Q1-2 09 Bottom Line

May 30th, 2009

Well it seems 2009 is nigh half way gone and I’ve barely a word spoken of it. Not much has changed with my status in life. I’m still fatter than I’d like and not near as wealthy, but all told I suppose I’m happy enough.

I’ve three kids that love me, though with the boys it’s sometimes hard to judge from their behavior. I am proud of both of them. They are both very bright. Gideon can write his own name very well, find all the letters of the alphabet on the pages of a book, and count to one-hundred and he just graduated preschool a couple of weeks ago. Isaiah is the readingest kid there is, just about. He can absorb a four-hundred page book from the library in a matter of days and he has the highest Accelerated Reader score in his school. They both have powerful and active imaginations although I’d rather they apply them to things other than Star Wars and Lego from time to time…

Elsie’s turned two a couple of weeks ago and while it may not be her favorite word, “no” is the one she says most these days. She’s as cute as one girl can be, but strong willed and not always concerned with what her parents want. She’s at the stage where she likes to mimic speech and if you ask her she’ll gladly proclaim “I a mockingbird!”. She’s also a good mommy to her baby dolls (when she’s not scolding them for letting their hat fall off, or dragging them around by their feet) and a good (pretend) cook in her toy kitchen.

I have a wife who is truly my much better half and I frequently refer to her as thusly. She’s also a good mother and homemaker. And a better best friend than I am.

I have a job that is enjoyable frequently, fulfilling every now and then, and not too stressful. It could be stressful if I let it get to me, but hey, you know, it’s only work. I’m sure not getting rich, but on the other hand I don’t have to worry about whether my services will be required next month. In days like these it’s not bad to have more work than people. Especially when you have specialized skills.

I have two vehicles that are both paid for (Huzzah!) one of which is in condition that isn’t too embarrassing for the family to show up in. The other of which, the boys like because it has those “old-fashioned crank kind of windows” and it gets me to work while Ruth hauls the kids around in the minivan all day.

We are paying for our home contract for deed, so all the shenanigans with the mortgage industry have a lessened impact on us. We’ve got a nice yard, a nice back porch to sit out on and read, and a house we like- even if it could use some declutterization. It’s home.

So I guess, taking stock, things haven’t changed a great deal in the big picture other than the kids growing up more each day and time going by faster and faster.