Papa John
When Leroy and I were dating, I used the term “Papa John” when referring to his father. (The Papa part was to differentiate between Leroy’s father and his brother John.) I didn’t think much of it until Sierra began to talk and started calling him “Papa” as well. The term has stuck. I know it is not the traditional name for Grandfather, but it certainly is a term of endearment. Our children are the only ones who refer to him as Papa. For me… it’s a logical name. He has been much more than a traditional father in law to me. In all ways he has been a father as well.
I have tremendous respect for this man. He has accomplished so much in his lifetime. His work ethic and strength of character is incomparable. He has firm convictions and you always know where you stand with him, whether you agree with him or not. He is intelligent and insightful and yet humble. But the thing that sets him apart is the tremendous love he has for his family. There isn’t anything this man would not do for the benefit of his family and in my opinion, that’s the mark of a real man.
Our relationship did not start off on the best of terms, but he has always been kind and respectful towards me… and from the moment of our marriage and my official position in the family he has treated me as a daughter. While I didn’t come into the family the way he had hoped, he made the best of the situation and welcomed me immediately and without hesitation. My own father suffered from a stroke in 1986 and in many ways was never the same again. My father in law knew that I missed that relationship and he stepped in to fill the role. I don’t know if this was a conscious decision on his part, I tend to think it’s just in his character. He knew I needed a dad and he was there because I was family now, and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for us. NOW… I have to admit… I think I’m his favorite. At least I tell everyone I am. He makes me think I am.
Today is his 69th birthday and with this blog I will offer him the only gift I know he desires. I offer the love and respect of the family he is the head of and ask God’s continued blessing upon him and those he loves and cherishes… and fortunate for me… I’m know I’m on that list.
Focus
There is a country music song with the line… “I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m as good once, as I ever was.” This theme rings so true to me lately. I don’t know if it’s turning 40, the change in the dairy industry, the economy in general or the fact that I’ll soon be facing an empty nest, but my brain does not function like it used to. For someone like me who is pretty particular when it comes to time management and organization, the fact that I can’t (or maybe it’s won’t) be as efficient as I used to be is disheartening. It causes a lot more stress to be disorganized… I know this… I know it well, and yet I can’t seem to focus long enough to accomplish the tasks that need taking care of and then the pile gets bigger and bigger.
I ran into this problem when my mother passed away in 2004. The list of things to do seemed overwhelming while dealing with the grief of the loss. Most of the things were simple, like turning off her cell phone. A dear friend suggested that I just try and take care of 1 thing each day. Simple… and yet at the end of the month, you’ve accomplished 30 things. I’ve tried to implement this concept again recently and it is indeed paying off. With my change in schedule due to my new job, I’m forced to become more efficient with my time and to keep up with obligations, so this has helped. When I do have those moments of clarity and focus, I try to get as much done as possible before my brain “checks out” again.
Appointment
I had my very first appointment show up at work today. This is not the first appointment I’ve scheduled… just the first one to show up. I’ve been a bit frustrated. I don’t know if it’s my lack of training or just the nature of the business… but most of the appointments I set are no shows. It’s very exciting to actually see one come to fruition. I’ve been communicating with this customer since the 2nd of November and today, I was actually able to put a face with the name and email address. The best news of all is that he turned out to be a very nice guy… but I already knew that.
Bose
Having my own office is VERY cool. Slowly, but surely, I’m adding personal touches to make it more comfortable and today I added a biggie… Mom’s Bose radio.
When my mom passed away, we went through the traditional ritual of dividing up her stuff and it went very smoothly. The only thing we really argued about was her popcorn bowl. (I won, but agreed to serve popcorn in it whenever we were together at my house.) One thing that I did want was her Bose Acoustic Wave Radio. Now, I’m not a big radio listener. In the car I have my Sirius and when I’m home, I prefer the silence… but I knew how much this radio meant to Mom and I wanted it. It was a Christmas gift to her several years ago. We all chipped in and bought it for her. She had always wanted one, but considered it way to extravagant to spend the money on it herself. She saw it as a real treat and since it had been in my possession, I have to confess, it’s only been on a handful of times.
I took it to my office this morning. Since I’m in the corner and alone most of the time, I thought it would be a nice addition and so far I’m really glad I did. It seems to make the day pass a bit faster. I feel good about using it and think it adds the personal touch of Mom’s memory to my work environment. Now I just have to make sure I don’t sing along… out loud.
Ries Family Photo Shoot
I went to Stanislaus State today for a photo shoot of my niece and her family. This is something we had planned for long time and even though the college was not our first choice, it worked out well and I think the kids had a good time. I enjoy doing this for family and friends. I’m providing them with a priceless gift, even if they don’t like the pictures right away… eventually, they will love them. Especially, if there are kids involved.
The truth is I love these opportunities. Even though I stress out A LOT about doing portrait photography, I really don’t mind shooting children in this kind of setting. Basically, the kids just play around and I take pictures. They are always so interested in the surroundings that they just have a good time and I don’t really worry too much about posing.
