I'm BAAAAAAACK!!!

Well,
I took a hiatus for a bit to get a hold of my thoughts, work through the downturn of the economy and continue to try and not hurt/lose any of my 5 girls. There is one thing on my mind tonight and it is Girls' softball.

Started my first season of head coaching a softball team. Game time - 7:30 PM! I have no idea why, but from about 5 PM until about 6:45, I was a bundle of nerves. There are 12 precious little women looking to me to make sure they do the right thing so that their moms and dads give that cheer of confidence and approval. I truly think that working with kids is one of my spiritual blessings. Along with my passion for the great game, I ventured into that world of second guessing decisions, kicking myself for not practicing more, wondering why we didn't work on situations, and getting familiar with the catcher's gear.

Well, let's get the bad stuff over with first. We were blown out 11-0. It was actually not as bad as it sounds, given that the Pink Panthers are in their first season and the Dolphins were going on their third year together. I actually thought as the night wore on, our girls started getting more comfortable. That, and I think the other team was tired from batting around so much. I had a couple of blunders. Being a newbie, there were rules that I thought I knew, but didn't seem to matter during the game or I misinterpreted them. That is first game jitters. As I learn this league and the girls get to where I do not have to shout the exact spot where they should throw it, it will get easier.

Now to the good stuff... Well, to start things off - I am jazzed beyond belief. Coaching my kids and 10 other girls has me on this runner's high. Seeing them play their little hearts out and not losing focus gave me life. Seeing them get together as a team keeps me wanting to do more. Seeing SLUGGER hit the snot out of the ball and being so surprised that she just stood there makes me chuckle to myself. Good times. To my team parents - be patient with me. We are learning more and more every practice and 6 of our girls hit the ball well. We will learn to get the ball in and how to run after the ball instead of waiting for it. It will take time. But if we work it now, next year should be awesome.

Team Mom - you rock. Thanks for hanging in there and making it to where I did not have to worry about a thing in the dugout. I love having organized people beside me. I just hope some of it rub off on me as my Team Mom is a powerhouse waiting to erupt. I cannot begin to thank God enough for her as she is what I needed in the dugout. Also thankful for my wife - who sits there and cheers us on and then will gingerly walk over and let me know when my head is in my rear end. It is good to have that accountability partner and to have it as your bride. And then there is Jimmy. This guy may have other missions in life, but his purpose in mine is to show levity and how to take things in and enjoy them.

So, needed to just clear my head of the night's festivities. Good game, lots to enjoy, lots to grow on. I am thinking this season will be fun and I find myself just waiting until Friday night when we go to round 2. It will be fun.


Tomorrow is WatchDOG day. Get the opportunity to be a part of the elementary and enjoy the fellowship of students. Should be fun and hopefully I will be able to do a run down tomorrow night.

Browner out.

They say it's your birthday.....

Well, last week was my birthday. Chronologically, I turned 37, but mentally I turned 13, and physically a good 59. I am sad that I am starting to look like Skipp Sudduth, the actor who played John Sullivan on Third Watch.

Not to rip on Mr. Sudduth, who has entertained me for some time now, but looking like an out of shape, middle aged cop is not how I wanted to spend my 37th birthday.

My girls were so excited this year... more than before. I needed nothing this year and they went crazy at the Target One Spot, giving me all kinds of OFFICE paraphernalia they purchased for a dollar each. I have so many Dwight Shrute things, I am starting to wonder if I should start monitoring my Office watching. We may have a stalker in our midst... My poor wife had to endure the best gift which was staying up with Mackie who decided that she was done sleeping from 1:30 AM until about 3:45 on my birthday. Patty stayed up with her, which for those of you who know my wife, know that it was a brutal task for her. The woman needs every hour of the eight she needs and rarely gets. So, in return, I gave my wife a return present of sleeping in. Our morning ritual of eating cake was only Kendall, Jordan, and I. Poor woman didn't complain a bit that I laid over there snoring the whole time.

I was also given the gift of Salt Grass, where my girls always take me for my birthday. I love the tortilla soup there and apparently that is the only place my girls think I crave to eat. Good times.

Patty also came through, getting me some much needed shoes and clothes. Now I can walk around without parts of my shoe coming off (I wish that was an exaggeration).

I wish you all could be around my girls on a daily basis. They are all such blessings and so fun to be around. The twins are captivating and I really can't see why we haven't been begged to have them filmed or photographed. They are absolutely mesmerizing. Not to mention they have this uncanny act of winding you around their fingers.

Has it really been that long since I last blogged?

