Holy Week Begins

     Today starts holy week, and with it begins a time of remember what was given for us.  As I went to church I remembered how holy this week is and as I listened to Vicki's homily and just enjoyed the quietness of the church and her voice.  I always enjoyed Vicki's homilies, she gives such good reference of our religious background and real life events.  I enjoy holy week because the church seems so quiet and at peace.  I love Easter and Christmas, the joy, music but there is something to a quiet alter, stripped down to nothing but the alter rail, a few chairs and the table...   The cross draped in a black cloth.  Tomorrow brings good Friday and a time we remember what had to happen for us.

     As I leave now I say spend the next few days in peace, have a moment to just relax and breath...

Always remember,
You are never alone...
Love Christopher

A Mid Week Break

Alright Winter, this is a stick up... Now get the hell out of here....

(All Nerf Guns were in regulation with the federal and state laws and governed officials)

(Please note, Winter was not actually harmed)

Tuesdays Tip: Make spring come to you…

               

                 Over the past weekend’s we have realized in NY that spring will not be coming anytime soon.  Since the long winter we have spent a lot of time inside because of how cold it has been.  Quinn and I decided to help spring out.  The past few times I have had her we would do things like get outside for  short walk or just spend some time picking some of the few flowers that have blossomed.   We will open a window and just get some fresh air in for an hour or do some coloring to brighten up our day.  I know it’s going to be cold the next few weeks but just keep pushing through and remember it will warm up.

                Sometimes in life you can’t sit around waiting for something to happen, you just have to get up and help it along.  With April around the corner Quinn and I are so excited to start playground hopping again.  Finding new playgrounds and parks to go on and run around.  We have some new exciting toys to use and we are just ready for this cold weather to finally leave us.  Pretty soon we will be cooking outside and starting to build our fire pit we have been planning on so long now.  I encourage you to bring spring to you!  Get outside even for a short walk, look at the flowers coming up.  Color nice pictures of spring time and just get ready for that warm weather.  It will come…

Always remember…

You are never alone…

Love,

Christopher

A Mid Week Break

First day of spring my ass.....

Tuesday s Tip: Always remember how loved you are…

                 This week I wanted to just let everyone know…  You are Special…  I know I have mentioned this in past post but there are days I just feel I work and clean and pay bills.  Then out of the blue for no reason Quinn will kiss my arm or hug me or just say “I love you daddy”.   Everything that is going on just melts away, when your child gives you that unconditional love and knows how busy and stressed you are is something else.  Quinn will tell me sit with her when she sees me working or cleaning up, she lays next to me and just tells me its okay and to just close my eyes.  It’s moments like this I know how loved I am, even though I only see her so often the love is there and strong.   

                As Quinn is growing up I can see she is starting to listen and help me out more.  Before I found myself picking up after her and now I just ask her to help me and she picks up her toys and we get the house cleaned.  When I cook she insist on sitting on the counter and helping me or just watching me.  Her interest show her love for me and that is something you just need to feel and see for yourself.  This amazing feeling of this little person taking interest in what you like, your hobbies, interest.   Remember they know nothing about the world so anything you do they will want to look at.   A child of divorce will grow up differently; they will have two homes to be raised in.  Life will be the same but they will have their own paths to follow.

                I want my readers to always know, being a parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, guardian or even just a  friend, you are special.  You are loved and appreciated for all you do.  So keep doing good, keep helping the younger generations below because as you do they will help the ones below them.  Always remember good deeds will be remembered and then practiced…

Always remember,

You are never alone…

Love,

Christopher

Sometimes Earth must lose so Heaven can win….

When I posted my weekend update a few months ago I told you all I had a funeral for a very dear friend.  Today I wanted to pay tribute to him and his amazing life.  Gary Omphroy left us October 30^th 2012.  Gary leaves his 3 kids and wife, and many other family and friends that love him very much behind.  Gary was battling Pancreatic Cancer for about a year.  When he told the church we were all heavy hearted for we understood how unforgiving this form of Cancer is.  I met Gary and his family many years ago, we became good friends instantly.  As I grew up and became more of a senior advisor to the youth group I got to know and become close with his kids, Kyle and Keri.  As we grew older we had many events through the Church including Lock In’s we attended.  A few years later Gary and I joined the Church Vestry together.  I was just starting college and I was very nervous about the position.  Gary helped me adjust and become a valuable member of the team.  He made my time on vestry fun, knowledgeable and an overall wonderful experience.  He was one of the reasons I wasn’t nervous joining such a responsible position.

