Jacob's First Lost Tooth

Last Monday, I picked Jacob up from day-care and Elaine says to me "Jacob has a loose tooth!"   I'm all, "Are you shittin' me!?!"  Sure enough Jacob opened his mouth and wiggled that little tooth!  And me, I cried.  Jacob hugged me and we sat in Elaine's kitchen and I cried - my little boy isn't so little anymore.  We went home and called all the Grandmas & Grandpas with our big news.

So...here it is.  The little tooth that caused all of the excitement.

And of course, the not so little boy who lost it.

How many teeth do they lose anyway?

Make-A-Wish Breakfast

Last Saturday, our local Applebee's hosted a pancake breakfast to benfit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Of course, The Otsego Fire Department was on the scene with Firefighter Tim, Firefighter Joel (aka Other Firefighter) and Lt. Baker.  Jacob has those boys wrapped right around his little finger.

Trying on Firefighter Joel's gear.  "It's too hot!" Jacob said and I couldn't help feeling for these guys - it was 80 degrees the morning with at least 90% humidity - and just think they're gonna put on those jackets, helmuts, and pants, for the sole purpose of helping someone in need.  It takes someone pretty special, pretty self-less to put others first like that.

And then he found "The Boss's" hat!  Lt. Baker told us that anytime he stops by Otsego Fire Station and the door is open, he's more than welcome to come in and say 'hello!'.



Fantasy Twirl

Road Trip!

In Daddy's car.

I drive about 30 minutes to work and home everyday.  Depending on the weather, how soon I want to get home, and the flow of traffic, there are numerous routes that I can take.  On one of these routes - in the middle of nowhere - is a little town called Burnips.  It's large enough for a pizza parlor, a gas station, a fire department, a post office, a little bar and well, that's about it...except for Fantasy Twirl.  This ice cream spot on a country road just down from a farm equipment dealer.  We've talked for years about going, and well...we went!

Oddly, while we were in line to order, a random Fire Department pumper drove by.  No lights...no siren...it turns by the Fantasy Twirl and never came back.  The summer hay wagon was there too - with peaches & cream sweet corn $3.50/dozen!  And it was GOOD!

It was busy!  It was hot!  And they had "Blue Ice Cream"

with a little boy making funny faces.

We also had to visit Burnips Farm Equipment.

One more check off on our to-do list!

The Personality Test

A few months ago (Jacob's preschool graduation as a matter of fact), I had a great talk with my sister-in-law, (my brother's wife) I don't see her often but, it seems when we get together, we have so much to share and we talk mile-a-minute to get everything out.  My point here, she was telling me about this book Personality Plus: How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself  by Florence Littauer and well, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book!

Personality Plus talks about four key personality types.The four temperaments were originally proposed by Hippocrates (the father of medical science) 350 years before the birth of Christ, to explain differences in personalities, based on the predominant bodily fluid-hence the rather unappealing names: Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, and Melancholic.  And here is a link to the quiz if you'd like to try for yourself.

I am a Perfect Meloncholy/Powerful Choleric. 

(from CatholicMatch.com) If you are melancholic-choleric, you are somewhat less pragmatic (or utilitarian) than a pure choleric, just as persevering and determined, and with a greater emphasis on the ideal. Likely to be motivated by the most noble and demanding of causes, you are capable of founding a humanitarian society, composing a symphony, founding a school, or discovering a cure. You are organized, perfectionist, introspective, driven, and moody (though less so than a pure melancholic). You will be less active than a choleric-melancholic and less extraverted, more internally focused.

But your weaknesses include a tendency to excessive self-criticism and criticism of others, being dismissive or overly judgmental, exhibiting a tendency to self-absorption, and possessing an untrustful and controlling nature. You tend to be inflexible, can bear grudges for a long time and may be prone to discouragement. A melancholic-choleric who is not attentive to his spiritual life, and does not keep his eye assiduously on the truly important things of life can become a cross to those around him, through his nit-picking, perfectionism, disdain, bitterness, resentfulness, spitefulness when crossed, and even haughtiness.
 
Personality Strengths of the Melancholy (these bulleted traits came from WomenbyGrace.com

• Deep and thoughtful
• Analytical  
• Serious and purposeful  
• Genius prone  
• Talented and creative  
• Artistic or musical  
• Appreciative of beauty  
• Sensitive to others
• Self-sacrificing  
• Conscientious  
• Idealistic  
• As a parent, sets high standards and wants everything done right.  
• As a homemaker, keeps everything in order.  
• As an employee, schedule oriented and hard working.  
• A list maker and keeper.  

Personality Weaknesses of the Melancholy

•  Easily offended
• Can get too caught up in details  
• Doesn’t do well with change.  
• Struggles with insecurity  
• Tends towards depression

Personality Strengths of the Powerful Choleric:

• You are a born leader, dynamic and active and have a compulsive need for change.  
• You often feel that you must correct wrongs.  
• You are strong-willed and decisive, independent and self-sufficient.  
• You are not easily discouraged and can be unemotional when necessary.  
• You are capable of running anything and exude confidence.  
• You are an expert in exerting sound leadership, establishing goals and able to motivate the family in to action. 
• You always know the right answer and organize the household.  
• You are very goal oriented, see the whole picture and organize well.  
• You seek practical solutions to problems and move quickly to action.  
• You delegate work but insist on productivity.  
• You make the goals, stimulate activity and thrive on opposition.  
• You have little need for friends and will work for group activity.  
• You often lead from the front, organize and are usually right.  
• You excel during emergencies.

