THIS is why I love higher education...
http://www.today.com/moms/they-said-yes-boy-down-syndrome-gets-college-program-heart-2D11777602
Bravo, Clemson!
Now, where are my tissues?!
Friday, December 20, 2013
My heart in a photo
I looked at this photo this morning and realized that it isn't just a picture of a handsome man holding an adorable puppy. It is a picture of my heart. Those two are my absolute favorites and if I never get anything else for Christmas I'm OK with that because I've already got everything I need.
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| LOVE. |
Recent headlines...
I saw this story on my Facebook feed the other day and cried ugly tears reading it. It was so sad yet so beautiful:
http://www.today.com/news/moms-memory-lives-sweet-dad-daughter-photos-2D11741832
I saw this story the other day and immediately wanted to help. I wasn't alone. THERE ARE STILL GOOD PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. And the story had a happy ending. You can enjoy it here:
http://dailynightly.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/18/21955710-donations-allow-blind-man-to-keep-the-dog-that-saved-him?lite
Confession: I've never seen Duck Dynasty. Am I still an American citizen? Whew. OK. So far my passport hasn't been revoked. I was so clueless about this show that I bought a DD product as a gift without knowing it (and returned it yesterday because I didn't want to be part of this fiasco). I don't watch much television. I have better things to do, but a ton of my Facebook friends do and my "newsfeed" exploded with calls to boycott A&E for censoring someone on this show. There were 27 posts about this issue on my feed yesterday. 27. This was my response post to Facebook:
When people become outraged about issues with a television show (A TELEVISION SHOW!!!!!) I cannot help but think about how much energy they could be spending on really important issues that should upset them infinitely more. (No, I'm not talking about Tim Tebow not being in the NFL this year. I'd argue it is more of an outrage, but that's just me! HA!) I'm talking REAL issues, people. Wake up and get riled up about real injustices and real issues. UGH.
Also, don't get all grumpy about Christians being persecuted and then become jerks. Does that endear Jesus to anyone? Did He teach being nasty to our neighbors? I don't remember ever reading that. End of rant.As of press time, 17 people have "liked" my status and 5 have commented. Two of those people are missionaries. Three of them are agnostic. Seven of them are people I consider strong Christians. The others aren't close enough to me for me to know their core beliefs and I'm OK with that. The point is by being so divided in how we act as Christians...the whole agree with us and let us speak or we will boycott you mentality...we're alienating the very people Jesus told us to love. Quit that. A friend of mine shared this article which was everything I wanted to say and didn't. It is also far more well-written than my little blog. Fine! The author is just better than me! I've included a link to his article below so that you can see what I mean and then decide that you'd rather read his work than the little Petefish Post (which is totally understandable expect he won't have cute photos of MacKenzie...just sayin'):
http://matthewpaulturner.com/2013/12/19/hey-church-can-we-all-just-calm-the-duck-down/
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| Can great writing really top photos of a cute puppy?! ;) |
Adapt.
"Adaptation, my friend. When you never leave an environment, you never change. If you're not changing, you're not growing."- a Facebook friend of mine
I read the quote above and just stopped what I was doing because it was so profound. Go ahead. Read it again. Soak it in. It is so true. I've reflected on that a lot recently. Jackson makes fun of me because I have these great dreams of "reinventing myself" but that's OK. I tend to think that I have to move to a far away land to be who I really want to be. I don't.
Right here, right now, right where I am I can be who I want to be.
I can stop eating processed foods because I think they're killing us.
I can stop talking to people who don't understand personal growth.
I can read books about things I never thought I would and enjoy them. I can have "book clubs" with folks I'd never dreamed I'd still be speaking to and enjoy them more than I do other people in my life.
I can opt to see the bright-side of any situation.
I can shun debt and all of the chains that go along with it.
I can decide not to try to "climb the corporate ladder" even though a part of me wants to. A larger part of me sees that personal life success is more important.
