My Family

My Family
Summer 2015

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

"That's not a Happy Meal...That's a Sad Meal"

So the other day, Lucas and I went through the drive thru at McDonald's for ice cream.  He saw they have a Scooby Doo toy right now and he wanted it.  I said "not today" because we were getting ice cream and it was 7:30 at night and he hates hamburgers.  He said he would eat it sometime if we got it, but seriously I don't believe it.  I have yet to see the child eat a whole hamburger in a bun.

Tonight we did the same thing.  As we drove through the drive thru he asked for a McFlurry this time--ok.  Then he quickly added "and french fries".  When we got the food he was disappointed that he didn't get a toy.
I said, "It comes with the Happy Meal remember?"
 "That's a hamburger and french fries."

He said "THAT's not a Happy Meal."
"That's a SAD Meal"
"A Happy Meal is ice cream and french fries"
(he thinks he deserves a toy -- afterall his idea is so much better than theirs--)
"One day I'm gonna go by that restaurant and get a Scooby Doo toy"

I completely cracked up!

He is totally right...I have to agree.  A "Happy Meal" is not exactly "Happy".  Nor is it really "food".

I think McDonald's should listen to him and create a new "Happy Meal"....
A McFlurry and frenchfries.

What do you think?


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Lucas Baseball Video 10/13/12

Just a quick video of Lucas playing T-ball and hitting the ball--running 2 bases--and then bringing it home after his buddy Grant hit the ball.  Sooooo proud of our boy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHy4LisXHDs&feature=player_embedded

***edit***
I was thinking about this video after I posted the video last night and wanted to add to it.
When I watch Tball I think about these things...

What I see:
On one hand I just see our boy...I see his determination.  I see his love for baseball.  I see his skill level and how it is improving so rapidly just as any other parent would see their child on a team.

On the other hand I see where he has come in the past year and a half.  I see a boy who has changed so much and grown so much both physically and emotionally.  He never could have played baseball last Fall.  Not only because he was in casts from his surgery, but, also emotionally.  He wasn't "there" yet.  He would have been all over the field and not listening, confused, perhaps throwing tantrums, etc.  Now he listens to his coach, checks in that he is standing in the right place, waits patiently (well not always) for the next thing to happen, and is a great teammate.  Lately, he has taken it another step and been trying to help the youngest player on our team who has been struggling with hitting, running, and focusing.  Perhaps I should mention this boy happens to be the coaches son.  This boy has been in tears several times.  He is very young (age 4 I think).  Lucas puts his arm around him and tells him, "You can do it, bud."  Sometimes I just shake my head in awe. If only that young boy knew what Lucas meant by those words and what he has overcome.

What other parents see:
Another kid on the field playing baseball.  A pretty good hitter.  Probably the "average" player, maybe slightly above average (oops maybe that was "me" seeing that).  They have no idea that there is anything "different" about him because he wears long pants.  Although when he runs it does look a little funky.  But, overall, he does everything he is suppose to do.  I kind of like that because it evens out the playing field in many ways.

What I don't see that maybe I should:
So, while I'm watching the game and I see certain kids on the field with varying degrees of baseball prowess, I wonder what I am not seeing in these kids that I should open my eyes to see.  Some of them are really great players and I wonder if they are going to be the next high school star.  But, sometimes it looks like kids are out there that really don't desire to be there.  They have no real drive in them to hit the ball or to run.  They seem almost lethargic, or indifferent.  It almost appears as if mom and dad force them to be there.  But, maybe I need to open my eyes and see how each kiddo out there comes with a story.  So, eventhough I'm not suppose to, I find myself cheering for the other team sometimes because they hit the ball or make a great play.  oops!  I do like that we are on a team that has only lost one game and I am very proud of them for it.  But, I just can't help to see each child and wonder:

"What is your story?" "What have you overcome?" or "What do you need to learn from baseball?"

I like the fact that most people do not know there is anything different about Lucas when he is out there on the field and that he can hold his own and succeed!  Thank you Jesus for all you have done in our boy!





Friday, October 12, 2012

Manventure

Yesterday, I waved goodbye to both of my boys as they headed off together on a Man-Venture.  Isaac got his driver's license last week and invited Lucas to go out to lunch and for a little adventure together. I'm not sure why but it just made me smile to see Isaac willnig to take his brother and be responsible for him "out in the world".  Lucas was very excited to go.  
They ended up just going to ChickFila and running an errand or two.  But it was still fun for both of them.  
Isn't that sweet???...now read on...
(Isaac is in the driver's seat, Lucas in the back-although I'm sure Lucas would have preferred to be in the driver's seat)

So, when they got home Lucas was a little edgy because of a few things that happened but overall it was good.
Then Isaac proceeds to tell me that as soon as they got into the car, 
Lucas told Isaac he wanted some "smokes".  
Yes, I said "Smokes" (ie cigarrettes).
WHAT????
Isaac does not smoke
WE do not smoke
(please be laughing with me here)
WHAT was he thinking?
Isaac kept saying "no... I'm not buying you cigarettes"
These are the moments when we just wonder what life was like in China for this boy. 
 There are A LOT of smokers in China.  
It's actually kind of oppressive in restaurants sometimes.  
So, I wonder what kind of exposure he had to it.

Peter and I were laughing about it last night and just shaking our heads.

So, there ya have the 1st Manventure.
Isaac says he wants to do it some more, so stay tuned for more fun!
but we have made a "no buying cigarettes rule"  lol

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Connecting with Lucas


I have a lot on my mind.  Like many people the cares of this world can seem overwhelming at times.  I haven't written much about anything other than baseball and firetrucks lately because life is well...interesting.

