2nd Week of Obedience Class...

Thursday night was our second obedience class with Taylor... and with both of the boys working, I had to go by myself. I will be so happy when I have an extra set of hands to take some pictures!

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There are all breeds of dogs, and there is just something so humorous about all of them being together in one place at one time being taught obedience.

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Their little personalities start coming out, with a growl, or jumping up, or rolling over on their back, or trying to distract another to play with them, and then the owner is given a tool to deal with their behavior issues and SNAP! There is none of that behavior going on at obedience class. It is focus, focus, focus, not playtime!

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So I only have a few minutes to giggle at all these dogs and their personalities before I am put to work. We worked so hard, over and over and over again. Back and forth on the leash until she gets it in her head.

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Unfortunately with Taylor, she is really good at the beginning of class, but she doesn't not have a 2 hour attention span at anything. So by the end of class she is so done with all the training... we are at the park with all these dogs... LETS PLAY!!!!!!!

That is all that goes through her little head.

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So I have to work harder with her at home... more homework, more distractions!

The instructor told me to put out open cans of cat food while I am training with her to give her some distraction while I am working with her.

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The good news, all the homework we did last week paid off. She passed her 1st test and was able to go through two cones on a leash and keep the right distance... no more pulling or tugging on the leash with me. That is huge!!

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The biggest thing I am learning is that we teach our dogs all kinds of bad things and behavior, so this training is really more for me than it is for her.

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The other cool but scary thing I have learned from this class is that it applies to what we teach our children as much as it does our dogs.

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Taylor is doing really well so far. I learned this week that we will only be on leashes for the next 5 weeks and then the rest of the class is off leash training!!

YIKES!!! Something about that just frightens me!!!!

We have lots of work to do, but so far so good.

David versus Goliath...

I have really struggled with my independence this past week. I like to feel like I am in control of things. I like to think I have a pretty good handle on things in my influence. But this week with my husband gone so many hours of the day and night I have realized how dependent I am on him. I have been crumbling in the gap of his absence, and almost blaming him.

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It has been a sad surprise to me how out of control things have felt around our home without his presence. I have found that he is a big part of the glue that holds us together, I always thought that was me, so much to my surprise it has been him, or moreover, it really does take both of us complete the unit.

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I don't know if it was the realization that I was so weak at this time in my life, or the realization that he was so strong at this time, or the fact that I didn't even notice and I was gliding along in my own bubble and not even noticing until he was gone.

Lack of humility... yep that will always get me into trouble!

Even worse, taking someone for granted... after all we have been through I told myself I would never ever do that... and I think that is just what I have done.

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I was reading an article in the teenagers New Era magazine called "Meeting your Goliath". For David in the scriptures, he prevailed over his Goliath with a sling and a stone. But it challenges us to carefully look into our own lives and judge our courage and faith. Is there a Goliath in our lives?

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Envy, greed, laziness, doubt, pride, lust, selfishness, discouragement, all spell Goliath. It could be very different for everyone. Our Goliaths we face do not diminish our strength, rather as we allow him to have power over us, we give him strength to take over.

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We have been placed on earth not to fail or fall victim to temptations snare, but rather to succeed. So my Goliath (well as I examine, that would be plural Goliath's) must be conquered.

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As the article read: David went to the brook and carefully selected five smooth stones with which he might meet his enemy. Just as he went to the brook, we have a source of supply in the Lord. What polished stones will we select to defeat the Goliath that is robbing us of our happiness by smothering our opportunities?

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The stone of courage - will melt the fear.

The stone of effort - will bring down the indecision and procrastination.

The stone of humility - will diminish pride and envy.

The stone of prayer - will increase your self respect and give us strength to conquer.

The stone of love of duty - we should do our responsibilities with great love and care, even when we don't want to.

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What a great way to analyze and think of our strengths and weaknesses... it was a great reminder for me to "pull it up by the bootstraps" as I always say (well I am not sure how often I say it, but that was always what I was taught), and get in there and get it done, and quit whinning about everything or falling victim.

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I definitely have some huge Goliath's in my life to conquer and over come.

This week has been a great reminder to me of how those Goliaths can grow in strength and take over if we are not constantly going to our "brook" our source of strength and replenishing.

The Teenager's 1st Golf Lesson...

Wow, we were really impressed with the PGA instructor we met last night at the teenagers 1st golf lesson.

Great guy, good teacher, energetic, and fun to be around.

It went great!! He had 2 camera's video taping the swings and changes etc. So it was really cool how he could point out exactly what was going wrong or right each time.

The teenager is at a golf tournament today, so we will see if the tips and tricks he learned, helped him to shave any strokes off his score.

*** Update ***

Well the teenager played a horrilbe game yesterday... 92 - he says that is really bad for him.

But he did have fun, and once he gets the hang of his new grip, he is confident it will improve his game. He is really excited to go out in Non- tournament conditions and keep practicing what he learned at his 1st lesson.

Taylor and her TV...

We have often caught Taylor watching TV and thought it was really cute.

