Okay, calm down...
Tonight i went outside with Jonas to turn on the sprinkler to water my flowers in the front yard since it hasn't rained in a few days. Jonas LOVES the sprinkler so i let him play for a little bit. not too much though because it was really close to his bed time. we went inside, i put him to bed and a little while later i went back outside to turn off the sprinkler. i got around the sprinkler and about halfway to the faucet to turn off the water when i hear a dog...a dog that sounds VERY close to me. (remember it's dark outside now) i turn and i see probably 2-3 feet from me a Dog, an angry dog, a snarling, bearing his teeth at me and barking dog...now, many may not know this about me, but i am TERRIFIED OF DOGS. a million thoughts went through my head at this moment. I'm about to die, this dog is going to eat me, then go inside and eat Jonas, i wonder if i can even scream, wait, don't let the dog know you're afraid, that's right, be brave, show no fear, dogs can smell fear, I was a stinking pot of fear let me tell you. i managed to squeek out "get out of here" and i waved my flimsy shaking arm to motion the dog out of my yard, all at the same time i'm trying to run backwards because lord knows i don't want to turn my back on this dog because then he WILL CERTAINLY eat me. After i yelled "get out of here", i saw the people 2 houses down from me coming out of their door and looking in my direction. They yelled to the dog "get over here, come on" and they whistled. the dog i guess went toward them because i'm a little fuzzy after that from all the tears rushing down my "oh so brave-show no fear" face. I made it safe back inside and i have never shaken and cried so hard in my life. I started to think of what could have been. What if Jonas had been in between that dog and me. Would i have walked toward the object of my greatest fear to save my son? would i have just frozen in fear? If i had shown that much fear in front of Jonas, would he be terrified of Dogs the rest of his life like me? (Jonas is Pretty good around dogs. he will hold his hand out to most dogs so he can pet them even if they are strange dogs, we're careful to not let him get to close to strange dogs though) I called Jonathan (He had not gotten home yet), and told him what happened. He told me i had to call the police and tell them. He said there is a leash law. I wasn't sure, and since the people had seen me, they knew what house i lived at, would they try to "get back at me" if they got in trouble? Jonathan convinced me to call the police. so i called police dispatch. i told the dispatcher what happened. He sounded confused as to why i was crying and breathing irregularly. he said "did the dog bite you?" i said "no, the dog hadn't touched me, i'm just REALLY afraid of dogs!" he said that's fine, there is a leash law and i can send an officer over there if you want. i said that would be great. so...a lady officer comes over and i tell her what happens. she said, yes, there is a leash law in Rutherford county and in Smyrna, so it's sort of a Double Leash law. and she said if the dog bared his teeth at me, that made it a "viscous" dog. and made it a more serious offence. I told her i didn't want anything to happen to that dog. i told her i was afraid the people would know who called the police and be mad at me for getting them in trouble. she said nothing would happen to them tonight, that they would get a warning to keep their dog on a leash and if it ever happened again that anyone called on their dog then they would get a ticket with a fine. So that made me feel a little better. I feel ashamed because i'm afraid of dogs sometimes. I love Bird's dog Magnum. I've gotten to know him, and i know what to expect from Magnum. I Know for a fact Magnum isn't going to bite me as long as i don't try to take anything from his mouth. I'll even play fetch with him as long as he drops the stick or ball on the ground in front of me so i don't have to take it from him. I'm generally okay with Uncle Randy and Aunt Ellen's dogs. They are pretty big German Shepards, but they barely even bark and they know not to jump up on people. They just smell me when i come in, and they leave me alone. My mind is just stuck on what would i have done if Jonas were out there with me when that dog came up...I have to get over this fear

I heard Dave Ramsey the other day on the radio and he asked the Question, "Who do you work for?" he was alluding to the fact that most people work for Ford Motor Credit, or Visa, or Mastercard, or for their bank to pay the mortgage etc. I was thinking, that we aren't in any debt besides our house and even that payment isn't that bad because we've been very blessed. so i thought since I don't have a job. Who Does Jonathan work for? Then i realized, Jonathan works for me and Jonas. He wakes up, goes to school, and teaches willing and unwilling learners (mostly unwilling this time of year) for me. he wouldn't have to work so hard if i had a job now. I could get a job now, but more than anything right now, i want a degree so i can get my dream job. Jonathan has talked about wanting to go to get his doctorate. He's talked about going to get more certifications...we can't afford that right now because I'm going to school. So i decided, Jonathan works for me. Jonathan likes what he does, but almost no one loves going to work every day. but still Jonathan does. Thank you Jonathan for working for Jonas and me. I love you so much.

I didn’t write this myself, but it was so good that I want to share...
#9 is REALLY disgusting, but the rest is pretty good. and there is a link called "I said i'd never own a minivan" and it's a really good article, i actually emphatically said i'd never own one, but am now in love with my Quest!

10 Things No One Tells You About Parenthood
By Craig Playstead

Everyone has seen the "what to expect during parenthood" books and articles, but they never tell the whole story. While raising kids is the most rewarding thing you will ever do in your life, and the love you feel for them is unlike anything else you’ll ever know, there are a few pitfalls nobody ever tells you about. Read on, if you dare.

1) The way you view the world changes

When you bring someone into this world, things like war and women in beer ads have a whole new meaning. You start actually looking at the impact these things have, and what the world will become after you’re dead and gone. Leaving a better place for your kids and grandkids becomes more than just talk.

