More Random Thoughts!

Sometimes I get random weird thoughts, and I have to tell you!
1. Why did soft drink companies get rid of glass bottles? I mean beer companies didn't, so what gives?
2. Why are all customer service numbers automated anymore? Wouldn't it seem that companies could see how much we HATE that, and put people there to answer phones, just so they would get good reviews? Plus, it would probably create jobs. I'm just saying.
3. For some reason, my 5 year old daughter can't figure out how to sneeze! Whenever she sneezes, she gets snot all over her face. I know that's a disgusting image, but it's worse in person. Most people don't do that right?
4. I prognosticate a lot for some reason.
5. Why did it take so long for someone(Reese's) to think that peanut butter and chocolate would be pretty good together? It's fantastic if you ask me.
6. Why haven't we gone back to the moon? I'm not one of those big conspiracy theorists, but really why only once?
7. Why do young people today think it's cool to show everyone else their underwear sticking out of their pants? I mean some of these guys might just as well not have jeans on. Don't get me wrong, it's kind of hot when a nice looking woman has her thong sticking out of her jeans, not that I notice or anything. I love you Stacy!
8. Why is medical insurance such a hard issue for us to solve?
9. I've had a major illness(Ulcerative Colitis) that caused me to have to have my colon removed, and now it's causing this latest chronic illness for me, but there are some people out there who have it so much worse than me. Cancer is a horrible disease and I hope and pray it never touches my family(or yours) again.
10. I HATE when my favorite teams lose. Unfortunately, as a Detroit Lions fan, that happens quite often.
11. Spell check is an awesome feature!
12. I worry every second of every single day that something horrible is going to happen to my kids. It's why I kiss and hug on them so much.
13. I should pay more attention to political elections.
14. How is it that when my family and I need the money the most, the state "randomly" selects our refund to re-check?
15. Why in the Blue Hell would anyone EVER start smoking? With all that we know about it, doesn't it seem like you would have to be a complete nimrod to start? Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of smart people who smoke, but to me that's just a horrible choice.
16. Again, I'm REALLY afraid of aliens. And with all of the shows and movies about Earth being invaded by aliens, I almost feel like someone is trying to tell us something. If it ever happens, don't look for me anywhere. I'll be hiding in my basement in the fetal position sucking my thumb. I know that's not really defending my family at all, but really what am I going to do against a life form that found a way to travel light years here and came with a purpose???
17. I've had a lot of favorite TV shows come to an end with major finale episodes, and none of them have really satisfied me. The more I thought about it, Lost really kind of let me down.
18. Why is it so easy to get out of shape, but so damn hard to get back into shape?
19. I think Tom Hanks is the greatest actor of my generation. Maybe of all time! And his son looks and sounds just like him.
20. I was just thinking the other day that I can't wait until all the snow melts. Now, we have a storm coming that's going to dump 10-15" on us. UGGH!
21. I wonder if anyone thinks I'm "witty" with these random thoughts?
22. I think Papa K is really funny!
23. I think Keith Wilcox is pretty damn smart, and one of the best writers in blog world!
24. I'm afraid my son will never meet a girl. I know he's only 2, but he has "Huge Dork" written all over him. I love him so much though.
25. Does anyone like my random thoughts, because if not, I should just stop doing this right? Thanks for reading and have a great day!

A Different World!

