I went to the Phoenix Suns game tonight (12/3/10) with the friend I have who works for the Suns. It was just like any other Suns game I have been to recently. Free tickets, great seats, great company, etc. The Suns won the game and we headed to my friends office to retrieve our coats and begin the journey home. My friend however was looking for a fellow co worker because it was this co workers last day and she had a gift to give her. This is where the dream comes true part happens.
I was told by my friend that she needed to head down to the court because that was where her co worker was. She asked if I wanted to come and of course I said yes. We took the courtside seat ticket holders special tunnel down to the court. This isn't the actual court. This is the place the tunnel leads to that all the players and courtside seat ticket holders walk through at halftime and after the game. I was then lead through the tunnel to the court. I was able to walk on to the court get some pictures taken and I of course jumped up and grabbed the rim just so I could say I did it. The highlight of the on court experience was Bailee and my friends son having a race from one baseline to the other baseline (it was a tie).
We then went back through the tunnel to meet up with the co worker my friend was trying to find. As they were talking the Suns players were slowly making their way to their cars that were parked in the under ground lot which is part of the arena. Chase (my friends son) and Bailee were asked if they would like to give high 5's to the players, they both said yes. So one by one as the players were coming out and walking our way the security guard the players all knew would give them some dap and then tell them they had a couple little ones waiting for high 5's. This is something Chase and his mom (my friend) have experienced quite often. It was obviously new for Bailee and me.
First Earl Clark came out and Bailee was instantly shy hiding behind her Dad. Then Hedo Turkoglu came by and Bailee again hid behind me. So Hedo stepped closer to me and started playing what could be called peek a boo with Bailee trying to get her to come out from behind me. No such luck. Then he reached out and shook my hand said thanks for coming, I said great game, thank you (trying not to drool) and he went on his way. The next guy that came out was Channing Frye and Chase gave him a high five and he said oww! Hearing this, Bailee was suddenly interested in giving high fives because she wanted to make them say oww too. Jared Dudley came next (my personal favorite Suns player) gave Bailee a high five and then proceeded to introduce his 2 or so year old daughter to Bailee. Suddenly Lute Olson appeared (legendary coach of the UofA Wildcats basketball team) he was super nice. The last two players we saw were Jason Richardson and Grant Hill. Bailee gave Grant Hill a high 5 and slightly missed his hand but instead of just being done with it Grant said something like, oh wait we have to do that again you got to hit the whole hand, and on the second try she did.
This was all happening in front of me as I was trying to contain my emotions and drool. Really a once in a lifetime type experience. Something I will be able to share with Bailee when she is older. A Dream Come True if you will!
Karl
Friday, December 3, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
My Family Story...A tribute to Mom...
I would like to share my families story with you. So sit back, prepare yourself for some reading and enjoy.
I am the youngest of 5 biological children. I could have been the 4th but I've been told my twin bother gave me a solid straight arm because he wanted out first! I say youngest of 5 biological children, but in reality I am a middle child. I became a middle child after my family adopted 3 girls in a 2-4 year span beginning when i was 10. After the completion of the final adoption our number stood at 8. 4 boys and 4 girls. We were/are a loud bunch. We like to call it Saxton loud. Try rolling 10 deep (don't forget mom and dad) in to the local McDonald's without being noticed. You can't! It was always an adventure when we went out.
What I haven't told you is that my biological sister has Downs Syndrome. 2 of my adopted sisters also have Downs Syndrome and the 3rd adopted sister has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and here's how that all came about. Having only 1 little girl my mom got the itch for another one when I was 10. As the story goes... she wanted another little girl so my biological sister would have a sister to hang out with. My parents contacted the adoption agency, went through the paper work process, and 9 months later they were contacted about a newborn baby girl who needed a home. A newborn baby girl who just happened to have Downs Syndrome. She was under a month old when we took her home. This made her 12 years younger than my biological sister Tanya.
Soon realizing that the age difference between Tanya and Lisa wouldn't provide an immediate interactive sister relationship my mother got the urge to adopt another girl. Only two real criteria this time. Closer in age to Tanya and she had to have a mental disability. If you are not seeing the complete picture here let me take a moment to give it to you. Having a biological child with Downs Syndrome anyone who is close to our mom knows she had a special place in her heart for these children and a purpose given to her by God to take care of them in any way she could. So the search begin and this is actually how it happened. My parents or mother (not sure) were looking through the San Jose Mercury Newspaper for no particular reason and stumbled upon the Foster child of the month or week. A 12 year old girl named Evette who had lost her mother and been in foster care for some time. Evette also had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome due to an a mother who used drugs and alcohol during pregnancy. We all went to meet Evette as a family and my parents were lead to begin the adoption process. We would soon call Evette sister as well.
