Kelly Smith Weblog Aficionado: Just a guy vs. Life

It's HIS day, not ours...... Well, it is Christmas morning, and believe it or not my kids are still in bed. I suppose it is not so inconceivable that my 4 month old daughter is still in bed, but sons Devon and Robbie, (9 and 5 respectively), are still snoozing. We are at my parents house presently, and we will be opening presents, eating breakfast and hitting the road to Lexington in just a little while. Christmas and the holidays are a special time of year, because that is when most people like to gather their families and spend quality time with one another. Some people actually dislike the holidays because of painful memories, or the fact that they have nobody to share them with. I suppose that those of us with large extended families who have to hustle and bustle to see everyone probably think that we have it rough. Or perhaps we say we hate Christmas or dread the holiday's approach because of all of the stress that it brings. I think that perhaps we don't kn...

Be careful there is a Lott at stake I have watched the events concerning Trent Lott's statements about Strom Thurmond's 1948 presidential race with a burgeoning interest. I thought that when the events were first reported that there would be backlash, and I considered the requests for him to be censured and resign as Senate Majority leader were toothless, yet obligatory. I see now that things are coming to a head and I am not quite sure where I stand on this issue. A lot of people that I have talked to are apalled that he would make statements about Strom Thurmond in general because he has been coined "A racist". True indeed, he may have been, or still may be. But I don't have ill feelings toward Strom Thurmond because he was born in another world. Yes, he is still "Senator No" in regard to a lot of issues but he has made changes. I am not posting this to show any particular support for Thurmond, but I am not sure I am going to allow myself to...

Colin Powell is one of my heroes....back off! Here is a cut and paste of a response I made in Rachel's Weblog about Colin Powell. A guy called him a coward, can you believe that? This comment is for Emperor Misha, in response to your statement that, "Colon Powell is an unmitigated, worthless, useless, good-for-nothing, double-speaking, waffling, cowardly, nadless, limp pecker of a jerk and those are his GOOD qualities." I respect your right to your opinion about this man's abilities as Secretary of State, or diplomat, or U.N. consult. Most politicians are waffling and double-speaking, but to classify him as cowardly, or nadless is a complete misstatement. I am not sure if you have ever served or not, or if you know what the markings on Powell's Dress green's symbolized, but a patch on the right shoulder coupled with a Combat Infantryman's badge, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart would automatically negate the idea t...

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I was just thinking that it is very unfortunate that Republicans have been typecast as racists. Unfortunately most Americans, blacks especially, have short memories. We don't seem to remember who the party of Emancipation was, nor do we remember whose part'y's majority voted for the Civil Rights Act 0f 1964 as compared by NONE of the Southern Democrats doing so. Al Gore's dad voted against the act, yet Gore had the audacity to speak at an NAACP function and claim that his dad lost his seat because of his support of civil rights legislation. Not only did he vote against the Act of 64, he even attempted to send the Act to the Senate Judiciar Committee with and amendme to say, "in defiance of a court desegregation order, federal funds could not be held from any school districts." In other words he wanted there to be no penalties levied if people told the government to mind its own business in regard to desegregation rulings. Black people in the Deep So...

31 This morning I woke up when the baby monitor let me know that my little Alex was unhappy. I woke up went upstairs to the nursery and removed her from her little crib. After a few moments of fussing she calmed down and started sucking her thumb. I put a bottle on the warmer and changed her diaper. After a few attempts at singing pattycake , and a few other songs she let me know that it was time to eat. After she had her first bottle she was ready to go back to sleep. I walked bakc to my room and the next thing I heard was two pair of feet scrambling down the steps. Devon and Robbie came into the room singing Happy Birthday , after they finished they gave me a card that was signed by them and Alex. Something else, huh? After that Renee gave me a card and wished me a Happy Birthday as well. There is no birthday better than one that is shared with your family . I'm not sure what the rest of the day will hold for me, but I am looking forward to it. Now it is time to log...

