Not All the Comfy

Any faithful readers out there who have felt my discomfort with blind dates and things of that nature?  Did you read yesterdays post about lines?  So the phone rang today, well it did a few times, one of those times I picked it up and noticed a name on the caller ID.  It was the gal from yesterday that invited me to have a seat and share my story.  Ever get that sinking feeling like "if I answer this call something uncomfortable is going to happen"?  Yeah, that feeling.  Well, there I was debating whether to answer it or pass it off to someone else.  I answered the call.   Sure enough it was the gal and basically she asked me out on a date.  This does not happen to me.  This is not in my comfort zone.  This is way outside the lines.  I am private, I am quiet, I am busy with my family.  Don't go putting me on the spot - I choke under pressure especially when it involves stepping outside of my comfort zone with ladies.  I did not answer, told her I would give it some thought and then went on to face the consequences as Dave, Amy, Shelly, Tara and Ma got on me about how I need to just go on the date.  So now I've gotta get back to her and say I'll go.  Do I want to go?  No, I don't.  Should I go?  Yes I should.  And now I owe the swear jar another quarter.  Damn! 

What Lines?

Don't we all have lines?  You know, boundaries that we do not cross.  What do you do when someone crosses that line?  I really don't know myself.  I had such an experience today and I don't really know how to feel about it. 

When it comes to the ladies I maintain a safe distance.  Probably a defense mechanism and something I do just to protect my fragile heart.  I don't know.  Anyhow, I am a private kind of a guy.  I don't like airing out my laundry or sharing too much about myself.  I also don't seek this information from others especially people I barely know.  I'm sure this is a recipe for loneliness through the balance of my life but it is where I am at today.  It is a line that I don't cross and rarely approach. 

So there is this customer, she is somewhat of a regular and she quite likes the place.  She and a friend came in for her birthday a few weeks ago and we sang happy birthday to her.  When I asked her for her name prior to singing the song she said it was really cute girl.  Her friend gave us her actual name but she requested that we use it as well.  We did.  She has been back a couple of times and today she was in again.  Long story short I was out wiping down tables and she called me by name and invited me to come share a booth with her and tell her my story.  Not wanting to be rude I sat down with them but not in the booth,  I grabbed a chair from another table and flipped it around.  Gotta keep my distance. 

Well we had an intersting conversation and I was happy to have it end.  Of course I then ended up getting harrassed by Amy and Dave for the rest of the day.  So much fun.  And that is why there are lines that simply should not be crossed.    

The Nat

Tonight we went to New Beginnings for the Young Women.  We were invited, or I should say Natty was invited because she turns 12 this year.  Made some arrangements and the boys went and hung out with Grandpa while Natty and I went to the program.  We invited Grandma and Amy and they were both able to make it.  It was a good program and we are certainly looking forward to next month when she turns 12.  Natty is excited as am I. 

I have actually been thinking about this move to young women a lot for the last couple of weeks.  I was nervous at first for Natty but that nervousness has turned into excitement as well as humble gratitude.  As I have pondered things I have really developed a great love for the Young Women program.  I have recognized the great YW leadership that we have in the ward.  I don't know what other parents think as their child reaches the age of 12 and begin their journey as a youth in the church.  Personally I feel tremendous gratitude for the program. I have gratitude for the the love that Natty has been shown thus far and I have a tremendous hope for her as she gets involved.  I suddenly began paying attention to who the Young Women leaders are and have been impressed.  Truly I am excited for Natty.

Gratitude for the program.  As a single parent it is so very difficult to meet the needs of my children.  I work hard and try my very best but I know that I am missing things.  I am struggling and I am saddened when I consider the things that I lack and am unable to provide for Natty.  I am not looking at this as a parent replacement because that it is not.  I do however long for Natty to have positive female role models in her life each day that are teaching her and leading her in righteousness.  I am looking forward to Natty developing a relationship with the Young Women who are positive role models for her and being accepted into the program. 

In the program tonight they showed a talk by President Uchtdorf about Happily Ever After.  It was a masterful talk.  I was moved often by it.  I was moved by the other messages.  It was a tough evening for me and I fought back the tears on more then one occasion.  I am so happy for this and excited for Natty to get started. Sure do love this sweet girl. 

