Category: Love
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A Child’s Love
We love our children before they are even born. When a child asks, “How much do you love me?” the answers can be endless.
This much …
To the moon and back …
To the ends of the earth …
To infinity and beyond …
More than anything in the whole wide world …
These are just a few of the answers I have given Dylan when he asks me how much I love him. Can a parent really put into words how much love they have for their child? I can honestly answer No, I can’t. I would do just about anything for my son. I would step in front of a moving vehicle and die for my son if it meant he lived.
Now reverse the question and the answer can drastically change. You’re mean. You’re not being fair. How come you never let me do that. As children, we never fully understand why our parents do the things they do; however, as parents we have that ah-ha moment.
Recently, Dylan decided that he and I would start a new tradition. Each night we say something nice about each other and finish with a hug and I love you. So far I have been told …
Your eyes are as green as emerald gems.
If I could have any mom in the world, I would chose you.
Your hair is as soft as silk.
I’m proud of you.
You’re one “hot momma”
Regardless of what he says, he melts my heart. The love a child has for his or her mother is also something that is not easily put into words. I cherish each minute, each day, and each year I have with Dylan and my world would be empty without him.Sometimes it is not simply saying “I love you” … but putting that love into words of expression.
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Just Another Day at the Zoo
When I asked Dylan what he wanted to do he excitedly said, San Diego Zoo! Life has been so crazy with work and school that we haven’t had time to visit the animals he loves so much. So it was up early and off to San Diego for the day.
Dylan has been going to the San Diego Zoo since he was only 9 months old and he can tell you every nook and cranny of this place. If you get lost, he will tell you where to go. If you have a question about an animal, he will give you the answer.
After walking through the entrance it was business as usual … first stop, the Reptile House. We have seen this Komodo Dragon at least 25 times, but he begged me to take a picture because it was “close up” and the Galapagos Turtles were just too cute. Mommy and baby … but that baby was HUGE!
Next, he wanted to see the Polar Bears. Now, for those of you who have been to the San Diego Zoo, you know what a hike it is to get to those darn animals … and if you are lucky, you will actually get to see them doing something other than sleeping. I have been begging Dylan to ride the Skyfari for years now and he keeps saying he is afraid because it is so high. Well, this time he decided to take a chance. Maybe it was the bribery that he would have to walk all the way up there, or maybe the thought of getting off right at the Polar Bear exhibit. Whatever it was, I was just happy I didn’t have to walk there!
Guess what? He loved it! …and the Polar Bear wasn’t sleeping!
Ok, so Dylan is almost 8 years old … but when you are at the San Diego Zoo it is tradition to climb on every statue and take a picture. The life-size book about how the Polar Bears came to live at the zoo was pretty cool too and Dylan stood there turning the pages and reading every word.
Now it was time to make our way down through the other exhibits. So many animals to see and so little time. Well, we had all day … it was really a matter of how long our feet could walk.
There is a rock next to the River Otter exhibit that Dylan has been climbing on since he was 2 years old and he always insists on taking a picture here. He climbs up and strikes a pose. Such a goofball! One of these days I should line up all the pictures to see how much he has grown, but if I do that I will realize my little boy is growing up too fast!
Mommy and Baby Hippo 
Yes, that orange blur is a Tiger! 
They had just fed the Lions and now they are resting. Today was an amazing day. I got to spend real quality time with Dylan with no agenda, no place to be, and tons of laughs. I watched him run and play, absorb more information about animals (if that’s even possible), and best of all … I got to hold his hand. It has been so long since Dylan has even wanted to hold my hand when I try to take his hand in mine. But today, today Dylan kept reaching for my hand. Best feeling ever!
My little chunky monkey is all grown up. Now he plays with the big boys. However, he will still hold my hand, at least for a little while. -
Mom Is Done!
