To My Father's TFTD Readers...

When I wrote the blog my father published, I jokingly said he could use it.  I never expected he actually would!  And I assumed even if he did he would clean it up and make it sound so much better than I did!  The day I found out that he sent 'Undercover Boss' to over 6,000 people was the day after I ranted about people calling our phone number looking for people who don't live here.  I didn't know dad directed you to my blog!  Oops.  :)

But if you still visit here, this is what you can expect (so you're not shocked by very un-thought-for-the-day-like material!) The blog is entitled Melancholy Corner because I (according to the 4 basic personality types) am a melancholy.  I'm very emotional and I'm a deep thinker.  My thoughts generally revolve around my emotions and the two can be quite inseparable.  Some days you will find me writing about spiritual matters, my walk with God, my view on God, and the way I experience God.  Some days I just want to rant and try to find the humor in a frustrating situation.  Most days I want to brag on my boys!  I write on what I am feeling at the moment as that is typically where my thoughts are. 

You may find me to be funny, melodramatic, touching, irritating, or obnoxious on any given day.  You are probably right.  :)  If you enjoy my blog, feel free to become a follower.  I won't have golden spiritual nuggets everyday, but I hope that when I do they are both worth the wait and the read!

I love my kids, I love my kids, I love my kids......

Since blogging, I've been keeping the camera handy so I can capture the moments I intend to record.  I immediately load them onto the computer, but often forget to take the memory card out of the computer until I'm ready to snap pictures again.  I have two memory cards.  One went missing, but I didn't think much of it since I had another one.  Matthew was laughing hysterically and I wanted to capture it on video so I grabbed the camera.  No memory card.  So I leaned down to pull it from my computer.  It wasn't there.  I JUST finished loading pictures - I KNOW I didn't move it.  I called for Eric.  "Where is the blue square?"  The good news?  He knows where the blue square is.  The bad news?  He has put at least ONE of them into a larger compact flash drive.  I look and sure enough I see it siting there, very much out of my grasp.  I can probably safely assume they are BOTH in there.  I would love to take a picture of this for you - but my SD card is STUCK IN MY COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!!  How do I get it out?!?!?!

Time with Nana and Papa

No time to blog at the moment - stinky diapers to change and house to clean - but I wanted to post a few pictures of the boys with their Nana and Papa!

Being Goofs!

Nana Cooperating - Eric laughing at Papa.

Matthew waking up to say goodbye.

One of my favorites!!

Little Monkey didn't want to sit still anymore.

But Nana got those kisses anyway!!

PSA

Here comes the Melancholy in me..so watch out!

To all the individuals who are delinquent on their bills, who are holding on to videos that Blockbuster DESPERATELY wants back, or to those who just enjoy giving out fake numbers - stop using our phone number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We are not interested in trying to explain that we are not covering for you while you hide out in the bathroom.  Credit collectors do not believe us when we say "You have the wrong number".  Apparently you've tried that one before?  Try faking your death.  Let the morgue be harrassed.  "May I speak to Jane Doe please?"

Blockbuster graces us with an automated message.  Larry J Casey - if you are reading this, PLEASE return that video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I can not return this 1-800 call and no matter how many buttons I mash, I STILL get repeat calls about your irresponsibility - or theft - not sure which. 

BLOCKBUSTER - if YOU are reading this - charge Larry J Casey for the cost of the video already and stop calling me!!!!!!!!!!  We do not even use Blockbuster - we use Redbox and Netflix.  You want to know why?  Because we do not get calls from either place requesting people we do not know to return videos that we do not have.  You carry no video that I am interested in keeping and Larry doesn't live here.  Try the morgue.

This has been a public service announcement.

Cowboy Eric

Eric was slightly jealous that Matthew was getting all the attention, so the boy who hates cameras decided he wanted his picture taken after all.  He's really taken to this cowboy hat this week, so I had him put it on and I snapped away!

The End!

Laundry Day!

Sunshine loves laundry day!  It's better than TV!

Undercover Boss

I don't know how many of you have watched this show, but it is one that intrigues me.  The show features a CEO of any given company who decides to go undercover and work as one of his men on the front lines.  The purpose is to find out what problems there are and what the CEO can do to make it better.  Now to some extent, this show seems a bit staged to me as the workers are almost always more than thrilled to be working for the company and they have unique, difficult situations that they open up about to this "stranger" filming a documentary, whether it be about dialysis or losing their home to a flood. But that aside, it is interesting to watch the reactions of people at the end of the show when they learn that the man that they serve, that they've never met, has spent the day working beside them.  And everything they did and said was being observed by the man who pays their salary. 

More often than not, the CEO is touched by how hard his employees work and they are rewarded.  Some are rewarded with bigger job opportunities within the company.  Some are given raises, some sent to school, some have foundations set up in their name.  It reminds me so much of the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25.  The show for me, makes that passage come alive.  I think a lot about God revealing himself to us at the end of our time and saying, "I was with you.  I was watching you work and heard what you said.  I was impressed with your work ethic.  You work very hard.  I know it hasn't been easy, but I'm going to make things better for you now.  You do an excellent job where you are at, but I would like you to take on more responsibility."

This show is helpful in getting me to understand that passage.  I'm afraid too often that I relate far too easily with the steward with one talent.  I hope that God finds me neither afraid or lazy, but can warmly greet me in his "office" and say "Well done good and faithful servant!"

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/undercover_boss/

Sundays with the Thomas family

I believe my favorite part of the week is talking to Eric on a Sunday afternoon. He has just finished a Sunday morning Bible class and Children's Own Worship. He expects that we will ask him what he learned about and he is quick to answer "Jesus". The safe answer. :) Typically we'll look over the paperwork and ask more specific questions. "Did you talk about fish today?" That will get him talking a little bit more about the bible story covered that morning.

Today we were discussing our own bible class and did not think to ask Eric about his on the way to lunch. When we sat down with our food and began eating, Eric started in on his day. Since we had not bothered to ask him questions, he took it upon himself to carry the conversation. His monologue went just like this:

"What did you sing about today?"
"We sing 'Jesus Loves Me'"
"I like-a sing Jesus Loves Me"
"Good singing, buddy!"

John and I cracked up. I suppose it's fairly important that we maintain our routine of asking about class. He likes answering the questions! Meanwhile Matthew is in his chair talking, gurgling and growling. Eric was fairly full of himself this particular day and responded to Matthew's growling with, "Why you growling at me son?" We never know what to do but laugh!

An older couple in the restaurant approached our table and told us that they enjoyed listening to our boys (as if they had a choice - we were by far the loudest table there) and told us that they had raised two boys of their own. I never know whether to be proud that people are charmed by my children or embarrassed that we make enough ruckus that it would draw enough attention that someone would want to approach us! But it is fun meeting new people that way! Eric went on to ask them how they liked bible class. They chuckled as they wished us a good day and headed off. Poor boy can't get ANYONE to talk about bible class! Moral of the story: If you want to get Eric talking, ask about bible class!!

Ok...and NOW!

Welcome to my blog! This is the official, final one! Promise! I changed everything to reflect my personality a little bit more. I hope to be on here blogging regularly about the crazy things my family finds to get into! It should be a good way for you to keep up with the Thomas family as well as get the latest pictures and videos of these boys of ours!