It All Goes Too Fast

It's hard to believe that 5 years ago next week we had an addition to the Griggs' Clan.  Ethan Cade came into this world and into our family. He is one of the most wonderful children to walk the earth (I may be a little prejudice, not much...but a little. )  We had so many years with really no children around and  now  we have two rambunctious boys.. FULL of energy.   Check out those toddler checks....don't you just want to squeeze him!

Ethan amazes me all the time.  At the ripe old age of  5, he is Mr. Personality.  He has a wonderful sense of humor and is always looking for the opportunity to create a funny situation.    He loves to make you laugh and  he loves (I mean loves) a knock knock joke.   Did I mention Smart...oh yeah...he gets that from me LOL.   Ethan  also knows that Aunt Pami likes hugs and kisses and she's a very easy target when the toy isle is close by!

Now Mr. Personality was one of the cutest and sweetest babies ever born. I enjoyed every moment I got to hold, cuddle, and rock that sweet baby.    But I SO enjoy playing trains and cars, shoot outs and construction.  Those girls have nothing on us.  We build forts and look for treasure.  We can construct an entire city with fire dept and police dept in my kitchen and living room during a sleepover.  Luckily it's still very fun for me to build some Lego contraption and let him completely annihilate it.   It's also funny  to beat aunt Pami in any Wii game...especially Mario Bros and Star wars!

Some of my favorite Ethan quotes are:

"My name is Ethan X not Ethan...Ethan X"
"I don't like your rules"
"That is yucky to my tummy"

and the winner....."Love you Love you."



So....Happy Birthday to my dear, sweet Ethan.    LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU!!!

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A little more than you needed to know

I have these crazy little goals.  Sometimes they are perfectly sensible and sometimes they are a little cooky.  One of my life goals is to spend the night in every state and visit 5 continents.   I've accomplished a good bit of this.   I've actually spent the night (not just set foot) in 31 states and have visited 3 continents.  Here's 5 places I've visited ... hope you enjoy!

5 Places I've visited



New York city, New York
It's maybe my all time favorite city to visit.  Love walking in Time Square, eating in trendy restaurants, going to shows (LOVE THE SHOWS), and walking through china town buying purses off the street.  Who could ask for more.   I'm not sure this is a city I could live in full time..but I sure would like to give it a try.


Jarkarta, Indonesia
Wow,  this is a HUGE city 12 million people live in Jarkarta.  They have two seasons..the hot dry season and the hot wet season.  It's just hot there.  There are people everywhere and they drive motorcycles.  No Joke, more than once I saw a family of 5 on a motorcycle. It takes about 26 hours to get there from SC and I can promise you've not seen anything like it before.  Also,   you will eat food you don't recognize....life can be really exciting..enjoy it!


Montreal, Quebec
Snow, Snow, Snow well  that's mostly what I got to see.  I stayed in a little town called Terrebonne that was picturesque.  Lot's of people talking very quickly in a language I understand very slowly.  It was the first place I tried sushi....loved it. 


Cancun, Mexico
Most people go to Cancun for a holiday.   I went to work.  I learned how to mix cement by hand (rocks, sand, water, stir with a shovel).  Beautiful place, beautiful people.  First place I truly understood that love and compassion could cross any boundaries.   Also, the first time I experienced a nude beach.  Quite a eye opener if you know what I mean.


Winnipeg, Manitoba
This was one of the flattest stretches of land I have ever seen.  You could see for miles.   I was there during the month of October and in case you wondered...IT WAS COLD!!!   Lots and lots and lots of cold wind.   No snow...just wind.  I was there during the Canadian Thanksgiving and got to have Turkey with Yorkshire Pudding..mmm mmm good.


Tell me about places you've visited.