Acceptance Letter
I wrote a couple of days ago about Steel’s college applications. Well… today there is good news. Yesterday, he got an acceptance letter (via email) from Fresno State. Steel never said a word, he simply forwarded the email to me. This is big news. I remember that Fresno was the first to respond to Sierra’s applications when she sent them out 3 years ago.
Fresno is not necessarily Steel’s first choice, but there is the comfort of knowing that he has at least one option brings an incredible sense of peace. Things are different now, than they were when Sierra was applying. Not only are the schools more impacted, several of the universities in our area are limiting the number of new students due to staff and class reduction from the budget cuts. Not only are there fewer spots for new students, there are more students applying for those fewer openings.
I think Steel will be successful where ever he decides to go. Fresno is a great school. Who knows? This time next year we might be wearing red, white and blue and cheering for the Bulldogs!
Senior Night
I’ve been dreading this day for years. I knew it would come much faster than I could prepare… but that didn’t make it any easier. Tonight was the Senior Send Off for the Senior Football players and cheerleaders. It is usually scheduled for our last regular season home game and tonight’s the night. I needed a distraction, so I volunteered to organize it by collecting all of the names, getting the list to the announcer, organizing the escorts and following up on the flower order. I (mistakenly) thought that if I was distracted during the preparation, I wouldn’t be so emotional when the time came. I thought wrong. To add to the stress, Coach Canepa invited the mothers into the locker room for the pre-game ritual. I had done this before (by invitation from Coach Glines) but never with my own kid on the team. A very different experience coming at it from that perspective.
I was fine… really I was… until it was our turn. As I took my son’s arm and the magnitude of the moment hit us all, we began to cry… And not just a simple weep, I went into UGLY CRY! I hate ugly cry. (Actually, all cry is ugly for me… I always admired those women who could just let tears pour from their eyes without pulling some distorted face or making a groaning noise.) There we were… hanging on to each other, walking across the field on the 40 yard line in front of God and everybody (literally) and not really wanting to reach the other side.
None of us really want this to end. We know it will as it must… but we really don’t want to let go. Football has become such a big part of our lives and even though it will still go on, for us it will be a very different experience. Steel has played on the field at Central Catholic High School for 10 straight years. He has NEVER missed a game… and I can count on one hand the missed practices. A decade of football. 100+ games with each one of them gaining in significance and emotion as the time passes. It will leave a huge hole.
You think this is bad, wait until the last game. (Hopefully, December 18th!)
Soundtrack
I love books and I love music… so putting the two together is a perfect combination for me. You already know I’m a big “Twilight” fan. The second movie (New Moon) comes out on November 20th, but the soundtrack was released a few weeks ago. Today, I ran into Wal-Mart and picked it up, popped it into the CD player and listened to it all the way home. I can’t wait to see the movie to see how they use each particular song and match it up with the scenes. It’s almost like taking a peek into someone else’s imagination.
There is one particular song that instantly became my favorite. It’s called “White Demon Love Song” by The Killers. It reminds me of the Beatles music from the Sgt. Pepper’s album. It’s stuck in my head already. I hope I’m not disappointed in it’s appearance and placement in the movie.
Veteran’s Day
Veteran’s Day has always been important in my family. It was especially important to my mother as it is also her father’s birthday. (11/11) I was raised with a deep respect for all things military and considering all of the people in my life who have served in the Armed Forces it’s no wonder we remember the holiday with reverence. My father was a Korean War Veteran, My Uncle Harold served during WWII and more recently, my brother Jon retired in 2004 after 30 years in the Marine Corps the end of which was spent in Iraq and Kuwait. Currently, I have a nephew in the Marine Corps who has completed his first tour in Iraq and will probably be headed to Afghanistan next.
I am humbled and honored to claim these men as relatives and hold dear to my heart all men and women who risk their lives to protect the freedoms I enjoy. I will never be able to express my appreciation, but I will continue to try and at the very least, I pray constantly for them and their families. Everyday should be Veteran’s Day… because each day spent is owed to the sacrifices that have been made in the past and are continued through service to our country. May God hold them and their loved ones close.
Ford Mustang
I had a very nice surprise at work today. My brother in law, John brought his Australian cousin Joe and Joe’s friend Kevin into the dealership for a visit. These guys were here for a big car show in Las Vegas and just decided to fly up and visit John for a couple of days. They are big car enthusiasts and the sole reason they are in the US is for cars. They told us about going to the Shelby factory in Vegas and asked if we had any on the lot. Since I’m new (and didn’t even know what a Shelby was) I asked our Fleet Manager, Jerry if we had anything fun to show them. He said no, but then got into a conversation about cars. It was a lot of fun to witness and I ended up learning a lot about cars. Joe was impressed with Jerry’s knowledge and Jerry loved talking cars with someone who knew the industry. I have to be honest to say that I was lost most of the time, but it was still a lot of fun.
Jerry ended up sending them to see a friends car in Oakdale and another in Patterson. These guys (Jerry, Joe and Kevin) are real fans of the Ford Mustang and it was a treat to learn from people who really knew what they were talking about.