Not the "Cosby Show" spinoff!!!
So while I was on my way home from my doctors appointment on Friday(which was a colossal waste of time, but that's a story for another time) I was listening to the sports radio show "The Herd" hosted by Colin Cowherd. I often listen to sports radio when it's just me in the car. Being a sports freak it's like my drug of choice. What struck me during this show was a story about Gilbert Arenas a basketball player for the Orlando Magic. He used to play for the Washington Wizards, and his separation from his wife/girlfriend(I'm not sure, and it doesn't say in the article) of nine years was documented in an article in the Chicago Sun Times based on some documents obtained by the Washington Post that I put a link to here. Let me just say, I was floored by the money this guy spent. It's almost like he was using play money or something. If you read the article you will see what I mean.
My fantasy!
There are often times when things are slow in my life, or I'm just laying in bed unable to sleep that I'll fantasize about what I'd do if I ever hit the lottery. And lets be honest, winning the lottery is just about the only way I'll ever know what it's like to have crazy money. But, I often think about what it would be like to walk into a store and just buy anything I want. Or, to walk onto a BMW lot and drive off with a brand new vehicle that was paid for right then. Or, to write a check to my favorite charities for an obscene amount of money. Or my favorite, walk into a grocery store and find a family that you can tell is counting every penny that they spend and tell them to get whatever they want, it's on me. I think most people who don't have money at some point or another have a similar fantasy as me. I think we would all like to know what it's like to have that kind of purchasing power. That kind of power to do so much good(and maybe have a little fun along the way!) I've mentioned that it's one of my dreams to take my kids to Disney World, and if I had that kind of money, man would we ever do it up right. 
So, to see Mr. Arenas spending $5,000 a month to have his sharks fed is just kind of depressing for me. It depresses me because I don't spend that much in probably a year to feed my family! It depresses me because I'd like to know for just one day what it would be like to have that kind of money. It depresses me because I just know that five years after Mr. Arenas is done playing basketball, it will all be gone. There are too many stories of athletes going broke after they are done with their playing career because they no longer have the income to support the lifestyle they had developed. There was even an episode of "Real Sports" on HBO about this very topic. It's sad really.
So while Mr. Arenas buys his kids toys that cost more than the van I drive, and while I go to the grocery store and have to debate over weather I want to spend the extra .30 cents to buy the name brand item or go with the generic, and while I wonder if my van will run out of gas before the next payday comes along, I'll feel sorry for Mr. Arenas. Why would I ever feel sorry for someone with millions in the bank and a salary of $1.5million a MONTH??? Because of this: 

 

 
 Money can't buy happiness that is a family as beautiful as this one! So, I will continue to clip coupons and worry about money every day of the week. And, I will continue to fantasize about what it would be like to have crazy amounts of money and what I'd do with it. And, I will continue to look at my family and realize that there is no price on happiness. So, Mr. Arenas, eat your heart out!

My new JOB!

Daddy Day Care!
You read that right, I have a new "job." A woman that my wife works with has asked me to watch her little girl while she works, and I said yes. So, now I have a third kid at home with me, which is fun, and I make a little money for it as well. The thing is, this little girl, who just turned one, is so easy to take care of. She is a tiny little thing, but she eats like a grown up! I really have no problems taking care of her other than when I have to go someplace. We have put an extra car seat in our van so that when I take Sydney to school and pick her up, the little girl can ride safely. The problem is that the seat is in the back seat of the van and I have to put her in first. While I'm doing this, my son likes to, I'll just call it "mess around." I implore him to just stand right beside the van, but he always seems to have other plans. Like throwing snow inside the van at me. Or, opening the front door and messing with all the buttons that he can get his hands on. Or, just running out into the parking lot. Lucky the times that I'm doing this there is no one around, or else he would be running out into moving vehicular traffic. I swear if I didn't think it was inhumane, I'd put a leash on that boy!!! So again, taking care of this little girl is actually a piece of cake. Even as my condition(yet to be diagnosed, but I see a new doctor tomorrow) worsens and seems to wear me out quicker, I seem to be able to handle this. Funny thing is, I never seen this coming.
The dreams of youth.
Ever since I was old enough to know better I have always wanted just a few things in life. I knew I wanted to find a woman to love and to love me back. Check. I always wanted two or three kids to raise and be proud of no matter what. Check. I always wanted to complete my college degree and teach high school and coach sports. Not check! I honestly thought for sure that I would be doing those things with my professional life. I still want to for certain, I just have to take care of a few financial situations in order to get back into school and finish my degree. At that point I could find a teaching/coaching job and do what I've always wanted to. However, in the meantime I love doing what I'm doing.  I love staying home and taking care of kids. I never though I'd say that. I thought like most guys, that this would be my wife's job and that I'd be the one out earning a living. I am having a blast now though. Sure, I bitch and moan about how difficult this is sometimes, but I wouldn't change a thing about our lives. Sure, we don't have two dimes to rub together at times, but again, I wouldn't change a thing. Now that I'm taking care of this little girl, it will help with the money stuff a little. But, that's not the point. I've got a couple of years yet until Denny goes off to school before I need to get my own career back on track, and I intend to enjoy every minute of it. And if another little one happens to come along, well it might not be the smartest or most responsible thing Stacy and I could do, but oh what fun!!!
It just goes to show that as Forest himself said, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." It's what makes life so much fun. What dreams of yours have been put on hold so that you can know the joy of parenthood?  
In the meantime, enjoy your kids. They are only going to be this age once!   

