Categories
Guest Posts Madeline Parenting

Once a Father, Always a Father

In honor of Father’s Day, President Obama made his feelings known about what it means, to him, to be a dad.  He made a point that fatherhood extends far past conception, and is wrapped up in the way a dad raises his children.

I’ve known some wonderful fathers throughout the course of my life.  I appreciate my own Dad more and more every day, especially now that I am a parent myself.  My husband, the father of my children, is an amazing Dad.  He lost his own father at a very young age, and had three wonderful men step up to the plate to fill that role.  Without those men in his life, he wouldn’t be the person he is today.

There is one father whose dedication to his daughter has always amazed and inspired me.  Today, Mike Spohr spends his first Father’s Day without his beloved Madeline, on whom he showered countless kisses and an immeasurable amount love and care. 

The ladies of Room 704 (Dawn, V, and Leslie) created a lovely tribute to Mike, and many of us are posting it in his honor today.  And Mike?  Please remember, once you’re a father – you are always a father. 

Much love to all of you fathers out there – today is your day!

——–

Serenity Now Sunday -For Mike, For Father’s Day

Sometimes, the best we can do is share a person’s experience and let them know we have their back. That while we may not how they feel, we recognize that there are days that are just going to suck beyond the telling of it. So today we celebrate firsts. Just a very few of Maddie’s firsts from the Spohr family flickr photostream:

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First time being held by daddy


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First time being held by mommy


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Chillin’ after the first bath


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First Christmas


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First Sunshine, First Car Ride

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First nap, when a totally embarrassing picture of Mike was taken  


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First Baseball Game

We celebrate all the joyous firsts with you,
and stand guard over you for all the firsts to come.

The Women of Room 704.

Categories
Home and Garden Ranch Life

Sitting, But Not Actually Sitting

Because there just really wasn’t enough poop in my life, I agreed to dog-sit two adorable puppies for a friend who is between houses at the moment. 

Having never spent time around American Bulldogs before, I didn’t really know what to expect.  I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that both of them, although they are 6 months apart, are sweet, affectionate, fast learners.

You caught a glimpse of little Samantha, but that doesn’t really do her justice.



And, you haven’t yet met Meatball, so let me introduce you.



Did I mention that he’s an enormous puppy?  So ginormous is he, that I’m not sure the term “puppy” really applies.  He’s nearly as tall as Cage, our 8 year old chubby Labrador, and, while I haven’t measured his chest or head, I believe he’s at least twice as wide.

Meatball eats a lot.  Which makes him the poopin’est dog in the universe.  If Meatball lived on Old MacDonald’s Farm, the song would go “Here a poop, there a poop, everywhere a poop, poop.”

And the drool is interesting, as well.  I tend to walk around with smears of dried spit across my lap and behind my knees.  Sometimes there’s food caked to it, too, because, did  I mention he eats a lot?



Really, they have been a joy to have around.  So gentle with the kids and a ton of fun.  I’m not sure how long they’ll be staying, but we’re soaking them up while they’re here. 



Even Cage!  Shocking, I know.

Categories
Blogging Business Life in general

Blog Mojo

          LOST: My Blog Mojo

Please return, no questions asked.

                *REWARD*


I feel like I’ve lost a bit of my blogging mojo.

There is so much going on in our lives at the moment, and it takes up every second of my time, every ounce of my energy, every millimeter of my brain.

I want to share my thoughts and inspiration here.  I want to pour out my feelings and laugh about the crazy things that go on around me.  I want to spend time pecking out the ideas that come to me in the middle of the night.

But where is the time? 

It will come.  Soon, there will be time for more than pictures and brief descriptions of my life. 

In the meantime, please forgive me for my lack of mojo.

Categories
Blog Carnivals Kids

Wordless Wednesday: The Awwww Edition

                    

                                       Blythe and her (borrowed) puppy

Categories
Life in general Parenting

Future Mothers-in-Law

On Friday, Meghan of A Mom Two Boys, All Mediocre, Hot Mom Reviews and Eat Drink and Blog brought the famed “two boys” and her mom to the ranch for a much anticipated visit.  Also?  Any more websites and Meghan’s going to be held personally responsible for my development of carpal tunnel syndrome. 

 

Meghan and I have been quietly planning Alison and Dylan’s future wedding for some time now, so we were anxious to see how they would get along.  Because, obviously, it would throw a wrench in our plans if they wound up hating each other.



Fortunately, it’s easy to have a good time when there are animals to see, fish to catch, and new toys to play with.  Blythe and Zach played well together, too, and even share an affinity for rubber boots and injuring themselves.



Jeremy must have caught wind of our plans, though, because he took them for a boat ride and made sure to keep boys and girls separate, at all times.  Way to kill the mood, Dad!



All too soon it was time for our friends to go, and I tried to capture the photo we’ll someday show at the wedding.



Dylan’s already thinking of ways to propose, I can tell.  His mom can help him with that.