Oh sure, I remember the chap-stick incident of 2010, and I also remember my promised retraction pictures. But even at his young age, Ben is clearly smarter than me. He not only weasels his way into what was once my spot, the prime spot in my wife’s field of vision, but he now sleeps in our bed like it is his. He gets his back scratched, all her attention, and he is even working on the dog. And if all that were not enough, his obsessive need to wear cowboy boots so I can print a picture of him looking manly, has all but disappeared…..not because of anything other than he knows I want it! He is way too smart. I am confident he probably sneaks out at night to work for the government or something.

Anyway, I intend to wait him out. I am older, more patient, and highly motivated. And, since he is just two, if waiting does not work I will dive into his college fund and buy a copy of Photoshop and make my own.

Of course even if I could, he would still have the last laugh. After all, he has my number, and I know he will be telling me so……in a few short minutes probably when we both try to sleep in that same bed.

Pray for me, he’s tricky! (but I’ll keep him!)

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Winter, though I love it, does mean that Puddy and I cannot get out on the porch each night for our glass of wine (okay, the wine is normally mine) and the writing of these entries. And what makes matters worse for her is that Viper is now in the house full-time taking up what she clearly feels is her space.

Cats are really some of the strangest of all of God’s creatures. We have to check and see if the dog is even breathing half the time because of his lack of movement, but a cat has to claim ALL the space. If you go to sleep she is there where you are at. At dinner, there too. And if you try to watch TV she is on the arm of the couch. Cats seem rather efficient, particularly since they sleep approximately 23 hours of a 24 hour day.

But our longing for the porch we do have in common……and it is just a couple of months away. The snow is but a temporary inconvenience, and our space we will reclaim.

But tonight I just keep shooing her away from me as I type. I apparently am in her space, after all the dog is already in bed……go figure.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+

At first it was just too cold out in the garage pen, but now we are seeing the incredible value. Viper, or as Ben calls him, “Diaper Dog,” is back in the house full time, and with that retakes the job of safeguarding us all.

Scott has been working with him using flashcards. He is slowly getting it too. Today I think he only slept 80% of the day. I am sure if there were indeed a crisis he would bound to the rescue. But for now I can see his brilliance….he is saving his energy lest he needs to attack.

For now however, he will just hang out, get his belly scratched and snore. God sure knew what He was doing when He created the Golden Retriever. He is certainly cheaper than ADT, and clearly a lot better looking. We love him and are looking forward to feeling super safe from this point and forevermore!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless. And no, I didn’t forget about the retraction…..I just was not able to get the evidence….I mean the picture!

Tommy+

I am pretty much a man’s man, and I always have a problem with the boys doing things too girly, but when you are the dad of a toddler, often you just need to turn your head. Ben thinks it is cool to wear anyone’s shoes, including Stephanie’s and Amanda’s. And if it were not for his incessant need to whip stuff across the room and tear apart things like a tornado, I would be worried.

I will post the manly retraction evidence of this tomorrow, but tonight he was given some Toy Story chap-stick, cherry-flavored, and being the tough guy he is, he refused to allow anyone to help him. The picture shows what a stellar job he did. And though he looks utterly ridiculous, the good news is that he put so much on that his lips will not chap until 2024.

In an effort to do my part, I think I am going to go and scrub him down. Thank God it was just chap-stick……kids this age do all sorts of strange stuff.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+

Though my sister Stephanie died in 2001, I never fail to remember today, January 4th, her birthday. Steph was an amazing woman, and though we spent most of our lives in the typical brother/sister adversarial relationship, I have to confess I miss her terribly. My daughter was named for her and they enjoyed 10 great years together before Steph died. And though I wish she was still here, I thank God for her and for the time I had with her.

Though many people just knew her as a young woman who fought cancer for 15 years, she was so much more than that. Often they looked at her broken body, overlooking her as a person, and never understanding at one time she was a first class NCAA all-around gymnast. She could stand in one spot and flip from front to back or back to front landing within inches from where she launched. She could run through a series of flips and handsprings, finishing by flying five or six feet into the air in some sort of contorting move and landing cleanly. At 4’6″ and 75 pounds, she competed with often with taped ankles and wrists, but always a smile. She never complained, and it was a trait she carried from athletics into fighting for her life. She was the epitome of a fighter, never weak, and thankful for each and every day. And you know, if I end this life even half as brave and dedicated as she was, it would a spectacular life. The two pictures with the baby are actually Steph with her niece, my daughter Stephanie.

Steph would have been 47 today. I think about her and my sister Sarah everyday. I love them, and I miss them both.

