Sitting Salem...

I had the pleasure of babysitting my Granddaughter Salem last weekend while her mommy went to a meeting. We had a good time and I was so amazed at how smart she is! (Of course I'm a little biased) but for a 15 month old, she made it pretty clear what she wanted from me... COOKIES! They were in a container on the kitchen counter and she KNEW IT! This little video shows off her sign language abilities her Momma and Daddy have taught her. She starts with the signs for "more" then moves to "eat" then points to the cookies on the counter.

Frustrated after I wasn't getting what she was so eloquently trying to tell me, she threw signing out the window and reverted to the universal language of DESPERATE BEGGING. Lastly,,, I think she went to the frig to draw it out for Poppa with picture magnets. Check it out....

A Day in the City

I live in Boring Oregon. The name pretty much says it all. Although it's one of the most beautiful, peaceful and serene places on the planet...sometimes it's ...well... Boring. When Lisa and I feel the need for the fast paced color of "City Life" One of our FAVORITE places to go is the Hawthorne District in Portland.



You always know your in Hawthorne when The Bagdad Theater jumps out to greet you with street players and flashy signs.



We took our new border collie pup "Lucy" and the old dog "Kobi" along with us. Lucy was TERRIFIED of Portland and prefers the "Boring life". She safely took it all in from underneath a Starbucks bench.



One of the things I love about Hawthorne is the People! They are so "Portland" Everyone different and unique. All with something to say, some with words,,,



Some don't need words...



I love the color and signage of Hawthorne...



This sign could be right out of the 50's



And the FOOD is amazing... always a good place to eat right around the corner.



There is truly something in Hawthorne for everyone... vintage stores, riding bikes, walking dogs, eating amazing food, drinking good coffee, and MY favorite...watching it all happen!



Is there ANY place in ALL of Portland like Hawthorne? I think not.

I'm a little prejudiced,,, BUT...

She IS the CUTEST little girl on the PLANET!!
Here is Salem entertaining her Mommy, Grammy and Poppa with her piano playing.
She just learned to clap and figured out that she can make OTHER people clap too!
You can so tell that she's SO loving the ability to make other people respond to her.

Appreciate the little things, really they're Big!

There are few things in life that are more precious than a sleeping baby. It's a picture of the innocence and total dependence they have on everyone around them. You love them so much because you know they need you for literally everything in their little lives.

They need a guardian, someone who will love them and is totally committed to their absolute protection and safety, ever watching for anything that could bring them potential harm. They need parents.

You gladly take on the job of protector, provider and teacher of these little ones. It comes from the deepest place in your heart, filled with complete unconditional love that knows no boundaries and has no end. Love that would literally give anything to preserve this cherished life, even the sacrifice of your own life to save theirs if needed. This without thought, without hesitation, you would just do it, because of this Love. There is nothing like it on this earth, the Love a parent has for their child.

This is the Love that God has for us, His own children. Isn't it great that He allows us as parents to experience that same love He has for us? I think it's pretty amazing.

The Parenting wire

I think some things are hard wired inside us,, things we just can't avoid. This must be the case because I can't think of any other explanation to describe our strange behavior. One of these hard wires is "The NEED to PARENT." In other words, loving and caring for youngsters to help them grow and reach maturity. This MUST be why little girls and boys need kittens and puppies and young married couples have to get a pet!

Then some become parents of actual human children. We are filled with Love, Excitement, Exhaustion, Fear, all in one amazingly fulfilling package.

Then our children grow up and don't need our parenting like they did. You would think the reasonable thing for sane adults to do at this point is just bask in the enjoyment of REST and RELAXATION!

But this is NOT what we do. Instead, we start the cycle ALL OVER AGAIN and get A PUPPY! Life once again becomes Potty Training, saying No, NO, NO!!! Get DOWN!! NO, NO! NO! Come HERE!!! NO NO NOOO!! Get that OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!!! DROP THAT!! NO! NO! NO! We stay home of course and cannot go on long trips because we have to arrange a SITTER? So WHAT HAPPENED to us? Are we CRAZY!???

YES crazy about our new little LUCY, our 7 month old Border Collie!

My real job

I'm so thankful for my job. I love it! Even after 23 years, it's still fun. Every day is something new and the people I work with are great. Some days are better than others...like today!

I had to drive up to Timberline Lodge to take care of some equipment we have there and once I got to Government Camp it was a winter wonderland! It's so fun going from 43 degrees and raining to 23 degrees and snowing like a mad man! All within a matter of 30 minutes. Did I say that I love Oregon? I really do. I think we have some of the most beautiful country in the world.

As I was driving up and admiring the beauty of how the snow collects on the tree branches. I was thinking, "They don't look cold," they actually look warm under their thick white furry coats.

Then the clouds cleared for a bit and revealed the mountain. I had to stop my truck and just stare at it for a minute. There was nothing to say, nothing I could add, it was a perfect work of art. If I were the greatest painter in the world I couldn't create anything that would come close to being that beautiful!



It made me think about Art and Artists. We have some really good ones in our family. I realized this world wouldn't have art or the creative abilities of our artists if it wasn't for the Master Artist. We are Fashioned, Crafted, Created and Artistically made in His image. Did you know you're a piece of art? I've had people call me a piece of work....hmmm... maybe that's what they meant!?

Anyway, it made me smile as I drove away watching the living painting of Mt. Hood getting smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror.

The Truck will have to wait a while

Ok, someone asked me the other day how our 57 truck was coming along and I had to answer that it hasn't been touched for a year. BUT, there is a GOOD reason for this. I have a SON! Sam, my daughters new husband. AND they have blessed my wife and I with a Granddaughter! Little miss Salem

This last year has been the greatest year for new additions to our family! We have enjoyed them all SO much that my truck has had to wait patiently in the garage. I will get back to it, but it's not the priority in my life. Actually it never really was. But I'm the kind of guy who likes to finish things so I will get back to it.

For now, my wife and I are enjoying the time we have with our family, all of them! I truly believe that the greatest gift God has ever given man is relationships. Never put off for tomorrow, someone you can love today!

Here are some pictures of the priorities in my life right now....