Man, does time fly when you are busy... What in the world has been going on? Well, since my last post, I have: gone to the beach, moved our office, sent #2 to Kindergarten, dressed up like a bird at church, agreed to be "BibleMan" at church, worked my tail off, got a month closer to my tenth year anniversary, and managed to go a year without having another kid.

I haven't had the itch to write anything so I haven't carved out the time. For some reason, it is 2:40 AM in the morning and I can't sleep. Life with the princesses has been fun. This summer, Patty has made it a mission to have a "fun day" every week. She took the girls to Six Flags, Splash Zone, Wiggly Play Center, Amazing Jake's, the movies, swimming, etc... The girls just dug it and it gave her a chance to get out and enjoy herself. We have also been going to the Plazas of the Americas and ice-skating on Wednesdays and Fridays. $10 family night and the girls are one step closer to being what they want to be when they grow up - Ice Skating Princess that help people!

Couple of observations on my end...

1 - School supply shopping is a beating. We are big fans of the bundle packs you can buy, but of course, Patty wants pictures of the girls on their first supply shopping experience. Since Jordan started Kindergarten this year, it meant numerous trips to get stuff. After getting 85% of the stuff for Kendall and Jordan, I had to take out another loan on my house.

2 - I am often stopped by random strangers and asked a myriad of silly questions. I would like to share a few with you... "those all yours?", "man, you are outnumbered, huh?", "you gonna try for a boy?", "are they twins?", "Bet you don't even know what your bathroom looks like?", "Why?" (Ok, so I made that one up, but I see that look on their faces). I honestly love the attention (those that know me, can attest). I welcome any and all people to talk to me about my 5 greatest accomplishments any time you want. Well, maybe not when it is complete mass chaos, which is when the majority come over and ask.

3- We are now signed up for two gymanstic classes, one cheerleading team, two soccer teams, and three preschool type programs. I am wondering what it will be like when all 5 of them are into something. I think to myself, this will never work, yet God has always had some sort of schedule planned for us that allows us to go to games and practices. It is a bit amazing when you think about it.

4- The twins are 19 months as of this post. I swear to you that there are not any cuter babies in the world. I can't tell you in words how fun and awesome it is to see them interact with one another. They are constantly hugging, kissing, and loving on one another and I just can't eat it up quick enough. I have hopefully enclosed a pic as evidence of their cuteness.

I will try to keep up with this as much as possible. Thank you to those that read. I like to talk so I am glad someone is on the other end. I have reached a point where I think I could actually fall asleep, so.... good night!

My Father's Day.....

Well, yesterday was Father's Day and I have to say, it was one of those that will forever be engraved in my mind and heart.

Started at 8 AM (yes, I got to sleep until 8 AM!!!)... Jordan has been clamouring about making me breakfast in bed so here it comes... Fruity Pebbles and two muffins.  The Pebbles are always good, but the muffins were shared amongst Jordan and Kendall, leaving me crumbs in my bed to save for later.  Alas, I didn't need them anyway.  2 out of 5 baths completed, only 3 of the seven of us are up (Patty went back to bed as she has not been feeling too hot lately).  I decide that we WILL make the 11AM service.  I have the older two dressed and ready as well as myself.  Well, the other three rugrats decide that they need to wish me a Happy Father's Day.  I try to wake Patty (no use) and then decide that if we can get the other three baths done, we will be in business to make service.  Well, don't know how many of you have tried to bathe two 16 month olds and a three year old in 30 minutes, but there are some other things that can be done before this feat.  Like drinking a whole gallon of milk at once, whistling while eating 20 crackers, and folding paper more than 7 times.   It was no use....  I tried and failed.

So, we cleaned up muffin messes until lunch.  Jordan, who has had this day planned for me for weeks, informs me that she wants homemade nachos or Taco Bueno, because that is what Daddy would want, she thinks.  We settle for homemade nachos and gifts!  I got a really cool "hand"made card with everyone's artistic impression on it, followed by... my coupon for one new iPhone 3g! (they don't come out for another month).  I also got my staple, a shirt with handprints on it. It has become one of my favorite things in life, seeing how much they each have grown.  I have one from two years ago with one spot for the baby #4 before we knew it was babies #4 and #5.  Very nice touch by Mrs. Brown.

Jordan then planned all the fun things "I" would want to do.  This included the following:  swimming at the pool, coloring, bike riding, making cookies (which we didn't get to do), getting an ice cream (we settled for 99 cent shakes at Sonic), calling Grumpy and Grandpa to wish them"Happy Father's Day",going to Chuck E. Cheese to claim our tickets, dinner, reading stories, and watching the girls "perform".  Needless to say, I did a lot of stuff, some things I didn't even know I liked to do.  My wife told me later that night that she thought Jordan was more excited about this day than I was.  Maybe I was in shock- after all, she is the only one of my children to tell me that they don't like me anymore.  I am glad she came around.