First, Lucas is responding very well to the changes we are implementing here since we went to Empowered to Connect.  I can't say enough about how great that was and has been.  Some of the things you may hear more often now around our house....

"Investment Parenting"
"We stick together" (especially out in public, etc)
"Use your words"
"Look at my eyes"
"Let's try a do-over"
"Say it again with respect"
"We do not hurt one another in this family"
"Can you regulate yourself or do you need my help?"
"mommy may I have a compromise?"

You will hear less yelling from the mommy and daddy.  You will see our attempts at "being present" more (hopefully).  There's an attitude of "connecting" instead of "punishing".  
There are still conflicts but Lucas is learning how to "breathe" and "regulate".

Overall, it is very time consuming--thus "investment parenting".  However, we are seeing changes.  And that is good.  



Friday, October 5, 2012

Firestation 5

Off to visit another firestation today.  
Station 5.
Apparently we are creating more competition. Again, we explained that we were visiting all the stations.  These guys really want to be classified as the "coolest" station in Gwinnett County. 
So they pulled out all the stops.

This is a thermal imaging camera for looking at fires behind walls, even searching for people if necessary.  He let Lucas try it out.  Very cool.

 This firetruck is only 2 years old and costs $1.3 Million dollars.  That's a serious piece of equipment.  It is a ladder truck with a bucket and everything.
 Lucas got to put on an air tank...and realized how heavy it really was.
 This is the same ladder that station 3 showed us except here it is folded up...very convenient for tight spaces.
 Here is a stretcher attached to the bucket of the truck so patients can be lifted/carried.

 and then...out came the coolest remote control EVER!  Yes, this remote is for the firetruck.  And YES Lucas is operating it!!!
 These water "cannons" -(that's what I call them) can be controlled by the RC.  Lucas got to move the head of the hose around for a while with the remote.

 and then up into the bucket of the ladder...

 That would be Fireman Scottie.
 You can never have enough emergency cones.
 More RC "fun"...

 We learned that they have huge fans they actually use for fire fighting.  I didn't realize this but it makes sense.  The fans are used in conjunction with hoses in order to control the direction of a fire.  Of course too much fan would just "fan the flames", but there is a fine balance where they are very useful for battling the blaze.

 Then more "coolness"... Lucas inside the truck and able to talk on the headset to Fireman Scottie.

 Notice Scottie chatting on his own headset in the backround. I'm not sure who had more fun...


 The coolness factor just kept increasing...Fireman Scottie and his buddy Josh got permission for Lucas to pull and turn dials and nobs on the big Firetruck to really pump water to a small hose that he could spray...so here he is with Josh...








 and we have water....

 time to spray the hose...






 time to shut down the water...
 and reel up the hose...

 could the day get any cooler?...
oh yes.
When Josh said under his breath..."We're gonna set the record"...
They pulled out the BIG Ladder truck...
Let LUCAS sit in the passenger seat, with the headset on his head, pulling ropes and setting off sirens, horns, lights, and the whole works as Scottie drove him around the parking lot.  No JOKE!  I got to sit in the back seat for our little cruise adventure with another headset and the 3 of us communicated like "real" firemen.  Lucas said "over and out" and Scottie responded back.  I was cracking up in the backseat because I could see the joy in the boy and it just tickled me for him.




 my veiw from the backseat...


 eventually the day has to come to a close...
 Thanks guys of Firestation 5.  You were awesome!!!
Josh, Dean, Lucas, Scottie, Lieutenant Michael.


Monday, October 1, 2012

Firestation 4

We visited Station 4 on Sept 28.
The Captain at this station made our visit very interesting.  He kind of hassled his guys about their knowledge of how much hose is on their trucks/engines...poor guys...=)  a few of them knew the answers but some didn't. He was funny though.  He has been a firefighter for 24 years.  
This was the first Fire Truck (with a ladder) that we have seen.  We learned that when they get a call, the Captain rides in the passenger seat of the Fire TRUCK and the Lieutenant of that particular station rides in the Fire ENGINE (unless for some reason one or the other is not available then it becomes others)



 Med unit 4...Lucas got to sit in the seat in the back briefly to see what the paramedic sees.
 Truck 4


 One of the temporary engines in the county...but Sir Lucas got to spray the hose for a few moments.


 Thanks guys...
Clay, Justin, Dustin, Lucas, Captain Glenn, and Vee


The Captain was very helpful and answered lots of questions and gave Lucas lots of information about being a fireman.  He took a lot of time with us and was very fun.

After I was done taking this picture (below), I said to the Captain..."Lucas always wants to know why the firetrucks never get a Call while we are at the station.  One day he would LOVE to see you get a call while we are here..." and Just like I had scripted it, a moment later--I mean just a moment...BIng Bong Boong..."Engine 4, Med 4..." Got a CALL....We popped open the video camera for that one and video taped them sirens blazing as they headed off to their emergency.  That was SOOO cool for Lucas to see.  Then he asked if I could do that again next time.  uh hum...I don't think so...=)


 A boy and A Fire Captain...
so much information
so little time.



Thanks guys of Station 4.  You were lots of fun and as we left I asked Lucas what he liked about the station and he said, "He was a very kind man.  I loved him too."...=)
oh and for those that are interested....
The Ladder truck holds less water than the Pumper truck (engine)
Ladder=300 gallons
Pumper=500 gallons
The Ladder stretches out to 95 feet and there is 600 feet of supply hose on the ladder truck.
The Engine has 1,000 feet of Supply hose.
Supply hose is just the hose that goes from the hydrant to the truck. (5" diameter)---
Who on this earth ever thought I would be giving you detailed information on hoses from a firetruck?