Duke Basketball!

I have this idea, it might be crazy!
Okay, first I have to say that it's been about a week since I posted anything and I apologize to anyone that has the pins and needles that they are sitting on waiting for me to write something new and spectacular. There has been this horrible sickness being passed back and forth between all the members of our household. It has been the worst. My wife got it worse than anyone and even missed four days of work. I mean this sickness was out to get us. Sore throats, coughing, upset belly, vomiting, pooping, you name it, we had it. What made it worse is that when my wife and I had it, the kids were fine. Only they didn't act "fine." NO, they took the opportunity to act like maniacs while Daddy and Mommy were sick. It made my wife and I feel SO much better, let me tell you. But, we have made it through finally, and the ALL CLEAR has been issued. For now anyway.
So, as I was saying, I have this idea that might be a little crazy. I'm going to let you, my reader, decide if I'm a little too ambitious. First let me give you a little insight as to where this idea has sprung from.
I LOVE Duke Basketball!!!
If I listed the things in life that I love in order, you wouldn't have to go very far down that list to get to Duke Basketball. There is something about the way that the Blue Devils play that has always appealed to me. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has run an absolutely amazing basketball program in his 31 years at Duke. The class and excellence that Duke plays with is something that I wish to emulate in all aspects of my life. I do NOT miss a game. When Duke plays, all else stops in our house. The kids have come to realize that Duke basketball is a HUGE part of Daddy's(and therefore their own)life. They know that when Duke is on, it's best not to bother Daddy unless it's something really important. Like fire, or death. I know it's pretty senseless to put so much emphasis on 18-22 year old guys trying to put a leather ball into an iron hoop, but it's something I love. Everyone has their interests in life, and while one of mine may not be that "deep" and "meaningful," it is mine. For a couple of hours 35-40 times a year, I feel like I'm part of that class and excellence. It means something to me and I am very passionate about it. I hope that my kids find something that they are passionate about. Maybe they will find something a little more constructive to be passionate about!
Finally the idea I've been going on about!
So, I've known for a few years now that Duke basketball offers this fantasy camp. It is only for people 35 years and over. So until two years ago, I wasn't eligible. Now, because of the slow painful passing of time, I am. The camp seems to me like just about the coolest way to spend five days out of my life . You get to play games against other campers and generally made to feel like a Duke basketball player. Only a dream come true for me. It's called The K Academy. I REALLY want to do this someday. I would do damn near anything for the opportunity to go to this camp. The only thing is, it costs $10,000.00!  That's a "little" out of my range. I could probably swing it if it were closer to $100. Maybe, but probably still not! Needless to say, my attendance at this amazing camp is little more than a pipe dream. Unless...
Here's the idea. What if I get 20 different business in my local community to donate $500 each to fund my attendance at this camp? The money is tax deductible since a portion of the entry fee goes to charity at Duke University. So, do you think any business would go for my idea? I could do a blog about the entire experience, mentioning all of my sponsors. I've even thought about contacting the local newspaper and maybe they would do a story about it. Again, what do you think? Am I crazy?
All that I would need to do.
So, besides being $10k short of the entrance fee, I'm also woefully out of shape. I haven't played basketball in over two years, and I seem to have some chronic condition that causes me pain all over my body. So, I could do this camp in June right??? Here are what I think I would have to do in order to make it to compete in June.
See my new Doctor this Friday as planned and have them give me the magic shot that makes me feel better and pain free for the next six months(as well as actually diagnosing what I have even though I'm pretty sure it's Rheumatoid Arthritis.)
Round up $10,000 from local business' willing to donate to someone who is probably borderline crazy for even asking in the first place.
Lose between 40-50 pounds to get down to a more optimum playing weight.
Get back to playing basketball so that I wouldn't completely embarrass myself on the court. I know it may be hard to believe, but when I was in my twenties, I could actually play the game at a fairly high level. If I was left open behind the 3-point line, I was pretty much MONEY!
The thing that makes me think that I may be crazy for thinking this may be possible is just that. I think that this may be possible! 
What does this have to do with being a SAHD?
Nothing really but it's my blog so get off my back! No, I'm not that big of a jerk. I do think that I'd love to be able to accomplish this so that my kids see that if you have a dream(no matter how big and crazy they may be)and work hard, you can do anything you really want to.
Please, someone tell me I'm not crazy for thinking I can do this!!! Please, anyone???         