I also got some other "unexpected" presents.... Rylee decided to give me the gift of poop as she got it all over the bed during nap, Mackie decided that the best time to go find me at the pool was after she went to the bathroom and with her swimsuit at her ankles, Reagan gave me a tiny nail massage on my sunburned shoulders, and Kendall gave me a great kick in the crotch at the pool, while swimming away from me.  I am glad it is Jordan that is the only one that doesn't like me.

Let me tell you about the president of my fan club...

Last night, my wife and I were laying bed, deliriously tired from night 2 of VBS at church.  It was a little after 1 AM and we were just talking about things in our life, funny things that happened that day, the kids, etc...

It then hit me.  I am one lucky SOB.  I get frustrated with Patty.  I get upset that I am constantly not meeting expectations.  I know if she had the energy and time, she would spend the time that I want with her to myself, but who are we kidding.... 1 AM is the only time we got together.  I love the time we have together - talking, laughing, sharing our thoughts.  I know I don't meet her "perfect" image of a husband, but as she has told me many times before, I have "potential".

I love my wife.  I love that she only "acts" embarrassed when I make an ass of myself in front of people and large groups.  I love that if someone (even a large woman that could break her in half) says something ugly about me or to me, she will go to the mat, ready to fight - even in the middle of IKEA.  I think I don't give my wife credit for all that she does.  I mean the woman spends the majority of her day speaking to 5 little girls.  There are days that she will call and all I hear in the background is crying and screaming.  She left me a message the other day that was littered with screaming.  The message said, "please come home".  I know it is rough for her.  

Anyway, my reason for this post is to let you know how much I truly love my wife and what she is for me and my girls.  We were reading marriage quotes last night and ran across a quote that sums up my relationship with Patty.

As much as I would miss my wife if she were to die, I would miss what we are together even more. Our "we-ness" our "us-ness." - Carl Whitaker, family therapy pioneer

That is the greatness of our relationship, that we are in it together.  We have gone through some really great times and some of the lowest times I think we will ever hit and the one thing that remains constant is that we are together - a "we-ness".  A couple of weeks ago, our lead pastor encouraged us to really love people, not just those that return the favor.  He spoke of Divine Love and loving someone who does not or cannot reciprocate.  As Jeff said, there are times that families must divine love each other, as one is not able or willing to go the distance.  For the past two weeks, my wife and I have practiced this.  We tell each other that we divine love each other, letting the other one know that no matter what this world throws at us, we love each other.  No matter how many times I argue with her (and I don't know why I do, she is 98% right every time), no matter how stressed she is, no matter how late I work, no matter how frustrated I make her - DIVINE LOVE.  I have seen an improvement in my relationship with her. I see that although she gets frustrated with me for leaving piles of clothes on her clean floor, that she will give me a kiss when I need it. She has even been spotted, cleaning dried cereal out of bowls (which drives me ape-ishly insane).  It is magical the effect it has had on how I view her.  

I love my wife.  And, to let you know - this isn't for her to read.  You see, my wife has no interest in reading my blog.  She will go about her crazy life not knowing this is here, so all you haters can know that I am not doing this to get out of the doghouse.  I wanted to blog this to let you know that my wife is the President of my fan club and I couldn't be happier about it.  I am through taking her for granted and wanted to publicly let anyone that reads this to know that she is my number one blessing from God....

I promise the next ones will be about my greatest accomplishments - those 5 angels.

Feel good story...

In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University .
On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very carefully.
He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Peter was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenage son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Peter and his son Cameron were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Peter legs and slammed his stupid ass against the railing, killing him instantly.


Probably wasn't the same elephant.

This kind of immature stuff makes me giggle like a school girl.

My race for the cure...

As I mentioned before, a colleague and good friend of mine, Denise Vadala, is battling breast cancer right now.  As I type this, Denise the super trooper, is working a couple of doors down from me - tired, hurting, and still so full of spirit.  Our company, Sentari Technologies, has decided to run for Denise, who is our inspiration right now.  I am (hopefully) including a link where, if you want, you can donate to the cause.  I know money is tight and there is always a reason to find why we can't give.  It all gets trumped when a worn out Denise comes into my office to ask me how MY day was and how I am doing.  If you can spare a dime, I will take it.

Thanks for the support.

Click here to visit my personal page and pledge your support.

http://race.komennorthtexas.org/site/TR/Race/General?px=1241457&pg=personal&fr_id=1020

If this page does not send you to my page, then you can easily look me up. respond and I will tell you how.

Thanks!