Now I'm not sure how long it was after my parents adopted Evette that we then adopted Anna, but that really doesn't matter. My parents weren't actually looking to adopt anymore when one day they were contacted by the adoption agency about a baby girl who had Downs Syndrome and needed a home. Having a great affection for children with any Syndrome my parents decided to go meet this little baby girl and they brought us along with them. It was instant love. In fact the story my mom shares is that myself and Kevin told my parents that if we didn't adopt Anna we would never speak to them again! My parents almost immediately begin the adoption process for Anna and soon we would bring home the final addition to our family. Anna was only an infant when we did bring her home. So that's how 7 became 10 (again don't forget mom and dad in the total number!)
As for the biological children there is Brian the oldest brother, next in line is Eric, then comes Tanya, and My twin brother Kevin and I round out the 5. We really aren't the focus of this so let's move on.
Tanya is the oldest girl and is 3rd in the pecking order as far as age goes. She is not afraid to let anyone know that she is older then myself and Kevin as well as her sisters. Tanya is what I would call the most adult out of any of my sisters. She knows how old she is and she knows what that means and finds it more than easy to insert herself in to conversations she wants to be involved in. Tanya is one of the most loving, caring individuals you will ever meet. I'm pretty sure there isn't a mean bone in her body. She loves her mom, sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends with an unconditional love only God could provide and a kind of love that most of the world should envy.
Evette is the most shy out of all my sisters. A rough childhood, a cleft pallet, and trachea scar added to this. Evette is also the greatest success story of all my sisters. A girl who would speak very little and show little affection towards others when she first joined or family has turned in to a women who will give anyone a hug and talk your ear off if you let her. One of the best listeners I know as well. My Uncle Jim (a talker himself) would proudly testify to this! I believe that this turnaround happened not only because of the love our family showed her but mainly because of the continuous love that my mother showed her even during the most difficult times. Having Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and not Downs Syndrome makes Evette completely aware of who she is and she sometimes struggles with that. It took a little while for my mother to figure out how to deal with this but in the end she realized that love was the answer (along with what I like to call a little corrective action).
The easiest way to describe Lisa is as a self proclaimed princess. A women who carries her head high, knows she is beautiful, dances better than most, always gets the shotgun seat in the car and never uses a napkin (that would not be princess like!). Lisa is easily embarrassed especially when the conversation turns to boys. Most days you will find Lisa perched on her chair with everything she needs surrounding her. Books, pens, coloring materials, a drink and the TV. Lisa and Tanya are both extremely impressive when it comes to keeping up on what's cool in the music and TV world.
Anna is the most low functioning of all my sisters. I say that with caution though. Anna has Downs Syndrome but we believe she is Autistic as well. She loves to be in her room (her own world) playing the keyboard, watching a video, or playing with any other toy that she has. Anna often surprises you with how alert and receptive to information she is. On the outside it appears there isn't much going on but you would be remiss if you believed this. She captures everything around her and understands the world around her for the most part. In most instances she is just unable to communicate that understanding to anyone. Anna is all about routine. When the routine gets interrupted things can get difficult. Thankfully the Lord has given my Mother, Evette (Anna's biggest helper other than Mom) and in some cases Tanya and Lisa the ability to discern what part of the routine has been interrupted so they can correct it. Anna also loves to be physical in a Karate, Taebo kind of way. She is deceptively strong and you must be careful if you choose to get in to it with her.
The most valuable player in all of this is Mom. A women who decided a long time ago that her families needs would be put in front of hers for her whole life. All 4 of my sisters still live with my mom. I'm not sure how she does it because I know I couldn't. Actually I do know. God has a purpose for all of us and His purpose for my mom was to care for and love these girls. My mom will be the first to tell you that it hasn't been easy and she isn't perfect but she will also be the first to tell you that she wouldn't change a thing. The love she gives to these girls is returned tenfold by them. My mother is the greatest role model I have and if I can be half the parent she is I would be more than successful. Thank you Mom for all you have done and continue to do. Everyone you know would testify to this...you have one of the biggest hearts ever created and our family is and continues to be blessed by it. I'm sure I speak for all your children when I say We Love You.
I am the youngest of 5 biological children. I could have been the 4th but I've been told my twin bother gave me a solid straight arm because he wanted out first! I say youngest of 5 biological children, but in reality I am a middle child. I became a middle child after my family adopted 3 girls in a 2-4 year span beginning when i was 10. After the completion of the final adoption our number stood at 8. 4 boys and 4 girls. We were/are a loud bunch. We like to call it Saxton loud. Try rolling 10 deep (don't forget mom and dad) in to the local McDonald's without being noticed. You can't! It was always an adventure when we went out.