Happy Birthday Steph.

Tommy+

Today is the second day of having our two male dogs, Viper and Bernard, in the house full time. Until we get Bernard placed in a loving home I am sure there are going to be plenty of times I am going to regret converting that dog room into craft-central. I really should have agreed to that post-placement. Viper, the dad (Charisma’s AngelCreek SnakenShake), is very easy going and loves to lay around and sleep. Bernard, the son, (AngelCreek’s I Ain’t No Saint) is a typical mischievous pup (he turned 1 today…happy birthday B). He looks so angelic in his picture, doesn’t he? But though he is still quite sweet and angelic-looking, he is really now “moose-size” and interested in playing all the time. The cat has also filed a complaint about his incessant need to chase her too.

Though chaotic, it is still a lot of fun. Ben thinks he lives in a petting zoo, and they enjoy being in the thick of things. So I suppose even they would have voted for the craft room had I asked……

Anyway, it has been a long long long day, and I am going to hit the hay. Fortunately the herd sleeps with Scott, so I will have a bit of peace. But tomorrow I know it starts again.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+

Life is often interesting living with a toddler, and it always seems to be with Ben. He is in that shut and open every door I see 10,000 times, and the same is true with turning off and on light. It is always so cute at the start, but after a while it grates!

So far, he has yet to shut his fingers in the door, but the odds are already WAY against him. What he has appeared to become an expert in is shutting doors into my face as I am walking toward him. Of course everyone else thinks it’s funny, but I have broken my nose before and it is about all I think about in that nanosecond before the door hits me. Sure he has the benefit of being cute and my son, so it is doubtful that revenge would be an option, but in truth, I really don’t want to see it get that far. At 16 and 18, Steph and Scott make messes and it is I that shut the door so as to have to look at it. There has to be an age where that transition takes place. I just pray if it is not tonight that it is tomorrow.

Keep praying for him, and if you see me later in the week I will most probably be the guy with that bandage across my nose!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

First of all, Happy New Year from the Tirman’s! We have had quite a day and although it is about 10:15 it is not quite over. Though we breed and show Golden Retrievers, we are thinning down to one dog here for a while. And with the cold that means that remaining two, the boys Viper and Bernard, are coming into the house from their outdoor pen. We are bathing, grooming, and praying……praying for the very best. After all, Bernard is two days away from being 1, and quite mischievous! We hope to have him placed into a home within the next few days.

But the big news is that though this is my 530th post, I have only posted pictures TWICE…..but both times I got a big response. Thank you for all the kind words about how cute Ben was…..it makes me almost forget that NO ONE said anything about me! But it did make me think, not just about growing my hair and losing weight, but that pictures would add quite a bit the the things that I share about my family and the church. I talked with Amanda about it, and have decided to try and share one every day.

The one I am posting today is of the kids as we set up the tree. Steph is the pretty one, and then there are the twins…..Scott and Ben. Technically, Scott is older, but often it is hard to tell.

Keep us in your prayers as we add two more boys inside to the two we already keep here, Scott and Ben. It is a herd of potential trouble, we know, but we love them and are committed to making it work!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+

Yep, we went, and it was spectacular! Ben was a bit wobbly on his skates walking onto the ice, and a bit more wobbly on it, but soon he was running like he was in shoes off and balancing real well out skating. As a life-long skater myself it gave me great pride. I am now ready to get him a stick and a helmet! (And of course the mouth guard which is a necessity in ice hockey. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way…..yes, I fit the stereotype…I have lost teeth to a stick to the mouth!)

It was an amazing time. The only problem for me was I was that I was wearing a new pair of skates, which is not quite ideal for what we were there for. My feet hurt like mad, and they probably will for the next few times we skate as they get broken in, but it was well worth it. Ben at two and a half is a real natural on skates. (genetics, genetics, genetics!)

Amanda did not get out there with us, but she did film and smile from off the ice. That was a real blessing, in that she was scared to death that he would die on the ice. (She is not yet the hockey mom she will be.) Stephanie had to work, so it was just Scott and I that supervised his first venture out onto the ice. Yep, the other two kids skate too. When your dad was an ice hockey player things like that are just a requirement. Ben has a lot of passionate teachers!

The great thing is that as Ben gets better this will give us all another fun family thing to do. Plus with his brother and sister both driving, I am sure they will hit the rink without us at times too.

The best part was how Ben wailed and cried as we took off his skates! Yep, he wanted to get back out their. It’s clearly in his blood….thank God, because it is in mine as well. I hope you enjoy the picture.

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tommy+