Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Are you having fun? 'Cause I sure am!

On my way to work today (after paying $450 I hadn't planned on for new tires - grr) I realized that, despite the newest in a series of financial setbacks including going back into debt for a working family car (grr again, but at least it has 13 cup holders) - despite all that, I was smiling. Why? Because I'm having so much fun! Here's why:
  1. I had just left the elementary school where Matt received recognition from Brad Dee, our state representative and the house majority leader, for his essay about state government that he wrote that won the school $250.00 - Matt was grinning from ear to ear as Mr. Dee (My wife keeps correcting me when I refer to him as "Brad") told how much fun they had and how good Matt's essay was. It's fun to see my kids succeeding.
  2. I talked with Mr. Dee and he agreed that he'd sponsor a complete streets bill, if Wasatch Front Regional Council wanted his help - I'm going to a WFRC Complete Streets Committee meeting tomorrow. We're also forming an ad-hoc committee on the City Council for Riverdale complete streets tonight. It's fun seeing volunteer community service work actually coming together, and it's related to my job and my cycling hobby.
  3. My kids are sleeping really well. After 12 years of diapers and needy kids at all odd hours of the night, believe me, it's nice! More often than not lately I wake up needing to "go" and realize it's almost 6:00 am and nobody has been in our bed or crying in their room or anything and I'm not really even tired, AND I have another 15 minutes before my alarm goes off in which I can snuggle with my sexy sweetheart. Which brings me to the next point:
  4. I have the most awesome wife. Her smile lights up my entire soul. She's supportive, loving, fun, affectionate, gorgeous, motivating (the pc term for nagging me when I need it), oh so wise about how to raise kids, and and and...I can't say enough, but to sum up, being married to her is just plain fun.
  5. My kids continually impress me. They're all so amazing to me - all doing so much better than I see myself at their age, and it makes me happy. Sometimes they fight. Sometimes they whine and don't listen. Most of the time they're so good, and I forget to tell them that.
  6. We do fun stuff - last night was family dodge-ball night at the community rec center, and it was so much fun. Nick was awesome, running around trying to grab and throw the balls. It got so that the people on our team would run up ahead of him so they could grab the balls he threw before they rolled across to the other side. Lucas was so cute as he put his entire heart into it. He really did well (thanks to sympathy from older players) and was usually one of the last two or three people out, and when he did get hit, he couldn't help but burst into tears, though he tried to fight it, because he was SO into the game. The best was when he won last-man-standing - thanks to nice people for letting him win. And Tyler nailed me with a really good, very satisfying shot straight to my face.
  7. Work is going well again. Things were dead slow and scary for so long, and a lot of people I know lost their jobs, including people at my own company and friends at other CE firms. It was rough. Now I'm happily engaged in satisfying projects again. I hope it keeps going this way because it feels so good to work an honest day again. It's hard to feel honest when you and your boss know you were trying to fill your time with fluff and nobody could do anything about it. SO glad to be back to scrambling to meet deadlines.
  8. I love my calling - scouts is so much work. I don't do it well enough - continually feeling like I'm falling short. We need to do more presidency meetings, plan camps better, stuff like that, but there are little successes, little chances to improve the lives of these boys who are future missionaries, hopefully, and future fathers, and have so much potential.
  9. We're getting in shape around our place - it's good to feel good. P90X, cycling, a 5-K on Saturday, losing fat and gaining muscle and getting sick less. It feels good to feel good! I enjoy working out with my wife, and she enjoys riding with me, and we enjoy being active as a family. Granted, soccer gets a little nuts, as it seems to take over our lives, but I manage to get in bike rides here and there (combining time on my bike with my commute to work helps) and all of us, except Liz, get to do at least a little of what we like.
  10. I had ice cream last night. And then I went to bed tired. Liz and I have this almost unconscious policy that if we're not tired when it's time to go to bed, we haven't done as much as we should. Sometimes I think we're crazy.
My to-do list around the house is getting longer and longer, but I'm sure enjoying the ride as we run around going crazy trying to raise good boys and do our part. Sometimes I call it Chaos Surfing - you can drown in the waves of chaos or you can surf on them and make the most of each opportunity that comes your way. It's so cool having Team Staten - my awesome wife and amazing kids - along for the ride as we catch each wave we can.

1 comment:

Liz said...

Thanks Honey I love you and LOVE the ride we are on!