Where is my heart?

I have been reviewing my life lately since I was notified last week that one of my cross country buddies from High School just past away from a heart attack. He was only 40 and still in the prime of his life. I felt honored that his friends and family wanted to include me in his services because of my connection to him from our montana state championship team...how long ago. While I couldn't attend, my heart was with all of my friends in Montana this past week. How fleeting is life?

Along these same lines, I have decided to participate in my work's Biggest Loser contest that starts on the 1st of Oct. My eye doctor is afraid that my current loss of sight in my left eye is related to a recent onset of diabetes. I now have a new sense of determination... Wish me luck.

Circus - Tigers and Clowns...oh, my!

The kids and I had an absolute blast at the circus last night. We were on the very last row on the upper deck of the Energy Solutions Arena. Talk about vertigo.:) I guess I shouldn't complain since the tickets were only $5 a piece.

I hoped that the kids would enjoy the experience, but I couldn't have forced them to have more fun than they seemed to have had on their own. Hunter couldn't soak it up fast enough.

The funniest thing about the whole night occurred on our drive home. We happened to pass an area where a skunk had obviously been run over and the smell was very strong. I heard Hunter exclaim from the back seat, "Ewww, I can still smell the elephants all the way out here!"

Family Bowling Night

Well, I have officially started on the downward track athletically. The kids and I went bowling tonight for family home evening. All the kids were amazing. I, on the other hand, could have used some oxygen and a cortezone shot or two. Laura got two strikes and a spare...she followed each instruction to a tee. Colton got a strike and a couple of spares. Hunter got a strike. And Ashlynn was simply consistent. Colton and Laura bowled without bumpers and I couldn't have been more proud of them. They all have great form...natural Kehr bowlers.

The problem was that I couldn't close out a frame to save my life...what an embarrasement. But, I was enjoying myself so much watching the kids and giving them advice when they asked for it that I couldn't focus on my own game. (That's my story.) In retrospect, I guess that I didn't really see my lack of game as a problem. Except...they were all gunning for their old man. Ha! I am glad that they were so focused on their own successes that they didn't feel the need to rub it in too bad.

At the end of the game though, I was losing to Ashlynn by one point...should I have done the gracious thing and thrown a couple of gutter balls? I guess I probably could of and maybe I should have, but she needs to win on her own merits...LOL! That's when kids will truly know that they have succeeded.

I am so grateful that they are able to live in the moment. They were all so appreciative that we could go bowling. Of course, I think they are hoping that Grandma and Grandpa are willing to compete against them when they come out again. Now, if they can beat Grandpa, then that would really be something...

Porch Delivery

A couple of early mornings ago, the girls and I were delivering papers together. I received notice that one of my customers turned 80 and could no longer walk to the front of her driveway to pick up her paper. The request for a "porch service" didn't sit well with me, but it did say she was 80.

When I pulled into her driveway, I believed that it turned slightly and went in front of her home. I quickly realized that wasn't the case when my lights shone on the beautifully manacured grass...and I was in the middle of it. I was so upset about leaving tire marks on her lawn that the only notice that there was a chain link fence behind me was when I heard the loud sound of plastic bumper to metal. With the girls screaming in the back, and me surpressing inappropriate language, I stopped the car soon enough that I only flattened the fence so that it was parallel with the ground...(Flat, Ha!) Luckily, I was able to straighten the fence back up and it looked good as new. I then said a little prayer that the customer was really 80 years old and that she wouldn't be strong enough to walk out of her home and that she couldn't see far enough away to notice the tire marks on her lawn. Sadly, I didn't receive any confirmation that my prayer would be answered.

The next day, I was happy to see that the tire marks had been covered by the grass and there was no sign of my passing. Thank you for small miracles. Don't you think such a story could be shared in testimony meeting? Not!!!!

Out of Gas, Again!

Well, I woke up yesterday morning and couldn't get out of bed. Apparently, I am officially too old and too out of shape to push a minivan out of traffic, down a busy street, into a park, and around to the parking stalls. Of course, I only had help pushing it into the parking stall (thanks nice ladies!) I had plenty of people who believed that honking their horns at me unceasingly would help me get that vehicle out of their way so much faster. How frustrating...I was on my way to put gas into the vehicle and it couldn't wait 200 more yards. I thought the "E" meant "Enough". Now I know better. Luckily, the van wasn't full of kids at the time.

Don't touch that!

The other day, I came out of my room and entered the kitchen area where Hunter, Ashlynn, and Laura were eating breakfast. I noticed what appeared to be a smooth and shiny rock. In exasperation, I asked the kids, "Who brought a rock into the house?" As I got closer and upon deeper inspection, I realized it looked more like the upstairs neighbor's dog, Jackson, had left us a small and accidental gift on the floor. I asked, "Who let the dog in?" The kids then crowed around the little nugget and began commenting on it. Statements like, "Ewwww, it's from the dog," and, "No, it's a rock," eminated from the kids. I even went so far as to poke it with my big toe. As we were thus engaged, we heard a low and slightly embarressed voice from the bathroom... "Don't touch that!" came the 12 year old voice from behind the bathroom door.

Yuck, I poked it with my toe!!!!