Random Thoughts on a Saturday Morning!

Things I sometimes think about.

1. Why is it that after my kids get sick, I get the same thing only worse?
2. Why don't kids ever want to sleep? Do they know something that adults don't know?
3. If I were a Jedi and had mastery over the Force, I would totally be on the Dark Side. I wouldn't do anything that would alert the world governments or anything like that. But, I'd have a lot of people empty their bank accounts for me. And, I would have seen a lot more naked women when I was single!
4. Now that I'm older, when do I get all of this wisdom I keep hearing about?
5. I'm REALLY afraid of aliens. Think about it, if aliens ever show up on Earth, you know they want something. Why else would they be here? I have to believe that if they can find a way to get all the way here, they must have the technology to annihilate us as well. Scary stuff!
6. Why would anyone actually hate Duke Basketball? I mean the program is run the way a college basketball program should be.
7. Why can kids watch the same movie a million times without getting tired of it?
8. I think we are getting it stuck to us at the gas pump by the government and big oil companies. The price of gas went up 2 cents from yesterday. Why??? It's the same gas that was in the tank yesterday, why does it cost more today? Did they turn it into better gas? 
9. I think I would make a great U.S. President.  Actually, I think I'd turn into a Dictator, and everyone would love me! I'd get rid of all the useless people!
10. I really think they should give you an instruction manual right after your kid is born. It would make things a lot easier.
11. I think time travel is possible. We will just have to wait until the future to see. Or maybe someone from the future will visit us and let us know that it's going to be really cool soon.
12. I think the people who are scared because the Mayan calender ends next year, are off their rockers. That includes my sister!
13. I think parenting doesn't get hard until you have your second child.
14. I think it's crap that my kids will be "Good as gold" when they are with my parents, but monsters when they are with me.
15. I hate that because I am a SAHD and now have some sort of chronic condition that prevents me from doing stuff, I feel lazy.
16. Sore throats suck!!!
17. I hate snow.
18. Can anyone please tell me why all of the Reality TV shows are so popular?
19. I think that DVR is the best invention. EVER!
20. I think that I really love seeing a beautiful woman, but it's been a while since I seen one. I've been blinded by my wife's beauty. She is the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth, and no other woman compares.
21. I still can't believe that Stacy married me, and made two amazing babies with me.
22. I really believe that I'm destined to hit the lottery someday. That is if karma hasn't been used up on me already. I feel like I already hit the lottery of life. Have you seen pictures of my family? Nuff said!
23. I really hate that I can't play sports anymore. For the longest time in my life, playing sports defined me, and it's hard that it's been taken from me.
24. Does anyone know the reason that God put stink in poop? My son's sometimes smells like he ate a opossum!
25.  I really hate that I put my family through a really scary night ten years ago this April.
26. I really wish that I could get more people to read my blog.

That's enough.
Well, that's just about enough random thoughts for one day. I hope you enjoyed reading this and don't think I'm too much of a dufus afterwards. Thank you and have a great weekend.

Owning a Dog!

