Time With a Dad is Precious and Shouldn't Be Wasted

I was going through a [quote, unquote] junk drawer in my room when i came acrossed this paper that my mom had given me after my dad passed away...i had never read it [even i told her i did]. So tonight i sat down and read it...and i would like to share it......

"Time with a dad is precious and shouldn't be wasted"

He never won a super bowl or other

major sporting event, but he inspired

me to be the best athlete I could.

He never was awarded the medal of

Honor or saved a war by himself, but

he showed me what courage, convic-

tion, patriotism and pride were.

He never was a millionaire or

worked on Wall Street.  But, he taught

me the difference between a dollar

earned and one given and that money

makes life comfortable but other

things are more important.

He never was a famous artist, but he

believed we all had a talent and pas-

sion for beauty within us.

He was tired often and had little time

for himself and his family.  He was

quick to offer his sagelike wisdom to a

person who was smiling and noddinh

thinking: What does he know?  Then a

few years later, we say to ourselves:

The old man knew what he was talking

about.  His methods at times seemed

wrong and harsh.  But looking at the

results, they were true and effective.

He was me dad. I lat my hero down

to rest and to be at peace, which he

much needed and deserved.  There is

more than an empty chair or lone hat

still hanging.  There is a silent voice

that has been there my entire life, a

slight voice in me.  Thought I have and

shall forever remember the precious

time we spent together, I crave just a

few more minutes.  Don't we all?

Time is the biggest asset we have.  I have

had my time with my dad, but never

again.  What about you and your dad?

-Todd Mendenhall

ps--excuse the typos...im not perfect :)

you need coolin' baby, i ain't foolin'

i think the title and the pictures say it all! :)

My really good friend karissa gave me this onesie before i even

found out that i was having a girl, and i was so excited when it finally fit!!

:)

She is def. her mother's daughter!!

tis the season...a few months late!

so as i stated in my last blog, im getting caught up on kendall's events today...soo let the Christmas photo bomb begin....

3...
2..
1.

As you can tell, she wanted nothing to do with Santa!

first present.....

She didn't care what was in the bags or boxes as long as

she got to eat the tissue paper and bows! :)

she had 3 stockings, 1 from Grammy, and 2 from mommy

lol-spoiled much??

need I say more?? LOL

HAPPY FIRST CHRISTMAS BOOG!!! :)

a turn of events! :)

so, I realized that it's four months since i've last posted...and that kendall is almost 9 months old...but i have decided that part of this blog im going to post the events of kendall's life...starting with Christmas..so bare with me until i get caught up!! :) lol

[pitty..party] of one

First of all, let me say sorry for the gap is awesomeness...i forgot my password, then forgot the email i used to sign in...the last 3 months have been a blur to me...[kendall keeps me busy, and not thinking clearly] LOL

The other night I was standing outside the bar watching cars go by.[it was a slow night] when a guy i know [just from the bar] stopped and asked me how i had been doing, and that he was glad to see me back.  I told him I was alright, and that i was glad to be back...then when I asked him how he was doing, and he began to tell me.

He started to tell me that the last few months had been pretty rough on him he had had a few deaths [which I can relate too] and had hit a few rough patches in life.  As he went on and on i thought.."OMG is this guy ever goin to shut up".."it's getting cold out here"...ohh man i wish someone would walk in so i could leave him"...what is he tryin to do make me feel pitty for him. But as i looked in his eyes, i realized that this wasnt just some pitty party, this guy was really hurting, so i continued to listen, but i had nothing to say...i didnt know what to say, i almost felt awful because the only things i could say were "oh my gosh" or "yeah".

After a few minutes of talking...orr listening i should say. He thanked me for listening, and gave me a hug.  That was most sincere hug i have gotten in a long time.  It made me feel good knowing that all i had to do was listen, and it made someone's day a little bit brighter, and feel a little bit better. 