After 2 1/2 long years of studying, writing papers, sleepless nights, countless pots of coffee, and hard work I have finished college. Although the announcements came a week ago and I turned in my final paper last Saturday, it just didn’t seem real to me until the knock on my door at 7:00 pm tonight. Who could it be? Ah, the FedEx man with a package. As I tore open the box with excitement I found myself suddenly in shock. Is this really mine? Did I really do this?
Yes, Yes I did! I had a goal and I finished it. In exactly one month I will proudly wear this cap, gown, and stole in a commencement ceremony where I will be awarded my Bachelor of Science in Psychology. As with most things I do, I could not have completed this without the love and support of my family and friends. All the times I wanted to quit and all the times I questioned myself as to why I was doing this, these people supported me and encouraged me to keep going.
Thinking back, I gave up many things (mostly a life outside of work and school), but nobody gave up more than Dylan. This small boy who was only in kindergarten when I started gave up so much of himself so that I could do my homework. I feel like I missed out on so much quality time with him, but I know that making up for that lost time will be so much fun!
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Spring Break in Monterey
This year we decided to not only get away for Spring Break, but to take our first road trip together. It was better than I thought, considering the furthest Dylan has driven is San Diego (2 hours), and this was going to be a 6-7 hour drive. The Are we there yet? didn’t start until Santa Barbara, and then it was How much longer? about every 40 minutes. I tried to get him to enjoy the beautiful coastal scenery, but it didn’t last too long.
At last, he sleeps and the drive is peaceful. 
It’s just not a road trip without a stop at McDonald’s! 
Dylan’s picture from the road. (only 1 hour to go) We arrived in Monterey about 4 pm and I immediately felt relaxed. Something about hotels and being away from home, not to mention the fresh coastal air, was just what we both needed. Our agenda included The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman’s Wharf, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, and anything else we saw along the way to our destinations.
The aquarium was amazing and we spent almost all day there. Took over 150 pictures! Definitely worth the drive to see this place.
Dylan even got a little education on Steinbeck with some historical landmarks…
And in true Dylan style had a little impromptu photo shoot …
A little stroll through the Cannery for some lunch.
Lunch at Bubba Gumps 
A Kid in a Candy Store … Classic! Day 2 – The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History (like he needs any more animal/nature facts to add to his ever-growing encyclopedia of a brain)
Who cares if it’s only 60 degrees outside … we’re going in the water! Well, Dylan went in the water. For about 2 minutes and then he decided his feet were freezing so we put our shoes back on and went for walk along the rocks to see marinelife up close. We spent almost 2 hours here along the shore in Pacific Grove.
Just a few of the seals we saw 
Come on Mom, let’s go! 
The kelp beds from above 
This sign was great … Tsunami in California? After a long day of sight-seeing, we decided to have an early dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf. Dylan love the fact that seals were right outside the window of the restaurant. he thoroughly enjoyed his calamari and pasta!
We had an amazing time together and will always treasure the bond that we share.
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Made My Son Cry Today …
We all know how much Dylan loves LEGO’s … especially Star Wars LEGO’s! He has spent all his money on new Star Wars LEGO’s and they are now displayed in his room. (that is for another day’s post) However, there is one particular set that he really wants and has been asking for. Every time we go in the LEGO store or into Target he just stares at it. He keeps asking and I keep saying no. Dylan is learning the value of the all mighty dollar and that money must be earned. Yes, I even said ‘money doesn’t grow on trees ya know’ … wow, just like a parent huh?
Well, today we had to run some errands to get a few things for our vacation and once again he asked to go look at the LEGO’s. As he stared with awe he said, “Mom, I’m going to keep saving until I have enough money and buy this. It’s on sale for $35.99” He then proceeded to walk away and I put the LEGO box in the cart. We continued our shopping and I told him that maybe if he helped clean the house today and kept doing so well in school that he could earn the LEGO set. Mind you, he has been walking alongside the cart moping like he just lost his best friend. Just then he looked in the cart and tears began to roll down his face. He ran to me and hugged me so tightly. I asked why he was crying and he said, “Because I’m so happy” This is when I knew I made the right choice when I put the box in the cart.
