Welcome Home Daddy

Fun Fact: I have super powers!

An odd thing happened to me this past Saturday. Friday night, I had a strange dream. Our pre-owned manager was going on vacation next week, and we were all getting ready for him to be gone. Anyway, Friday night, I could not sleep well. I tossed and turned all night long. I dreamt that as our manager was getting ready to leave, I noticed he was packing everything he had into a bag. I mentioned that I'd see him the following week, to which he replied that I indeed would not. He was quitting. The next morning, I told our General Manager about my dream.

We had a heck of a day! We sold several cars. It was not a typical Saturday, by any means. Things were pumping. We were working like a well oiled machine. And then the end of the day came.

As said manager was getting ready to leave, I told him I'd see him the following week. To which he replied, "No, you won't! I 'm quitting!" He had turned in his resignation just moments earlier. My heart just dropped. It happened exactly like I had dreamt it. If I hadn't said anything, it would have probably felt like deja vu. But the fact that I have 3 witnesses, kinda weirds me out. If selling cars doesn't work out, you will probably be able to find me doing card trick in Vegas...

This is gonna be fun....

Last night, I put R3 to bed. I gave him his bottle for the night, turned Thomas the Tank Engine on and went to tidy a few things up before I read him his Bible story. I finished up pretty soon, and decided it was time to turn the TV off. R3 and I had an interesting conversation:

Me: "Say goodnight, Thomas." As I reach for the TV

R3: "No."

Me: "Ronnie, it's time to go to bed. Say goodnight, Thomas."

R3: "No."

Me: "RONNIE." I raised my voice a bit.

R3: "It's Edward."

Me: "Oh....... Say goodnight, Edward."

R3: "Ok. Goodnight Edward." He then rolls over and snuggles into his bed.

I turn the TV off.

It turns out that as I was asking R3 to say goodnight to Thomas, Edward was the train on the TV at that moment. For someone that isn't 3 years old yet, that's pretty sharp. I'm gonna have to be pretty careful in his teen years...

Rant: Dis-connect

It's amazing how when people get use to a certain life style, they sometimes forget what it was like before. Sara and I have made certain choices that limit our income dramatically. Firstly, I will say that we are blessed beyond measure. We have been able to maintain a wonderfully full lifestyle. But, we made the conscience decision to allow Sara to stay home to take care of R3. Sara is a wonderful mother, and we did not want R3 (and possibly another) to go to a school were we essentially let "someone else" raise our child. We made a promise to the Lord that we would raise him to love him and his laws. R3 has a great gig going. He watches Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, Cars, and etc. He has play time. We have a whole mess of Thomas the Tank Engine tracks, cars, stations, etc. In other words, he has everything a little boy would want. I make an effort to put him to bed every night, and read him a Bible story. We run a strict house hold, but also one of love, forgiveness, and fun. In other words, we have put our efforts into building a good life for R3, instead of trying to amass earthly wealth. He is comfortable. He is not ignored. Most importantly, he is loved. I'm not saying this can't be done if my wife had a job, but it would not be as consistent. Financially, we shouldn't have all that we do. God, like I said earlier, has blessed us beyond measure. Our ship runs like a well oiled machine. We just don't have the money to blow on "luxury items." Items like computers, cars, boats, and trips. Sometimes, I feel like people just don't understand our situation. I will, by no means, say we are poor. We just don't have much extra cash. What we spend, we spend on things that can be seen as an investment of sorts. People that know me, know that I always have a project I'm working on. For instance, we just finished our home theater. I love getting up in the attic and doing the manual labor. Running wires, measuring, cutting, and so forth. In fact, the way I did our last house was quite unique. So unique in fact, it help sell the house for more than it should have. In other words, we spend money in a way that it will eventually come back somehow. Some day, I hope to take our family on big vacations. I promised Sara to take her to Greece or Europe someday. I also promised my Asian family I would be back to visit them as well. With any luck, R3 could go, and I can show him the wonders of Japan. We just don't have the ability to do that stuff right now, however. And you know what? I don't care. I'm investing in R3's future. When R3 grows up, he will be well adjusted, he'll look back on a family that loved him no matter what, and he will have a history of no regrets. I may shelter him some, but I want him to experience everything the world has to offer. Getting back on topic. There are many things that Sara and I don't have the "luxury" of doing/owning/enjoying. And it bugs me when people expect me to have that ability. Sometimes it seems that people are sometimes even put-off or completely lost by our "inability" to do these things. I have made my choice of lifestyle, and instead of having that fleeting excitement of doing/owninig/enjoying something, I have the comfort of knowing that R3 will have the best childhood I could give.

This is our inspiration: Titus 2: 11-14

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

This verse has hung over his bed since we dedicated him to God.

Easter 2007

Happy Easter everyone. Easter service was very good. It was, of course, about the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This Easter was also special because R3 really did have a clue as to what was going on. He opened his Easter basket at home, and after a lunch at my parents, he opened another. After which, we had an Easter egg hunt. We were also able to share Easter with my sister's husband and in laws, his aunt and uncle, and our good friend Hide. Everyone had a great time. Of course everybody left stuffed and went home to find a cozy spot to nod off and take a nap.

Happy Easter!

Some Easter pics at flickr.

Fickleness

I won't go into great detail, but it's funny how you can be a part of something, even be completely absorbed by it, and at the same time feel as if you are on the outside looking in. I kinda felt like I found where I belong, but that reality has slipped away yet again. At least if feels like it. Maybe I'm just tired and cranky. Maybe I'm just right.

Random Fact: The Heder Effect

A theory I have developed, but not yet proven is the Heder effect. I heard this morning that "Blades of Glory" was one of the biggest weekend openings in a while. So, my theory is, that the worse Jon heder's hair is, the better the movie does...