LOVE always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres

UPDATE Eyliana

If we could bottle up the sheer JOY and save it for another day or another kid, now would be the time to do it.
As her favorite holiday passes, we realize - WOW, when did she get so old?


Eyliana continues to spend her days in the kitchen where she belongs. With help from Grandma Robin, she bakes almost every weekend, cupcakes being her specialty. She loves to try different recipes, and recently got a new book from Crate and Barrel entitled "500 Cupcakes" along with a new "bake and take" cupcake pan.

UPDATE Tyler

If we could bottle up the confidence and save it for another day or another kid, now would be the time to do it.
As Spring approaches it's peak, we realize - WOW, this kid rocks!
Tyler spends many hours preparing for his big theatrical debut, as Jack (and the beanstalk) in the school's version of Into the Woods, Jr. He will perform on April 30th and May 1st at MCC's Overbrook Theatre.
If you are interested in attending, please let me know how many tickets you will need, as both shows WILL SELL OUT! (I promise) Many pictures (and hopefully video clips to come!)


If you can't find Tyler this Spring, and he's not in the drama room practicing - he will be on the soccer field, preparing for an upcoming successful soccer season. If you would like to catch a great game, his schedule is listed here!

UPDATE Kaitlyn

If we could bottle up the maturity and save it for another day or another kid, now would be the time to do it.
As Kaitlyn turned 16, we realized - WOW, we did good.
[By the way, how did we do that?]

As part of her sweet-16 celebration, we took her to Chicago for an over-the-top weekend. The pictures say it all. I tried to only pick my favorites....









Ok, so I have alot of favorites.

Kaitlyn will also be spending her Spring time preparing for a successful soccer season at Fruitport High School as the Captain of the JV Soccer Team! If you are interested in checking out one of her games, you can find her schedule here!

Love this song!

unhappiness is......

If you look back on the last few years of this blog, you wont be able to see very much “un-happiness.”

In fact, you’d have to dig pretty deep to even find a hint of it.

As many of you have asked me “why don’t you blog anymore”?….. I find myself asking the same question.
Maybe it’s because I’m afraid to blog when I’m not happy.

I found myself randomly “googling” the term “dependent” – as in “co-dependent” or “dependent personality” – wondering what the REAL Wikipedia definition said. If I only knew how to “add to” a Wikipedia page…….

• You’re so attached to him that he is almost a part of you- so your stomach aches and you can’t breathe when he’s not there.
• When he’s gone you are overly sensitive to anything someone says to you, because all you can think about is him anyway, and in fact, to be blunt, you don’t really care what they are talking about.
• When he’s gone, you look at your children and think, “how in the world am I suppose to be the ONLY parent? I can barely take care of myself all by myself…”
• When he’s gone the dog looks at you as if to say – “you’re all I get? Where IS HE?” And why can’t dogs just understand what you say back to them? “Daddy is gone for the week, and we are sleeping without him!!!”
• When he’s gone your eyes are mostly swollen every day, and you’ve given up make-up. Make-up is way over rated anyway, I guess.
• When he’s gone everybody says things like “let me know if you need any help” but, all you really want is for your best friend to come home.
• When he’s gone people talk to you and you feel like you are stuck in a humongous tunnel, and they are looking right at you but you can’t hear what they are saying to you, because all you can hear is him on the other end of the tunnel telling you that it will be ok, but you can’t get to the other end of the tunnel because it’s too far away.
• When he’s gone you wake up every day and think “maybe I was dreaming?” and then you reach out and realize you weren’t.

This is just a little picture of why I can’t blog.
Un-happiness just doesn’t make a great mind-set for a writer.

Sixteen years feels like a week

But, when did she get so big?

But, when did she stop needing diapers?

But, when did her pudgy wrists disappear?

But, when did she stop wearing those little footy pajamas?

But, when did she stop needing a bottle in the middle of the night?

But, when did she stop carrying that silky little blanket around?

But, when did she start going to high-school? When did boys start coming over to my house to see her? When did she start interviewing for jobs? When did she learn to drive?

Sixteen years feels like a week.

Happy Birthday, Beautiful Baby Girl.
We love you always,
Mom and Dad

FLASHBACK Friday - Daddy

It was June of 1995, and I believe the year and a half that proceeded that night had been understandably the most trying time of our lives. Kaitlyn wore a pretty little dress, and daddy wore a cap and gown. We sat in the LC Walker Arena awaiting the big event; I recall that Kaitlyn wiggled & squiggled, as a high-school graduation ceremony wasn't a typical place for a 1-year old.