      When I became the Chairperson for the fundraising committee Gary went around with me to find different sponsors for events.  I can remember driving around with him and going to all different places to try to get food or money donated.  We had a blast driving around, talking about football and jazz.  Gary always greeted everyone with a smile and a handshake or hug.  Gary would brighten up your day no matter how down you were.  There were times we would have vestry meetings or youth group parties at the Omphroy’s home and both Gary and his wife Lyn would be there having fun with us.  Lyn is very involved with the church and I would always ask her where Gary was on Sunday’s if I didn’t see him with her.  She usually told me he went to the early service so he could get ready for football.  Talking football with Gary was one of my favorite things.  He loved the Jets and the Giants, asking him how the Bills were doing would always get him going.  My Dad is a big bills fan so Gary and I would always “raz” him about the game coming up that day or if they lost because of some mistake or something funny like that.   

      Gary impacted the Church and community to a level I can’t even put into words.  Everyone he spoke to and met would walk away happier, he touched everyone’s heart in such a special way.  Gary was at every fundraiser the Church had, he was setting up, cooking or cleaning up he, but he was there.  He never was to busy or said he couldn’t do something.  Gary always made time for the Church and the amazing people in it.  Gary was one of the many people that helped re-do the Church basement floor.  Many years ago it was painted and it started peeling.  Well the paint was just this horrible base that was so hard to get off.  We needed machines, and scrapers and a lot of muscle.  Gary and I were down there scraping and joking about breathing this stuff in…  He made me laugh as we joked about never painting this floor again.    

      When we found out Gary had cancer everyone prayed and got together to do anything we could to help.  We supported fundraisers and just were there to ask how he was feeling.  One day when he came back from Texas from a visit with a specialist, I took Quinn over and we spent sometime just saying hello.  We sat outside on his back deck and just enjoyed time with his family and Quinn laughed as he joked with her.  He was so good with Quinn, he would make her laugh as he said hello or gave he a high five.  We had a get well card for him and we just spent some time talking and laughing with Quinn.  I really think he loved our time and I really think it made a difference.  I know everyone has their own memory of Gary and I hope after this post you take some time to think about a story or memory you had with him.  If you are one of my readers that never met him I will say that Gary was just this amazing man that God gave to us. 

When Gary went into Sheppard home, a hospice house I knew it was only a matter of time.  He passed away a few days after the storm hit Rochester.  The thing about loosing someone is that yes we can’t see or talk to them but one of the hardest things is sometimes they go to fast and we never get to really say goodbye.  In the past several years I have lost some family and friends and most of them left without me saying good bye.  I find my self thinking about the last time we spoke or hugged.  It can be difficult and often very hard.  I knew I wouldn’t get to say goodbye to Gary and when he passed I felt my heart sink.  My family went to his wake and there were so many people there to support his family the line was out the door.  The next day we filled our church and had people sitting in the back.  My brother, father and I had to help park car’s literally everywhere that day.  It was so nice to see how many people came out to support the family and pay their respects. 

After we went to lunch, I picked up Quinn and we headed over.  She was so happy to see the Omphroy’s and Vicki and other people of the church and Gary’s family.  They really loved seeing her and she gave them all hugs.  I told Lyn that day at lunch that the night before I was rocking Quinn and I was thinking about Gary.  I told her I got emotional and Quinn asked what was wrong.  I told her I had a friend that was sick.  (I didn’t want to go into the talk about death yet.)  When I told her this, she started crying.  At first I was socked, she usually would say she felt bad and would pray for them.  I never say her get so sad.  I calmed her down and told her it was our friend Gary.  The nice man from Church we went and visited and who always greeted her.  I think she new, I really do.  I told her we will pray for him and his family and she agreed.  As the days passed I though about Gary and how he impacted my life.  I still often do…  Before we left the restaurant I sopped to talk to Gary’s brother.  I saw how he used his hands and expressions just like Gary did.  He even sounded like Gary when he laughed.  The two of them looked very alike and we joked about that.  For a second I saw Gary himself sitting next to me and I smiled for seeing the things that made me think of him warmed my heart.    I smiled for I had the chance to know him and spend time as his friend. 

Thinking about death is never easy, especially when the person is younger.  I am sad because I lost a dear friend but I know I will see him again and I know he will greet me in a better place.  When something like this happens I usually say that Earth loses so Heaven can win.  I say this because we had to lose an amazing man, a caring generous loving person so heaven can have him.  I know it’s not fair but we have to accept it and we have to think about living our lives.  It is what Gary would want from us.  I know he would be happy looking down as we joked about how he made us laugh and smile.  He was the kind of guy that would say it was going to be okay, and we will meet again.

We have to think about how one day we will all be reunited.  We do what we can in life, I know sometimes it’s not fair but if we look at what someone has done and the time we have had with them we have to be thankful.

I posted this late because I wanted to sit down and take my time on this post, I also was working on finding a picture of Gary and some of his friends at church but I couldn’t find anything that was on my computer and although I have pictures I was having trouble getting them put on the site.  I have a great picture in my living room of Gary, myself and a bunch of guys from Church.  We were doing a fundraiser and it always makes me smile…

Gary... You are in a place where we will someday all join you.  A place without fear, jealousy, anger, pain or sadness a place where you are at peace watching over us.  We do miss you and are sad you had to go, but we know you are keeping us safe and waiting for the day when we are all be together again.  Until then we will continue to live and go on strong for this is what you would want.  I look forward to seeing your smile, and giving you a big hug.  We will meet again my friend…

Always remember

You are never alone… 

Love,

Christopher   

A party for a friend.

