Up Late

It is amazing how each day can be different, when it comes to raising kids. For no apparent reason, my son was full of energy when we tried to go to bed last night. He had taken a couple of naps during the day but they were only a couple hours each, nothing unusual for him. We followed our typical bedtime routine of getting ready brushing teeth and reading a little outloud, and even tried his lullabye music. But he wanted to play more than usual. So I got up with him for an hour or so more so he could burn off some energy. He showed a little fussiness after awhile so we tried bed again. No luck, he still wanted to play. Back up we got and played for another hour or so. We finally got to bed around 2am. Needless to say, we didn't make it to church the next morning.

Now I'm up late again, this time, the dog.

Mother's Passing

My mother passed away the day after Christmas. Being a new parent, I'm left wondering what it was like for my mother raising a son as a single parent. My wife and I agree it's not easy to raise kids. At times during the first four months we felt like it would be hell if we didn't have each other for support. Maybe that is why in those early years it seemed my mother wasn't the most loving of parents; she didn't have love and support. Both my grandparents, who lived in Ohio, she in Kansas, passed away in the first two years of my life. My father denied his contribution to my existence. She was a divorcee who had lost custody of her previous children. She didn't have much family nearby. I felt loved as a toddler.

She eventually remarried; I was adopted by her new husband, and she had three more kids. We were a poor family, my parents did what they could to provide for us. But things must have been tough for my mom, she didn't seem like a happy person. What always sticks out for me from my memories were rages and venom from my mother. These of course are not my only memories, but the ugly ones involving my mother outweigh the good ones. She didn't seem able to communicate her love for us very well. She never seemed to express sarrow for any pain she caused her kids, in which we may not have been able to reciprocate for her. I'm making sure that doesn't happen with my children.

My mother must have done a good job raising all us kids because I think we all turned out okay. I don't feel any of us holds a great amount of animosity toward our mother. We all seem to have been able to make our peace with her before her passing. Maybe my journey through parenthood will give me some new insite as to who my mother was.

Free iPod Offer

There is a website that is trying a new marketing technique by offering a free iPod to people who get friends to try offers from internet companies. I'm trying this out. I have a friend that has already received his free iPod from the website. All you have to do is go to the link below and sign up.

http://www.freeiPods.com/default.aspx?referer=9924922

Trying to find your footing in a changing world

I am a new breed. I am a stay at home dad. Recently, as in July, I moved far away from all that I had known and grown up with. I followed my wife to her new job. This change was only one in a year that saw many changes. I became a father for the first time. I had to give up two jobs I enjoyed. Add to that all that has changed in our world around us, I feel like I am navigating life in a foreign world. I decided I needed to try some of the things changing in our world, ie weblogs. So as I raise a son in this new and changing world I hope to keep family back home abreast of life in Ohio. Where not in Kansas anymore.