You Never Call Anymore.......

I wish I would have called my dad more frequently.  Even when I did call to speak with him, he always said "Hello.  How are you?  Here is your mom."  I'm not sure if he didn't want to speak with me or if he just wanted to ensure that I spoke with my mother since my calls were neither regular nor anticipated.  When I visited my father in the hospital he had just been placed on a machine that helped him breathe and he was never able to say a word to me.  Even though I was there soon enough to have him somewhat coherent, he was never able to verbally express anything to me.  I was able to say what I needed to say and he was able to respond to me, but I didn't have the luxury of a "Final conversation" with him.  That will follow me forever.  I feel even more pain for my brother, Brandon.  He didn't even get the opportunity to see dad somewhat lucid and converse with him.  Phone calls are free, make them when you can.  

TDab's World

I have SO many feelings when I see your face.  Some are great, some are less than stellar and some are indifferent.  I love you wholeheartedly.  I will miss you indefinitely.  You taught me more than I will ever realize or be able to acknowledge.  You made people laugh and smile, and to me that is what makes life bearable.  I love you.  I have hated you.  I want to be just like you.  I want you to be here.  I miss you.  You touched a lot of people with your sense of humor and wit.  I hope when I am no longer around I will be appreciated as much as I appreciate and love you.  I look forward so seeing you again, just not too soon.  ;-)

This one has always moved me.......Even more now.

This is me talking to the majority of people I care about. Michael Crabtree talking to Amari Cooper. Crabtree probably realizes where he made mistakes early on and is trying to help Cooper not make the same. Cooper probably thinks Crab is just being an asshole, but he is just trying to impart knowledge so Coop can become a better person sooner in life than he.  Anytime I have been an asshole to any of those close to me is to help make them a better person or to have them take a different perspective on a situation. Sometimes when someone is in your face, it isn't necessarily to demean you, it's to help prepare you for life and make you a better contributor to society. 

Last night I was sitting by myself while everyone else was asleep and I sneezed.  I think it was allergies, but that's what I get for dating a girl with a dog.  After I sneezed, I immediately thought "God Bless You".  As soon as that hit me, I thought "He has".  I have the best kids, girlfriend, family and friends that a person could ever desire.  There are always going to be bumps in the road, but there are so many people that would kill to be on the road I have traveled, or the path I am on.  I actually took the time to send myself a text last night so I wouldn't forget the thought that went through my head. It sounds silly, but when I read it again this morning it made me smile:

 

"I SNEEZED TODAY AND GOD BLESSED ME"

So as I sit in my garage filled with tools, of the majority which I will never use, I ask myself why I have made this investment.  My kids (and girlfriend) ask why I have all of these tools that I hardly use.  I think it is because my dad had a lot of tools and always got upset when I didn't put them back from where I retrieved them from initially.  I have either purchased so many that if one were to go missing that I would never know, or that I want to teach my kids how to use them, as my dad did with me.  I hope that my children are so successful that it makes more sense to pay someone to fix everything that breaks versus doing it themselves, but I still believe they should "know" how to do it nonetheless.  If nothing else, they can sell the stuff for ten cents on the dollar and have a pretty nice wake for me..........If not, Jaden, Austin and Brandon should do a nice weekend in Cancun!  :-)

This is pretty much my dream garage (minus the car lift). Granted, mine would have a lot more power tools, but this is what I desire. Only thing missing is a classic Mustang or a Shelby Cobra. I'll have it one day.  Perhaps my kids will enjoy working on things by then.  Both could care less about "Old.Stinky.Cars" right now. They WILL inherit a LOT of tools upon my demise, whether they want them or not.  :-) 

Although I'm not a true Cubs Fan (Pirates. Unfortunately); I do pull for them to win. I always root for the underdog. Additionally, my brother is a die-hard fan. I've been to several MLB parks and Wrigley Field is one of the best when it comes to city, people and atmosphere as an all-encompassing experience. I really hope they are able to bring it all home. HOLY COW!!!

Lunchables

I just realized today that my mom invented "Lunchables" yet didn't make a dime from the creation.  Every Sunday she would cut up some random meat that we had around (Summer sausage, if dad had a Hickory Farms Christmas gift from his kids). Otherwise it was bologna, ham, pickle loaf, olive loaf, Braunschweiger, or whatever else was available.  Cheese was always part of the offering.  Choices included; American, Swiss or sometimes Cheddar.  If times were good, we paired them with a delicious buttery flavored Ritz cracker.  However, we were never above a good Saltine cracker either.  That dining experience combined with watching old Western or Military movies with my dad, prior to NFL starting that morning, brings back some of the most favorite memories of my childhood. There are still days in which I will eat a Lunchable (They are technically for my children) and smile.