The most spoiled dog in the world!!!
The picture above is pretty much the epitome of what I deal with EVERY day from "our" dog. Basically I get the impression from Rocket(yes we named our dog after the University of Toledo's mascot) that we exist to serve him. As you can see from the look on his face, he was quite annoyed that someone dared to disturb his nap(only probably his fourth or fifth of the day mind you.) The really bad thing is, the picture was taken during the summer months, so over the last five or six months, he has gotten even more spoiled.
How did we even get a dog?
I REALLY had no inclination to get a dog when my wife sent me a picture of this dog, with the caption that he was "so laid back." Yeah right! He has part Chihuahua in him. How often do you find one of those laid back? Rocket isn't so laid back either. But, after my kids got involved in the badgering of Daddy, I had no choice but to give in, and now we have a family pet. We got him last March, so we were starting to get into the spring months. He didn't really have to deal with the snow and cold very much. Now we are going into his first real winter, and it's gotten bad. Being that he's a short haired dog, I can understand him being cold a lot. But, the biggest part of his spoildness is what he does at night.
HE SLEEPS WITH HIS HEAD ON MY PILLOW AND UNDER THE COVERS!!!
That's right, he lays in bed between my wife and I like he's one of our children. If he's not on my pillow, he's down by my knees, again under the covers. I have NEVER known a dog to sleep under the covers, but Rocket does. Every night. And during every one of his many naps. He finds a blanket and gets under it. My wife wants to get him a sweater, but I refuse. I do not want to be that guy who has a dog that wears clothes. We have a hard enough time keeping our actual kids in clothes that fit that we don't have the time or resources to worry about keeping our dog in clothes. I'm sorry, we just don't! I know he's probably cold, but it leads me to my next point.
What purpose does he serve???
Rocket basically sleeps about 18-19 hours out of every day. He plays the other 5 or 6, but what he does best is act like a badass. That's right, he ACTS like a badass. Every single little noise he hears in another part of the house, or outside, he barks and runs to both the front and back doors like he's going to tear someone or something up. Of course when push comes to shove, and someone actually comes in the house, he pisses himself because he's so nervous. He basically hides behind me. So, he's really not much of a watch dog. If we happen to slip up and leave our door open a little, or if one of us drops the leash on accident, he runs away. I have to go chase him down, and I'm not talking a couple of yards, but once it was almost a mile. I have mentioned quite often that I'm not physically able to do much that is considered active. It hurts. A lot. So he's kind of a pain in the ass that way. It costs money to buy him food. And, he needs both dry and soft food. He needs special treats for when he goes out to use the bathroom. Those things are not cheap.  He basically drives me crazy!!! So why do we have a dog anyway?
Because he makes these three happy.

      If something ever happened to Rocket, it would devastate my family. And you want to know something else? It would break my heart as well. That little stinker has come in to our family and made himself as much a part of our family as any one of us. I have never been the type that thought pets were part of a family, but Rocket is like my third kid. It's really kinda funny when you think about it.
Do any of you have pets that have become family members? I'd love to hear about it!
Thanks and have a great night.

The Happiest Place on Earth!

The Dream!
At the risk of sounding like a historical figure: I have a dream! I desperately want to take my kids to Disney World. I mean I want to take them there so bad that I'd give up damn near anything to be able to take them. I just know that it would be the most amazing thing for my two crazy kids. The only thing is, I'm afraid that if we took them there, their heads would actually explode from excitement! Stacy and I would be considered the absolute greatest parents to ever walk the earth, and that's a feeling I'd like to know.
They are already spoiled. Rotten!
Lately it has become painfully obvious that my kids are spoiled beyond belief. It worries me really. It's that bad. Sydney has taken to using the following phrases: "I NEVER get anything I want." "You guys are so mean to me!" And my favorite and the one that drives me the craziest, "NO, I don't have to do what you say!" 
Now Denny on the other hand doesn't have as good a grasp on the language so his demonstrations of spoildness are a little different. When he doesn't get his way, he literally throws himself on the floor and screams and kicks. He has taken to throwing things at the rest of his family, on top of hitting all of us. That's not even mentioning how this afternoon when I made him sit at the table to eat lunch, he got pissed and reached out with his hand and just swiped at my wife's drink in an attempt to knock it over. It slopped all over, but he didn't quite get it. I think that pissed him off further! So yes, my kids are spoiled rotten. I'm trying really hard to eliminate the mentioned behavior, and I think that's part of the problem. I think they are so used to getting their way, that now when I push back a little, they have a really hard time dealing with it. And yes, I want to spoil them further by taking them to Disney World! What am I thinking huh?
A couple of years away.
So yeah, I really want to take my family on a Disney World vacation. Stacy and I have been talking about for a couple of years now, and a big(actually the biggest, hugest factor) is money. A while back I purchased a couple of books about how to go about planning a Disney vacation and learned a lot about how to do it. Walt Disney World will let you pay on your vacation for a year before you go, and that is going to help. However, we are at least a year away from being able to start a year long payment plan. We are hoping to use part of this year's tax refund to get us started. Then use next year's refund to start the payment plan. We have looked into the type of vacation we would like, and the cost of it. I realize that packages are going to change in the next couple of years, but at least we know sort of what we would like to do. The thing is, the cost of the vacation through Disney leaves out a lot of expenses. We live in Michigan, and Disney is in Florida. I think it's cheaper to drive, so gas is a cost. Of course, I'm not driving straight through to Florida with my wife and kids. I did that as an 18 year old high school senior, and this is not the same type of vacation. Although to an 18 year old guy, Daytona Beach is sort of like Disney World! Anyway, we would have to spend the night in a hotel on the way there, and on the way home. So there is another expense. On top of that, all four of us in this family have developed this horrible habit that we all have to do each day. For the life of me, I can't quit. And, neither can my wife and kids. It's called eating. We all do it, everyday. So food is another expense. I suspect that while we are at the park there will be a few items(and by a few I mean a gazillion)that my kids will HAVE to have. If I'm taking them to Disney World, how can I tell them no to five different types of stuffed toys? So, yet another expense. At least the vacation packages offered have food built into them so we won't have to pay for food at the park. So where I'm going with this is, we will have to save above and beyond just our lodging and park passes in order to make this happen.
Those commercials.
Disney doesn't play fair when it comes to this either. They have these commercials where the parents surprise the kids in different ways of letting them know that they are either at Disney, or are going to Disney. I really want to see that reaction from my kids that the kids in the commercials have. I want to see the pure joy and excitement on my kids faces. I want Stacy and I to be those parents who get to watch their kids go crazy because they know they are going to Disney World. Yes, I know that a vacation isn't what should define happiness for us, but dammit I really want to take them to Disney World. That is one of the many dreams I have as a parent.
Ideas?

