How DARE he

OK so I am not normally a person that gets offended easily. Occasionally I get my feelings hurt but never really offended. And I don't like confrontations or hard feelings. But I was put over the edge and had to say something.....which I don't normally do either. And I don't even feel guilty about it. That might be a bad thing. And I probably should change my heart and repent.

So we have this neighbor who is always out walking his dog. He works from home so he is always there. But anyway....we let our dog out to do her business and she runs around a bit and sometimes ends up in someone else's yard. She will end up back on our portch...barking to let us know she is back home. I have NEVER had any complaints other than this neighbor and our dog never goes into his yard. But what upsets this person is the fact that our dog is out roaming (she doesn't go far) and he fears she might get hit by a car. WE live in a neighborhood that has minimal traffic. Each home has 2 acres and I rarely see a car go by. YES...it could happen. A few weeks ago he came to our door letting us know that Lexi was out running around and that he knew someone that could take her if we didn't want her. EXCUSE me? I was nice and told him that we did want her. End of conservation.

OK now onto a couple of days ago. Yes it was cold out. It was snowing. And Lexi LOVES to be out in the snow. She was barking at the door to go out so I let her out. And guess who shows up at the door?

I can't remember everything that was said....because my blood was boiling. When he first came to the door he said..something is really going to have to change here. Lexi cannot be out here alone. Someone has to be out here with her. She could get killed. Then he pointed to HIS dog and went on to say that he puts a sweater on his dog and that Lexi has short hair just like his dog and he mentioned how cold it was. I already knew how cold it was. It didn't seem to bother Lexi and in fact...she loves it out there.

That wasn't even the part that made me start foaming at the mouth. He said that he knew that I had five kids and he said that if he had five kids he would probably shoot himself. He did give me a compliment...said I was a strong woman. YEAH well he was lucky I didn't show him HOW STRONG I was. Then he said.....I think you need one less dog.

That is when I had to stick up. I told him he offended me and that I didn't like him coming over to my house trying to tell me how to live my life. I started to say that I don't go over to his house....then he stopped me and pointed to himself and said "Yeah I know there are probably things you could tell me to do differently". But I told him that wasn't my job. It wasn't my job to tell him how to live.

I can't even remember everything I said....I was livid. I wasn't mean about it. Well I don't think I was. I didn't yell at him or threaten to get the gun or anything. I just told him how I felt.

I still can't believe someone would do that...even if they think I am wrong for letting the dog out unattended.

OK it is documented. I don't normally do things like this....I promise. SO..am I wrong for what I did? Should I have been nice and just left it at that? I really hope he doesn't come to my door again because..well...that is about the 3rd or 4th time and I am kind of getting sick of it. I try to be Christ-like. Was that Christ-like? :) I think so. I was trying to teach. Christ was a great teacher. I was teaching him how he could be less nosy and how he could forget about telling me what to do. Because, like my dad, I DO NOT LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO.

A lot of snow

Yesterday was a bit crazy here. We ended up getting quite a bit of snow. I'm not exactly sure the amount but I heard 10 inches or more. Don left work at about 3 p.m. and thankfully rolled in around 7:30. He couldn't make it all the way up the main road to our house so he had to park about a mile down the hill. He started walking and was picked up and dropped off at the corner. He was so grateful he only had to walk that distance. Soon after he got home he instantly started shoveling snow. It didn't last long. As soon as he came in you couldn't even tell he had shoveled.

As we were having family scripture study our neighbor called. He needed us to watch his kids because his wife was stuck at the same place Don had to pull over. He was able to get their car unstuck and ended up leaving their car down their too.

Our power flickered off only once. So thankful for that. My sister lost power last night at 8:30 and it is still off. I am so grateful Don made it home safe and that we have power.

Early this morning Don took the Expedition down to his car to uncover it. He drove the Expedition back to our house and started walking down the hill back to the car so he could head to work. I offered to drive him down but he said NO. He made it seem like I didn't need to go out in the cold so early at 6 a.m. but I am pretty sure he doesn't trust my driving in this weather. :)

My kids are soooooo excited for their second snow day in a row. They can't wait to go out and play. I am SO not a cold weather girl. I might end up going out but it takes everything I have to spend more than 5 minutes in it. Don and the kids are always making fun of me for always being cold. They threaten to move us to Alaska and I tell them they can go alone.

The dog that wanted to go to school

Sounds like a childrens book. We have started taking the dog in the car with us when we drop the kids off at school. It has been really cold so her times outside are few. She has been really good about going out with us and just jumping in the car. She hasn't been running off as much as she used to. This morning was no exception..........until Ethan left the door of the car open too long and she jumped out. YEP...she followed the kids and jumped right on the bus with them. You should have heard how noisy that bus got. So glad the bus driver grabbed her. She would have made her way to the back...I'm sure.