 Personality Weakness of the Choleric

• You can be bossy and impatient.  
• You are quick tempered, can’t relax and can be too impetuous.  
• You enjoy controversy and arguments and won’t give up when losing.  
• You can come on too strong, are inflexible and uncomplimentary.  
• You dislike tears and emotions and are generally unsympathetic.  
• You tend to over dominate, are too busy for your family and will often give answers too quickly.  
• You are impatient with poor performance and won’t let children relax if you have any. You are likely to send them in to depression.  
• You have little tolerance for mistakes, however, you don’t analyze details yourself, are bored by trivia and can often make rash decisions.  
• You can be rude and tactless and often manipulate people.  
• You are demanding of others and believe that the end justifies the means.  
• Work may become the driving force in your life and you demand loyalty in the ranks.  
• You tend to use people and dominate others.  
• You make decisions on other people’s behalf and you know everything.  
• You can do everything better, are too independent and are overly possessive of friends and mate. 
• You can’t say your sorry and, although you may often be right, you can become unpopular.

Whew!  Aren't those some wonderful traits to be revealing of myself (and sharing with you)!  Thankfully, that is my secondary! 

Since reading this book has brought those ugly traits (and yes, I have seen every one of them at some point in my life) into the light and I am now more aware of them, as you know I've been working hard for some time to make adjustments in myself.  You've read the list, some of those things are quite ugly and some I've corrected a long time ago, some just recently and some will need a lot of work.  I don't want to be those things of course, and the only person who is capable of changing them is me.  I better get to writing that list!!

Hopkins - July 4th 2011

A friend of ours invited us out to Hopkins for their 4th of July parade.  She knows how Jacob adores firetrucks, firefighters, and parades and seeing as her boyfriend is a Hopkins firefighter and he was driving a truck in the parade, she thought Jacob would like to come along.  And mom and dad got to ride too!

We rode in Engine 10 (photo credit to Jeremy).

Enjoying the ride.  (And momma got her first ride in a fire engine too!)

The line behind us.

Kyle - our driver.  Thanks Kyle!

Our friend, Kim and her son Aiden  - Thanks Kim!

Jacob had to go back to Kyle's truck and try on his helmet.

Hopkins Fire was giving rides in their old firetruck.  Our friend Gary (who is also an Allegan firefighter) was driving (not in this picture) and we all tried to get Jacob to go but, he was too shy.

Thank you, Kim, Kyle, and Aiden for inviting us to join you in your parade!  We had a lot of fun!

July 3 Jubilee 2011!

Here in Allegan, we don't celebrate July 4 - we celebrate July 3! The downtown development folks put on a parade, have a few food vendors and various live bands play.  We haven't yet managed to stay late enough for the fireworks but, we haven't missed a parade in 3 years.

This year was extra super special.  This year, this year, my Jacob got to watch the whole parade from inside "the new pumper"!  

Chief Bruce led the show and paused to tell me that the guys were in #16.

They weren't on my side on the way by but, I ran up the block to catch him on the other side.

And there's my boy (well, boys - Daddy rode too)!

We'll be back tomorrow - we're gonna do it again!



"It is what it is"

I guess I'm a little superstitious. I believe in fate.  I believe in destiny.   I believe things happen in threes.  I believe in God, that he has a path set out for you.  I believe there are signs for you to follow if you're willing to see them.

I was up home this past weekend for my 20 year (I'll leave the mathematics up to you) class reunion.  Yes, I had a GREAT time.  Yes, I totally enjoyed myself.  Jeremy had a good time too.  I saw some friends that I hadn't seen in 20 years.  I saw a couple of people I graduated with that now live almost in my back yard. I caught up with some old friends and made some new.  Mostly, I took on a new attitude towards my future and my past. 

I was talking to a former classmate, who is best friends with a guy that I had dated, and I always thought he hated me.  We were ordering drinks, talking about this guy and he said something like, I'd forgotten all about that, you know what..."It is what it is", can't change it, can't undo it.  We went on to finish our drinks, and out to breakfast. I had a really great time!

Jeremy and I went for coffee and our favorite little coffee shop in Manistee, Goody's Juice & Java.  They have a White Chocolate Raspberry Mocha that I'd almost die for!  Anyway, this woman was talking to another woman out front over coffee and blueberry muffins, I didn't hear any other part of their conversation but then she says as clear as a bell, "Well, you know Betty, It is what it is!"  I smiled, gave Jeremy an elbow and kept on walking.

Yesterday, I turned on the TV when we finally got back home, I hadn't even turned the channel, simply turned on the thing and this woman says, "...It is what it is..."!  I said "DAMMIT!  THAT'S THREE!!"  Someone is trying to tell me something!

I got the message.  It is what it is.  I can't always plan it.  It doesn't always go the way I want.  It's not better or worse, it is what it is.  I was so happy to see a girl that I didn't really hang around in high school.  Turns out it was great to see her, I was looking forward to seeing her and I was happy to have seen her!  It is what it is.  I talked with a deputy sheriff about a boyfriend in high school and the terrible luck he's had dating/marrying since.  I'm sorry for the guy but again, it is what it is.  I had set up a time to meet some friends for lunch and a few couldn't make it.  It doesn't mean they like me or they don't, it is what it is.  People don't change.  People do change.  It is what it is.   I dated a guy for 6 years, a lot of things went wrong, both his fault and my fault (and I keep running into him at the damn casino!).  It is what it is. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't and you know what?  It is what it is.