Home on the range...

I don't think Jacob feels anymore comfortable anywhere than he does on the golf range. I love his confidence on the course. He will go out and golf by himself, join in with anyone playing if they have an open spot. He loves the game, and in this setting he can relate to people.

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This is huge because at almost 17 I often feel like a big failure as a mother because he is so awkward on the telephone. I guess he is a man of few words, so just like his Dad, phones are not his thing. I even spotted him on IM the other day with a friend... and it was almost as painful to read... they ask questions and he answers; yes, no, or maybe. That's pretty much it. Wow!

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But on the golf course he will come home after playing in a group with total strangers and can probably tell me more about them, than they knew about themselves. So cool!

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So earlier this week I had an opportunity to go out and walk the course while he and his Dad played 9 holes. I was hesitant, because the last time I did this they were being mean to each other and it made me not ever want to learn to play golf... but this time they were nice.

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There are sooo many things that Jacob is JUST like his Dad... but he must have gotten his golf swing from his mother...

This is Jacob's follow through...

This is Jim's... we giggle at him all nine holes.

What is really funny, is that he is a decent golfer, but just has a hilarious form and style. He is the one that is good at everything he does, especially athletics... so golf is more challenging mentally for him because Jacob passed him up a long time ago, with not too much effort! I guess the kid got the "midas touch" thing from his Dad too! Lucky!!

Jim was just supposed to come and be the caddy... but Jacob tells him "here old man, I got those" as he grabs the clubs from him.

It must have been a rougher winter than I thought... this is the picture I took last year on June 3rd of the "hugging trees".

This was taken on June 2nd this year... apparently his better half didn't make it through the winter, he is a lonely widowed hugging tree now.

It was a fun evening and a nice walk on the course.

And this time... a good time WAS had by all!

Perspective...

I always welcome the rain, since it is so dry here most of the time. I miss the rainy Seattle days. Plus, it gives our lawn a really good drink and I don't have to go outside moving sprinklers (that is such a pain, but a twice daily chore I get to do all summer).

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Yesterday, when we got hit with the storm I was so happy not to have to go outside and water! I mentioned my excitement to Jim and he said, well the farmers are happy too, because they can use the moisture from God and pull their pumps out and bring them in for service and repairs. So he gets totally swamped when they hear of a little rain on the way. And they ALL want them back NOW!

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So it all depends on your perspective...

for me and the farmers rain is good.

But for him, it means stress and pressure and jumping through allot of hoops to keep his farmers happy.

PERSPECTIVE!

A Blustery Day...

Yesterday after work, Jim called and he had been invited to go fishing on the river with a co-worker on his boat, and he invited me to go with them.

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It sounded kind of fun, but after my boating adventure last year, I am leary about jumping on a boat with just anyone... and I am totally a safety girl now. No standing in the boat while it's moving, everyone has to have a life vest on, etc.

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Jim assured me the guy was really safe and it would be a great fun time.

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So he packed up the fishing gear and I grabbed the camera and some water and snacks, and antibacterial hand wash (fish are gross) and we were off.

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I had been hearing of severe weather watches on the news all day, and lightning, and flood alerts, but really hadn't seen anything but a few clouds and sunshine.

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About 10min. from our house... this storm came blowing in.

I have only seen a storm blow in THIS FAST one other time on the Oregon coast.

Obviously we turned around and headed back home, via the golf course where Jacob was out playing a round. Just to make sure the kid had the right mind to come in out of the rain and the lightning! (you never know with teenagers... and he hasn't gotten to play all week, so he might just take his chances for the opportunity to play... YES even with a club acting as a lightning rod in his hand... don't put anything past this kid and his golf game).

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It was kind of funny when we swung by the golf course, there were men running to their cars from about every direction. Finally we see Jacob walking with his head down, so disappointed, but getting out of the rain and lightning.

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We all made it home safe and watched the blustery day from inside.

All is well!

Back online...

When I found myself awake at all hours during the night... still thinking about my blog. I knew something was gonna have to give.

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I didn't want to admit that I was having a little too much fun on other sites or that I might have been getting lax in monitoring my time on the computer; but I never really had to... Jim came to me and confessed he over reacted and NEVER meant for me to stop posting on my blog. He even went into detail about how much he KNEW it meant to our families to have that glimpse into our family when they are so far away.

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So I am back... but private now!

I might have been putting too much thought into what others thought about my blog... and had gotten away from it being just a journal for me... and letting my family take a peak at it.

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So by invitation only... I don't have to think about that so much, and can go back to why I originally started blogging.

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I learned a few things through this process...

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Always listen and take into account council from the patriarch in your family (even if you don't want to admit it, they might be correct)

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I love to blog and have this history of a journal of our family life.

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Sometimes it takes a big effort to stay in touch with family, but it is always worth it.

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Complete and honest communication in a marriage is the only way to honor it.

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Jim loves me and appreciates who I am and the sensitive things in my heart.

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Satan is tricky, sneaky and sly and he will take really good things and use them against us when we let our guard down.

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Moderation in ALL things... that is really good council.

The End

Well I am going to back off of my blog.... I may post photos for my family here now and then... but probably won't be posting every week anymore.

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I didn't think it was a distraction to me, I thought I was balancing it in my life well; but my husband feels differently. It is sad, he never read my blog he might not ever read it... but feels I spend too much time on it.

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I am not sure how I feel about that, but I am going re-focus my attention and see how that works. I guess if you want to know what is happening in my life you will have to call me and chat the old fashioned way!

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Back to the old fashioned paper journal... hmmm this should be interesting!