Longhorn in Paradise

As I was driving home last night (LA traffic allows you lots of time to think...if you don't spend too much time cursing and honking) I was considering all the "huge" events that have touched me over the past week. And then I started considering how much time we all spend thinking about what we have to do...how busy we are...what projects need to get done and how this type of thinking takes us away from appreciating all the truly grand things that take place in or around our lives. Let me give you a few examples:

1. At lunch yesterday, Liska asked to use the potty. Sounds pretty minor, but it is actually HUGE. We have been pretty laid back about potty training her and she has been hit and miss about it...going to the potty sometimes and refusing others. Mostly she would go if we asked her to go, but this was the first time she just up and said "I need to go to the potty!". So, Kat grabbed her hand and they ran to the restroom at CPK...a few minutes later, they came back and the smile on Liska's face and the skip in her step told the story...this was not a false alarm. Our little girl had listened to her body and vocalized her need and then was able to deliver. What a great milestone in her young life.

2. Denise got the go-ahead to work from home three days/week. Our good friends the Browns had been stressing over how to have Denise spend more time with Annalee. At one point, she thought she might have to quit...but, one chance discussion led to the wheels being put in motion for her to get this flexible schedule that would allow her to work from home and not give up her salary, benefits, etc. What a great coup! The best of all worlds and, again, this is an event in their lives that will make life more enjoyable and will have a profound effect on their daughter and will give her that much greater opportunity to be President or an astronaut (kids still want to be those things, right?) So, I am certain that my Mom and Sis can give Denise some great advice about working from home, but since I did if for a couple years, let me just say this...get up early, shower right away, put on the same type clothes you would normally wear to work....I always was more productive when I didn't just roll out of bed and work in my pajamas until noon. That's just me though. :-)

3. My good friend at work, Joe, lost his 'son'. Joe Chance is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. A chinese guy, born in Jamaica and currently living in Toronto (beat that!). He and his wife never had the opportunity to have kids, but had two full-grown Rottweilers that they treated like kids. Well, over the weekend, Joe lost one of his kids. Completely unexpected. Right before the holidays. I couldn't help but think back to my first "kid", Kelsey. A beautiful Golden Retriever I adopted in 1990 while a sophomore at UT. Great dog...sweet as can be. She lived with me through college and then in my first place in Houston...all small apts/condos. So, in September 1995, I found a house with a big back yard, made an offer and was going to move in the first week of October. During that time, I took a trip to South Bend with my bro-in-law to see UT play Notre Dame. It was my birthday weekend. Great trip, got home on the 25th (for those of you who don't know, that is my actual birthday) and, as usual, as soon as I opened the door, Kelsey barked once and then started her victory lap around the dining room table...she had done this a million times before...everynight I got home from work she sprinted around the table and then attacked me with kisses...this time, though, she suddenly dropped halfway through her lap and went still. I rushed to her and immediatly knew she was gone, but picked up her lifeless body and ran to the car and sped to the emergency animal center hoping against hope. I got there and the vet pronounced her dead on arrival...it was absolutely crushing. Even now, I think back to how badly I felt. She certainly didn't live a full life...and she never got to run free in her own backyard, though she was only a week away from getting that feeling. Joe has had his dogs twice as long as I did and has certainly shared twice as many memories...his holiday season has been marred and he has a void that will not be easily filled. A tragic life event, but certainly an event worth appreciating.

So, just three things that I appreciate being a part of this week. I will strive to spend more time thinking about these things than the 20 things on my to-do list at work or the 20 ways I can think of to stop Hagen from crying when I get home. :-) Let me know about what you are appreciating this week. :-)

I promise to get some pics up this week sometime....hard to do from work and almost impossible to find time at home.

Much love to all!

jak