May?

May, where did you go? I fondly recall the start of May, the wonders the month held for me. Together, we painted the kitchen ceiling (yes the project started in January and is still not done), mowed and edge the lawn countless times, and received new garbage and recycling cans from the City.

We saw some movies, Star Trek, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and Wolverine to name just a few.

We flew on a 777 for the first time, and then again three more times as we traveled from Texas to NJ and back again - good times, yes, good times.

We celebrated Mother's Day! That was a great afternoon, eating lunch at Se Cocina, driving to Temple to shop Target, eating ice cream, and having a good laugh when Blakely fell asleep on our way back to Waco. We experienced our first 90 degree weather days together, a little early, so let's see if June can help us out and keep us under that mark for a few weeks (yes, paybacks are needed and required).

My nephew Kyle graduated from High School, the first of about 10 kids we know. Princesses niece Brianna will graduate next week, along with "K", our adopted daughter for part of the school year. The world is your oyster (or apple if you don't like oysters) so go out and get a great big bite and make your mark on this spinning rock we call home.

June, I'm looking forward to a fabulous month, don't let me down!

Jim

God Bless America

In Memory of those who fell in battle, who fell to terrorist plots, and to those who continue to serve in the Armed Forces, I give you my most heartfelt appreciation for your sacrifice to make and keep our great nation safe!

May your families find peace in your decision to serve and the sacrifice that you paid.

Princess, myself and the girls give you our love, support, and enduring THANKS with all our hearts.

At this time it is so important to give support to our Commander In Chief and the troops that make our nation the GREATEST on Earth!  We love our troops and and their families.

May we also take a moment to remember our ancestors and their love and sacrifice to make our nation and families so strong.  We love our loved ones and look forward to the day when we are reunited as Forever Families.

Jim

"Saturday is...

...A special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday"...

It is Saturday and it is the day we get ready for Sunday - although, I won't be participating in that same tradition tomorrow cause I'll be off to the east coast again, but I'm preparing in my own little way.

I was lucky!  I followed my heart and head, mowed, edged, and blew down the patio yesterday.   Good thing cause so far today our rain gauge is ready about three inches of water.  I'm not complaining, really I'm not.  We need the water, and it helps keep us from paying the city to water our plants and the lawn (I told you, I'm a rain magnet).

Luck was on my side again today.  I did a California Roll at a stop sign, and lo and behold to my left was a Hewitt Police Officer - he stopped me, asked me if I knew what I did, I said yes, gave him my license and registration and confessed that I was not paying attention, regardless of who was to my left, I could have caused an accident.  He said "yep", told me to be more careful and to be on my way!  NO TICKET!!!  My guardian angel was watching out for me.

So please, be careful.  Stop at the stop sign.  Look both ways and don't do a California Roll.

Jim

Home?

I know that you are all wondering where I am this week!  Nicaragua?  Guatemala?  Mexico?  Maybe New Zealand?

Sorry to disappoint, but this week I am lucky enough to be home.  I took today off, did some cleaning, did some ironing (it really was building up), weeded one entire flower bed and worked on another.  Pulled the St. Augustine from the Bermuda, and did some more weeding.  It was a good day to clear my head and accomplish some things that had gone undone while I was traveling.

I'm off next week to New Jersey again for work.  Seems like this has become my home away from home this year.

Princess is doing well, we weathered Mother's Day pretty good around here this year.  It was a little tough for us both.  Her parents are in Australia visiting friends from 34 years ago - they arrived safe and sent us an e-mail.  Friends came over and gave Princess some cards and some chocolate covered strawberries (which were delicious Lindsey) and visited.  

For me, it was just weird not picking out a gift or card for my Mom.  Made me a touch melancholy for her.  Better that as we close in on the one year anniversary, I'm better than I thought I would be.

Life is good!  Look for the positive and share a smile.

Jim

Time

Time, we mark it by counting hours and minutes, days and weeks, months and years. It's amazing to me how "fast" it really moves the older we become. Is this due to the fact that we don't pay attention to time as children or that we realize how important it is as we grow and become adults?

This past year I've been marking time with unique carefulness. First labor day, First Birthday, First Thanksgiving, First Christmas, First New Year's Day, First Anniversary, First Easter, and now First Mother's Day. All of these events I have recorded since Mom passed away last June 27 Th.

Lot's of other events have happened, all without her smile or her ear to tweak, or her shoulder to cry on. It's been hard, especially as Princess and I have navigated the past couple of weeks. I sure could do to hear some of her advice and wonderful counsel.

As tonight becomes tomorrow, Saturday into Sunday, we set aside one day each year to honor our Mother's. This day is very bittersweet for Princess and I. We couldn't have children. We tried - for eleven years - and then the remotest chance was taken from us several years ago. That is the bitter part.

The sweet part is that we have had our Mother's in our lives. Both Linda (Princesses Mom) and Helen (my Mom) have had major impacts and influence in our lives. They have guided us, cared for us, loved us, soothed us, comforted us, and most of all, set us "free" to grow and mature into responsible adults.

Linda - what a wonderful Mother she is. So caring, so kind, so stern when needed. A perfect Mother if ever there was one, why she even let's me call her "old woman"! I love her. Princess loves her, and we hope she and Bill are having one heck of a retirement party in Australia!

Helen, what a wonderful Mother she "is". See I put the "is" in quotations because Mom passed last year. But she is a wonderful, patient, joyful, kind Mother. She was strong on this earth, and I believe with all my heart, she will is strong in her next life.

I love these women. I love Princess, and I'm grateful she chose me and she said "yes" when I asked!

Happy Mother's Day to the women of the world! May you find peace, joy, love, and someone else to cook, clean, and serve you tomorrow!

New Month

2009 is just zipping by!

I can't believe it is May already - pretty soon we'll be at Lynn's in Michigan having a blast.  Then before you know it, Christmas will be here.

We haven't decided what to do about Christmas.  Last Year was the family's first without Mom.  We didn't go home.  We stayed here.  It was horrible.  We'll see - trying to be positive what with all my travel, etc.

For those that were worried, Church was fine today.  Still tooooo much drama going on, but as we all know, we go to Church for ourselves, to worship, be uplifted, and be edified by the word of God.  In the grand scheme of things, this is small (although it feels big), and it too shall pass.

I'm grateful for my loving wife and my family.  I'm grateful for supportive friends (and even those who can't get a grip on how both Princess and I view things) for their love and friendship.

I'm off to NJ tomorrow for work - have a great week.

Jim