What I haven't told you is that my biological sister has Downs Syndrome. 2 of my adopted sisters also have Downs Syndrome and the 3rd adopted sister has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and here's how that all came about. Having only 1 little girl my mom got the itch for another one when I was 10. As the story goes... she wanted another little girl so my biological sister would have a sister to hang out with. My parents contacted the adoption agency, went through the paper work process, and 9 months later they were contacted about a newborn baby girl who needed a home. A newborn baby girl who just happened to have Downs Syndrome. She was under a month old when we took her home. This made her 12 years younger than my biological sister Tanya.
Soon realizing that the age difference between Tanya and Lisa wouldn't provide an immediate interactive sister relationship my mother got the urge to adopt another girl. Only two real criteria this time. Closer in age to Tanya and she had to have a mental disability. If you are not seeing the complete picture here let me take a moment to give it to you. Having a biological child with Downs Syndrome anyone who is close to our mom knows she had a special place in her heart for these children and a purpose given to her by God to take care of them in any way she could. So the search begin and this is actually how it happened. My parents or mother (not sure) were looking through the San Jose Mercury Newspaper for no particular reason and stumbled upon the Foster child of the month or week. A 12 year old girl named Evette who had lost her mother and been in foster care for some time. Evette also had Fetal Alcohol Syndrome due to an a mother who used drugs and alcohol during pregnancy. We all went to meet Evette as a family and my parents were lead to begin the adoption process. We would soon call Evette sister as well.
Now I'm not sure how long it was after my parents adopted Evette that we then adopted Anna, but that really doesn't matter. My parents weren't actually looking to adopt anymore when one day they were contacted by the adoption agency about a baby girl who had Downs Syndrome and needed a home. Having a great affection for children with any Syndrome my parents decided to go meet this little baby girl and they brought us along with them. It was instant love. In fact the story my mom shares is that myself and Kevin told my parents that if we didn't adopt Anna we would never speak to them again! My parents almost immediately begin the adoption process for Anna and soon we would bring home the final addition to our family. Anna was only an infant when we did bring her home. So that's how 7 became 10 (again don't forget mom and dad in the total number!)
As for the biological children there is Brian the oldest brother, next in line is Eric, then comes Tanya, and My twin brother Kevin and I round out the 5. We really aren't the focus of this so let's move on.
Tanya is the oldest girl and is 3rd in the pecking order as far as age goes. She is not afraid to let anyone know that she is older then myself and Kevin as well as her sisters. Tanya is what I would call the most adult out of any of my sisters. She knows how old she is and she knows what that means and finds it more than easy to insert herself in to conversations she wants to be involved in. Tanya is one of the most loving, caring individuals you will ever meet. I'm pretty sure there isn't a mean bone in her body. She loves her mom, sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends with an unconditional love only God could provide and a kind of love that most of the world should envy.
Evette is the most shy out of all my sisters. A rough childhood, a cleft pallet, and trachea scar added to this. Evette is also the greatest success story of all my sisters. A girl who would speak very little and show little affection towards others when she first joined or family has turned in to a women who will give anyone a hug and talk your ear off if you let her. One of the best listeners I know as well. My Uncle Jim (a talker himself) would proudly testify to this! I believe that this turnaround happened not only because of the love our family showed her but mainly because of the continuous love that my mother showed her even during the most difficult times. Having Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and not Downs Syndrome makes Evette completely aware of who she is and she sometimes struggles with that. It took a little while for my mother to figure out how to deal with this but in the end she realized that love was the answer (along with what I like to call a little corrective action).
The easiest way to describe Lisa is as a self proclaimed princess. A women who carries her head high, knows she is beautiful, dances better than most, always gets the shotgun seat in the car and never uses a napkin (that would not be princess like!). Lisa is easily embarrassed especially when the conversation turns to boys. Most days you will find Lisa perched on her chair with everything she needs surrounding her. Books, pens, coloring materials, a drink and the TV. Lisa and Tanya are both extremely impressive when it comes to keeping up on what's cool in the music and TV world.
Anna is the most low functioning of all my sisters. I say that with caution though. Anna has Downs Syndrome but we believe she is Autistic as well. She loves to be in her room (her own world) playing the keyboard, watching a video, or playing with any other toy that she has. Anna often surprises you with how alert and receptive to information she is. On the outside it appears there isn't much going on but you would be remiss if you believed this. She captures everything around her and understands the world around her for the most part. In most instances she is just unable to communicate that understanding to anyone. Anna is all about routine. When the routine gets interrupted things can get difficult. Thankfully the Lord has given my Mother, Evette (Anna's biggest helper other than Mom) and in some cases Tanya and Lisa the ability to discern what part of the routine has been interrupted so they can correct it. Anna also loves to be physical in a Karate, Taebo kind of way. She is deceptively strong and you must be careful if you choose to get in to it with her.