Not just glancing at the TV, but actually watching.

Mostly we notice when there are dogs barking, so we figured it might have just been her noticing the sounds coming out of the TV....

Until the other day when we were watching "Underdog"!!

She was glued to the TV set!!!

We watched to make sure it wasn't just the sound...

And when it came to the part when Underdog was digging a hole, I tried to covered her eyes jokingly (we definitely don't want a digger)... and she ducked and leaned out of the way of my hand to see around me to the TV!!! Like she was annoyed with me and didn't want to miss a single minute!!!

It was hilarious!! She watched with intent almost the entire show with us!

Her favorite new hero... Underdog!!! Who knew?

Should I be worried with Tiger Woods and Underdog wanna be's at home alone while I am away working all week? YIKES!!!

Early Birthday, Part 2...

Thank You to my Sister for reminding me to look at my glass as half full, not half empty!

Some good things about the trip to the golf store, that I might have left out in my sarcastic version of my original post:

1) Yes! My husband wanted to do this together as a family, and I wasn't excluded completely! This is huge!!

2) I was able to do lots of walking while I was waiting on the boys. (I really did enjoy this time walking and window shopping alone, and I was very conscious not to impede my original snotty attitude on the boys, the long walk did me good).

3) I was able to check off another item on my summer list - go window shopping downtown!

4) The teenager was assisted by a very knowledgeable salesman who custom fitted him for his club, and received almost 2 hours of additional instruction... FREE! (well kind of, considering the cost of the club, I figured we paid for it).

5) I found a new western clothing store (good thing it was closed... I was headed in to buy the teenager a leather belt with some name carved in the back like the cowboys wear... after the club and golf lessons that would be completely spoiling him).

6) We got out as a family, and my husband didn't let anything stop us... like a terrible dust storm.

7) The teenager is a pretty good kid, (and as a reminder from my Sis) he is not pierced or wearing spikes in any part of his body.

I am very grateful for my family, and the many many blessings that have been bestowed upon us!! They are great and many in number!!! Sometimes I have fun being sarcastic when I post, and sometimes I am just grumbly and and grouchy and trying to work through things. But I do love my life, I love my family and I am so thankful f0r my Sis who holds up her end of our pact and is courageous enough to be honest with me and keep me in perspective!!

Oh and look for an update on the "good" teenager, as we are reminded he is not without his issues... I just got a call at work, he hit a golf ball through the new vinyl fence!!!!!!

Oh dear.... perspective might have to be my new word for the year!

Early Birthday...

Saturday "the boys" wanted to drive to town to the golf shop to "LOOK AROUND"... so I agreed, sort of reluctantly... (it felt like a set up).

So we drove through this crazy wind storm... it was blowing anything and everything all over the road.

We even came up on an accident on the other side of the freeway that looked like it had blown a motorcycle driver right off his bike. It was horrible, we could see the driver laying in the middle of the freeway, with ambulance and fire trucks all around and his bike was so far down the road it was scary, they had all lanes closed. We didn't see it, so we could only speculate on what happened. But the wind was insane!

When we arrived at the golf shop, I walked around to other nearby shops trying to stay out of the way, since I know nothing about "looking at golf clubs"!

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Then like and hour and a half later, I get a call on my cell from "the boys" to come back to the store. After working with a golf pro and looking at probably every club in the store... they begin the negotiations with me.

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The 1st deal was... teenager wants this really expensive driver and will split the cost if we pay half for his birthday present.

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I am trying to explain how I feel to my strong silent mysterious man about going out before your birthday and buying your own present!!! But since he set the precedent on this... it was kind of like waisted breath, he was trying to do all the right things, but he just didn't get me.

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So to ease my worries of having some soft of surprise on his birthday, he tells me I could buy the teenager golf instructions from this semi pro and surprise him with that... would that help??

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You see what I am dealing with, and how they think!!!

So I feel horrible as we leave the store, not really having "happy feet" about such a milestone for my only son's 16th birthday... which is basically over now!!

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Needless to say, there are no pictures.

The teenager loves his new driver, and can't wait til Tuesday for his 1st lesson.

I guess that is what counts... he is happy, got what he wants for his birthday, right!

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Why do I feel so horrible and sad?

This is not at all what I thought birthdays were all about...

I always feel really special on my birthday, I love hearing from family and friends that let me know how special I am to them... I like to reflect on special times I have had for birthdays that have come and gone, and ponder if I am where I want to be for the age I just turned.

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Yes, it is fun to get something you wouldn't normally get at any other time of the year... but birthdays aren't just about presents!

Where did I go wrong... is this wrong???

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Maybe I am just turning into a scrooge, maybe this is just the process of my teenager turning into a man, and breaking away from his mother!!

If so, it feels crummy!

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His birthday isn't even for another week... will I just feel this way between now and then, or will I find a way to turn this around and get over it, and have a happy day with him on his birthday?

I guess time will tell.

Hmffpt!!!! BIG SIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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My baby's 16th birthday... I feel jipped!!