I think the principal's exact words were, "Daniel, don't be doing anything crazy, your diploma isn't really in that holder yet...." As most of you know, he is the perfect picture of "class clown", so the adults on that stage were fairly nervous about what he may have had stuffed up his sleeve. Although he entertained MANY ideas (after all he wouldn't want to let anyone down), we were both extremely excited about his final decision.

As the big moment approached, Grandma carried Kaitlyn down to the floor level, and waited for Dan's row to walk up. Right before he walked up the stairs to the stage, she slipped Katie over the short wall into her daddy's arms.

His arms were plenty big enough
to carry
a diploma
a rose
and the love of his life.

Although he was 17, he was plenty old enough to be the best daddy anyone could ever ask for.

Thank you, God
for blessing me
for the past 16 years,
as my children have never needed anything
that their Daddy couldn't give them.

WARNING!!!

[Grandpa, beware! You may have never seen this before - so the mere SHOCK of seeing this picture may trigger unusual heart palpitations.]

When your kid who HATES to read
Asks if he can go to Barnes & Noble
And pick out a book
To BUY

What do you do?

You take him there
IMMEDIATELY
And buy him whatever book he wants

And then you sneak a picture for the blog, as you are certain that this day may never come again.......

Getting Ready for the big DATE....

The annual Daddy/Daughter dance is tonight! I can't believe she's getting so big!

FLASHBACK Friday - One year ago today......

Dan and Eyli went to their first Daddy/Daughter Dance on Valentine's Day. They had a BLAST at the dance - here are a few pics!

Lovin my baby brothers new blog!

Ok, so he's kinda a copy-cat - but, who cares? I need all the laughs I can get now-a-days!

FLASHBACK Friday - I'm still the winner......

It was September 23rd, of 1995 - and although he appears to be a big competitor by nature, I am actually more of the "warrior" type, as I MUST win - at all cost.

Happily, he fell for the "I won't smash it in your face, if you won't smash it in mine" speech, after which I'm sure he was blowing frosting out of his nose for our entire honeymoon.

15 years feels like a blink of an eye.....
15 years feels like a lifetime.....
15 years feels like happiness.....
15 years feels like home.....

Thanks, Elias!

Just lovin' my new smile - I know I already said this, but it bears repeating - thanks so much, Elias!!

Filling in....

Im so very excited that Dan finally decided how to "fill in" all the blank spots on his sleeve. I've been so bothered by the "empty space" in between all the big pieces......
Happily, he decided to use pixel-ated squares of every color of the rainbow.....Yeah!

Congrats, Dad!

My dad's book is finally here!
The big book-signing party is this weekend, and we are all very excited about it!!
Congrats, dad!

Check out HIS Top Ten Reasons why you should attend his Book Signing Party -

#10 - Where else do you get free beer and pizza (well, at least one beer and a slice of pizza)?

#9 - Where else on January 30 at around 8:15ish will you get a free glass of champagne (well, at least a small sip of champagne in a plastic cup)?

#8 - Where else can can you kick the winter blahs with a party (other than the Super Bowl one week later)?

#7 - Where else can you get dressed up in formal gowns and a black tux (just kidding ... blue jeans and a Harley shirt will work for the author)?

#6 - Where else can you buy a book on a Saturday night (other than Barnes and Noble; Boarders Books, Amazon.com, etc.)?

#5 - Where else can you get a signed copy of a book by a successful author (well, a published author at least)?

#4 - Where else can you have your picture taken with a roundish bald guy who wrote a book (just kidding .. that's not a picture you probably want ... besides I think a grew a hair last week)?

#3 - Where else can you meet an author's wife who really is the brains and beauty behind the author (not kidding here)?

#2 - Where else can you meet an author's children and grandchildren (there will be plenty running around so you can bring yours too)?

And, the #1 reason you should attend David's book signing party:

#1 - Where else will I be able to say thank you and I am humbled to have you as my friend and that you would buy my book!!!

Effort by Eyliana Cook

I am effort.
I am teamwork, working hard, and being positive.
Stand up to make something happen in your life.
You will see me when you're in the kitchen cooking a meal
and on the piano practicing to make perfection.
I work for what I want.
Stand up to make something happen in your life.
Without me the world would never get things done.
Abraham Lincoln, my mom, my dad, and Dudley.
Stand up to make something happen in your life.

Love is......