The most valuable player in all of this is Mom. A women who decided a long time ago that her families needs would be put in front of hers for her whole life. All 4 of my sisters still live with my mom. I'm not sure how she does it because I know I couldn't. Actually I do know. God has a purpose for all of us and His purpose for my mom was to care for and love these girls. My mom will be the first to tell you that it hasn't been easy and she isn't perfect but she will also be the first to tell you that she wouldn't change a thing. The love she gives to these girls is returned tenfold by them. My mother is the greatest role model I have and if I can be half the parent she is I would be more than successful. Thank you Mom for all you have done and continue to do. Everyone you know would testify to this...you have one of the biggest hearts ever created and our family is and continues to be blessed by it. I'm sure I speak for all your children when I say We Love You.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
It's a difficult thing...
It's a difficult thing to to discover and realize things about yourself that aren't pleasant. To finally come to grips with who you really have been over the years. Especially if the person you've been wasn't a pleasant one. To be brought to a place so low and dark that it's hard to see the light at the top. This can be even more difficult if it was you who brought you to this point. Well, that's where I'm at.
For so many years I did what I wanted to do with no thought about who I was hurting or where the path I was on, was taking me. Unfortunately for me that path lead to where I am today. Alone and searching for answers.
We probably all define happiness a little differently. I like to think of it as something that will fill the void in your life. Whatever that void may be. I know that God will fill that void and give us peace, joy and hope and that no matter where our lives take us, or what situations we find ourselves in, if we are walking with Him, we will have the peace, joy and hope He provides. For most of my life I ignored that promise He gives us. Instead I tried to find happiness on my own in all the wrong areas. Then I would take His forgiveness for granted when I felt convicted about what I was doing. I would pray for forgiveness and almost immediately turn back to finding happiness any where but in Him. Over and over again I would do this.
Being brought to the place I am at now is unfortunate but at the same time I must praise the Lord for these circumstances. He has a lesson for me to learn. He wants to see me change, grow and learn from all of this. A few weeks ago I was sitting and reflecting on where I am at today. During this reflection I realized that (even after all that I've been through in the past year or so and more importantly the past couple of months) I was still searching for happiness in all the wrong areas. All the areas that brought me to where I am today. That's when a bible verse I had heard or read before struck a cord within my heart.
1 Timothy 1:14-16 says "The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworhty saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."
God has poured His grace out on me abundantly. I am a sinner of the worst kind. God has shown me His mercy over and over again so that I may be an example to those who don't believe and I have taken that grace and mercy for granted over and over again. In the grand scheme of things what matters is that we realize when we sin, we sin against God himself. Sin is direct disobedience to God. In doing so we disrupt the communication line between ourselves and Him. The only way to get that communication line open is to repent and ask God for forgiveness. So often when we ask for forgiveness we ask because our sin may have hurt someone. But God wants us to ask for forgiveness because we hurt Him by being disobedient. Then and only then can we be taken to a place of healing, change, growth, learning and hope. That's where I went wrong so many times. I wanted forgiveness but I wanted it on my terms. I never thought about what it meant to sin against God until now. I never bothered to ask God for forgiveness because I sinned against Him.
It's a difficult thing to realize all of this and it can be an even more difficult thing to begin to make the changes needed to find the peace, joy, and hope God promises. The good news is I am done running in the wrong direction. The climb up to the top isn't going to be easy and I know I will fall. The difference is my eyes are fixed on the Lord now and even when I fall I will look back to Him, repent for sinning against Him and then I will continue my climb with Him, and here's why....IT'S A WONDERFUL THING to know there is HOPE in our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST!
For so many years I did what I wanted to do with no thought about who I was hurting or where the path I was on, was taking me. Unfortunately for me that path lead to where I am today. Alone and searching for answers.
We probably all define happiness a little differently. I like to think of it as something that will fill the void in your life. Whatever that void may be. I know that God will fill that void and give us peace, joy and hope and that no matter where our lives take us, or what situations we find ourselves in, if we are walking with Him, we will have the peace, joy and hope He provides. For most of my life I ignored that promise He gives us. Instead I tried to find happiness on my own in all the wrong areas. Then I would take His forgiveness for granted when I felt convicted about what I was doing. I would pray for forgiveness and almost immediately turn back to finding happiness any where but in Him. Over and over again I would do this.
Being brought to the place I am at now is unfortunate but at the same time I must praise the Lord for these circumstances. He has a lesson for me to learn. He wants to see me change, grow and learn from all of this. A few weeks ago I was sitting and reflecting on where I am at today. During this reflection I realized that (even after all that I've been through in the past year or so and more importantly the past couple of months) I was still searching for happiness in all the wrong areas. All the areas that brought me to where I am today. That's when a bible verse I had heard or read before struck a cord within my heart.
1 Timothy 1:14-16 says "The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworhty saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."
