Beautiful Days

I didn’t get a chance to blog yesterday so I am making up for it today.

15 Feb 2010

This morning was kind of a rough start for Ash, and it happens to the best of us. I noticed that she wasn’t having a good morning, and needed someone to make her smile. As stated before in previous blogs I am repeating day's 1-4 over and over, so I combined Two Dare's in one day and it had a wonderful effect! The 1st part was Day 2's Dare. "In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, Do at least one unexpected gesture" That alone was a two part Dare today. Part one since Ash was having a rough start and needed a little "Pick Me Up" I went upstairs to get ready for the day and thought to myself "I haven’t left her a note on the Mirror in a long time. That usually makes her feel great." So there it was I grabbed one of the kid’s bathtub crayons and left her this message on her side of the mirror. "It seems your having a rough start today, so I'm going to bring a smile to your face. I can never tell you in enough ways how grateful I am to have you, and how thankful I am for everything you do for us. I Love You Baby" Since we haven’t left each other little notes like that in a long time I felt it defiantly was much unexpected! Part 2 was all day, Ashleigh had recently become a Miche Bag representative. So she wanted to create a blog for it. Not just a standard blog either, Ashleigh is very gifted in Web design and she wanted this blog to be informational and hers. That was an all day evolution and I wanted her to do it. It made her feel good and didn’t even faze me at the slightest. There was no selfishness at all today; I didn’t even giver the slightest bit of crap for being on the computer all day. And when she tried to get off and help me with something is when I said no (on a couple occasions she slipped by me) so in smaller words Part 2 was basically giving Ash the space and the break she needed. Yet another much unexpected gesture, she hardly ever gets any time to do what she wants to do for her! With the kids running around doing their normal to me being on her case most days. The other Dare that I combined with today and will continue to combine with all the days to follow is Patience Day 1's Dare "Demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It's better to hold your tongue than to say something you'll regret" I only loose my patience with Ash once in a great while but when I do it’s bad. So I have been practicing on the kids. I only lost it once really bad but it was Justifiable. Chase and Grace had been playing in the living room and I happen to hear Chase telling his sister "move or I'm going to kick you in the face, MOVE MOOOOOOVE." I could see the both of them from where I was sitting in the kitchen and watching this unfold. Sure enough he lifted his leg and kicked her right in the face. So I became the RDC Daddy (Recruit Division Commander) and became stern and loud. Enough to scare everyone including Ash and the animals. Needless to say Chase was taking a nap after that one. There are a couple of great outcomes of me being able to practice Patience on the kids and they are. Chase is growing closer and closer to me every day! Because I’m not so quick to punish him and I am showing him that he truly does mean the world to me. And in return he won’t leave me alone in a good way! Telling me that he loves me and that I’m his best friend, just wanting to be next to me. Also I can see in his eyes that he wants to be just like me. One of the other positive things is that when I do get close to loosing it with Ashleigh I will be ready to calm myself and not be quick to anger or say something that I will regret later. I do have to say on another note is this book isn’t the only thing making things go the way they are, I have been getting closer and closer to our Lord, Christ by preying every day sometimes twice a day. He has been giving me the feeling that he is there and helping me down a better path. Another is dedication on both parts; Ash and I have been working real hard at what we have and what we want in our relationship. Nothing in life is free and you do get what you pay for so for those of you that are reading this and maybe the little here's and there's are hitting home, just keep pushing forward because once your at rock bottom there is only one other direction and that’s up! Have a great rest of the day. I will post later tonight about todays events!

-Justin

“Blessed, indeed, is the man who hears many gentle voices call him daddy!”