Contract of Devotion

To follow up my last post, I thought it would be appropriate to blog about a very touching "Contract of Devotion" that was signed by my friend Reyna, her husband Tom and their son Brody. Brody is Tom's stepson but Tom is now being acknowledged as "Dad" since Brody's biological father has not played an active roll in his life. I felt compelled to share this "Contract of Devotion," as Reyna shared it with me (and gave me permission to blog about it). Not only is it a wonderful idea, but is wonderfully written, and despite it's seriousness, it is really damn cute! It brought me to tears because it was created out of genuine love and really demonstrates what a great dad is, and what a family is about...even if the family is a blending of what was at one time two separate families.


Contract of Devotion and Union
October 2008

The following “Contract of Devotion” (COD) shall be considered a Philp Phamily legal document and thereby upon signature, group hug, and kiss, the contract terms shall be adhered to and abided by at all times from this date forward.

Description of Contract

This COD is an agreement between Thomas Philp (Dad) and Broderick Sorensen (Brody) and is intended to affirm the union of Brody and Dad as father and son.

The COD is a sign of devotion, genuine loyalty, commitment and dedication between father and son.

With the approval of Brody’s mother, Reyna Philp (Mom), and at the request of Brody himself, Dad will legally be named as Brody’s father within the Philp Phamily Phoundation and is hereby granted all rights and responsibilities as father.

Although the following terms and conditions have been in place since 2002, the parties involved felt compelled to sanction their devotion and union as father and son.

Terms and Conditions

The following terms and conditions apply at all times and have been agreed upon by all parties:

Dad Promises the Following to Brody:
Dad promises, at all times, to provide unconditional love, support, affection, hugs, kisses, discipline, advice, and attention to Brody.
Dad promises to attend all school meetings, sporting events, extracurricular activities, science fairs, doctor and dental appointments, and birthday parties of Brody unless there are extenuating circumstances. In the event of an extenuating circumstance, Dad will provide Brody with an explanation ahead of time, if possible, and the explanation will be a good one!
Dad promises to treat Brody, as he has for the last 6 years, with respect, care, and admiration.
Dad promises to continue his bond with Brody and support his needs whenever possible.
Dad promises to teach Brody mechanical skills, rifle skills, tool names and designations, and at least 3 different knot variations and how to treat girls.

Brody Promises the Following to Dad:
Brody promises to obey, respect, love and value Dad.
Brody promises to abide by Dad’s rules at all times.
Brody promises to accept and appreciate all of Dad’s hugs, kisses and “I Love You”s, even when it might be uncomfortable, or embarrassing. A kiss from Brody to Dad, however, is not required to show love and affection, although it would be greatly appreciated and happily accepted.
Brody promises to continue being a good young man, keeping up his grades in school and being an all around good son.
Brody promises to speak kindly and make good choices.


Additional Contract Item
Surname Change Request

At the request of Brody, with the support and authorization of his Mom, Brody would like to use the last name of Dad and from this day forward, Brody will be known as Broderick Philp within the Philp Phamily Phoundation. Brody, at any point, may terminate this portion of the contract.

After a period of time, determined by Brody, he may elect to legalize the Philp surname with the County of Riverside and will notify Dad and Mom of his wishes. Dad and Mom promise to act on Brody’s wishes, when the time arrives.

Termination of Contract Terms

Under the Philp Phamily Phoundation guidelines, this “Contract of Devotion” cannot be terminated at any time. Neither party involved can cease their rights, or the rights of the other party. This contract cannot become null or void at any point, no matter what the circumstances. You are bound by the terms of this contract and unionized as father and son.


See Page 3 for Approvals and Consent.
Approval and Consent

By signing this document, you hereby agree to all the terms and conditions detailed above and agree to communicate with each other, resolve issues as needed, and provide forgiveness if any terms or conditions are not met to your satisfaction.



Signed:__________________________________ Date:___________________
Brody Philp
Son
Stakeholder of the Philp Phamily Phoundation

Signed:_________________________________ Date:___________________
Thomas V. Philp III
Dad
Co-Founder of the Philp Phamily Phoundation


Witness:________________________________ Date:___________________
Reyna Philp
Mom
Co-Founder of the Philp Phamily Phoundation


Witness:________________________________ Date:___________________
Jacob Blackwell
Son
Stakeholder of the Philp Phamily Phoundation


Witness:________________________________ Date:___________________
Cecilia Philp
Daughter
Stakeholder of the Philp Phamily Phoundation


Witness:________________________________ Date:___________________
Xavier Philp
Son
Stakeholder of the Philp Phamily Phoundation

So really, who is not crying? :)

I have never been one to say that I want or need a man to come into my life and be like a second father to my boys...ever...and I don't want or need that at all (in fact the thought of it in my life seems strange); but if someday I get married again, like Reyna did, I imagine that he will be the type of man that would eventually want to sign something like this...and I imagine that my heart would be filled with complete adoration as I know Reyna's is...