God has poured His grace out on me abundantly. I am a sinner of the worst kind. God has shown me His mercy over and over again so that I may be an example to those who don't believe and I have taken that grace and mercy for granted over and over again. In the grand scheme of things what matters is that we realize when we sin, we sin against God himself. Sin is direct disobedience to God. In doing so we disrupt the communication line between ourselves and Him. The only way to get that communication line open is to repent and ask God for forgiveness. So often when we ask for forgiveness we ask because our sin may have hurt someone. But God wants us to ask for forgiveness because we hurt Him by being disobedient. Then and only then can we be taken to a place of healing, change, growth, learning and hope. That's where I went wrong so many times. I wanted forgiveness but I wanted it on my terms. I never thought about what it meant to sin against God until now. I never bothered to ask God for forgiveness because I sinned against Him.
It's a difficult thing to realize all of this and it can be an even more difficult thing to begin to make the changes needed to find the peace, joy, and hope God promises. The good news is I am done running in the wrong direction. The climb up to the top isn't going to be easy and I know I will fall. The difference is my eyes are fixed on the Lord now and even when I fall I will look back to Him, repent for sinning against Him and then I will continue my climb with Him, and here's why....IT'S A WONDERFUL THING to know there is HOPE in our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Trip
The morning of July 24 started out like few mornings before it. Bailee and I were headed to Fresno and Christina was flying to New Orleans. The plan was to be up at 4:45am so we could leave the house by 5:15 to get Christina to the airport by 6:00. The previous night was spent packing, doing laundry, loading the car and anything else you could think of to get ready for the next days trip. Bedtime came and went right on by with the adults finally retiring sometime after midnight. It's safe to say that neither Christina or I woke up to our alarm clocks. Instead I was awakened by, "Karl get up it's 5:15". Sparing you the details we quickly dressed and headed for the airport (good thing showers and loading the car was all done the night before). Christina arrived on time for her flight, Bailee and I said our goodbyes to her and then we headed out.
Our first stop was Wal Mart in Goodyear. If this 10 hour car ride was going to be successful I had to get Bailee a pair of headphones for the DVD player we borrowed for the trip. Wal Mart was a bit of a journey in and of itself. Bailee wanted the red $20 headphones but I was able to convince her that the $5 dollar silver ones were better. We paid the man and headed for the exit. Apparently I went the wrong way though because this Wal Mart had an arcade with a claw machine (the ones you can snatch stuff out of with the claw) and we walked right by it. Bailee knows Dad is pretty good with those so of course she persuaded me to give it a try. After only $2 dollars spent we walked away with a stuffed Gingerbread man. The one from the Shrek movies. Bailee then turned down Breakfast at McDonald's, so we headed back to the car. We were quickly settled in and ready to begin our journey. Official trip start time was 7:00 am.
Kids are great. Bailee had turned down breakfast but after only a few minutes in the car she decided she was hungry (so was dad). Our next stop was only a few miles down the road from Wal Mart at a Burger King for a very unhealthy breakfast. The food was passed out to the respective parties and we were once again on our way. We managed to make it to Quartzite by 9:00. This was a much needed stop. About a half hour earlier in the middle of nowhere I was told by the passenger in the back seat that she needed to go to the bathroom. I informed her there was nowhere to go and she would have to wait. She then informed me that if she couldn't wait we could just pull over and she would go by the car! Love it. The stop in Quartzite was uneventful except for the Dark Chocolate Reeses Cup Bailee picked out for a snack. I know, it's 9:30am and she's having a candy bar for a snack. Normally I wouldn't go for that but we were on vacation. About 15 minutes down the road after we left Quartzite I had a 4 year old passenger with a face full of chocolate. Napkins were dished out, chocolate was cleaned up and Daddy and Daughter were well on their way to Grandma's house. This chocolate mess was around the same time that we crossed over in to California.
The next hour or so passed in relative silence. Bailee was watching a movie and I was grooving to my tunes. We managed to make it to the Palm Springs area around 10:30. I could tell my little one was getting sleepy so I encouraged her to rest her eyes for a bit. Not 15 minutes later she was out cold. This was good. If you ever have a kid on a long road trip and they fall asleep my recommendation is to drive. Just drive and drive and drive until the wake up. Don't stop for anything even the bathroom. I had 2 hours of silence. She fell asleep in Palm Springs and woke up right as we were pulling in to Kramer Junction. Kramer Junction is a tiny little truck stop where Highway 58 or 56 meets highway 395 just outside of Victorville. This was a welcomed stop. About an hour earlier I begin to have that "I have to pee" feeling. We stopped at Burger King (the only restaurant there) for a restroom break and possibly lunch. I should have taken the parking lot being overcrowded as a sign. We walked in to BK and the line to order was about 20 deep. I consulted Bailee on what we should do. Go to the bathroom and eat here or go to the bathroom, drive another 45 min to Tehachapi and eat there. Bailee liked the idea of driving to Tehachapi so we were back in the car and headed out. We left that BK around 12:45.
