Expectations....

What on earth went on during the month of October? As far as I recall, there were no blackouts, no blizards, not a single torrential downpour in Northestern, Southwestern, or anywhere Ohio for that matter, and now the "disease" has spread even farther south --- to Tennessee!!!!

What disease you ask?

Pregnancy. That's what. Over the past two weeks, we have been told by at least 5 of our couple friends that they are joining or rejoining the wonderful world of parenting.

While heartfelt congratulations are sent out, I can't help be a bit self-reflecting.

I am eternally greatful for my three children, and even moreso that we are DONE having them. Nights, although Carly mostly sleeps thru them, are spent with one ear open for a crying child. Any of them.

Camden was napping yesterday and woke up with bloodcurdling screams. After going upstairs, he was laying in his crib w/his legs hanging out of the slats. His vocabulary is limited, He IS still a baby ya know, but clear as the nose on your face, he looked at me with these sad blue eyes and said, "I tuk, I tuk" .... Yep, even a 20 month old knew he was stuck. And big time. But I digress....

I am also very excited for the families that will be blessed with children. One of the couples has been trying for a baby for longer than I spent pregnant with the last two. (which, if you know me at all, was the gestation of a freakin elephant!!!) One of the couples, who has been married a few years longer than Dennis and I, will be having their first (And after visiting with us yesterday, they were thinking the first would be the ONLY!!!) the end of July.

It's going to be a busy summer. But the Cushing kids can't wait to meet their new playmates.

Congrats to you all.

The Family Man

This movie, starring Nicholas Cage and Tea Leoni, was shown on TV Friday night - the day after Thanksgiving.

I can really relate to this movie - but not in the way you might initially think. In the beginning, Cage's character, Jack Campbell, is a very wealthy Wall Street banker - one who drives a Ferrari and has a beautiful girlfriend. He seemingly has everything & is very successful.

Then, he is given a glimpse, of what could have been...

He wakes up in a new life where he didn't leave his college girlfriend for a London trip. He's married to Kate [Leoni], lives in a small house in New Jersey and has two kids. Confused, yes. Jack desperately wants his rich lifestyle back for which he has worked 13 years. After all, he is president of P. K. Lassiter, an Investment Banking Firm, and not a simple tire salesman at Big Ed's Tires.

After a bad start, one where his new daughter is convinced he's an alien who's taken over her real dad, and where his son "sprouts a leak" while his diaper is being changed, Jack, day by day, becomes more confident in his new life and starts to see what he's been missing. He eventually realizes that life is not all about who has the most toys, or more $$ or the best office. It's about FAMILY. Having kids to laugh with, a wife to grow old with, friends/neighbors to bowl with, etc. He was given a glimpse of what his life could have been, IF he'd made different choices...

His glimpse over, Jack is returned to his wealthy investment banker lifestyle, a lifestyle he no longer desires. Jack tries to do whatever he can to find that "Family Man" feeling again - tracking down Kate however he can, and trying to convince her of his very realistic glimpse...


When I was younger, I considered myself to be very ambitious - I was going to be a Stockbroker, working on the New York Stock Exchange. My parents took my on a tour of the NYSE when I was 12 during a trip to New York City, and I knew what my career was going to be - a big time Stockbroker, complete with lots and lots of $$, and a Ferrari of my own...I never got that far.

Due to some choices I made, I was married and a father before was 20. I had not yet graduated from College. The prospect of working at Merril Lynch, being a millionaire by the time I was 30, and having that Ferrari quickly diminished as I had to take care of more than just my selfish needs & desires - I had a family for which I needed to provide.

Well the marriage didn't work out, and I was overwhelmed with bills from a divorce. I was rather bitter about the way having a child derailed my selfish career path. I told my friends I would never have any more children - never ever!! [Ask Mike, he can CONFIRM THIS!]

Then, I met Kristin. Then, I married Kristin. Then, I had a child with Kristin. And another. And another child [Sheeeesh!! Took that "pledge" to never have anymore children and blew it to smithereens, eh?]. And I love them all.

I guess you could say my life is an opposite of the movie. I am a Family Man. I don't own a Ferrari, and probably never will. I do play with my kids when it snows and definitely ALWAYS will. The movie "Family Man" gave me a glimpse of what my life may have been if I didn't hadn't become a father at 20.

In retrospect, I'm glad it all happened the way it did. I'm GLAD TO BE A DAD! I thorougly enjoy playing, hugging, teaching my children. I wouldn't trade any of them for a Ferrari and/or a job on Wall Street. I consider myself & our family "Blessed". We have good health, good times, and continue to make good memories. I'm glad my life isn't a movie...

Please feel free to sing along...

SUNG TO THE TUNE OF “I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT” BY EDDIE RABBIT
[Remember him???]



Well she’s sleepin' thru the night
she's sleepin' thru the night
She’s finally upstairs
In her crib
In a room with her sister
You know it helps us sleep good
Well she’s sleepin' thru the night
It’s such a beautiful sight
Her Mom is real glad
And so, so is her Dad
Don’t have to get up at 2 anymore

Peace ‘n’ Quiet take
Our cares away
We wake up in a restful way
'Cause she’s sleepin' thru the night
Yes she’s sleepin' thru the night
Well she’s sleepin' thru the night
She's sleepin' thru the night!


Well she’s sleepin' thru the night
she's sleepin' thru the night
She’s finally upstairs
In her crib
Sharing a room with her sister
You know it helps us sleep good
Well she’s sleepin' thru the night
Such a beautiful sight
Her Mom is real glad
And so, so is her Dad
Don’t have to get up at 2 anymore

Puts a song
In this heart of mine
Puts a smile on our face every time
Cuz she’s sleepin’ thru the night
Yes, she’s sleepin' thru the night
She’s sleepin' thru the night
Ooh she’s sleepin' thru the night!



HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! AMONG OTHER THINGS, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR CARLY SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!

PRIORITIES

Priorities

What are your priorities? Think about it for a while…




Get a new car?
Catch up on some Sleep?
Go on Vacation?
Hit your Sales Goals?
Get to work on time?
Buy a new dress?
Pay all your bills?
Clean that bathroom?
See the latest movie?
Get a new Xbox/PSP/Playstation?
Win at Fantasy Football?

I’d have to jump in and say, “Hey!! You’re missing one!! => Hanging with your kids!!”

RIGHT ON!!!!

Sometimes we tend to move too fast through our lives to realize how much our kids enjoy just being with us. Jobs, Holidays, laundry to do, dishes to wash, rooms to vacuum, piles of junk mail, the list goes on and on.

See the picture above? That’s one room in our house. A mess, yes. [we lovingly call it the “Hurricane zone”] But do you think our kids care? NO WAY! They won’t remember how messy our house was tonight. They don’t care – or even know – how much laundry we have to do tonight. They will remember how much fun we had together. That room didn't get messy by itself. Toys were played with, kids were tickled, daddies were jumped on [yes, there!], daughters dressed up like princesses, etc. etc. etc......Isn’t that what it’s really about?

If you have kids – spend time with them. Play with them. Be silly with them. They just want to have fun. A child’s laughter is magic. The gleam in their eyes can melt your heart. You’ll only get to see/hear that if you are around. You can catch up on your chores later. Your chores won’t enjoy you as much as your kids will. Your chores will ALWAYS be there…..your kids won’t!!


There’s a really good saying about Priorities that can be found as a picture frame, refrigerator magnet, or other chotchkee [or whatever they’re called]. It goes like this:


PRIORITIES

“A hundred years from now it won’t matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”