What I get for "helping the Ex-wife"

So the ex-wife asks that if I will help her move a couch out of her garage with my larger van. I agreed and my son came along to help me out. As we were trying to manouver the couch in the van my hand became sandwiched inbetween the couch and the vehicle door. I thought that I had broken my hand, so I went to the clinic to have an xray.

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Finally lost some weight!

Well after growing to a 46 inch waist and being told I am not attractive anymore, I figured I needed to loose some weight. What motivation..... LOL Oh well.

I feel better now and feel little more confident about myself. Maybe if I keep loosing the weight I will be desirable to someone. :)

What a day!!
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Well I our home burnt down, but as you always hear, "God has a plan." I am not sure what the plan is, but 'all things will work together for good.'

Ironically something that I have been hyper focused on lately is how to be a better father. I do not feel I am a bad father, but I would like to be a better one. Parenting is not a cookie cutter thing and there is not a text book, so I am reading a few books on how to better be a role model for the children in my life.

I am reading a wonderful book written by John Eldredge titled "The way of the wild heart." This book is written specifically to the fathers or men to read. Mothers can read it as an informational read, but the book strikes the core of men. The book helps men/fathers to see and understand the different stages that ALL men take in order to become men and to understand that where ever you are at in life, there are still more stages of learning. Sure you are a man, but you still are learning and do not know everything- this is what fathers need to remember. Boys are learning to become the 'cowboy' and then into the 'warrior' and then the 'King.' Each step of the way is learning lessons for the male to learn before they can move to the next stage.

Do not forget to be a father to your children- not a friend or a buddy to your children, but a father. Your children do not need a buddy, they need a King in their life, someone that they honor, look up to and LEAD them. Too many men have grown up without fathers in their lives today.

Hannah out with Daddy

Yesterday I took Hannah out with Dad. I let her pick what she wanted to do. She could have picked going to see a movie, instead she told me, "Dad, I would like to just hang out with you, and do stuff, I do not know, maybe go shopping!" I asked her if she wanted to get an outfit and she said YES!

We went to Target and I was able to find a outfit that looks really good on her. The outfit she is wearing in the photo is not the new photo. She was very happy to have a new outfit though.

After picking out the outfit, I decided to take her to Dick's Sporting Goods and took her to the rock wall climbing wall. She was a little apprehensive at first, but then she decided to try it. She was so proud of herself to be on the wall! I was proud of her.

Thank you Lord!

On my way down to Mankato, MN I am reminded of God's wonderful promise. I took this photo with my phone and will not be able to see the true qaulity until later. I hope it captured the wonderful sight I saw.

Patrick D Aldridge

(sent from my phone)

Boys will be boys right?

So there I am making dinner and Andrew told me that he was going to play with the neighbor kid 2 houses away and the neighbor kid's dad at the park. Next thing I know I get a phone call from another neighbor which is telling me that I should come to their home, which is clear down the street, because Andrew was hit in the head with a golf club!

I arrived to see my son sitting on the side walk with a towel on his head. It would be easy to get worked up, because he looked like he had been shot with all the blood every where. He was not crying, which was rather surprising, so I was still not sure if he was in shock or not. I was told that he did not loose consciousness or get dizzy. I find the place on his head and the skin is broken (obviously) but it is broke because of the pressure from the knot on his head. He was not going to need stitches.

We bring him home and have him sit in the living room after mom cleaned him all up. We had him sit with thomas, because we wanted to make sure that he did not fall asleep right way, since we needed to make sure he was ok. He was thrilled...not. What a mess.