Patience

Madeline is dressing in the poodle-skirt 50's style for Halloween.  My Mom made the skirt.  She looks good.

I'm hoping some patience returns to my stable of emotions while I'm in recharge mode at Taneycomo.  I fear I've spent almost every drop I have left. 

Peace-
Matt

Compadres

 

All is well on the home front. 

We finally replaced our desktop computer with a new one.  Still in the Windows world, for now.  I found one with Windows 7 though, which I like.  I've heard lots of complaining about Windows 8. Angie is good with these frustrating machines, and got it set up in no time. Incredible difference in speed vs what we've been using.  Crazy how our opinion of acceptable computer lag time has changed over the years. 

Going to Taneycomo on Thursday morning.  Looking forward to some pizza at La Pizza Cellar in Rockaway Beach.  I've eaten some of my favorite meals ever there over the years.  I'm lucky to have these awesome friends that I do.  I can't imagine doing this manhood stuff on my own. 

 

Peace-
Matt

Lessons

Life is full of lessons.  Really, it's non-stop, like it or not.

Peace-
Matt



Countdown

209 days until our 25th Anniversary
77 days until Christmas
175 days to Grandbaby
22 days until Taneycomo

It was great seeing Uncle Nate this past weekend.  It always is.

Peace,
Matt

Homecoming

We went to the Ballard homecoming football game last night.  Ballard beat Norwalk, and they should have crushed us.  The whole team played great.  The play calling was right on.  It was a fun game to watch.

Abby will be 17 in a week.  Holy cow does time keep flying on by. 

Summer is officially over and autumn has arrived.  Everyone's favorite season.

Peace-
Matt 

Trudge

I feel older now than I ever have.  Sometimes life just doesn't go like you want it to.  Sometimes it's really hard to keep upbeat, to take it in stride, to trust in God.  It will pass.  It will all be ok.  Everything is a blessing.  Gotta keep reminding myself of these truths. 

Peace-
Matt

Eleven

Happy Birthday to my baby.  Madeline will be 11 tomorrow (8/27).  She's a great kid and growing up way too fast.  I should have taken my father-in-law's advice years ago and kept her in a drawer so she wouldn't grow.

Parenting is 10% making actual decisions and 90% second guessing and agonizing over your decisions.  None of us are perfect at it.  It's a continuous, painful struggle.  I'm sure that people without children age much slower than those with children.  I wouldn't change it though.  They're worth every grey hair and every tear.

Peace-
Matt

Watershed

Things happen, it's just how it is.  We don't know why.  We can speculate.  Most of us do.  Maybe there isn't a why, maybe there is. 

Sometimes these "things" that happen are watershed moments.  Points in time that bookmarked.  There are two periods to every watershed moment.  Before it and after it.  That's exactly how we think of it too, before and after.  Before I met Angie.  After Robby died.  After 9-11.  I think you understand.  We all have our own watershed moments.  Some we share with others, some are only for us. 

These moments define us.

Peace-
Matt

Fresh

We've had fall like weather for the past few days.  When we'd usually be stuck inside all weekend due to the normal late July heat and humidity, we've had the windows open and have been wearing long sleeves.  I heard several people mention that it feels like football weather.  I agree!  It won't be long before we're watching college football on Saturday.  Awesome.

Peace-
Matt

Fifty

I have a couple of big Happy Birthday wishes going out.  First, to my Mom, who had a birthday Monday.  I love you Mom! 

Next, to my Dad, who's birthday is on the 30th.  I love you too Dad!

Happy Birthday to my fellow Troutslayers, Mike, John, and Scot.  Scot's got the big one this year. He's 50.  I can never remember who's birthday is on what day, but I do know that they're all in July.  We probably won't see each other until August or September, but we'll not forget to toast the birthdays when we do.

Warm summer nights just feel so good.  Soak them up while you can.

Peace-
Matt