By the time we arrived in Tehachapi at 1:45 we had been on the road for about 7 hours with absolutely no complaints from Bailee. She was hungry, I was hungry and I could tell we both needed a break from the car. Thank God for McDonald's play areas. The one we stopped at had the biggest play area I have ever seen. Two giant slides with tunnels winding all through out the rafters above the eating area. Needless to say Bailee had a blast. We were both re energized and ready to push on through with the final 3 or so hours of our trip. We left Tehachapi at 2:30.
When you head out of Tehachapi and are headed to Bakersfield you have to go down the mountain. It is a really pretty part of the drive. We had already seen 3-4 trains during our trip. As we were coming down the mountain I noticed the train tunnels in the side of the mountain. I quickly got Bailees attention and explained what the tunnels were for and how they were made. Bailee loves trains so I thought this would be exciting for her to know. Nope! Apparently the Backyardigans had taken priority and she was pretty much uninterested in the knowledge that Dad was giving her. Bakersfield was in view and that meant only a couple more hours until Grandmas house.
We hooked up with highway 99 in Bakersfield and were ready for the home stretch. The 99 is the highway that runs up through Central California. Or what I call the arm pit of California. No disrespect intended. (There is a reason why I call it this.) I placed a call to Grandma to let her know where we were and that our anticipated arrival time would be around 5:00pm. About a half hour after that call I received a message from my passenger in the back. Someone needed another restroom break. I could tell she was starting to wear down and wanted to get to Grandmas as quickly as possible. With that said I stopped at the first exit I found with a gas station.
Here comes the part where I tell you why I call it the arm pit of California. We pulled in to the gas station and I warned Bailee that it was going to smell bad outside (I am lucky in that the smell doesn't bother me). Central California's secret from the outsiders is that it is lined with dairy farms. That means thousands possibly millions of cattle reside there. We are not talking about grazing cattle either. These cows are kept in large pens without a grazing option. Think about cows for a minute. Multiple stomachs, chewing their cud for digestion purposes and then pretty much living in whatever comes out the other end!
As we stepped out of the car Bailee was taken back by the smell. I have to admit that it was worse than I had ever experienced. So much worse that I actually checked the bottom of both my shoes to ensure I had not stepped in any crap over the past 8 or 9 hours while driving the car!!! We were at a Texaco that I'm sure was not keeping itself up to sanitary code. The bathroom was outside and the barely alive dog sitting outside should have been my 3rd or 4th sign that this was not a good place to stop. The 1st sign was me checking my shoes for crap almost immediately after getting out of the car. We entered the bathroom and there were flies everywhere. Quick U-turn, faster walk, and we were back in the car looking for another place to stop.
We eventually found a nice Shell gas station that was clean with restrooms inside. We grabbed one last snack, relieved ourselves and got back on the road. Needless to say our arrival time of 5:00pm was now in jeopardy. I was pointing out the dairy farms to Bailee and telling her how they made milk. This led to Bailee asking me if mommies had utters on their boobies like cows. Then we talked about silos and what they do. She was very interested in both of these. I think that's because she was at the point where she would do anything to keep herself entertained while we finished the trip.
About 30 minutes outside of Grandmas I saw two cars with personalized plates. One a Mercedes with a Colorado plate that read "1FITMOM". I gave her a thumbs up as I passed by her. The next was a white Scion with a Nevada plate that read "GRUVGIRL". It wasn't so much the personalized plates that intrigued me but that I saw 2 out of states plates only 30 minutes or so away from Grandmas. It also reminded me of the coolest personalized plate I have ever seen. Only a couple of weeks prior to the trip I was driving home from work when a blond ponytail in a convertible Mustang passed by me. The license plate read "IMDORKY". Best plate ever. If "IMADORK" is still available in Arizona I am going to snatch it up.
During all of this Bailee was showing signs of being done with the car. I turned to Miley Cyrus and the HoeDown ThrowDown. This is a line dance song. It's actually pretty catchy. There are parts in the song that say do the hoedown three times in a row with a brief pause in between. During those pauses Bailee would yell at the top of her lungs HOEDOWN and I would act scared. This made her quite happy. It got to the point that she was laughing so hard at my reactions she couldn't say HOEDOWN. The song is only a few minutes long and this lasted for about 20 minutes until I finally had to cut it off because there were a lot of cops and daddy had to concentrate on the road!!! At least that's what I told her.
We were finally only a few minutes from Grandmas house and Bailee had been playing quietly since our HoeDown ThrowDown escapade. Wouldn't you know it. I missed the exit. I was jotting down a quick thought about our trip and blew right by it. This did not make Bailee to happy. Luckily Grandma is the last exit before the freeway ends so we went a short distance down the road and made a U-turn. We were in Grandmas neighborhood. One more wrong turn (a right when it should have been a left) and we were at Grandmas. We had made it. Arrival time 5:45. A week of fun was awaiting us and we were both looking forward to it.
