America's Falling Behind

The America, my Grandfather and his respected generation left for us to take care of is failing. It's failing in it promise to be a leader of democracy and the highest standard of living in the world.  I know things change, but as of today, these ideas of America being the best place in the world to be is no longer a common belief among our own citizens and others. 
I see it with the country losing millions of job to oversea companies, our own companies sending jobs to China, American's buying cheap foreign products over our own products. I am guilty of this too, so don't feel like I am picking on just you.  Union's and their memberships dropping, for many reasons. NASA's even getting into the sending our jobs overseas, they are retiring the last Space Shuttle in July 2011.  Russia and China will do our shipping into space. Wow, JFK must be pissed. As well as many of us.

We have a Congress and Executive branch that can't get along and thus our spending our future generations promise down the river, no throwing it over a huge waterfall more like it.
Today, our country's deficit is 14 Trillion Dollars, I can't even imagine that sum.
At the local level, School boards and Superintendents are running our schools to the ground.  Local folks fail to get involved and even email their represents.

I'm not rambling here, I'm just tired of the same old thing, Oh wait, it's not the same old thing, My Grandfather would have never stood for such a out of control country.  Should we?

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Grateful for nice things people say about me

Ever have a day when people who you care for seem to come out of the woodwork and say nice things to you. Today was such a day.  It started with my wife making me feel special by just saying how much she loves me and saying that I am a good man.  Next came a short conversation with my sister, who live's in North Carolina. I told her was going to visit our wayward father who has a love hate relationship with the world. She told me she just spoke to him and reminded him to be nice to me.  She went further and said she told him that I was a good man and a great father.What a previlge to be thought of with such love and admiration from you kid sister.  I went ahead and called upon our father. He was in the process of trying complete a film and up load it to the internet.  He wanted to put a film clip on the web explaining his version of the universe, I'm not kidden.  We spent the next three hours searching the store for a converter that puts VHS tapes into DVD's.  We tried to get it to work, but at last I had to leave and left him with the most horrible words you can tell a man, or for that reason, any person, "You need to read the directions." Ooch.
On the way home I spoke to my pool repair man, Ralph.  I owe him a payment and called to let him know I was going to send it to him this week.  His first remarks to me were "How's the family and how are you doing?"  Never asking about why I late paying him for him service.  He even went on and said I was a very nice guy and I am very blessed.  WOW.

Late tonight I received a call from my Dad, he said it was nice visiting with me.  This from a man who has so many problems and issues, he made time to say that.
Glory Be...
I say to my self at times "Why don't I have more to show for my life, money, friends, travel etc."  After today, I just got to say how thankful I am for what I do have.

Wow, what a great day.

Today I spent the day as usual helping students and working to bring home the bacon.  After work I had the opportunity to work with a few students who wanted to pull their grade up and redo some exams. Getting young folks to want stay in class is hard enough, but having them want to stay after school and bring up their grade, wow, I must be doing something right.  I was so proud of them, these students come from a lower income community and think as most students so that school is a chore that life just places in front of them. If I could only go back and do it again, no on second thought, I am pretty happy with what I have now, a great job, wonderful family and a loving wife.  What a great day.

Tough Week

Valentines Day is here, What is a man to do? When you have no funds to spend, working more than full time, and trying to keep up with the family needs, how do you find the right gift for the woman that has made your adult life worth living?  I know all the quick answers, write her a love letter, pick her some flowers, take her on a long walk through the park. No, She needs a real gift.  Something that says I love you and thank you for spending your precious time with me and mostly, thanks for this great life.
All month I have been worried to heck about this day, Any Suggestions out there? Wow, this has been a tough week.

What do they need now?

Being a father and husband requires at times more time than I think, I say think, I can give.  I just realized recently that no matter what is thrown at me, I have to provide some level of help in a caring manner.  This help has to be given without resentment and with a positive attitude.  For example, I was asked by my wife to hang some pictures for her, I didn't respond in a loving caring way.  I just said yes, "Where do you want them in a harsh tone.  These request seem to always come up when I have my plans already made.

Yesterday, I was asked to help paint, hang and move pictures, plates and house numbers, wow.  I also had a child to take to a school cheer activity and attend a funeral.  With a change in attitude, and a prayer to start my day, I took on the task.  I worked side by side with my awesome wife, I am not saying that for browning points, I really mean that, I will let you know more about her in the future.  We completed the task and had a good time doing it, I drove my kid to the game and paid my respects to my old friend.  I even had a chance to visit my father on the way home.  Funerals have a way of making me remember the people in our life who get little attention.
Well, I know I am not perfect, life is a consent struggle to be better. Balancing our life, work, family, fun, and any other of the many aspects of life takes the ability to organize yourself, but most of all, Doing for others or Them, makes God happy.  I wonder if God ever says "What do they want now?"

Family

Just got back yesterday from a great trip to North Carolina. First time in a long time that I was away from the family.  The trip was designed to say hello and good by to my Nephew was is being deployed with his squad to the middle east, can't say where for his safety.  I sure pray that he continues to be safe and return unharmed.  The unexpected gift from the trip was sharing time with my Uncle, Brother, Sisters and Nephews. Also, time away from my children and wife made me appriciate them even more them I do.
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Time Management

Ever feel like your running out of time, I know, sounds cheesy, but this week, it was my mantra. My awesome wife had furnature painting on her mind, kids had school meetings and cars had to be fixed.  All this while both parents hold down careers.
How about adding a teenager soccer game and preparing to leave on a four day trip.  I need to say, I am not special, but the people around me are and doing things for them makes me feel special.  A man told me yesterday, if you look at the dash between the dates a person was born and died, you see the dash is all that made up that persons real meaning.  I hope my dash says alot about me.
Thanks be to God.

My Brown Eyed Girl's Birthday

Today is my little girl, let's call her "S" for safety sakes birthday.  She came to my wife and I on a dark and cold stormy night.  I can't imagine life without her and we am so proud of her.  She works and plays hard, like her mother and me, but better.  God really blessed us by letting her come down to our family.

Thier growing Up.

Yesterday, my daughter had her braces remove.  I can only imagine how she felt entering school and speaking to her friends after the appointment. It must have been shear joy and pride.  Doc. Cruz in Bonita, Ca. did a wonderful job with her teeth.  The payment plan was reasonable and allowed her to get the beautiful teeth she has today.Hint to parents, get your child's teeth fixed if they need it.  Cosmetic tune-ups such as braces will help the way they go through life with more confidence and pride.
Knowing what our kids go through in their daily lives makes me so scared that one day they wont need me or my wife any more.  I guess their growing up.

Family matters

Wow, I just started this Blog and hope I get something out of it. This weekend I took the family to the mountains for a little ski trip. Even though I knew my wife saved for this trip, it was still a luxury we could not really afford. Doing somethings for your family at times means giving up somethings that you want for yourself. I feel like my entire life is doing this. How about you?