OK, you've all been incredibly patient with me of late. For that I thank you and offer sincere appreciation. Mostly I'm thankful for the people that helped Stacey out while I was away these last two weeks. It makes it so much more palatable to know that she has such a wonderful extended family and friend network. I just wanted to take a moment at really acknowledge that fact.
Where were we? Ah yes. Well some of you were interested in knowing exactly what went down upon my triumphant return to Casa de Kenworthy. What with a brand new son and all, I guess you're looking for some sort of cathartic understanding of self. Well, barring that, and just underscoring my incredible ability to overlook the obvious, to say the least, I am...."blessed." In fact I sometimes recognize days, months, even years later how the hand of the Almighty has directed the course of my life. Even when I fought tooth and nail against His direction, He has continued to bless me in ways that I dont fully comprehend until the moment of.
So, I guess, for one, walking in from a snowstorm, into your warm abode and seeing your beautiful wife sitting on the couch feeding your new son, may be just one of those moments. Usually when I walk in the door chaos ensues. The dog starts to bark, a couple of phones ring, somone's at the door, the kids are yelling....etc. But Friday night, it just sort of unfolded like a dream sequence. My dad had picked me up from the airport and we'd made small-talk about this and that on the way down, but my mind really was on getting to know my boy, Samuel. I tell you, I'm simply in awe of Stacey at times. Her ability to juggle the other four children, while arranging her own stay in order to have a child, alone, without the aid of her bumbling (sometimes) baffoon of a husband is amazing to me. She looks fantastic by the way. She told me she's lost over-all 39 lb from the time she started working out last year to today. She looks phenominal and I'm so proud of her efforts. She really is an inspiration to me in all respects. I constantly think of ways to measure up, and since I can't, I focus most of my efforts in picking up my underwear and socks and trying to minimize my footprint throughout the house. I dont wanna brag, but I even washed all my clothes before returning home this time to lessen the load. I know, I'm a giver. I give. What can I say?
Yeah, so...anyhow, Samuel. Man, poor kid looks just like Josh, whom looks just like me, so...whatareyagonna do you know? He's actually a very quiet little guy. You have no idea he's taking a snoozer over in the corner in the basinet right now. Oh, that reminds me, I have to finish a little of the basement soon because I wasn't anticipating having double-occupancy in 3 of 4 bedrooms in the house. Josh really needs his own room, mostly because he's slovenly, but because I cant have him in such close proximity to his sisters. Football is over and he's back to his old schenanigans and the girls pay for it dearly. Isabelle and Olivia are sharing a room right now, and when Sammy is making it through most the night we'll have to put him somewhere. Stacey thinks it's going to be Josh's room, but I'm not entirely convinced. Plus Olivia has to agree to sleep in the bottom bunk under Isabelle so...we're a series of If-Then statements at best right now.
So I have another school coming in December. Starts on the 4th and runs through like the 16th. Over our anniversary, my birthday and back just in time for Stacey's birthday. It's like a whirlwind around here. It's nice though because as soon as that check is in the block, I'm promotable to major and with the requirement to purchase a new(er) Mormon Assault Vehicle (MAV) we could use a little nudge up in the old pay-stub.
So, again, back to Sam, he's really quite small. I think we're going to have to hold off on getting slurpies at the Maverick for a while, but he's as cute as a button. He whimpers before he cries and so if you hear that and anticipate then you can usually have a bottle made, or a diaper at the ready. That's pretty much the only thing he gets upset about. He tolerates the kids pawing at him and being passed around the couch and really has a sweet demeanor thus far into his tenure.
Oh, I forgot to tell you. This is kind of personal. But when I was in South Carolina, last week I went to the PX to get some pizza to take back to the room. Well, as I pulled into the parking lot, it was completely filled with young Soldiers graduating from basic training. They had all their mom's and dad's and grandma's and what-not there. Well I had a vision. No seriously. I get these from time to time about how to prepare for the up and coming. Well I had a vision of Stacey and I in about six years picking up Josh. It's phenominal to me to think about, but I saw it plain as day. It rang true to my heart. I was wearing my dress uniform for his graduation. I was a lieutenant colonel and Stacey and I had checked into a local hotel and Josh was proudly showing us around the post. It was surreal but definately a precursor. Josh is twelve in a couple of months. Six years from now he'll of course be 18. But I remember the personal pride I felt walking around post in my uniform. I distinctly remember the moment I realized that I was a man. Not, like an adult by virtue of turning 18, but a man in the sense that my personal direction and destiny were now in my own control, and...now in hindsight, that of our Father in Heaven.
I'm looking forward to that day. I can't believe it's so close. Josh has talked about joining the Guard between his junior and senior year. He's even talked about the concurrent enrollment programs at the highschool which will allow him to graduate with a high school diploma as well as an associate's degree. Then off to his advanced occupational training after he graduations and hopefully, God willin' and the creek dont rise, a mission. I firmly believe Josh is entirely capable of it. I hope he's listened to his old man and really does it. I know personally I had that same ambition, but got a little lost in the sauce trying to do it my own way for a while. Anyhow, the kid makes me so proud. I'm really looking forward to him being such an example to Samuel. Samuel will be six and seeing his big brother graduate from both high school, college, and the military schools will go a long way.
I'm not worried in the least about Samuel, or any of our children for that reason. I know we've got incredible children. They're phenominal to say the least. I realize they'll do things and learn some things the hard way. But they're all genuinely good kids and I feel very blessed for that. I know they'll learn some of those tough life-lessons that both Stacey and I have. I know that we're doing our best to instill in them values which will help them dust themselves off when they make mistakes and try again.
Anyhow, I gotta get ready for church. It's been a few weeks since I've seen my Sunbeams. Love those little guys.
Anyhow, all the best to you and yours. We'll see you soon.
Always,
J
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