It was a little embarrassing...I mean I am dressed in my shorts and slippers. BUT my dad said....'if it makes a good story'. And indeed this does.

email from sunbeam teacher

Ethan in not a sunbeam but today he joined the sunbeam class with his sister because he didn't have a teacher. I received this email from her:


Ethan was so great in our class today. We talked about Joseph Smith's early life, and when I mentioned how his family "poked holes in a certain kind of tree to get out the--" he jumped right in and said, "maple syrup!" I was so impressed that he knew that, so I had him explain to the girls all about how maple syrup is made. He also drew and cut out an awesome pig, which he gifted to me. (As you know, the Smith family raised pigs, cows and chickens.) If you would like to see it, I have it in my journal. (I only tape things in my journal. I never actually write in it. :))
I love my calling in Primary, and you have such cool kids. Obviously you are doing something right in the Puhlman home.
Love,
Laura


As we were talking about this over dinner I asked Ethan how he knew that. He couldn't remember. But Zach said they had just seen it on the cartoon Franklin. PHEW....yes I am doing something right. :)

****added Monday morning: So this morning on the way to the bus Zach had to inform me that he had forgotten and that it wasn't on Franklin where they learned about the maple syrup. He remembers now that it was in school a few months ago. HMMMM I think Ethan might have learned this at school.....because honestly.....we have NEVER talked about this in our home. But hey.....someone told me that I am doing something right and you know.......it is good to hear every now and again....even though we need major help in that department.

Spit fire

Mayah is a spit fire. She has the personality of a mule. I can normally talk my kids into something by coaxing or bribing (I know I know). But Mayah...forget it. She has a mind of her own. If she doesn't want to she won't. As she gets older this may be a great quality but for a mom of a preschooler...a curse.

So the other day all the kids were in school and Don and I were running some quick errands before kids came home. Mayah was in the back seat. She asked me a question but my mind was somewhere else so I didn't answer. Her question got super loud...almost a yell. Then Don got on her for talking to me like that......then she said....word for word......."It's not like I wasn't trying to be nice. She couldn't hear me so I yelled. Does she need hearing aids or something"?

Sounds kind of rude huh? I couldn't believe a 4 year old could even think in those terms. And I wanted to reprimand her for her attitude BUT.....we couldn't.....we tried to be serious..... but loud laughter erupted from both Don and I. There was no way we could even talk. And then it was too late. Once you laugh like that there is no going back.

The 7

NO I am not talking about my family. YES there are seven people in our family. But I am talking about Glenn Becks new book......The Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life. I really really like Glenn Beck. I know there are those out there that can't stand him.....I'm pretty sure they are the ones listening to what the media is saying about him. And maybe not. But I know that I like him. On Sunday, Don and I watched his conversion story and how he was converted to the church. It was awesome. It was hilarious. It made us laugh and it also made us cry.

I love seeing how people totally change their lives. He was in really bad shape. But he pulled his life together and made something of himself. And to me....that is AMAZING.

Since my dad died I have not been able to get into any books. I have started many. But each time I start a book I can't concentrate on the words. My thoughts turn to my dad and then I get disinterested in the book and put in on the shelf.

Well I figured I would try another book. I read this book in two days. It was SO GOOD. I couldn't put it down.

The book talks a lot about coincidences.....things don't just happen. There are no accidents. Things happen for a reason.

The book is written by both Glenn Beck and Psychiatrist Keith Ablow.

Keith says: "SO many of us believe we are alone in our shortcomings and fears and challenges and questions and hopes and dreams that we must keep ourselves undercover, lest we be seen for the imperfect people we are. But nothing could be further from the truth. There is far more that connects us than spearates us. We are all struggling. We are all on difficult, sometimes tortuous, journey's that are really meant--designed, in fact, by God--to lead us to the best in oursleves.

"Compassion is a force for good, not a capitulation to that which is bad".

"Never be afraid to FEEL for someone else, no matter how unfeeling they have been to you. When you do, you stand with what is good and decent and miraculous. You stand with God".

"Compassion isn't easy. It's alot harder to love people than to judge them. Sometimes it's a lot harder to love them than it is to hate them. We get confused by what we see them doing in the world----some of it unattractive, some of it downright ugly--instead of focusing on what they COULD do, if they could follow the bread crumbs and find their paths to embracing the truth".

