Top 5

So Lins and I just celebrated year two of being married, so I thought I would countdown the top 5 things that happened to us this year that affected our marriage in a positive way.

5) We took a trip to Florida over our spring break. It was a last minute decision that we labeled as our "babymoon". I will say this for Florida. I won't ever stay on the beach we went to again. I have a new theory. I won't stay on a beach anymore unless it's in a rented house that is either on the beach, or a block away. I don't do the condo's very well. I hate the elevators, the screaming half dressed kids, and the yucky sand/water mix that builds up at the doorways.

4) Lins got a job teaching in the same district. Not even the same district, the same building. Not even the same building, but the same grade level and kids. Many a car rides in the morning consisted of lins wanting to talk, me wanting to ride in silence. We grew.

3) We took a trip to the Windy City with the Martins to visit the Tomaszewski's. I wish I could divulge all the conversations that were had, but I simply can't. It was a good trip highlighted by Max's antics, Martin's attempt to sneak into Wrigley Field and quickly getting tossed, the amazing pretzel sandwich I had, the boat tour we took that included a DEEP dish pizza and a case of beer. We came back from that trip appreciating each other even more than we already did.

2) We also took a trip to NYC at Christmas time. This has been a trip we have been talking about since we met. We both wanted to see New York at Christmas time so we said "screw it lets do it". So we did. We booked our flight and hotel, staying right in the heart of it all. We go to sleep ready to leave in the a.m. and of course one of the biggest snow storms of the decade hits the New York area. All flights cancelled. I spend the next 4 hours on hold listening to some fantastic music until carol comes on and helps us get to NYC. We lost a day, but it was so worth it. We took a carriage ride through a snow slammed central park, went to see the Christmas spectacular, (which was spectacular), walked all over the great city, had dinner with newly engaged friends, and had the christmas I always wanted on speed.

1) Then of course there is the Mck, the Kin, the MDizzle. I can't say how much she has changed our life and relationship. What used to be a life about your needs, your partner needs, and the daily goals you set for yourself quickly become what are her needs, goals, etc....... Your needs and goals are put on hold for the next 25 years. And you accept it with open arms. I could write for hours, if you want more about her go here and check her out. McKinley Marie Wise.

In conclusion, I believe I have the best wife, the most understanding wife, and best mother. I hate the fact that I stayed at Findlay and didn't transfer to play football, but it brought me Lindsey. I would go through the hell of Findlay football again if I knew it brought me her in the end. The five things that happened to us this year made us grow as a couple and we are stronger, I love her more than I did the year before, and I didn't think that was possible.

The Ego King

I kept trying to write a blog about Lebron. I couldn't do it. So I made a short video. Listen to the words of the song, they are perfect.

Sense of Humor.

God has a great sense of humor. He doesn't tell knock knock jokes or my all time favorites, the "snoop dogg jokes". What he does do is use ironical humor. Last night as I bounced my daughter on the exercise ball trying to get her to sleep I found his ironical humor to be very clear. You see there are many times that God has to rock or bounce us to get us out of a jam. A baby cries to us when they need us, just like we cry to the Lord when we need him. Sometimes we cry far too much or at the wrong times or for the wrong reasons. God just continues to bounce us. He could easily throw us across the room, ignore us, or drop a 100 lb bag of jello pudding pops on our heads....but he doesn't. He continues to bounce us, rock us, soothe us.

As I'm bouncing my daughter and she won't stop crying, I could throw her, ignore her, and yes even throw some jello pudding pops at her....but I don't. I continue to bounce her, rock her, and soothe her.

God is cracking up at me as I bounce like a car piston. It's almost like babies are God's way of saying "SEE......STUPID". He cracks up as Mckin' cries and cries because it's payback for all those times I laid in bed and cried up to my heavenly father. No matter the frustration I have for McKinley I'm always there. I might take a step away to clear my head to avoid any pudding pop target practice, but I always come back. God may step away from us, but it's not what we think. It's not that he isn't there, it's that he's challenging us, testing us, and allowing us to grow. We let a baby cry so they teach themselves to put themselves to sleep. God let's us cry to grow also and to teach ourselves how to handle adversity. No matter how lost we feel or alone we feel at times, God has a monitor on all of us and is quietly watching, seeing if we can grow on our own. If it ever gets out of control, he will swoop in and scoop us up before too much harm is done.