Baby Daddy

What can I say about the title of this blog post? I was born and raised...and still live in SoCal...a little rubs off on a girl, you know!? :)
Anyway, one thing that I love about being able to come to "The Other Side" is the fact that I am not sensored. "Three's Company" is for me and my boys. They read it, they laugh at it, we enjoy it. This blog is for me. It's for me to rant about things and talk about whatever I want.

My "baby daddy" [BD] is definitely worth a rant. I'll try not to rant too much...since I do consider it a waste of time, but honestly, sometimes, I just can't help myself.

Yesterday we visited John's Incredible Pizza Company for Brenden's birthday. It was an ABSOLUTE BLAST. We danced in the beach room to fun tunes, ate yummy food, played super fun games, and really just had a great time. Visit "Three's Company" for details. ;)

The party started at 11am....wait I should back up. A couple of weeks before the party I talked to BD about it, invited him and his family, asked if he'd like to help with the expenses, etc. He said he would let me know. Three or more times after that I questioned him about it and always received the same reply. The day before the party he called me and wondered what was up with the party. He told me that he was waiting for his dad to tell him if he would be coming and bringing his family. His dad never called him back about it BTW. Sad. Anyway, he said that he would be there and would bring an ice cream cake. I told him it wasn't necessary since I was making really fancy cupcakes but he said he wanted to so fine, that was great. So, that day he told me he would call me back after 2 and let me know for sure who was coming, etc. He never called me back.

Ok, day of party. We arrived at 10:45am...a tad early to get things situated. BD called at 10:50am and said he was on his way but he didn't know if his wife and child and stepchildren were coming yet. I explained that the party was in 10 minutes, and questioned how he could not know if they were coming. He didn't really give me any details. So I asked him if he was close and he was somewhere still kinda far away. I told him that he was going to miss everything. We hung up. Party started, people ate, presents were opened, Heelys were celebrated, Happy Birthday was sung, fancy cupcakes were consumed, Fun Cards were passed out, kids were playing games. BD called at 1:25pm. He was there. Every guest had gone home already except my sister in law Jay and my sister's boyfriend Greg (and my parents). Ethan and Brenden rushed excitedly to greet their dad. So in he waltzed with his brood. No presents for Brenden. No ice cream cake. They all looked terribly unhappy...all 5 of them. They ate. And played some games. I was ready to go after a while. BD had planned on taking the boys home with him that night but obviously it wasn't going to happen since they only brought one car. At one point, BD came up to me explaining how they were late because of his wife and he had to turn around and go all the way back home to get her and the kids and she would kill him if she found out that he just put $10 each on their fun cards for them and not her kids and he hates her so much and he wants to leave and he is starting school full time in a week and blaaaaaaaaaah blaaaaaaaaaaah blaaaaaaaaaaaaah. The man speaks a language called Excuse. It's all he knows. He plans his life around excuses, and lives by them. In December it will be 10 years since I married him. I KNOW that he knows no other language. My children adore this person. They didn't express any disappointment. Either they are used to it or oblivious. BD asked if they could stay a while and he would leave his wife and the other kids there and bring them home later. Ok. One hour later he was calling, bringing them home.

Now people say that someday my children will realize "the truth" about their dad. I wonder though if they will always look at him adoringly as they do now. (Honestly, as much as I do for Ethan, care for him and love him, he would "choose" his dad over me if given a choice. But that's another blog post!) Really, I wish that I could see them look at him that way and be happy because he is a wonderful father. But I can't. I actually used to think that he was a good dad. And I still know that he genuinely loves the boys. He plays with them and laughs with them and has a good time with them when they are together. But being a dad is about more than that. It's about setting a good example, leading them onto a good path, providing stability, being there at the start of the birthday party, not when it is over...

Joy

My beautiful mom's name is Joy. Yesterday was her birthday. We had a fabulous time at a hot springs spa...just the two of us...and dinner with the fam that night. It was wonderful; massages, jacuzzi, mud, sun and relaxation!

My mom deserved a nice day like that for her birthday. She deserved it because of the remarkable woman that she is. And she doesn't just have the looks either (although people at her job nicknamed her Hollywood and Farrah for a good reason haha). I am not exaggerating when I say that mom has the most beautiful heart and soul of anyone I have ever met. Yes, she is quirky (and seems to get quirkier with each passing year hehe), and yes some her actions are questionable, (too much ice cream for the grand kids if you know what I mean!), but no one I have encountered has even come close to portraying the selflessness that my mom does. No one has ever shown the grace that she does. She doesn't complain...not ever. She doesn't criticize, she doesn't judge. She cares for people in a way I have never seen anyone else care. She is honest, kind and genuine.

The past few years have been hard times for my mom, but she muddles through without thinking of herself. In the toughest times, she thinks of others' needs before her own. She brightens strangers' days and she lights up the room. Even when I try really hard to be a "good" person, I don't compare to her.

Her name is perfect because it describes exactly what she is and what she gives. My mom's heart is joy, her soul is joy, her name is Joy.

Where running takes me.