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Perspectives

I love my Ah ha moments.   I had one this weekend and thought you might like to hear about it.   It really begins with a story about a family.   I've "known" this family for a long time and to be honest they are a mess....and by mess I mean they  have trouble. I know we all have things that are troublesome or hard to deal with, but this family just seems to have more than their average share of trouble.  The family consist of Father, Mother, and 2 sons.   Just to give you a few facts:   The Parents waited a long time for children and love their children dearly...but they do have favorites.   This is very obvious and has been a problem since childhood. This is so evident in the family that it causes the brothers to plot against each other about trivial and important things.   The division is so strong that the word hate has been  used between the brothers.  Honestly if given the choice, I think one would seriously hurt the other.   Once it was so bad that the youngest son had to leave home and stayed away from the family a long time.   It took years to reconcile and even then it was a scary time.


So where does my ah ha moment fit in....well this family as messed up as they are (and honestly they make my family seem like the Brady Bunch) was used by God in a mighty way.  You see this family is Issac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob (Genesis 25 - 27; 34).  This was the family line that Jesus was born from.   


So my Ah Ha moment, God can use anything, anything for good. (Romans 8:28).   This family was not a horrible family, although they did some pretty horrible things.....that's the point...all of those things that were described above were human things.   Decisions that they made without waiting on God for direction.   WOW...how many times do I decide to make my own decision.   Make it work for me, not even think what I should be doing for God.  


So I'm working on knowing God is in control and this world big world that I live in ...it's all about Him, not me.   I'm also gonna know that even when I mess up, and I will, that He can use that for good.


Have a great week!

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Who’s the troublemaker in the group? That would be me.

It’s official, I’m a troublemaker.    I must admit that I already knew this.   I’ve known it for quite some time now.   It’s a trait I’ve carried around since childhood and to be honest….sometimes I’m even a little proud of it.   I push the boundaries around me.   I always have and I guess I always will.   My sister and brother could most likely give many examples of me being the instigator of many a devious plot.   I simply can’t resist being the one that causes trouble.     

It may have something to do with being the first-born child…that I always have to have or do things differently than “the standard” but more than that, I just enjoy seeing reactions of those around me.   I do try to keep myself contained when “trying” to accomplish serious and demanding work..but you know sometimes that’s not what happens.

So here’s the story….I’ll play me in the story…Steve, Executive Director or R&D (aka my supervisor) will play Steve.   So anyway….Steve has these drumsticks and when we are in meetings he plays with them or will hit the desk to get everyone’s attention etc.   Well we were in a brainstorming meeting the other day and I happen to be in close proximity to the drumsticks so I took and hit the desk ..creating a Boom sound.    Steve very calmly took the drumstick and announced that I was not mature enough to handle those.    There was a big laugh and then he said it.   I mean he just blurted it out…..You are the troublemaker in the Griggs’ family.

Well what can I say…it’s true, I am.   I hate that ALL my hard work of keeping that fact concealed has been destroyed..but there it is.  Now watch out world….I’m free to be as much of a troublesome as I need to be. 

Are you a troublemaker?  Let me know!

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Organization - My Friend and Enemy

Organization is not my strong point.   As a matter of fact I struggle to even have the resemblance of organization most days.   I’m more of a person who constructively places things out of view so that I appear semi-organized and then at some point realize spring cleaning must occur.   At that point, lots of “stuff” is placed in trash or give away piles.   I’m actually pretty jealous of those naturally organized people.   You know the ones…their desk is always straight.   They never lose things because whatever they are looking for is in its correct spot.   

I have a friend whose like that….she’s just very, very organized.   I think she thinks in patterns of organization.   LOL   It’s a little intense at times!   But as always, these organized people are put into my life for a reason.   They are there to help me.   So last week, I called this friend over to my office to help me.   Basically, I said…..take a look….decide what needs to be done and HELP me.

She did….she was dealing with very little space and lots of stuff…so she helped me and my office mate (I share an office) go to Target.   We came back with matching containers…..My desk feels cleaner and more organized.   I have really enjoyed having that clean, I can get more done feeling that an organized desk affords…..now if I can bring myself to let her see the coat closet at my house.   Kira -  save my coat closet?!?!?!

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