Scenic Sick

We had a great morning in Vegas with Jim, Clo and family.  We took a trip over to a park they refer to as Dinosaur Park.  It is a nature discovery park or something like that.  Complete with a pond, ducks, geese, pigeons, turtles and other birds.  There is a great playground with some serious slides and a large sandbox that I assume is filled with dinosaur fossils.  Anyhow, the kids had a great time. 

Jack nearly lost his shoe when he was running by the pond when we first got there.  He suddenly tripped, his shoe flew off his food and right to the the pond.  He also had a couple of knobby headed geese that he played around with some.  That was funny. 

We ran up to the Temple so the kids could take a peak.  Andy was knocked out so Natty and Jack and I took a look.  I snapped a couple of pics and will post them.  It is a great place to be. 

A quick trip to a bathroom was needed for Jack and so we ran down to a store on Lake Mead and Hollywood.  It was here that I made a terrible decision.  I decided that it would be great to go the back route and show the kids Lake Mead.  We would come out at Overton/Logandale and continue on from there.  Well, that road is not a lot of fun and it adds a ton of time to the trip.  Natty was car sick and, not sure how the boys were.  It took for ever.  Any way, the scenic route made us sick and we were quite happy to get back on to the I15.  It had been nearly 14 years since the last time I had been on that road and clearly  I did not remember it very well. 

It was good to get home to Cedar.  We will be heading down again in a month and will spend a couple of days this time.  The kids are excited about that trip already.  Definitely no scenic routes on that trip. 

Records

We are in Vegas tonight.  Came down to go on a date and brought the kids.  They had fun with there cousins tonight.  It is a good set up and I know my kids love it.

We had a record setting day at work.  First was our busiest hour.  It was crazy for lunch.  Total sales was another record day.  This really has been our best week thus far.

I am passing out so am going to go.  More tomorrow and new records that need to be broken.

Running Andy

How do you know if you are one of those over protective parents?  I really don't think that I am and yet every morning I walk Andy to school.  It's not that I am afraid to let him go on his own, we've just walked over together every morning.  I have tried to let him do most of it on his own and simply shadow him.  There are some days that he is interested in that and then there are days that he is not.  Yesterday he was all about doing it by himself and not having me come.  This morning I asked if he was ready to go by himself and apparently he forgot about it.  So off we went.

I get a kick out of him.  He is a funny little guy and like many 5 year olds his backpack is nearly as big as he is.  Today he was wearing his little converse with the flames on them.  Such a stud.  He must have been feeling it because he set off running.  I was behind him keeping up and watched his little body go.  It was great.  Every now and again he would get a little burst of speed.  Sometimes these simple little things have such an impact and lead me to ponder just how much I love little Andy as well as Natty and Jack. 

We were fast approaching the school when suddenly Andy tripped and took a dive.  I helped him up and dusted him off.  He was upset because running made him trip and he wanted to go home.  I asked him if he knew what people do when they get bucked off a horse.  He had no idea.  'Well, they get right back on.  Sometimes in life we may fall down but we need to get back up and start running again.'  Then I asked if he thought he could run again and apparently my pep talk did the trick cause he took off. 

Isn't that true?  We all face challenges in life.  We all have struggles and challenges that can leave us broken and in pain.  There may be times when we think all is lost.  I can assure you that it isn't.  In my darkest hours I was not alone and though there were many times when I thought it would be easier to stay down, great blessing were realized when I got back up and kept moving. 

Perhaps the Lord watches as we press forward in life - as we run with a sudden burst of speed while wearing oversized backpacks.  I'm sure he watches with joy in his heart.  I know that when we fall He is there to encourage us to get up and go again.     

Good People

I am surrounded by good people.  I know many good people and I am grateful for the influence they've had and have on my life.  I would start with family and my parents who love the Lord and have taught their children the gospel.  I am grateful for their examples of selfless service.  It is wonderful to have their friends come into the shop and see the love that exists between them.  It is real.  I was certainly born of good people. 

One of the great things about what we do is that everyday we meet good people.  There are a lot of them.  It is a wonderful thing.  With all that is going on in the world it is rather refreshing to see and feel the goodness in people.  We do our best to provide a warm and friendly atmosphere and I hope people feel that when they come to our place.  Not only that but when I meet someone or in my own associations I hope that I am being the type of person I need to be.  What is my influence on those I meet?  I certainly hope it is good. 

Again I am grateful for good people in my life.  Grateful for their influence upon me and their examples of righteousness.