The other day I had some free time (OK, I was waiting on hold with the IRS which means I couldn't really focus on another task with great efficiency) so I scrolled through my own Facebook "wall"/ profile. Do you know what I discovered? That I like myself. Before you scan over that statement as either dumb or cocky, think about it. How many people do you know that will say this? I don't know if it isn't common because of social norms or because of insecurity, but it is not common to profess self-love. I'm going against that norm to announce that I like the woman I've grown up to be. Do I love getting older? No. Do I think that maybe getting older is the only way to start really accepting yourself for who you are? Yes, I do. Do I think that just because I like who I am that I can stop growing, adapting, learning new things and embracing new points of view? Absolutely not. In fact, I think my favorite thing about my more mature (fine, OLDER) self is my willing to do just that: adapt. I can listen now without being offended when someone doesn't agree with me. I can hear someone speak on a subject that I had a strong opinion about and, upon hearing another side of the story, be willing to admit that I may have formed an opinion without being completely informed. I'm actually working on being willing to admit when I'm wrong. (That seems funny, but it isn't. It is a big step for me. Huge. Ask Jackson- ha!)
I think the thing I like to most about myself right now is my general compassion for others. I care, you guys. It may not seem like it, but I have a heart the size of Texas. I care so much about the hurtful things in the world that I cannot watch the news. It overwhelms me. I cannot deal with hearing so much bad news. I instead try to read good news (no, I don't live under a rock and pretend that the world is a great place. I just know that me knowing every bad things doesn't help anyone so I allocate my time in other ways).
My general compassion for others has had such a profound influence on my self-value that I propose that we all take steps in being more compassionate. Before you know it we will all be non-drugged out hippies doing yoga, Pilates, eating real food, happily preparing tax returns and loving each other as Christ first loved us. Imagine that for a moment! OK, I won't ask you all to pick up a love of all things taxation. ;)
OK, here are a few ideas on how to love each other better:
-Give money to someone on the street who asks for me WITHOUT WONDERING HOW THEY WILL SPEND IT. Note: I believe that all money is the Lord's and we just get to direct it. Even if that is true (and I think it is), the Lord doesn't force us to spend our funds any certain way. Do I think He is happier with some spending than others? Yes. Obviously. He still lets me have my red convertible. He still lets Donald Trump have golden faucets. He still lets people buy drugs and guns. He still lets people buy overpriced, but super tasty venti beverages. He lets us select how to budge our funds. I believe in applying that same idea when giving of our own funds. A gift does not have strings attached. Remember that.
-Hold the door for someone. Maybe their hands are full or maybe their mind is full and you just cannot see it. In the end, we all have a lot going on. Let's try to ease each other's burdens as much as possible.
-Allow people to commit traffic sins (cutting in at the last second aka acting as a "cheetah" as Jackson calls it) because we've all been there intentionally and unintentionally. What is your hurry? Show some love and let the person in. Note: I'm working on applying this little deed in my own life. It is a work in progress. I wouldn't call it a strong point yet.
-Hold your tongue and ask if your comment is helpful or hurtful. I know, that sounds a little silly, but it works. I believe that you let yourself become snippy and nasty if you voice every negative, sarcastic thought that runs through your mind. I'm running an experiment with myself to see if I stop voicing negative thoughts if they'll stop coming to me so quickly. So far I'd say that the approach is working. I have had entire hours where I interact with people and don't call a single one of them an idiot either verbally or internally. That's progress. Really, sadly, it is.
-Smile at people. It is free and it matters.
-PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND BE PRESENT. Make people feel important. Maybe they're strangers and maybe they're your family but people matter and people want to feel valuable. No one feels valuable when you're playing on your phone and ignoring the "real world."
-Say thank you. When you appreciate someone for their actions, how they make you feel or maybe something they did for others TELL THEM. THANK THEM. You can send a thank you note (a lost art that I swear by) or you can just say it. Be brave. It will be OK.
This post has gotten random but I had a lot on my heart and mind. Stick with me friends, I'll get back to cute photos of MacKenzie soon!
