I was trying to explain to Jilly that she has "The Look" in this picture.

"What do you mean 'The Look'?", she asked.

Help me out here guys. There are times when she's trying to get my attention. Then, at other times, you catch a glance that really does get your attention.

You men may think your wife is the prettiest woman alive, but she will have to take second place to my Jilly. It's funny that it's like this after 22 years of marriage. We often talk about our belief that the long term success of a marriage is based more on commitment than feelings. But we're white hot right now. And I like it.

Our journey so far has included times where we couldn't stand to be apart for the day as well as times of difficulty that rocked our relationship. We spent many years in religious oppression that dampened passion in both of us. Unspeakable trauma within our house brought one of the most trying times. The death of one of our daughters could have driven a permanent wedge between us. False accusations have been made against us causing unbelievable stress. But we resolved to hang on.

That resolve is paying off. I can't explain it, but Jilly is more beautiful and exciting to me than ever.

If your marriage is not going well right now, then start praying. Then tell your spouse that he or she is NOT the enemy. And re-affirm your commitment to them by saying, "if you decide to leave me, let me know so I can go with you", or "if you want rid of me, you'll have to shoot me, because I ain't leaving."

Thanking God for "The Look" and that I caught it "on film".

God Bless,

Dadofmykids.

--
Andy Brasfield

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me" Mark 9:37 (NIV)

Twelve Days of Brasfield Christmas

Twelve days vacation.

Eleven loads of laundry.

Ten Twitpics pictured.

Nine sleepless nights.

Eight Happy Children.

Seven stocking stuffers.

Six Facebook users.

Five wrestling rings.

Four twitters tweeting.

Three fury dogs.

Two loving parents.

And a crutch in a pear tree.

Merry Christmas!!

Dadofmykids.
 

--
Andy Brasfield

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me"  Mark 9:37  (NIV) 

WWII hero wrote this letter to Pres. Obama

Verified by Snopes.

"Dear President Obama, 

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of 
this year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age 
because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert. 

I enlisted in the U.S.. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during 
and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in 
a "rest home" located on the western end of Pearl Harbor, allowing me 
to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country. 

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my 
mind, blunt and direct even to the head man. So here goes. 

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I 
do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish. I can't figure 
out what country you are the president of. You fly around the world 
telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like: 

" We're no longer a Christian nation" 

" America is arrogant" - (Your wife even announced to the 
world,"America is mean-spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching 
that nonsense to 23 generations of our war dead buried all over the 
globe who died for no other reason than to free a whole lot of 
strangers from tyranny and hopelessness.) 

I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, 
nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the 
obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or 
gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White 
House. 

After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals. "Which 
ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 
farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? 
Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 
500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean the 
ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew 
personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not 
letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom. 

I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than 
discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people 
understood when they helped to get you elected. 

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man. Shape up and 
start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what I can to 
see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue. 
You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of 
murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like 
slaves. 

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to 
jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his 
fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to 
do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black 
college professor in Massachusetts, who was putting up a fight? You 
don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want 
us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, 
terrorists. 

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never 
had to defend your country with your life, but you're the 
Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened 
field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, 
give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get 
out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political 
strategy you're thinking of. 

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest 
challenge ever presented to any president. You're not going to 
restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. 
That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we 
are as Americans is our big fight now. 

And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in 
this final battle. 

Sincerely, 

Harold B. Estes"

This man served during the same time as my recently deceased father in law, who would have agreed wholeheartedly with Chief Estes.  I also agree.  

Wake up Mr. President!!

God bless,

Dadofmykids

--
Andy Brasfield

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me"  Mark 9:37  (NIV)