     A few weekends ago we threw a bachelor party for our friend Mike.  Mike got married in February so before he tied the knot we threw him a little party.  Mike has been a friend of mine for many years.  We went to school together and hung out on a regular basis.  We had the party at a local bar and the event was awesome.  Vinny and I worked on it for weeks getting it ready, inviting people and just getting supplies.  The party started off great and the food was excellent!  After dinner we had a raffle and just grilled Mike for getting married.  

     As we sat down for LCR one of the guys came down with a train of girls.  There was a bachelorette party upstairs!  Turns out the daughters Mom was there, and it was my old boss from my internship in college.  I interned at the IRS for about 3 years.  It was awesome to see her, as we caught up all the girls and guys laughed and just had a great time.  We all hung out just shooting dice and drinking, they even got me to do one of the dares.  What one did I do you may ask?  I'll tell you in person...  

     As the night went on we just talked, joked and remembered the good old days.  Mike was so happy and his family that attended had such a great time.  We have a great group of friends, and even though we are older and don't see as much as we used to we still have a blast when we get together.  After we finished up a few of us headed over to a bar for a few more drinks.  I was running around all night so I needed a beer!    

     When the night was over I know Mike just had the best time, it was nice to have all of us back together.  

Always keep in touch with your fiends and remember you're only as old as you feel.

Always remember,

You are never alone...

Love,

Christopher

Enjoy the pics! 

Everyone is arriving!

Here is Vinny, myself, Mike, Dom, and Hughey!

Playing some darts.

Hanging out at the bar.

Just socializing...

You know me, Mr. Social Butterfly

LCR!

We do love our LCR...

I did okay...

Most of the group that stuck around!

Tuesdays Tip: Always appreciate the time you have…

                 Being a single father I’ve learned to adjust to being alone when I don’t have Quinn.  I’ve also realized that even if she is misbehaving you have to appreciate the time you have.  Once you drop your child back off the first few moments can be difficult.  You know you won’t see them till your next visit.   When I get home on Sundays I usually clean up the house and get my week ready by just doing laundry and getting my lunch ready.  I might work out or blog for the week as well.  I think about the things I got to enjoy with Quinn and think about what we can do next time we hang out.  The one thing however is when she is with me I take full advantage of our time.  There are times I have to put her in time out, she is 4, but I make sure we have family and alone time.  I will take her for a walk when it’s nice out or go to a park to play.  If the weather is bad we may just stay in and play with some puzzles or just watch a movie.  I sometimes have family watch her because I may have an event to go. 

                I found if the time goes to fast or you don’t appreciate it then when you drop your child off you will really feel empty, like the time you had was wasted.  Then you have all that time to not see your child and you have to think about it.  The time drags and just feels endless.   Quinn will do some of the cutest things when we are just hanging out like tell me she loves me out of the blue for no reason, or kiss my arm if we’re laying on the couch.  Yes, the weekends do go by fast, I can’t believe the one we just had is over!  I can’t wait to post about the weekend update we had, but for this tip I would say the following.

                Don’t blow off time with your child, if you have something you must attend then yes getting a sitter is okay your family would love to see her and that is fine.  However adjust things around your weekend with them so you share as much time together as you can. 

                Laugh and play and just have fun, you must enforce some rules yes, but for the most part just let her enjoy his/her youth.  Let them learn and grow.  Let them want to come back, give them a reason  because if you are not there, or you don’t give them any attention they will see this and not want to visit you when they get older. 

                Last, just do your best.  Be the best parent you can and your child will see this.  They will see how hard you are working and know you love them.

 

                 Always remember time doesn’t stand still for anyone, it will continue to keep moving forward so spend as much time with your kids as you can, one day they will grow up and want to spread their wings.  Always remember a child will always love their parents even if one or the other does wrong.  Just remember to them they are the love of your life…

Always remember…

You are never alone….

Love,

Christopher

Don't Worry, I'm Here...

     Hello Readers!  Don't Worry.... I'm still here... The week has been good, and Quinn tonight was so much fun.  I'm so excited about the weekend because we have so much to do.  The past week I have been so busy with work and the house.  As of right now I am sorry I have no tip or quick pic this week but come this week I will be back on track!

     The weather still remains cold and it feels like winter will never end.  I haven't even hit the slopes this year!  As March moves on I just push through and work on things like my blog.  I am still looking forward to getting my new links and helpful tips for readers.  I am very grateful for all my readers and i wanted to say thank you...

Always remember,
You are never alone...

Love,
Christopher