2) You’ll feel like a failure

There will be times when no matter how hard you try, your kids are never happy. You feel you’re telling them "no" too much, constantly harping on them to clean their room, or dashing their dreams of lowering their brother down the staircase on a rope. While they may complain they don’t have a Wii or that "so and so’s" mom let’s them see PG-13 movies, you need to stick to what you believe in and what you feel is best for your kids.

3) You have no time

This seems obvious, but you can’t believe just how little time you have. You start to measure things out in minutes and seconds. "If he watches Curious George for 20 more seconds, I can go to the bathroom," or "If his nap lasts another 10 minutes, maybe I can get in a shower today."

4) Not going to the bathroom by yourself

When your kids are babies, the bathroom is the only place you can get your head together. It’s also one of the only places you can actually read. I read ESPN’s Bill Simmons’ entire book over the course of the week in the bathroom when my youngest was a baby. And then he turned two. If he’s not forcing his way in to watch "how it’s really done" he’s banging on the door screaming "lemme in!" or sliding all his books underneath. There is no peace with toddlers.

5) Parenthood will turn you soft

This one hits the guys especially hard. You’ll find yourself tearing up at any dumb movie that has anything to do with parenthood, and if you have a daughter, don’t be surprised to find yourself playing "My Little Pony" before heading off to work. The icing on the cake is hawking Girl Scout cookies in front of your local grocery store annually.

6) They will embarrass you

This is a big shock, and you’re never ready for it. In your mind, they are perfect little angels; in reality, they’re little people trying to figure out their way in the world. Unfortunately, they say what they want—when they want. It can be something that’s funny like announcing to their pre-school class that Daddy farts all the time, or it can be humiliating like a temper tantrum in a grocery store or having them tell your parents to "get me a toy next time" after opening a gift containing pajamas. You’re prepared for the fact that you’ll embarrass them when they get to a certain age, but you’re never ready to be the one that’s humiliated.

7) Worrying

This is the one that stings from the day your child is born until the day you die. From the start you worry that they’ll stop breathing in their crib, then you obsess about getting the damn car seat in correctly. They get a little older and you worry about them falling down the stairs or choking on a Polly Pocket. As the years go on you lose sleep about dating, not fitting in, or getting into a situation that they can’t handle. Then there are the worries that never go away: providing enough, paying for college or not teaching them the right things. The list goes on and on and on, and it takes a major toll on you. But you worry because you love.

8) You won’t be the parent you think

We all had visions of the kind of parents we would be to our kids. Now, as battle tested Moms and Dads, we’ve heard the prospective parents spouting off advice. Those hollow words of wisdom come even though they’ve never gotten up at three a.m. to do a load of laundry with more vomit on it than a frat house floor. Nor have they tried to cook dinner with a screaming baby in their arms, a toddler doing cartwheels off the couch, and the phone ringing. It usually goes something like this: "I’d never let my kids watch TV before they turn three," or "I would never raise my voice at my child," or "My toddler won’t ever eat sweets." Uh huh, and I said I’d never own a minivan. You have this great picture of the kind of parent you want to be, and how picturesque your family will become. You try to live up to that vision, but you also have to survive. So, snickering at a prospective parent spouting off advice is not only allowed, but encouraged.

9) Sickness

Let’s start with pin worms. They are small parasitic worms that live in the human intestinal track. The worms crawl out of the child’s anus at night and lay their eggs in the diaper, pajamas and other areas around the bed or crib. The eggs are then passed to others and ingested unknowingly. The worst part? You have to go in there and grab them while your kid is asleep. It’s a damn horror show. It’s also not something I had any idea about before having kids. Sick kids take a toll on the entire house. Even the typical cold has taken on a whole new meaning, especially with toddlers. It can require being up in the middle of the night for days in a row, missing work and acting as one giant Kleenex. The numerous slug trails across your shirt are always a nice touch.

10) The feeling of unconditional love

You assume that you’re going to love your kids, but what you end up feeling for them is unlike anything else you’ll ever know. Just a simple smile from your offspring can erase a really crappy day at the office. This is the reason why people rave about having kids while they look exhausted and have a fresh batch of spit-up running down their back.

Craig Playstead is a freelance writer, husband and father of three living in the suburbs of Seattle. In the past he’s also been a sports writer, a game writer and a talk show host. You can reach him at playstead@hotmail.com.

http://men.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6534988&GT1=32001

okay, so i heard on the radio this morning that someone wants to make a law allowing the government to regulate what we are allowed to eat so we don't get so fat. and i thought "now that is crazy. just let us eat what we want to eat. it's going to be like prohibition in the 20's people are going to be eating dounuts and french fries and big macs at secret underground bars." but then i thought about it some more and it's just like a helmet law for motorcyclists (which i ...did...agree with). it's illegal in the state of TN for anyone to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. and they say it's for your own safety. and if you have an accident on a motorcycle without a helmet then you're VERY likely to either going to die, or be in the hospital for a while. and either cost your insurance company a ton of money OR if you happen to not have insurance, then you will cost the state of TN a lot of money. it's sort of the same thing with the food thing, if you get REALLY REALLY fat eating unhealthy things, you're VERY likely to either die early, or need lots of medical help costing either your own insurance company a lot of money or the State of TN. either way, when i think about it, i really don't think the Government has any business telling me what i can and can't eat. or that i HAVE to wear a helmet. (I would not ride a motorcycle without a helmet, i don't have a death wish). I am just so afraid that our country is moving more and more towards socialism/communism! your thoughts?