For me, running started as a way to get in shape. Then, at some point along the way, I started to actually enjoy it. Now, I can't imagine not doing it. While running, I sometimes just sing to myself. Sometimes my mind wanders and I think about men, or work, or movies. Sometimes the only thing I can do is to repeat to myself that I am almost done...and to keep going. Sometimes I think about God. The other day, I was doing my own little Jog-for-God. Is that weird? Anyway, there I was, running up a hill, when I said "Oh God please help me get up this hill!" So then I wondered, is it ok to dedicate a challenging run to God, and then turn around and ask Him to help you do it? hehe :)

It must not have been that bad because He helped me up. And here's what I made it to:

What a difference...

...a weekend makes! This past weekend wasn't spent on the sands of a remote island with an umbrella drink and a cute waiter (dang!) but it was relaxing, fun and refreshing! It was just what I needed! I woke up today with a smile - totally ready for the week. Ok, that sounds kinda cheesy, but it's so true!

It started with my beautiful sister Kellie's birthday on Friday. Big 27! We dined together at the Pope's table...what fun! Here are some pics:

Then there was a party on Friday night! More pics:

Melissa and I did not intend to dress EXACTLY alike either!! :) Kellie was gorgeous and everyone had so much fun!

So then came Saturday! It started with kickboxing. Woohoo! Then I drug my friend Jordana out of bed and we had our nails done, lunch and a movie! After that, since I almost always have a strong urge to be productive, I washed my car! Go me! Finally, Saturday night was spent at a dueling piano bar. At one point we were standing behind the woman that was playing the piano and she said into the mic "I feel like the Supremes with these girls behind me." hehe! It was so much fun! I got a great pick up line that night too. It went like this:

Guy: "You are so cute. I love your dimples."

Me: "I only have one dimple."

Guy: "I love your dimple. Wanna go halves on a baby?"

HAHA! Funny guy!!

You must be thinking that my weekend couldn't have got much better! :) But Sunday was great too! I have been wanting to try a new church and it just so happened that my wonderful, beautiful friend Lavay wanted to go with me! So we went and listened to a nice sermon, then we had breakfast together. Part of the sermon that morning was on fasting. So, at breakfast afterward, we were talking about what we could fast from. :) Lavay said that she should fast from the internet. I wondered what I could fast from. This is how the conversation went:

Me: "I wonder what I can fast from. I don't really want to fast from food."

Lavay: "Well what do you do after work? Do you watch TV?"

Me: "No, I almost never watch TV."

Lavay: "Do you clean?"

Me: "Yes, I usually clean and do stuff like that."

Lavay: "There you go, you can fast from cleaning!"

Both: "Woohoo!!!" :)

So that was a great time. Then later, I took a nap (so unlike me but great!), got new running shoes, and went running to close out the day!

I had such a great weekend that I wasn't even phased when I got a flat tire on Friday (for the third time in a few short months) or when I hit a pole today with my car. I just laughed at myself for being such a dumbass. :)

Now for a great week!

Feeling Sorry?

Am I the only one that has those days where you hate everybody and everything? You know, those days when you overhear people talking and you can't help but roll your eyes because they just sound so shallow, or when someone says something to you and you tell them they're lucky you don't have a rock (because you would throw it at their head)? Those days when you are so busy that you can't stop to eat or use the bathroom even and everyone keeps bugging you about something? Well, that was today for me. Only, as much as I tried and tried to feel sorry for myself, I was consistently reminded that the world does not revolve around me, and that I am incredibly blessed.

A couple examples...It started with someone telling me a story about starving children in Africa....yes someone actually talked to me about this today. So why am I constantly angry at myself for eating badly? How lame I must sound to He who listens to my thoughts.....there goes Erin complaining about eating a brownie again...gees someone give that girl a clue!

Then, in getting dressed to work out, I realized I forgot my sports bras. And, oh, my toe was in such pain from running so much in my old shoes! Whatever was I going to do?! Because it was SO HOT out today I just couldn't bear to run outside, so I went to the indoor gym and it was locked! Boo! Poor me!! Just then, I was told that the teacher was coming to unlock it for the adaptive PE class. The adaptive PE class is for those students with physical or mental disabilities who need to or wish to participate in physical education. SLAP! Again, is someone available to give this girl a clue?

Obviously someone did today, on more than one occassion. Now I just wonder why He goes through so much trouble. Why not just trip me and watch me fall and skin my knees while exclaiming "There! Now you have something to cry about!!"

A Card For My Future Husband

I know, I'm a bit nutty, but I was at my favorite store (Ok yes it was Target) tonight in the greeting card section and I just happened to see the CUTEST card ever!

On the front were two monkeys sitting next to each other in bed. Ok fine, I took a picture so that you woudn't picture two real live monkeys sitting in bed, because I don't think that would be as cute.

So, here's the front:

And the inside said "...and my naughty, naughty little mattress monkey. Happy Birthday"

I swear, I almost bought it to give to my husband...uhhh....if I have one some day. haha

Before I marry someone (if and when), I will first make sure that he is the kind of guy I can give a card like this to (and mean it)...and the kind of guy who will think it is as cute as I do! :)

(Maybe that's why I might have trouble finding a husband hehe!!)