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I got dealt a couple of pretty devastating blows today- one rocking me in my professional life, and the other in my personal. Each, incident threatened to undermine some of my basic assumptions about life. The details are what they are in each situation, but suffice it to say that tears have been shed from 8:15 this morning when I got the first bit, to 4:30 this afternoon as I was getting ready to wrap up my day.

So, now I am faced with a decision. How do I cope, when I am not the main focus of either of these events? How do I support without getting sucked into a situation in which there is no right or wrong? Well, there clearly is a right and a wrong, but I don’t think that anyone is willing to compromise enough to get there.

This is pretty cryptic, no? I am definitely tired and overwhelmed by the sadness of the day. But, I have more people in my life that I am thankful for than I can count, a sweet and sexy man to share my every thought with (and my bed! whee!), a precious baby boy that clamors out of his high chair just to catch a glimpse of me when I get home, and a few raggedy animals to pat on the head as I push them out of my way.

And, I am very thankful for a mom that has led me through life’s many situations with grace, compassion, stubbornness, and resilience. Tomorrow is her birthday, and I am thankful for a day that I get to spend in celebration of her life and all that she means to me. When I got the news this afternoon, she was the first to dissect it with me- even though it is specifically news with which she likely cared nothing for- except that it affects her children and grandchildren. Through 28 years of being your daughter, there has never been a moment in which I was not proud to be your daughter. Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you!

Boo!

How do these guys, these very famous guys, think that they are going to get away with cheating on their wives? How do they think that this could possibly be a good idea as their young children, many of them sons, stay home with Mommy and watch her find out that their hero is THIS FALLIBLE?

As I watch TV with my little son this morning, I am devastated by the lack of morality and basic decency in the lives of those we call our “reality.” There is such a dichotomy between what we vocalize to our children and what is shown in the media. Where are the men that will stand up and say that they will not cheat on their wives, will not drag them into a scandal, and will actively work to revoke the man card of any that does?

I certainly don’t mean to get all Nancy Grace here, but I am just severely disappointed. I look at my Kase, and think that he will have a wife someday. How do I teach him that honoring her does not mean doing what feels good? Or that “falling out of love” with her is not a good enough reason to find pleasure elsewhere? As my husband and I watched “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ at the very beginning to see their adorable children and just HOW THEY DO IT! with 8 children, Kaleb told me that his gut said that something was wrong with their marriage. He, apparently, called it, because now we see what they had worked so hard for fall completely apart. Their own selfishness cost them the ultimate gift to their children- an example of what marriage should be.

Personally, I have a lot of pent up anger about and history with cheating and divorce, and the cases that continue to present themselves make me even more disappointed and distrustful toward the men in our society. I do know that this is not only a man’s problem- and women, myself included, must contend with the temptation that immediate gratification in the arms of another offers. I have been tempted, I have nearly given in, and I have resisted thanks to God and thanks to the long-term gratification that I find in the arms of my one true love.

I do write this selfishly. I am disgusted, but I am at heart a cheerleader. Let’s honor one another! Let’s commit and mean it! Let’s raise our children to understand the meaning of a promise, and equip them with the ability to keep those promises. Finally, let’s be the example. And let’s not simply accept those that choose the easy way our of their own misery. That is a boat with a wake too big for some to survive.

I have decided to archive all of the pictures and videos, taken on the iPhone, to a shared page within Evernote.

You can view the videos by going here.

You can view the pictures by going here.

The videos will need to be downloaded to view. However, the photos are much easier to see.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

It may have been a while since we have last spoke but I do pray all is well with you. Things have been very busy in the Rutherford household and we are loving each and every second with our baby boy, Kase. The kid is growing like a weed and we are posting new photos and videos quite often.

Since my last group of emails resulted in several people getting unhappy with the messages, I have been rethinking how to deliver updates. I will do emails sometimes but wanted to let you know where you can see new videos.

On this site, RutherfordFamily.NET you will see a tab, on every page to the left side of the screen. You can click on this and view any of the updates I make on Twitter. If you don’t know what Twitter is, don’t worry. Just click there to hear my thoughts and view new photos and videos.

You can view any of the Youtube videos I post here.

Finally, you can view all of the photos we post on our flickr site.

Looking forward to hearing from you all soon. Let me know if you have any questions!

Also, the Twitter search feed is down and it is not properly bringing up the Live Kase Birth. I will be working to manually restore that, with photos, here to view the timeline.

Stay tuned!

2.3.09 Debbie Meets Kase

2.4.09 GiGi Stops by to See Kase

2.4.09 Martin Meets Kase

2.4.09 Nonnie & Papa Meet Kase

2.2.09 Sheri Meets Kase

2.2.09 Jim Meets Kase

2.1.09 Kase’s First Anti-Super Bowl Party

1/31/09 Kase Swinging

1.30.09 Michael Meets Kase

1.29.09 Kase Visits Grammy2 and Pappa Phil 2

1.29.09 Merrilee and Gibber Meet Kase

We are pleased to announce the arrival of

Kase Kent Rutherford

January 27, 2009 at 5:02 PM
7 pounds, 7 ounces
19 1/2 inches long

Photos can be viewed on our flickr site.

Nine months of carrying this little boy have been the most life-changing thing I have ever gone through. Kaleb and I have spent a lot of time reflecting on this pregnancy lately. We have thought about the initial reticence when we found out we were pregnant- not that we weren’t trying, we just thought we had a little more time to get used to the idea. How that reticence has changed to acceptance and then to uncontrollable excitement and nervous anticipation in the last weeks is truly one of the miracles God has worked in both our lives. This baby has been loved since the moment we knew we were going to have him, but only recently has that love overtaken the uncertainty we initially felt.

Our pastor recently said in a sermon that “the only thing worse than waiting is wishing that you had.” Those words have new meaning for me. Kaleb and I waited seven and a half years before deciding to start a family- and I am so grateful that we did. The assurance that I have, not only in our marriage, but in our readiness to be parents, is unmatched by any other assurance in my earthly life.

We are about to leave our house as a couple- and come home a family. I know millions have gone through this, but I feel like I am the first person ever to experience this. I am about to go meet my son. My number one son. What an amazing feeling.

Even if I do feel like I am going to puke.