Thanksgiving Day: Well, Thanksgiving is upon us and I feel like I have so much to be thankful for. This is the first Thanksgiving in the new house, and the first Thanksgiving with a new baby. We have some pretty big plans this weekend, we will be going to spend Thanksgiving with my wife's side of the family. This is going to be a big event as her family is so big. I really look forward to the event, because there is so much laughter and so much fellowship that goes on. The weather is cooperating though it is cold. The weatherman hinted at a snow storm earlier in the week, but we only had a few flurries. Incidentally in Kentucky we consider anything over three inches to be a snowstorm. I baked a huge pan of yams last night and I can't wait to tear into them. I love being with friends and loved ones over the holidays, and I love watching football. I really don't know who is going to be playing today, but it doesn't matter to me at all, I hope that everyone has ...

Another week has come and gone in the Smith household. Devon culminated his football season by not only playing and unfortunately losing in the Championship game, but by also being selected for the All-Star game which was played at Kentucky State University. My dude was really excited! His soccer team played in the State Youth Soccer Championship and came home as Regional Champions, we unfortunately did not win it all, but there is always next year! Robbie's soccer team only lost two games this year, and Robbie scored at LEAST two goals per game. It goes without saying that I am the resident proud papa because of all that my boys have accomplished this year. Devon's grades are good, and he was elected to the student council.... hell we never had student council when I was in elementary school.... My lovely wife is doing well, and my brand new baby girl has been the picture of health since her birth this summer....[more entries to come soon]

Man, the time went back this morning.... I luuuuuuuuuv Daylight Savings Time....only in the Fall though....feels like an extra hour of sleep.

Deleted Post Angry about having my tires slashed.

Okay, I have been woefully neglectful in updating this weblog. I just haven't had the time to do anything. So many wonderful, magical things have happened since April. If you look below you will note my last post about the Kentucky National Guard. I am still with my unit, but I am attached to the 238th OCS regiment for training. So this time next year I will no longer be an enlisted man, I will be an officer. I will need that extra money because I have another mouth to feed! Praise God! My wife gave birth to a beautiful 7 pound, 8 ounce baby girl named, Alexandra . I tell you what, there is no feeling in the world like watching your child come into the world. I thought to myself that it was so funny that I could love someone so much that I have only known for a few days. Renee is doing well, she is recovering very well and is going to take some much needed time off from work. The boys are fantastic. Robbie is playing soccer, and Devon is playing soccer and football. My...

I've reserved very little time for blogging as of late. I have a few minutes while running reports at work so here goes. Things have been going fairly well for me. Work is hectic, but it is manageable. The boys are doing well, why wouldn't they be, warm weather is moving in and school is almost out! :-) I went to training for the Kentucky National Guard , and actually had a great time. We went to the M-16 range this weekend and qualified. I always loved going to the range, especially when I was in the Regular Army. I went to the zero range and zeroed my weapon in 9 shots. (Ummm.....nine shots after I finally got my rear sight set correctly, but we won't talk about how many times I fired before I figured out that this was the problem.) But, I ended up getting stuck at the TOC (Tactical Operations Center) for a few hours before I went to the qualifying range. Generally you have about 3 chances to perfect your score, but unfortunately I missed much of the range day....

I will never ever, ever...... Man, I woke up one day and looked in the mirror and I still saw the same old me. I look in the mirror every morning so I wouldn't notice any quiet changes. One morning I looked in the mirror and thought...."Man, I'm 30". I took a pair of tweezers and yanked a gray hair out of my goatee. Too early for that shit stuff man. In the grand scheme of things thirty is pretty young, I don't have to get up during the middle of the night to ease my bladder. My list of prescriptions doesn't boast viagra in its membership. But, I realize that there are so many things that I can't do now. Even though I never thought about some of those things before and I never had the money, talent, or time to embark upon them there is a feeling of finality when you say out loud. I will never be a professional athlete. I will never be rich. I will never be twenty-something again. I will never be a full-time student again. I will never... gu...

