman in me keeps expecting the roof to cave in someday, but so far I've led a wonderfully blessed life. Some sorrows, some pain, to be sure, but I've always come out the other end of whatever it is and been better off for it. So, yeah, I know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteWhen we've properly adjusted our attitude, it's much easier to be grateful. Once I learned to appreciate that the only things over which I have any real control are my attitude and actions, I found some serenity. There's still much work that needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteSuldog - See, you get it, my friend. . .
ReplyDeleteI will often add a bit asking for grace to live according to that for which He made me, but 'Thanks' covers a WHOLE lot of ground. . .
Skip - "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
Let us attend. . .
Oh, yeah, that. Well, that too. I ain't actually shared the things of which I was referring to but that was certainly good stuff......
ReplyDeleteX - I'll look forward to hearing about that, then. . .
ReplyDelete;)
Happy belated to your 6F, and happy visit with Birth Mom. That's a lot of blessings in a week's time!
ReplyDelete"But, next to the blessings, they just look really small. . ."
ReplyDeleteAin't that the truth.
And I should thank for the song that will be burrowing in my ear for the rest of the day, now. Belated Happy Birthday to your lovely girl.
actually you have kids a good bit older AND a good bit younger. i merely have kids within the ranges of the ages of yours. besides you have 8 and i have 3. math dude such as yourself ought to have been able to figure that. lol :P
ReplyDeletefaDKoG - I know, right? All this blessedness. . . for me?
ReplyDeleteFlutter - One can never have too many Beatle earworms. . .
Lime - Well, you know, we are nothing if not persistent (and I have freely admitted that self-control has never been my strong suit ;) )
And I will graciously bypass the 'math-y' snide-itude. . .
;)