Tuesday, October 14, 2008

A 1 year Old

So Neena and I have a 1 year old toddler!! Not a new born or even an infant...but a full-blown toddler! I hope you're as blown away as we are because we scratching our heads wondering where our 3 month old went and why he's walking, talking, and getting into EVERYTHING!

I still can't believe that Neena was ever pregnant in the first place. I remember her walking around the corner of our bedroom with a look of shock on her face. We both screamed, jumped up and down and then cried. We were afraid of the journey we were about to take...even the bad days have been great.

They say time flies when you're having fun and I guess that's why this year has been a blur. We've accepted a job, quit a job, moved, said good-bye to friends, brothers and sisters; started a new job, bought a house...turned it into a home, lauged, argued, lauged some more, watched in amazement as this little blob turned into a real person, and prayed...Oh...my word have we prayed for this little guy. It's the best part of my day: putting Brodee down and asking God to watch over him, give him sweet dreams, to whisper in his ear what Brodee should be and to guard him from evil while we rest. We also pray for us to be the mother and father that God saw in us...to be just the parents that Brodee needs in this life.

He is such an incredible boy. I've re-thought and challenged everything since he's entered my life. I love watching him and following him around as he discovers this world. I love it that he points to things with a questioning look on his face...then I explain it to him. I love it that he gets so excited over football on TV, that he dances to any song, that he cries when mommy leaves and claps when we both come home. I don't know what's in store in the coming year and beyond, but as I look back I see God, so I'll trust as we go forward that God is still very much in control.

One thing I learned about God this year is the understanding of God being a jealous God. I always thought that was out of character, for an infinitely loving God to be jealous. There's nothing Brodee could EVER do to diminish my love for him and even though, daily, I let go just a little more I will always run after him...he's my son, a part of me...where he goes, so do I. Brodee is my heart walking around outside of my body. When he chooses things over our relationship or that could damage pieces of it, I'd be jealous...but still so unbelievably in love with him and that's why I'd be jealous. So I try to live in such a way that shows my son that...that our choices do affect relationships.

This past year has been a blast and was as fast as one, too. Below are some of my favorite pictures from this past year, including several from his birthday party.



































Thursday, October 2, 2008

Burping, Scratching, and the like...

Ran across this today and thought it was too funny not to share. Below is an explanation of the Male race. Remember this is for laughs...

We always hear "the rules" from the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side. if you have already read some of these before it wont hurt to read them again.

Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us crying about you leaving it down.

Birthdays, Valentines, and Anniversaries are not quests to see if we can find the perfect present yet again!

Sometimes we are not thinking about you. Live with it.

Sunday = sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

Don't cut your hair. Ever. Long hair is always more attractive than short hair. One of the big reasons guys fear getting married is that married women always cut their hair, and by then you're stuck with her.

Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

Crying is blackmail.

Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong
hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

We don't remember dates. Mark birthdays and anniversaries on a calendar. Remind us
frequently beforehand.

Most guys own three pairs of shoes - tops. What makes you think we'd be any good at
choosing which pair, out of thirty, would look good with your dress?

Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

A headache that last for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

Check your oil!

Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments
become null and void after 7 days.

If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us. We refuse to
answer.

If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

Let us ogle. We are going to look anyway; it's genetic.

You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

Christopher Columbus did not need directions, and neither do we.

The relationship is never going to be like it was the first two months we were going out. Get over it. And quit whining to your girlfriends.

ALL men see in only 16 colors. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a colour. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

We are not mind readers and we never will be. Our lack of mind-reading ability is not proof of how little we care about you.

If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine. Really.

Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as navel lint, the shotgun formation, or monster trucks.

You have enough clothes and too many shoes.

Foreign films are best left to foreigners. (Unless it's Bruce Lee or some war flick where it doesn't really matter what they're saying anyway.)

It is neither in your best interest or ours to take the quiz together. No, it doesn't matter which quiz.

I'm in shape. ROUND is a shape.

Men like sleeping on the couch, it's like camping.