Our first stop was Wal Mart in Goodyear. If this 10 hour car ride was going to be successful I had to get Bailee a pair of headphones for the DVD player we borrowed for the trip. Wal Mart was a bit of a journey in and of itself. Bailee wanted the red $20 headphones but I was able to convince her that the $5 dollar silver ones were better. We paid the man and headed for the exit. Apparently I went the wrong way though because this Wal Mart had an arcade with a claw machine (the ones you can snatch stuff out of with the claw) and we walked right by it. Bailee knows Dad is pretty good with those so of course she persuaded me to give it a try. After only $2 dollars spent we walked away with a stuffed Gingerbread man. The one from the Shrek movies. Bailee then turned down Breakfast at McDonald's, so we headed back to the car. We were quickly settled in and ready to begin our journey. Official trip start time was 7:00 am.
Kids are great. Bailee had turned down breakfast but after only a few minutes in the car she decided she was hungry (so was dad). Our next stop was only a few miles down the road from Wal Mart at a Burger King for a very unhealthy breakfast. The food was passed out to the respective parties and we were once again on our way. We managed to make it to Quartzite by 9:00. This was a much needed stop. About a half hour earlier in the middle of nowhere I was told by the passenger in the back seat that she needed to go to the bathroom. I informed her there was nowhere to go and she would have to wait. She then informed me that if she couldn't wait we could just pull over and she would go by the car! Love it. The stop in Quartzite was uneventful except for the Dark Chocolate Reeses Cup Bailee picked out for a snack. I know, it's 9:30am and she's having a candy bar for a snack. Normally I wouldn't go for that but we were on vacation. About 15 minutes down the road after we left Quartzite I had a 4 year old passenger with a face full of chocolate. Napkins were dished out, chocolate was cleaned up and Daddy and Daughter were well on their way to Grandma's house. This chocolate mess was around the same time that we crossed over in to California.
The next hour or so passed in relative silence. Bailee was watching a movie and I was grooving to my tunes. We managed to make it to the Palm Springs area around 10:30. I could tell my little one was getting sleepy so I encouraged her to rest her eyes for a bit. Not 15 minutes later she was out cold. This was good. If you ever have a kid on a long road trip and they fall asleep my recommendation is to drive. Just drive and drive and drive until the wake up. Don't stop for anything even the bathroom. I had 2 hours of silence. She fell asleep in Palm Springs and woke up right as we were pulling in to Kramer Junction. Kramer Junction is a tiny little truck stop where Highway 58 or 56 meets highway 395 just outside of Victorville. This was a welcomed stop. About an hour earlier I begin to have that "I have to pee" feeling. We stopped at Burger King (the only restaurant there) for a restroom break and possibly lunch. I should have taken the parking lot being overcrowded as a sign. We walked in to BK and the line to order was about 20 deep. I consulted Bailee on what we should do. Go to the bathroom and eat here or go to the bathroom, drive another 45 min to Tehachapi and eat there. Bailee liked the idea of driving to Tehachapi so we were back in the car and headed out. We left that BK around 12:45.
By the time we arrived in Tehachapi at 1:45 we had been on the road for about 7 hours with absolutely no complaints from Bailee. She was hungry, I was hungry and I could tell we both needed a break from the car. Thank God for McDonald's play areas. The one we stopped at had the biggest play area I have ever seen. Two giant slides with tunnels winding all through out the rafters above the eating area. Needless to say Bailee had a blast. We were both re energized and ready to push on through with the final 3 or so hours of our trip. We left Tehachapi at 2:30.
When you head out of Tehachapi and are headed to Bakersfield you have to go down the mountain. It is a really pretty part of the drive. We had already seen 3-4 trains during our trip. As we were coming down the mountain I noticed the train tunnels in the side of the mountain. I quickly got Bailees attention and explained what the tunnels were for and how they were made. Bailee loves trains so I thought this would be exciting for her to know. Nope! Apparently the Backyardigans had taken priority and she was pretty much uninterested in the knowledge that Dad was giving her. Bakersfield was in view and that meant only a couple more hours until Grandmas house.
We hooked up with highway 99 in Bakersfield and were ready for the home stretch. The 99 is the highway that runs up through Central California. Or what I call the arm pit of California. No disrespect intended. (There is a reason why I call it this.) I placed a call to Grandma to let her know where we were and that our anticipated arrival time would be around 5:00pm. About a half hour after that call I received a message from my passenger in the back. Someone needed another restroom break. I could tell she was starting to wear down and wanted to get to Grandmas as quickly as possible. With that said I stopped at the first exit I found with a gas station.
