My Rock

I remember back to high school, I had just transferred schools and my new school didn't have a girls soccer team and I was very disappointed. Because of this however, I was going to be allowed to play on the boys team. There was one problem, the captain of the team said that if I played he would quit. So instead of having a bunch of people hate me off the bat, I played volleyball. This was my first run in with Yousef Zananiri. Over the next year, we sparred like Hilary and Obama in the democratic debate, but at some point my senior year that thin line between love and hate became blurred. How could I have feeling with my nemesis?! Even my parents were blown away that the girl who would come home complaining about this terrible guy would have such a change of heart. Finally, at the end of our graduation ceremony I summoned up the courage, walked up to him and asked him out.
Over the next seven years of dating - yes I said SEVEN - I began to see more and more the things about him that made him such a great man. I hated him for making me wait to get married, but in retrospect it was such a wise choice - finish college, get a job and establish yourself so that you can provide for your family. What a concept!!! And that he has done! I have never seen a man work so hard to make sure his family has everything they need. And being a great dad whose kids adore him is just icing on the cake. But the thing that I selfishly appreciate the most about him is that he is my rock.
As someone of Irish and German descent you could say that I am a roller coaster of emotions. I have a hard time hiding my feelings and I also having a hard time saying no to people. I the heat of the battle I get so upset with Yousef for making me NOT do something or for being the calm voice of reason, but I always end up being so thankful for it later. I know I get on his case alot for certain things, but I am so greatful to be totally in love with such a wonderful husband and father and the sad thing is that I don't tell him that enough.
So, Yousef this is to you - Thank you for being such a wonderful husband, for making sure that the kids and I are always provided for - physically and spiritually. Thank you for being strong for the both of us and for knowing what I need to know - and what I don't. Thank you for being an example to our children of what a husband and father should be, so that they will know what to look for in their mates.
Thank you for being my best friend. I love you, Happy early Anniversary!

Taking Advantage

There are few things that truely get me "fired up", and one of them is cheating. I am not talking about people who hide cards, or move a game piece when you aren't looking, but instead those people who do whatever necessary to circumvent set rules.

There are certain things about the way I was brought up that I take issue with, but there are 2 things that were instilled in me that I am very thankful for. 1. I consider myself to be a generous person and 2. I follow the rules - to an almost anal extremeness. I don't exactly know where the latter came from (I think my grandmother) but I can't stand violating even the smallest insignificant rule - just ask Yousef, he will tell you how annoying I am about it. The first I do have to say is from my father. I remember once when he was a gym teacher for the high school students where I attended elementary, and there was a kid who didn't have tennis shoes. My dad had mabie a few pair of shoes himself b/c we didn't exactly have much money, but I remember he had a new pair of tennis shoes and one day he came home with out them. My mom asked him about it and he told her that he had given them to a kid who didn't have any. It was little things like that which I believe engrained my sense of generousity.

Because of this, I have become so infuriated with the actions of some people I can hardly keep myself from vomiting in their presence. Yousef has long told me that I am too generous and that I should adapt a more "do unto others, only according to how they do to you" attitude. I never in a million years thought that I would begin to subscribe to his theory until lately. I am honestly becoming so jaded, I am having a hard time putting my feelings aside when I see certain individuals who I feel are - shall we say - less than generous.

You see I have some friends who do everything by the book the way they are supposed to and have gotten completely screwed and can't get the help they could so desperately use. On the flip side I have these other friends who cheat the system and get help they don't need and do some very shady things along the way. What is even more astonishing to me is that both these friends are "good christians", and I suppose that is what fires me up more than anything. How can you call yourself a Christian with your words, but yet your actions are not. Especially if you almost pride yourself on having been able to cheat. I don't mean to be all high and mighty on this, but I was just brought up differently. Furthermore, if God had blessed me with something I didn't need, I have always felt that it was my duty to make sure that someone who was in need instead got it, not try to make a little change off of it. Anyways, I have gotten to the point of ranting and am starting to feel my blood pressure rise, so I will close this subject with one last thought.

Ps. 112:5-9 - Good will come to him who is generous and lend freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.