Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Baby girl.....


I realize that I have not made mention of my reaction to finding out the gender of my baby. Obviously by reading previous blogs you know that she is in fact a "she!" I gotta admit, coming from a family of 7 sisters, I was not at all suprised. I of course was not let down either. I told everyone including my wife that I wanted a little boy. I dream of little league and going fishing and going to races etc. Boy stuff! Anyway, while this is still true, my heart lept when I found out it was a girl. When you are born in a sea of estrogen, you learn how to swim and occasionally float. Don't get me wrong I had my moments that I thought I would sink like a rock, but my buddies and my dad were able to keep me up. So back to her, knowing my background, I realize that I am more comfortable around women, I talk more.... I feel more.... I learn more. I feel like I can be stronger for her. Of course I have yet to experience the joys and trials of being a father to a daughter or a son, but I am excited for both and until that boy comes my heart belongs to little Kaiya. She will become my fishing partner. I just hope she doesn't show up my boy when he comes around! I know I don't show it a lot and my wife gets frustrated, but my excitement increases with each day and each knew thought of how it will be. My biggest fear now is providing for the two of them. I hope I can make things comfortable and easier for them. This world has gotten tough and any new child brought to this Earth deserves the right to a beautiful and free world. Hopefully a little more peaceful. So there ya go. Hoorah for my little girl!

Friday, April 11, 2008

American soil....

America the great, the powerful, the beautiful... There are many words to describe this country we live in. I would like to say what I believe should be done in these times for this country. I will stay away from political loyalties for the sake of open mindedness, (if there is such a word.) The main thing that I want to talk about tonight, is the Americans themselves. Throughout history we can see a cycle that involves weakness, money, strength, pride and humility. Unfortunately I feel that we have reached the pride part of the cycle. I don't mean the type of pride that comes with knowing who you are and loving your country. I'm talking about the kind that creates selfishness. It's this selfishness that leads to the downfall and back to humility. With this we forget about our neighbor and care only for what we can get and do for ourselves. We of course have been known to rally as a whole to help out those in need, but only when something devastating has happened. Why can't we be there for each other on our own, just for the sake of serving someone else? In starting this was was thinking of all the many Americans who are in need of so much help. I think what we do for other countries is great and amazing, but in a way we are forgetting our own. There is much of America that is becoming poverty stricken. We are becoming a country of everyone for themselves, and it scares me. It makes me happy to see all the many things that we do for those in need, but are we doing enough? What more can we do? Of course those with power must officially bring on the changes, but we can initiate them. One kind word, one smile, one hug. Simple acts of selflessness can end the acts of selfishness. This could hopefully ease the crash to humility that we are in trouble of hitting full force. I love America and love what I stand for, I just hope I can do my part to help others "Be the change that we all wish to see."

My Kaiya Monkey.....



It has been a while since I have updated my blog and talked about my little Kaiya monkey. A lot has happened since my last posts. Since then I have felt her kick and move around. How amazing is the fact that she came from something so microscopic and now has developed into something that can kick me in the ear whenever I press it against my wife's belly. I heard a song the other day by George straight titled, "I saw God today." This song encircles a lot of the feelings that I think I will have once she is born.
Got my face pressed up against the nursery glass She's sleepin' like a rock My name on her wrist Wearin' tiny pink socks She's got my nose, she's got her mama's eyes My brand new baby girl She's a miracle I saw God today. Except for the pains that my wonderful wife have endured to carry Kaiya around until she is ready to meet me, she is a little miracle. I can't wait to hold her and carry her and show her off to everybody. She will be my connection to heaven and my strength to do great things. Just a quick side note, I don't want to take the spotlight off of my wife, because without her I wouldn't have done the great things I have recently been a part of. But with the two of them I feel like nothing can stop me from accomplishing anything. Back to Kaiya, her heart is strong, I've heard it many times and can't wait to see her soon on the 16th of April for our next sonogram appointment. Sometime real soon I will be holding my first baby Girl. Kianne Elizabeth Shurtleff! She's perfect already....

Thinking mans thoughts....











I was laying in bed all the while thoughts pouring through my head like sugar through a 10 year old boys veins on Halloween. Please anyone who may read this, don't take as organized thought process, but more as interesting concepts of a sleepless man. Granted there obviously is feeling and such behind these preeminent ramblings. For one I was thinking how randomly perfect everything in nature works. Or maybe not random, given my religious beliefs everything works perfectly in the act of balancing and harmonizing itself with more order than is humanly possible. Think of how closely related the Earth itself is so closely related to the workings of the human body. I like to think of Earth as a living organism itself. What if the center of Earth stopped created magma? What if there were no more volcanic eruptions? I'm sure the effects of such things could be explained by persons more learned than I, but just think. Would if have the same devastating effect as if the human heart stopped pumping blood? We have an internal cooling system; so does the Earth. Of course there is so much more to compare, but I think you get the idea.
Now along with that, how amazing is the human body? I think many inventions have been created based of the perfect working order of the our systems. From the way the brain stores memories, to the way the digestive system separates the waste from the nutrients much needed to keep us alive and healthy. Granted the body can only do so much, we of course have the ability to alter such natural activities. We have the choice to do what we want, but we must also deal with the consequences. My point on that is that with these bodies and brains we have choices and freedoms to do what we want. That's the beauty of it all. Our bodies are our instruments to do with what we want. I believe we should all really think about the gifts we have and learn to use them. The extent of what we are intended for is endless. If we can fully grasp the complexity, yet simplicity, of the human body; then I think we can find an end to many of life's "diseases" so to speak.
Don't get me wrong I don't think it right to try to compare ourselves to God or to try to be one ourselves. But on the contrary I believe it is God who has given us the minds and abilities to understand these things in order to help ourselves and this Earth to live on for another generation. Understanding simple concepts and stepping back to take a breath can help us to pave the way for the future and perhaps make life a little more simple for our kids.