Here comes the part where I tell you why I call it the arm pit of California. We pulled in to the gas station and I warned Bailee that it was going to smell bad outside (I am lucky in that the smell doesn't bother me). Central California's secret from the outsiders is that it is lined with dairy farms. That means thousands possibly millions of cattle reside there. We are not talking about grazing cattle either. These cows are kept in large pens without a grazing option. Think about cows for a minute. Multiple stomachs, chewing their cud for digestion purposes and then pretty much living in whatever comes out the other end!
As we stepped out of the car Bailee was taken back by the smell. I have to admit that it was worse than I had ever experienced. So much worse that I actually checked the bottom of both my shoes to ensure I had not stepped in any crap over the past 8 or 9 hours while driving the car!!! We were at a Texaco that I'm sure was not keeping itself up to sanitary code. The bathroom was outside and the barely alive dog sitting outside should have been my 3rd or 4th sign that this was not a good place to stop. The 1st sign was me checking my shoes for crap almost immediately after getting out of the car. We entered the bathroom and there were flies everywhere. Quick U-turn, faster walk, and we were back in the car looking for another place to stop.
We eventually found a nice Shell gas station that was clean with restrooms inside. We grabbed one last snack, relieved ourselves and got back on the road. Needless to say our arrival time of 5:00pm was now in jeopardy. I was pointing out the dairy farms to Bailee and telling her how they made milk. This led to Bailee asking me if mommies had utters on their boobies like cows. Then we talked about silos and what they do. She was very interested in both of these. I think that's because she was at the point where she would do anything to keep herself entertained while we finished the trip.
About 30 minutes outside of Grandmas I saw two cars with personalized plates. One a Mercedes with a Colorado plate that read "1FITMOM". I gave her a thumbs up as I passed by her. The next was a white Scion with a Nevada plate that read "GRUVGIRL". It wasn't so much the personalized plates that intrigued me but that I saw 2 out of states plates only 30 minutes or so away from Grandmas. It also reminded me of the coolest personalized plate I have ever seen. Only a couple of weeks prior to the trip I was driving home from work when a blond ponytail in a convertible Mustang passed by me. The license plate read "IMDORKY". Best plate ever. If "IMADORK" is still available in Arizona I am going to snatch it up.
During all of this Bailee was showing signs of being done with the car. I turned to Miley Cyrus and the HoeDown ThrowDown. This is a line dance song. It's actually pretty catchy. There are parts in the song that say do the hoedown three times in a row with a brief pause in between. During those pauses Bailee would yell at the top of her lungs HOEDOWN and I would act scared. This made her quite happy. It got to the point that she was laughing so hard at my reactions she couldn't say HOEDOWN. The song is only a few minutes long and this lasted for about 20 minutes until I finally had to cut it off because there were a lot of cops and daddy had to concentrate on the road!!! At least that's what I told her.
We were finally only a few minutes from Grandmas house and Bailee had been playing quietly since our HoeDown ThrowDown escapade. Wouldn't you know it. I missed the exit. I was jotting down a quick thought about our trip and blew right by it. This did not make Bailee to happy. Luckily Grandma is the last exit before the freeway ends so we went a short distance down the road and made a U-turn. We were in Grandmas neighborhood. One more wrong turn (a right when it should have been a left) and we were at Grandmas. We had made it. Arrival time 5:45. A week of fun was awaiting us and we were both looking forward to it.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Introduction
It seems to me that as we get older we are less likely to be persuaded to change our minds. I'm not interested in changing your mind. I'm just interested in sharing what's on mine. There really are no boundaries as to where my mind may wander as I experience each day. I go from politics to sports to more random thoughts like "why is that person on their cell phone at 6 o'clock in the morning and what's so important that they decided to call someone this early!"
There are things in the world that make sense to me and there are things that don't. I find myself thinking about both. Unfortunately I do not always have someone to share these thoughts with which is why I decided to start a blog. Plus it's the "cool" thing to do now! Have your own blog so you can force your thoughts on the people who are willing to read them. Hopefully you caught the sarcasm there.
I see my blog becoming more like an online journal where I can give my wandering mind a direction for the thoughts that have captured it each day. Please understand that I do not plan on blogging each day. Mainly because my wandering mind sometimes gets lost in the dark.
With that said I would like to officially welcome you to Random Mind Wandering. Enjoy!
There are things in the world that make sense to me and there are things that don't. I find myself thinking about both. Unfortunately I do not always have someone to share these thoughts with which is why I decided to start a blog. Plus it's the "cool" thing to do now! Have your own blog so you can force your thoughts on the people who are willing to read them. Hopefully you caught the sarcasm there.
I see my blog becoming more like an online journal where I can give my wandering mind a direction for the thoughts that have captured it each day. Please understand that I do not plan on blogging each day. Mainly because my wandering mind sometimes gets lost in the dark.
With that said I would like to officially welcome you to Random Mind Wandering. Enjoy!
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