Things that I ABSOLUTELY love!!

Ok, clearly from my Mom's comment on my last blog entry, I'm not getting anything for Christmas from now on!! HA Sorry Mom and Dad... How could I have left you off? That's what I get for trying to create a list of things I love because there's always something you leave off. However leaving off my parents - well.... let's just chalk that up to the fact it was late and I'm just plain stupid!! :) Again, sorry Mom and Dad.

Speaking of Mom and Dad (here come's the buttering up part - just don't tell them), have I mentioned what great parents I have?? Probably not recently and not often enough. So to pay honor to my parents (and to try and get out of the dog house with my Mom!!), here are the things that I absolutely love just about my parents:

1. My parents (whew, good!! - now I've got them on a list somewhere!! wink wink)
2. The fact that they will be celebrating 41 years of blissful marriage (wink, wink - hee hee) at the end of this month. If you want to send them a congratulatory email, send it to jkmv@door.net
3. Knowing that parents love me without question no matter what I do!
4. For teaching me about God and directing me to a life in Christ
5. For having your own faiths that have developed alot over the years and I love seeing that.
6. Hearing my Dad pray.
7. Watching my Mom entertain grandkids in a way that makes her a strong candidate for Grandmother ... oh... I mean NANA of the year (don't think she was ever keen on being called Grandmother)!!! I say that so as not to offend other Nana's out there vying for that award!! There are lots of you out there.
8. Seeing my Mom learn how to email and get good at it.
9. Watching my Dad still type on a typewriter - he's old school and you just gotta love that!!
10. Teaching my kids things and saying to myself - "hey, my parents taught me that too"- fun legacy to carry-on
11. Watching my parents who are not big travelers take on a "surprise" trip to London to meet up with my brother in Africa as their first international travel experience. What courage you had.
12. Watching my parents travel to Benin West Africa last year - man, this international travel stuff is a breeze for them!!!
13. Hearing stories of my Mom taking my 3 nieces out to the movies - what a fun relationship they have.
14. Remembering the time my Dad took my family out to the farm and showed Tyler and Colby how to feed a donkey some dum-dum suckers!! What a fun memory - we need to do that again soon.
15. Knowing that in a week, I'm sending me two oldest boys to spend the week with Nana and Papa and not having a fret in the world about it. They are probably more nervous than I am. I can't wait to hear about the memories they make with the two of you.
16. Knowing that Dad will probably only see this list because Mom PRINTS it out for him - remember, my Dad's old school!!! HA
17. Knowing that my Dad taught me so much about work, tools, leadership, and how to be involved with your kids.
18. Remembering that I had one of the best coaches in the world for most of my growing up years (Pioneers, WOW, Little Dribblers, All-Star Games) - thanks Dad for always being there and being a leader in the process. How did you do all that?
19. Remembering special trips to Lubbock with Mom. I know my way around that town because we went there a lot !!
20. Mom's snickerdoodles - I don't care who makes them - they will never be as good as Mom's version.
21. Seeing how my Mom has taken extra time to send special gifts to her daughter-in-laws (or is it daughters-in-law). I know that Toni, Kelly and Kendra love you and I love you even more for the special relationship you have with them.
22. My Dad's cookouts!! It seems like every time we heard "just 5 more minutes" and that turned into 20 but it was always worth it. Hamburgers, steak, BBQ chicken....hmmm... oh I'm getting hungry. And to think it's all cooked out on a smoker/grill created from an old 50-gallon drum... again, old school baby!!! HA
23. For all those years you supported me and my brothers at ACU. I know it was a burden but to me it was all worth it. I can't thank you (and the bank!) enough for that gift.
24. For being respected, loved people in Littlefield. It makes me so proud to know that I have parents that others think highly of.
25. And I'll end with... and there's so many other things that if I forget something, it goes here!

I love you Mom and Dad. Happy Anniversary soon!!

God bless you all,

SJ

International Zerbert -- Oh, how I love ...!!!

Ok, this is just one of those pictures that makes you stop and say "Huh?". Yes this is Russion president, Vladimir Putin kissing a boy's stomach ... or maybe he's giving him a "zerbert" like I give my boys. Yeah that's it. Anyway, for a moment I felt I had a deep connection with a world leader ... or a world freak. Hope you get a kick of it too.

Speaking of getting kicks, have I mentioned what a funny family I have? Kendra and I have enjoyed plenty of laughs over the 9 years we've known each other (it was in July 1995 when we had our first date!! ahhhhh) but we've added a lot more with the addition of Tyler, Colby and even Brady. Each boy is so funny in their own way. Maybe it's Tyler with his funny phrases that don't make a lot of sense but are hilarious to all of us. Maybe it's Colby saying something funny that you know he put alot of thought into. Or maybe it's Brady offering a good baby giggle that makes us all laugh. Anyway, I'm just glad I have a family that laughs.

Speaking of laughing (loving the segues!), I had a good laugh recently over someone listing a bunch of things they love because they were so much like mine. There's not alot of reason to this list, just some things I love. Feel free to comment on mine or add your own:

• God (ok, that was cheap but I had to put it, right!)
• Jesus (ok, this is too easy)
• Kendra (ok, I need to eat so that's why she's listed - just kiddin' dear!)
• Dallas Cowboys Football (now we are getting real)
• Texas A&M Football
• Anything but baseball season and highlights on TV
• "Unwrapped" on the Food Network
• BBQ cookoff shows on the Food Network
• Sonic Route 44 Diet Coke with Vanilla
• Saying "Route" at Sonic as "root 44" only to always hear them say "rout 44" - which is it?
• (by the way, did we get our kicks on rout 66 or root 66 - I rest my case Mr. Sonic CEO)
• Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich
• Wendy's frostys
• comfy t-shirts
• a long hot shower at the end of the day and ending it with a splash of cold just to help "the shower to take" - otherwise it's the shower sweats all night long and what's the point then!
• a nice swim in the pool at the end of day, especially since I don't have to put sunscreen on (whip!!)
• having worked at the same place for almost 14 years (who'd a thunk it - not me!!)
• my funny kids
• Jo Jo's circus (why did they move the DoodleBops in her place? Who do I complain to!!??)
• Having a car that spends more time on the road than in the shop (sorry T-Bird, don't miss ya!)
• my wedding ring - I've always loved it and noticed it again the other day
• watching a hot dog eating contest and laughing
• listening to Troy Aikman, George Clooney or Denzel Washington in an interview (man crush? easy now)
• All my nieces
• All my sister-in-laws (couldn't forget them - love you guys!)
• My in-laws (they sometimes read this and I want a Christmas present)
• Ok, all my brothers and brother-in-law too!! Creepy to mention that!! Yiggggeee!!!!
• Talking to my twin brother in Africa for an hour and feeling like he's next door! How does this phone stuff really work.
• Trying to play the finance game of making sure there's enough money in the account until the next payday !! Yeah - you know what I mean. What a rush!! HA
• Watching the Doug Flute hail mary when he was at Boston College again and again and again.
• Watching the Roger to Drew hail mary (including the push off by Drew) over and over again.
• Taking 2 days off to watch the beginning of the March Madness College BB tourney with some buddies.
• Picking NCAA BB brackets with my two biggest friends: George and Kendra!!
• Royal Family Kids Camp (remember - you are supposed to be praying! I leave in 2 weeks)
• Abilene Christian University - where I met most of my friends in life!!
• And the list goes on and on ... what's your list?

God bless you all,
SJ