I read the quote above and just stopped what I was doing because it was so profound. Go ahead. Read it again. Soak it in. It is so true. I've reflected on that a lot recently. Jackson makes fun of me because I have these great dreams of "reinventing myself" but that's OK. I tend to think that I have to move to a far away land to be who I really want to be. I don't.
Right here, right now, right where I am I can be who I want to be.
I can stop eating processed foods because I think they're killing us.
I can stop talking to people who don't understand personal growth.
I can read books about things I never thought I would and enjoy them. I can have "book clubs" with folks I'd never dreamed I'd still be speaking to and enjoy them more than I do other people in my life.
I can opt to see the bright-side of any situation.
I can shun debt and all of the chains that go along with it.
I can decide not to try to "climb the corporate ladder" even though a part of me wants to. A larger part of me sees that personal life success is more important.
The other day I had some free time (OK, I was waiting on hold with the IRS which means I couldn't really focus on another task with great efficiency) so I scrolled through my own Facebook "wall"/ profile. Do you know what I discovered? That I like myself. Before you scan over that statement as either dumb or cocky, think about it. How many people do you know that will say this? I don't know if it isn't common because of social norms or because of insecurity, but it is not common to profess self-love. I'm going against that norm to announce that I like the woman I've grown up to be. Do I love getting older? No. Do I think that maybe getting older is the only way to start really accepting yourself for who you are? Yes, I do. Do I think that just because I like who I am that I can stop growing, adapting, learning new things and embracing new points of view? Absolutely not. In fact, I think my favorite thing about my more mature (fine, OLDER) self is my willing to do just that: adapt. I can listen now without being offended when someone doesn't agree with me. I can hear someone speak on a subject that I had a strong opinion about and, upon hearing another side of the story, be willing to admit that I may have formed an opinion without being completely informed. I'm actually working on being willing to admit when I'm wrong. (That seems funny, but it isn't. It is a big step for me. Huge. Ask Jackson- ha!)
I think the thing I like to most about myself right now is my general compassion for others. I care, you guys. It may not seem like it, but I have a heart the size of Texas. I care so much about the hurtful things in the world that I cannot watch the news. It overwhelms me. I cannot deal with hearing so much bad news. I instead try to read good news (no, I don't live under a rock and pretend that the world is a great place. I just know that me knowing every bad things doesn't help anyone so I allocate my time in other ways).
My general compassion for others has had such a profound influence on my self-value that I propose that we all take steps in being more compassionate. Before you know it we will all be non-drugged out hippies doing yoga, Pilates, eating real food, happily preparing tax returns and loving each other as Christ first loved us. Imagine that for a moment! OK, I won't ask you all to pick up a love of all things taxation. ;)
OK, here are a few ideas on how to love each other better:
-Give money to someone on the street who asks for me WITHOUT WONDERING HOW THEY WILL SPEND IT. Note: I believe that all money is the Lord's and we just get to direct it. Even if that is true (and I think it is), the Lord doesn't force us to spend our funds any certain way. Do I think He is happier with some spending than others? Yes. Obviously. He still lets me have my red convertible. He still lets Donald Trump have golden faucets. He still lets people buy drugs and guns. He still lets people buy overpriced, but super tasty venti beverages. He lets us select how to budge our funds. I believe in applying that same idea when giving of our own funds. A gift does not have strings attached. Remember that.
-Hold the door for someone. Maybe their hands are full or maybe their mind is full and you just cannot see it. In the end, we all have a lot going on. Let's try to ease each other's burdens as much as possible.
-Allow people to commit traffic sins (cutting in at the last second aka acting as a "cheetah" as Jackson calls it) because we've all been there intentionally and unintentionally. What is your hurry? Show some love and let the person in. Note: I'm working on applying this little deed in my own life. It is a work in progress. I wouldn't call it a strong point yet.