I saw that same guy tonight, and he had put on a smile, and was having a good time...never even mentioned all of the rough things that we had talked about earlier on in the week.  It got me thinking a lot about how people go around and want a pitty party for the stupidest things, some people make stuff up because they want the attention.  It's almost like it's their lifes mission to make people feel sorry for them everyday.  To those people i say this...why MAKE your life a complete misery just for attention.  There are people out there who are REALLY struggling with things in their life....and you cant even tell from the outside.  The last few months i have realized that life if a GIFT, and it can be taken away in a heartbeat.  Do you want that last beat to be forgotten...or remembered??

 So instead of going around wanting pitty on yourself, take a long hard look in the mirror at the person you are...and remember you only get one chance to live...MAKE IT COUNT!!!!!!! Go have a lil fun in life!!!! :)

next time i'm getting a dog!

I now [finally] introduce to you Kendall Michelle!

• July 5, 2011
• 8:44pm
• 6lbs 9oz
• 19in. long
• HEALTHY
• And a huge pain getting here! :)

Between the poopy diapers and cries, I finally have a napping baby, and a few moments to catch you guys up on whats been happening!

Three weeks ago yesterday, I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Kendall, and believe me it wasn't as easy as i thought it was going to be.  I went into the hospital that morning to get induced thinking i was goin to have a normal labor and delivery...but was i EVER WRONG!

First let me take a few steps back, and tell you a little bit about the issues i had during my pregnancy.  When i was 32 weeks pregnant i got a bladder infection which threw me into pre-term labor. i went to the hospital they stopped it i went home (hosp. visit #1).  Then a week later it happened again, only this time i had to stay in the hosp. and they had to stop it with an IV (hosp visit #2). Then at 36 weeks my blood pressure sky rocketed and i had to go back. (hosp visit #3).  I knew early she was going to be a handfull!! LOL

okay so back to the day she was born.  It started off like any normal induction, they hooked me up to the monitors, and gave me my IV, and then waiting game began.  A few hours went by with some progress, when then, her heart rate started to go up and down.  The dr then told me it was either the cord around her neck, or she just didnt like the potocin(sp) and that a c-section would probally be my best option.

so after freaking out and talking to the nurses and my mom, i decided that a c-section was the way i was goin to go.  It was the scariest thing i have ever been through, and if i never have to do that again, its goin to be too soon!! And after 8 minutes of tryin to get her head out of my pelvic bone, she was pulled out, with the cord wrapped around her neck..twice! but she was healthy, and it didnt cause any problems.... Remember my last blog about Kendall having the best guardian angel ever....that has seen been proven true!! :)

After coming back to my room from recovery, stoned on my pain meds and everything else they shot in me...i told my mom that "next time i was getting a dog" :)

A mother daughter relationship is the most complex of all!

It's crazy how the older i get, the more thankful i am for my mother not killing me. :) She is a very strong women, and when i think back to some of the things i did and put her through makes me want to cry.

My mom has been through alot in the last year, with my dad, and my being pregnant yet she still gets up every morning with a smile on her face.  Thinking about everything she has been through, if that would have been me...i would have a new home in a padded room.  She has been there for me through break-ups, fights with friends, and has helped me see when i have made a horrible mistake (i was never a very good listener, so it i got alot of  "I told you so").  Part of me wouldnt change all we've been though together because i wouldn't be who i am today. But than on the other hand, i cant imagine all the sleepless nights i have caused her because i thought i was being a "grown up".
  

And now that i am about to become a mother myself, i cant help but think about what someone told me, they said that you're kids always act worse than you did...lol....if thats the case, im locking her up until shes 18!! :) 

Me and my mom have become pretty close since i got pregnant.  I started realizing that my lifestyle needed to change, and i needed to move back home for a while, so while living back with my mom we have gotten close again, and i very happy that we did.  We always find ourselves laughing about the most dumbest things, and i find myself asking her things about being a mother like things like what she did when she first had me (i was her first).  I don't know what i would do if i didnt have a mom who stuck with me through thick and thin.  I would probably be dead, or living on the streets somewhere.  She is truly my hero, and i love her with everything i have!!!



p.s...i would post a picture of us, but she was never one to have her picture taken much...she always thought she looked awful (clearly i didnt get my camera whore ways from her!! =])