Love is -
Walking 2 blocks in the freezing cold
To the closest Rite-Aid
In downtown Chicago
To buy a Therma-Care Heatwrap
{And some ibuprofen}

{And a little stuffed dog}

For your wife
Whom you left resting in the hotel room
Because she walked too far in *stylish* boots
In downtown Chicago
And thus has an aching BACK….

And for sugar on the top,
You stop at the STARBUCKS
On the corner
To bring her a treat, too.

Love is-
Taking down the Christmas Tree
And all the ornaments
Sweeping up the needles
And mopping under the couches
{And cleaning all the windows}
{And doing all the dishes}
On a Saturday Morning
Before your wife
Even thinks about waking up
Because you know
She likes to sleep in on Saturdays…..

And for sugar on the top,
You take the dogs out of the bedroom with you
While you clean everything
Because you know they will bother her otherwise.

Love is -
Working all weekend
To install AWESOME *Fog lights*
Under the bumper
Of your wife’s mini-van
Complete with calling an electrician
{To figure out the circuit problem}
{On the special toggle switch}
Because you know
Her headlights aren’t bright enough
And you know it will make her
Extremely happy to have
The additional lighting on the road…..

And for sugar on the top,
You buy the kind that have that *blue-ish* tint
Because you know all she ever wanted
Was those really cool BLUE headlights
Like the expensive cars have.


I love you, Daniel.

FLASHBACK Friday - If I only KNEW......

It was October of 1994. As I recall, the original comment was “Hey Danny, what are you guys doing right now – could you come inside and help me? The bathtub faucet is leaking pretty bad, I think I need to replace it.” Dads phone call came out to the garage on a Friday Evening, as Dan, Katie and I lived in his garage for our first home. Dan hung up the phone and seemed to RUSH into the house to “assist” in this “quick little bathroom fix” with a glance over his shoulder and a “I’ll be right back, shouldn’t take long!”

If I only knew THEN what I know NOW.

After a couple of hours, I carried Katie into the main house to investigate. Wandering into the bathroom, I simply called out, “About finished?” The look on Dan’s face seemed to couple with the words on Dad’s lips, “Everything is FINE here!! We have it under control!!” As I walked out into the hallway, Robin gave me the look that seemed to say, “No it is NOT FINE in there, and they absolutely DO NOT have it under control.”

If I only knew THEN what I know NOW.

As midnight approached, us “girls” had been politely asked to “assist” in the project, as well. I believe the following list would complete our contribution to the project:

• 5 trips to Menards to purchase various fittings, tape, glue, tools, etc.

Yep, that pretty much sums up the list.

To protect the egos of two men I love, I will refrain from mentioning the multiple occurrences in which we offered sound advice, which was either overlooked or dismissed, most likely because we were “girls”.

Also in an attempt to protect their egos, I will refrain from mentioning the 3 am episode in which an important tool fell through the floor into the crawlspace – which was so flooded there was no way to retrieve, or even FIND the important tool, therefore the “girls” were once again sent to Menards.

If I only knew THEN what I know NOW.

Two weeks, and hundreds of dollars later, the
*leaky faucet bathroom fix*
became:
*ENTIRE beautiful bathroom remodel*

How did that happen you ask?

Simply,
I didn’t know THEN what I know NOW.

Thank you, Elias

Yesterday, my teeth could breathe again as my braces came off!!

I can't believe it's been a year and a half.
I can't believe after 35 years, I finally have straight teeth.

Thank you so much, Elias!

I'm afraid of change??

How do you know if YOU are a person that is deathly afraid of change?

A conversation I once had with my father:
Dad – “Kristie, why do you go to STARBUCKS on your way to work?”
Me – rolling eyes - “Duh, Dad….for the coffee……..hello…..”
Me (In my head) This guy makes a living off of being smart enough to help OTHER people with their problems?
Dad – “I disagree. That is not why you go to STARBUCKS everyday on your way to work.”
Me – “Excuse me? For goodness sake, dad….why else would I go there?”
Dad – “Because you ALWAYS go there. It’s part of your routine. And you are afraid of changing it.”
Me – “That is ridiculous! That is not why I go to STARBUCKS!”
Dad – “Ok, then. For ONE week try going to PANERA for coffee on your way to work.”
Me – “Why would I do that?”
Dad – “To prove it.”
Me – “Ok fine. I will!!”

Of course I never did.

SSShhhhh…..today I realized-
*he was RIGHT*
(please don't tell him)

How do I know I am a person who is deathly afraid of change?
After a year and a half, I am scheduled to get the braces off my teeth tomorrow.
Something deep inside of me really wants to call and cancel the appointment.

Yep, Im afraid of change alright…….