-Hold your tongue and ask if your comment is helpful or hurtful. I know, that sounds a little silly, but it works. I believe that you let yourself become snippy and nasty if you voice every negative, sarcastic thought that runs through your mind. I'm running an experiment with myself to see if I stop voicing negative thoughts if they'll stop coming to me so quickly. So far I'd say that the approach is working. I have had entire hours where I interact with people and don't call a single one of them an idiot either verbally or internally. That's progress. Really, sadly, it is.
-Smile at people. It is free and it matters.
-PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND BE PRESENT. Make people feel important. Maybe they're strangers and maybe they're your family but people matter and people want to feel valuable. No one feels valuable when you're playing on your phone and ignoring the "real world."
-Say thank you. When you appreciate someone for their actions, how they make you feel or maybe something they did for others TELL THEM. THANK THEM. You can send a thank you note (a lost art that I swear by) or you can just say it. Be brave. It will be OK.
This post has gotten random but I had a lot on my heart and mind. Stick with me friends, I'll get back to cute photos of MacKenzie soon!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Petefish Christmas
Last night we had our annual Petefish Christmas dinner downtown. We went to McCormick & Schmick's for some fancy seafood with Susie and cousin Will.
We got Susie the same gift she got us: a coupon for ice cream at our favorite place in Fishers, Handel's! Too funny!
After dinner we grabbed MacKenzie, cashed in one of our Handel's coupons for dessert and went in search of Christmas light shows.
This guy's house in Fishers is the best. The very best. We stayed there watching the entire show for about 15 minutes before driving up to Reynold's, a farm supply store (I think?), to see their light display. It was pretty cool, too, but they don't have the lights dance to music like that guy's house does.
It was a great way to spend kick off our week of Christmas celebration. Thanks for everything, Susie!
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| MacKenzie did NOT want to wake up |
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| Christmas Petefish |
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| Jackson loves opening presents! |
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| Now we see where he got his silly expressions from... |
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| his mother! |
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| Jackson's new running shoes |
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| MacK giving Grammy her ice cream order |
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| My favorite house with the best light show around! |
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| MacK "watching" the lights |
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| I love all lights whether or not they make sense with the holiday |
Sunday, December 15, 2013
OMG CODY ZELLER
Friday night we had another Pacers game. We picked this game because Indiana University's big man from last year, Cody Zeller, was coming to town with his team. This game was not nearly as crowded as the HEAT game. Imagine that. ;)
We joke that we are like parents hoping that our son plays well in his big hometown NBA debut. He did play pretty well, but the Pacers won. Woot!
I think Jackson's favorite part of this game was that IU had a game the next day in Indianapolis so all of the players were in town and at the Pacers game to support their former teammate. I made us stand near where the IU team was sitting at halftime hoping we'd get a chance to meet some of them. You know, since I am friends with Coach Crean and all these days. ;) It worked and Jackson met one of the guys that he stalks follows on Twitter, Troy Williams. Troy was such a nice kid that he skyrocketed to the top of our favorite Indiana players list.
We had to leave the game at the half due to the snow coming down. We had some pretty scary road conditions on the way home but we made it safely. I'm about over this whole snow driving thing and it isn't even the end of December yet. Oy.
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| Yay Cody! (3rd from the right) |
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| He's in! He's playing! |
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| The mini marathon haunts us from the big screen |
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| Jackson's wardrobe choices were perfect for this photo |
Beat the HEAT!
We talked about selling our Pacers vs. Heat tickets for about two minutes. Then we got real and realized we wanted to see the game so we headed downtown early to grab dinner at Adobo-yum- and watch the home team take on my other favorite team.
Justin Timberlake had a concert the next day at the same stadium so he was courtside for the game. They did a pre-recorded singalong with the players to one of his songs and the place went nuts.
This is as close as we got to JT. I hear his concert was awesome. The Pacers pulled off a victory and Birdman got a lot of playing time making the evening a complete win. :)
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| So our seats weren't the best for this game... |
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| BIRDMAN |
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| Jackson taking in the game |
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| LeBron missing (I think) a free throw |
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| Holy Grail... |