I saw this picture today and it COMPLETELY triggered my thoughts of what being a "Father" means.  It doesn't matter if you are happily married with kids, or a single parent. Being a Father means you are there as much as you can be for the people that need you the most. I try my hardest to be the best divorced dad that I can. It's not always easy, and there are times that I can't be there, when I wholeheartedly want to be, but you must always roll with the punches. My kids have a wonderful mother and are blessed to have their grandmother around as much as she is as well. Heck, as I look at the picture again, I think I may just be feeling that way about life and not just raising children.  ;-)

I LOVE Jaden's confidence. He has a "SWAG" (I believe that is what the kids call it) that took me much longer to embrace in life than he. We were talking tonight and he told me that he asked a girl named Ryan if she wanted to go out sometime; To the park or something. He said she just looked at him and looked away. He then asked why girls say things like OMG and LOL. I said because it is too much work these days to say "Gag me with a spoon", or to actually Laugh, Loudly, Vocally. I wasn't sure what to say. I told him to walk in tomorrow and ignore her. Chicks seem to want you more when you seem disinterested. I'm not sure I should be giving a 9 year old advice on how to get chicks to like you, but I can assure you that I can teach him how to make them love you AND hate you.  My boys chose the wrong father for this job.

Recently my incredible girlfriend bought be a pair of "readers".  I could NOT have been more offended nor more elated at the same time.  Anyone that knows me understands that I am NOT the best "loser".  However, once I placed them before my eyes I was like the squirrel from Ice Age finding the acorn.  I'm still trying to hide it from the public.  Mostly because I want all of the ladies that are secretly awaiting me becoming single again know that I am aging and that my eyesight is very slightly deteriorating.  Nonetheless, these are SO incredible that I feel like I can see the future.....And IT is bright......Perhaps I should wear "Shades" for that adventure.......

A Monster Created

So I have officially created a 9 year old monster.  I'll admit that I have spoiled Jaden when it comes to getting him the sports video games shortly after they are released.  However tonight made me realize that I have gone too far.  This is the text I received from him tonight; "Can you get NBA2K16 tomorrow please it is such a boss game I'm begging you for NBK2K16 please please please please please please please please with a cherry on top I'll be your best friend please please please I'm begging you for NBA2K16 please please please please please get it pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee.  Text me bye night. I love you so much"  I think I have decided that before I buy him his next game that I need to see proper spelling and punctuation.  Clearly he is spending more time playing video games than he is learning how to communicate effectively.  I'll probably be at Game Stop in the morning.  :-(

Since I know that nobody reads this blog anymore, I will start posting here instead of on Facebook.  There are way too many hyper-sensitive people in this world.  If you are a "friend" of MINE, you should know what you get when it comes to my commentaries.  I am almost always joking.  If I am not joking, it should be VERY apparent.  If I do have an issue with you, I will bring it up with you.  I won't post it on Facebook.  Therefore 99.9% of what I post on Facebook is strictly to make myself laugh or to bring humorous observations to others about the doldrums of this life that we are all experiencing together.

What are YOU afraid of????



Austin started swimming lessons yesterday.  His instructor asked if anyone was afraid, even just a little afraid and Austin replied: "Yep, I'm afraid of racoons".  He's a funny little man. 

Visiting Santa

One of my Angels.  :-)

Please!

Handsome boys.

Thumbs UP!

Pray hard.

I'm not sure what that look is.....

Old Blue Eyes

Santa's little helper

Thanks Santa!

"And I want Madden 2013"

Contemplating.....

Cheese!

Merry Christmas!

My Little Bloodsuckers!

My boys are going out as Vampires this evening.  Jaden and I were going to go as "Michael Myers" (big and little), but they ended up finding these awesome costumes instead.  Please note that the fangs in Austin's mouth are REAL!  Happy Halloween!

Austin Funnies

Grandma Libby is with Austin every day and obviously gets to hear a lot of humorous things, as he is pretty funny.  I've kept the emails and thought I would put them up for others to enjoy.

8-30-11: Austin asked me for a banana so I said, "What do you say?" and of course he says "Please" as he rubs his belly.  After I gave him the banana I asked him again, "What do you say?" and he says "Thank you", then he looks at me and says "SAY WELCOME, GRANDMA, SAY WELCOME!!!!!"

11-3-11: Austin is watching the trash men and asks what they are doing.  I explain that they pick up our trash, put it in their truck and take it to the dump, he says "That is so berry nice, I love dos people!!!!"

12-8-11: I was reading to him, he picked The Night Before Christmas, and after every sentence he would say "What that mean, Grandma?"...He got to giggling so hard he was crying.  So I get to the part of Santa filling all of the stockings and he finishes the sentence "with chicken nuggets" then laughs hysterically.  Then as Santa is leaving I read "and laying his finger beside his nose" Austin says "he pulls out a booger!!!!!"

1-5-12: So the heating and air repairman asked if he could use the bathroom and Austin looks at him and says "You gotta poop?!!!!!"