Thank you and I hope you have had a great weekend.       

Sick Kids!

My son has been so sick!
For the last three days or so, my son has been sicker than he has ever been in his short life. The picture above was from the first night of his three day sickness. He was up late at night because he was coughing so much. I just HATE when my kids are sick. I'm not a doctor, and I don't even play one on TV, so I feel helpless when they are sick. I just want to take the sickness from them and take it for myself.  I'm sure most parents feel the exact same way, it's the parenting instinct. I just feel so helpless.
The worst part.
Denny isn't talking 100% yet so what makes this really hard is that he's not able to tell me exactly what it is that's bothering him. He's getting better, every day he seems to make improvements and add new words to his vocabulary, but you still kind of have to speak Denny language to get what he is saying. So because of that I feel really helpless. It started with a really bad cough that kept him up Monday night. He sounded like a seal. Well, I had him in the ER about this time last year with Croup, so I thought it was probably something similar if not Croup again. On Tuesday I took him into a Quick Care facility because the cough wasn't getting any better. The gave him a liquid steroid and sent us home. He seemed to be better on Wednesday, but started to take a turn after dinner that night. About an hour after we put the kids to bed we heard Denny upstairs coughing, but it sounded funny so my wife went up to check on him. She called out to me to come help because he had puked all over his bed! Awesome! While cleaning him up Stacy felt his head and thought he felt really warm. So, I put him in a luke warm bath to clean him up and hopefully cool off any fever he may have. It didn't work. His temp was 103, so at about 10:30pm I loaded him up in the van and took him to the ER. Being sick and throwing up is one thing, but a fever scares the piss out of me. So, I took him to someplace where I thought we could get this thing under control.
I was a bit let down.
While Denny and I were in the ER, the service was great and they took great care of my little boy. I just felt a little disappointed in the course of treatment. They took his vitals, looked in his throat, and that's about it. They gave him some Tylenol to help with his fever and let us sit in a room. At about 2am the nurse came in to take his temp. The poor kid wouldn't go to sleep until just before then. He wanted to, but he wouldn't take his eyes off of me. I think he was afraid that if he fell asleep, I wouldn't be there when he woke up. Well, he must not have realized that his Daddy wasn't going anywhere besides right next to him! Well, he had finally fallen asleep about 1:45 and fifteen minutes later this nurse come in to see how he's doing. Because of the way he was laying the nurse couldn't get his temp using his under arm. So, you can see where this is going right? He lubed up a thermometer and shoved it up his butt. I was going to say no because I KNOW I wouldn't want to be woke up like that, but I realized it was in his best interest to have his temp checked. The temp had lowered to 100, so we were being sent home. Now, I don't know if there was something else dramatic going on in the ER that night, but about an hour and a half later the doctor came in to give me a script for Denny and tell me to keep an eye on him. He diagnosed him with a fancy word that means "sore throat" and sent us on our way. I didn't realize a sore throat could make you puke all over the place! Anyway, it was about 4am when he and I finally laid down for the night on our pull out couch. So needless to say, Thursday was a long day. He didn't feel well all day, and puked again that evening. I was a little let down that it took that long for them to diagnose a sore throat and discharge us. 
Denny has slept A LOT over the last couple of days, and I'm happy to report that he is feeling much better now. He has kept food down, and has gotten back to his usual chaotic ways. He is still coughing this horrible sounding cough every know and then, but I'm hoping the antibiotic will help with that. I just wish I could take this sickness, and every other one either of my kids ever get, and have it for myself. I'm not selfish, I just don't want my kids to be sick. I've had poor health a lot in my life and I don't want my kids to have to deal with that. 
I know I'm not alone in this thinking, but is there a time when you felt completely helpless when it came to your kids health? I'd love to hear how you dealt with it because I'm having a really hard time with this. Denny has wanted to be in my arms most of the last few days, and that's really cool(it's kind of upset my wife for obvious reasons, sorry Babe) but, I'd rather he be like that when he's healthy.
I hope your kids get through this flu season unscathed. Have a great weekend! 