Out with the winter in with the spring........ Kentucky weather is notoriously unpredictable...especially in the spring. The temperature has been going up and down like a Yo-Yo and now we are in the midst of monsoon-like weather. There has been flooding here in Kentucky and in other places in the south. I think I heard on a weather report that a woman was killed by a mudslide in far western Kentucky. Man, can you imagine that? I have been on a slow, yet painful road back to physical fitness for the last week. I decided that I needed to pull this decrepit 30 year old body back into some semblance of shape. I don't really hurt right now, I have just been amazingly stiff every morning when I wake up. I went to the YMCA today on my lunch break and played 2 games of pickup and did a light weight workout....as I sit here now I feel completely refreshed and relaxed, but I know how I will feel in the morning. But, oh well, that is the price we pay for vegetating all winter. W...

Well, things at work have been somewhat of a mess, and I am proud to say that none of it is my fault. But, unfortunately the area in which I work is directly affected. Therefore it is my problem. Who ever said life was fair, huh? Well, I am trucking right along through life at any rate. Yesterday was Devon's first soccer practice of the Spring, and I must say he performed marvelously. I don't think he has lost a step or a touch since last season. I am looking forward to this upcoming season. I took a few photographs of him yesterday and I can't wait to get them developed. I am thinking about a whole new design for the website, but I don't know when I would have the time to do it. I certainly don't want it to be down for any great length of time. Well, more to come later. Peace!

Hoodwinked, Bamboozled, Led-astray! I couldn't believe what happened this weekend, Renee was showing a lot of excitement about an outing with her friend Michelle. She wanted to go to the Atomic Cafe in Lexington for some type of Carribean celebration. That was cool, I hadn't planned on doing much that weekend anyway, so we decided to stay the night in Lexington on Friday night. I didn't work on Friday because Devon and Robbie didn't have school. We just ran around a little bit having a good time. By the time we got back home Renee was there watching television and she seemed to be a little bit "antsy". She really wanted to get out of the house, she claimed that Michelle was going to get her hair done and she wanted to go with her. So I said, "Well babe, just go on...I have a few things to do, and then I will come on up afterward." She was happy and immediately took off. I finished a load of laundry, packed some clothes for the boys and heade...

February 14th, 2002. I have a lot to be thankful for on this Valentine's Day. This is the first Valentine's Day that I will be spending as a married man. A married man with two children and one on the way. Simply unbelievable. I always dreamed about being in this position, but it always seemed as if it would never arrive. There is nothing I like more than having a close family about me. I see so much love in my house. From the two young boys that run wild, to the beautiful woman whom I have pledged my life too. From the warmth of her touch, to the gentle swell of her belly that holds a new life, nothing could be better. I am looking forward to this weekend where I will attend the right of acceptance for the final phase of my conversion to the Catholic faith. I am not sure what the evening will hold in store for me. I am going to head out of here today in high hopes of continuing with that routine that I have grown so fond of. All of the things that are important to ...

Well, this weekend passed me by with no major incident. I was at National Guard duty all weekend so I basically had a seven day work week. I suppose that in a way it makes Monday not quite as insufferable since I had to be up earlier for drill than what I usually am to go to work. I had to come in this morning at 6:30 to do the time posting and project updating. I woke up a little earlier and got the boys moving on their daily routine. Renee was feeling pretty good this morning so that was definitely an added plus. I thought about all that we are going to experience over the next nine months and I had to smile. Can you imagine that? Three kids? Wow! I am really looking forward to the birth of this child and all that comes with it. I am still trying to learn all of the details of this job because I think I am going to be the only one working in this capacity in the next few months. My, My, My.....so little time has passed, but there have been major changes in my life over th...

This morning I woke up before the alarm went off with a pressing need to get ready. I got up, showered, dressed, and began attending to Devon and Robbie. After they were dressed I went outside to start the cars and scrape the ice off of the windshield. After I dropped Devon off at school and Robbie at the Daycare, Renee and I headed to Lexington. We arrived at our destination and signed in. Although we only waited about 15 minutes, it seemed like an eternity. We finally got the call and went into the room. After all of the devices were turned on and Renee was in position we looked at the screen. All I could see was a little knot and a tiny flicker. The lady put the cursor on the flicker and tapped a button. I said, "What's that?" She smiled and said, "That is your baby's heartbeat ."