"Can anyone really doubt anymore that we have the ability to change lives---including our own---when we empower ourselves with compassion"?

We DO NOT know what others have been through. We do not have all the answers. The book gives great examples of lives that were affected with something horrible and how that influenced what they did later in life.....We can still have compassion for people who have killed others. We can still feel bad for those that have wronged us. Something in their past may be triggering something. We DO NOT KNOW. So therefore we cannot judge. All we can do is work on ourselves and change us. And we can have more compassion for those around us.

I think my word for 2011 will be compassion. Thanks Denise for the idea. It took me longer to figure out my word but after reading this book I have made my decision. Sometimes it is easier to judge the person rather than have compassion on WHY they did something in the first place.

I am not putting a plug in for Glenn's book. But it is a wonderful book and it can change lives. And I KNOW, trust me, that it has changed some already.

I really have NO idea how many people read my blog. That really doesn't matter to me. But I would love to say to anyone who thinks negatively of Glenn.... just read this book. I do not see how anyone can hate this man. He does so much good for so many. He has changed his life. He has so much compassion for others. NO....he isn't perfect but he would be the first to tell you that. I admire this man. I look up to him and I hope I can be half the man he is. I am thankful for this book and I am truly grateful for someone who stands up for what he belives even when so many others try to shoot him down. What an example.

Be a duck

There is a lot of noise in a home with five kids..........and 2 loud parents. I don't think one day has gone by when there hasn't been some type of yelling or fighting. I am sure we are not the only family. We have one particular child that does a LOT of screaming. The screaming is due to the siblings bothering this child but still we have been doing a lot of talking and explaining to this child that they do NOT have to scream and when they do scream it just makes the siblings tease more and get exactly what they wanted.....a reaction.

So Don decided to try something new. He told this child to be a duck. We all know that it would produce a strange look of confusion but it helped once we explained how a duck in water doesn't get wet and that the oil makes the water just slide right off..............slide right off......just let it go. Sometimes we have to just let things slide and let some things go.

SO the kids had a lot of fun going around the house saying.....be a duck. That lasted for a few weeks. This was a couple of months ago. WE haven't heard them say it for awhile now.

So fast forward to this morning. At the breakfast table we were all sitting around eating our biscuits and gravy. Then this particular child started whining and complaining about something.
Mayah quickly said: BE A DUCK. :)

And no the screaming child is not her. But she sure does her fair share of stubborness in our family. She sure is growing up. I can't believe my youngest will be five in a few months. Old.....I tell ya....I'm getting old. :)

2011

I can't believe it. I guess I am hearing that from everyone. Time keeps going faster and faster. It is already January and it is a new year. DANG....I still haven't accomplished my 2010 goals so I have decided not to make any new ones for this year. I thought about it alot but can't seem to get motivated. My thoughts keep turning to my father. Every time I see a picture of him I get an ache.

I got some seed catologs in the mail the other day...made me cry. I was thinking about some protein powder I have in the closet. For one second I was going to call dad and ask him a question about it. Our rototiller has an oil leak. He isn't there to call to help us fix it. Even though I have the knowledge that I will see him again it still hurts. It is still a bit raw for me.

I am still grateful. I am so grateful that I had him for so long. I feel so sad that Don only got to spend 12 years with his dad.....and he remembers pretty much NOTHING about him. I feel so much gratitude that the Lord allowed him to be on the earth for 68 amazing years. Man that is young but the life he lived was full.....very full.

One story I want to share about my father is my favorite. I have alot of stories and memories but I think I like this one the best and I want to have it written down for many many generations to see.

My father is a mechanic. A good one.....really he is. Some may look at mechanics as uneducated or not too bright. My dad was bright and smart. He received a Masters Degree. But later in life opened up his shop and succeeded at being a wonderful and honest mechanic. He had people come from far areas to have their machines worked on. One guy drove about 3 hrs. (one way) because he didn't trust any of the mechanics in his area. And I know there were plenty to choose from because that was Seattle.

OK now on to the story.

There was a poor customer that came in to get his mower fixed. Dad knew that he didn't have much money. It didn't matter what was wrong with his machine..............dad only charged him $5. After awhile his mower died. It took some time but dad looked and looked for an engine that looked similar to his and replaced it. Dad charged him $5. Not once did this customer know what my dad was doing. Dad didn't want him to know. Dad was charitable. He treated other people with kindness. I remember dad always going for the underdog.

I love that story and I am grateful my dad had it written down in his journal.

I love you dad. I really really miss you. Thank you for everything you taught me. It will never be forgotten. You really were a great man.......a great dad......a great example. Thanks.