The Dog Days of Winter.

They are here!
Well, the Holiday season has come and gone like it does EVERY year. I have made mention here in my blog that I hate winter weather, and basically have no use for it. However, I can tolerate the crappy weather as it leads us up to Christmas and New Years. I don't mind a white Christmas, and I can even tolerate it at New Years. BUT, once January 2nd hits, I want to see every flake of snow disappear forever. There are a number of reasons that I feel that way, but one of the big ones is that winter never seems to end! It just drags on and on and on and on and on...
When I was a kid, I didn't mind that. There was sledding, and snowball fights, and fort building. Shoot, I'd bundle up and be outside in the snow all day. Snow days at home from school were like gold to me. My buddy from the next house and I would play ALL DAY! Now, things have changed. A LOT. When it's cold out, I hurt. When I have to shovel snow, I hurt. When I do the good Dad thing and take my kids sledding, I hurt. When I have to run my van for fifteen minutes before driving, thereby costing me more gas money, I hurt. So as you can see, winter hurts.
Even when I was young.
I said that when I was young that I loved the snow and winter time, and that's true. At least until I was ready to start playing baseball and golf. At that point winter never seemed to end. I live in Michigan and the weather here is just crazy sometimes. I've had baseball games canceled due to snowstorms the day after it was 65 degrees outside. And not just a little snow, but snow that accumulates. Then you deal with the wet ground for what seems like an eternity. So, I used to get really frustrated. I'd want to be outside doing things, and the weather just doesn't always cooperate. Trying to hit a golf ball out of ground that can only be described as soup, is not fun. So, the Dog Days of Winter are indeed upon us!
I sound like a Bitch!
I know I sound like I'm complaining about something I can not control; the weather. And that's probably true, but it's not my intent. I just look at my kids and see their disappointment that the snow has melted now, and their excitement when I tell them that it is going to snow again soon, and I just remember how I felt. Now things sure have changed. I just wonder if they will feel the same way I do when they get older. I hope not though. I hope they keep that childlike enthusiasm for everything they enjoy in life. I hope that they don't get beaten down by the responsibilities of adulthood. I hope they can look at something that most people see as dreary and ugly and see the possibilities in it. I hope that I can teach them that they don't have to be as negative as their Daddy sometimes is. Sometimes I can be sort of cynical(in case you have yet to notice) and I don't want my kids to have that quality.
Well, I've ranted again, what do you think? Also, I put a picture of our dog when he was a puppy to start this entry to signify the Dog Days that I refer to, but also because he was really cute. Don't tell my wife I said that, she thinks I hate the little butthead.