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Dylan Rocks!
So this past week and a half has been a total blur for me. Finishing up my Psychology Capstone class and starting my final Humanities class on Tuesday. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the assignments are killing me. Not just a paper about what I learned this week or last, but a paper about what I have learned over the past 2 1/2 years along with a PowerPoint presentation. My life has been nothing but coffee and this laptop. Oh, and someplace in there I made it through days of work in a zombie-like state of mind.
I have reminded myself to eat and survived on 4-5 hours of sleep each night. I have managed to get Dylan’s homework done, get him fed, and get him to Cub Scouts. I have blogs to post, but this must wait a few more days. My business has fallen behind, but this too must wait. I have come so far. I can’t give up now.
All this time, Dylan has been nothing but a supportive and loving son. Doing what I ask, leaving me alone so I can do my homework, and rushing in the morning to get out the door without as much as a complaint. He has been nothing short of awesome during my blur of a life these past 10 days. He is my support system and my encouragement. Always there to give me a hug and that smile melts my heart every time.
Dylan Rocks! -
Longing for Childhood
As I sit on the floor surrounded by bills that need to be paid, piles of receipts for my tax return that I have yet to file, laundry that needs to be folded, and a term paper that needs to be written I find myself wanting to cry. Then I catch a glimpse of Dylan out of the corner of my eye. He is sitting at the table drawing a comic strip about a marshmallow. The marshmallow who is about to become a s’more over a campfire. Suddenly I find myself laughing and listening to him tell me what will happen next.
Why are we all in such a hurry to grow up? To be independent and free from our parents? Oh, how I remember counting the days until I was 18 and could move out on my own. Freedom. Nobody to tell me what to do or when I had to be home. Now that I am a ‘grown up’ I realize that I also have nobody to cook for me, do my laundry, clean my living room, wash my dishes, buy my food, or pay the bills to keep the television and lights on so I can watch my favorite shows.
I find myself longing for childhood and the carefree days of playing with friends. Not a care in the world except for what game I would play at recess or wondering what my Mom packed in my lunch box.
Take time to be child with your child. Forget about the dishes and the laundry for just one day. Sit on the floor and build LEGO’s, color a picture, go to the park and toss a ball, play a mindless video game, watch Tom and Jerry, whatever makes you feel carefree and childlike. If I can do this just one day a week maybe, just maybe I won’t be longing for childhood so much and the responsibilities of adulthood won’t seem so undesirable.
So again I ask, why are we all in such a hurry to grow up? -
God and Me
“A Scout is Reverent.” All Scouts show this by being faithful in their duty to God. Some go further and give special service. This can qualify them for a religious emblem. Such an emblem is not a Scouting award. It is conferred on a Scout by his religious leader. Each faith has its own requirements for earning its emblem. (taken from usscouts.org)
Universal Religious Emblem Square Knot
Over the past two months, Dylan has been taking classes at our church, St. Andrews Presbyterian, with his Grandpa. During this time, Dylan has learned how to pray, what God does for him, and how he can live a life alongside of God. He even memorized the Lord’s Prayer. Each week Dylan had homework to do for the class and projects to work on to fulfill the requirements to earn his God and Me Religious Emblem. Last week Dylan and Grandpa completed the course and tonight was the official ceremony, complete with pizza and cake.
After answering a few questions about what he had learned, Dylan along with the other scouts who completed the program were presented with their religious emblems.
When asked why he took these classes, Dylan responded, “So I could learn more about God.” My heart just about melted. Then Brienna (the woman who taught the class) said that she was told Dylan had learned the Lord’s Prayer and asked if he could say it. At first he was shy and said no, but then he stood front and center on the stage and said the entire prayer with such confidence in front of about 30 people. I have never been so proud of my son. Not a dry eye from our family.
Religious Emblem earned in 2nd year of Scouting 
Pardon the glare … 
Dylan and Grandpa
Thank you Grandpa, for taking the time to teach and lead Dylan how to follow the right path.
Life with Dylan 