word from daddy

Okay, so after two whole years, I finally got around to finishing Owen's 1-year video. Kelly has been reminding me of it and well, it's a year late but still in time for his 2-year birthday. I'm hoping Owen will look back at the video one day and be reminded of all he did in his first year. As for me, it's now onto the second year, which at this rate will probably be done by the time he leaves for college :)

A Word from Mommy and Daddy

To our dear, sweet Owen,
It seems like just yesterday we were painting your room and wondering what life was gonna be like once you arrived. We made all our plans, attended our classes, stocked up on supplies, and then waited...and waited...and waited. And then you were here. We held your tiny little body in our hands and cuddled you close to our hearts. We rocked with you and read to you and snuggled with you. We watched you grow and grow and grow. And now we can't believe that an entire year has passed. You turned 1-year-old today. In a matter of minutes, you went from being a baby to being a toddler, even if you aren't officially "toddling" yet. We thank God every day for blessing our lives with your laughter, your smiles, your "will", your life! We love you more than you will ever know - right up to the moon and back!

you're a crazy ham

no need for a sign this month...your shirt tells
it all (thanks to lula, mo, and your cousins!)

we partied hard all weekend long...and tuckered you out

you're officially 1-year-old...and silly as ever!

We love you, O!

  

My, how you've grown...

A Word from Daddy...

I sit here as a daddy and marvel at the sight of my son. The hardest part is to know the challenges he will face as he grows older. As a dad, I will always be there to encourage him through each one. I heard a song the other night with the following chorus,

"My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small, you never need to carry more than you can hold. And while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this, is my wish."

The words of the song represent so much of what I want for Owen. Thank you God for the blessing of my son. Please walk with him as he grows older and carry him when he feels too weak to face this world. Lord, this is "My Wish"...

Listen closely to the lyrics as you watch the pictures. They should be the prayer of every dad for his son.

A Word from Daddy...

Okay so I just changed my very first cloth diaper and I must say, it was so easy. It felt no different than changing a disposable diaper except I'm using snaps and they are a little bulkier. But overall, I'm very impressed. I was worried about the mess it might make, but we got a wonderful bag to hold the diapers that simply goes in the wash with the diapers and everything comes out clean. I know the cleaning part since we did it with the Lil Joeys. They even have an inner gusset like disposable diapers that hold the mess in. The best part is that these diapers will last him until he is potty trained. What an investment! 

My image of a cloth diaper was a white cloth that you had to fold into the shape of a diaper and hold with diaper pins. Boy have they come a long way. They look like regular diapers but with more style. I can have him in just a diaper and a top and he looks so cute. If you haven't thought about cloth diapers, I would recommend you look into it. Compare the cost and it's not even close. It was a great buy...and it saves me some money for golf :)

A Long Word from Daddy...

As I sit here typing this, Kelly is sleeping and Owen is on her chest. It is perhaps the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Life-changing events like the birth of your first child makes you reflect back on your life and how far God has brought you. I still can't believe that God brought me a wife that is the most wonderful woman I have ever met. She still makes me smile when I see her and I cannot imagine going through this life without her by my side. She is without a doubt a beautiful woman and a gift that God has blessed me with.

Now i sit here years later and feel fortunate enough to have her by my side with a new addition...Owen. It all makes me scared when I think about what God has entrusted me with: to provide for and protect my wife and son. Yet, I feel like life has prepared me for this moment. I also know that I cannot lead them without God leading me. If you ever get a chance, listen closely to the lyrics of the song "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real. It describes my prayer for my family.

I also know that in addition to my own parents, my wife and my child, God has also blessed me with an amazing extended family. My in-laws are truly a blessing and my sister-in-law, her husband and their awesome children (5 of them!) are people that I love having in my life. Speaking of the 5 kiddos, they have taught me so much about being a father and much like my own son, Owen, I would do just about anything for them. I love them and always will. Through my wife, I also have two terrific grandmothers who are the rocks of the family. Grandmothers (and great-grandmothers...aka "Greats") are perhaps God's greatest gift to any family.

And of course, there is Owen. I still marvel at the fact that God has entrusted his life to Kelly and me. I am going to raise him in such a way that he will always know God as the source of his daddy's strength and remind him of how blessed he is to be surrounded by a family that loves him. God is so good. i love Owen so much and he hasn't done anything yet. Wow! He's my son. I can imagine God saying that about me when he brought me in the world. Now, I will love my own son in much the same way that God loves me.

I guess the point of this message is that I am truly blessed and don't feel that I deserve any of it from God. But He is gracious enough and loves me enough to bless my life despite all my faults. That, in my opinion, is what makes God so great. To all my family, thank you for loving me. Please know that you are all an important part of Owen's life. I want him to grow in love with you all just like I have. To Kelly and Owen, I promise to lead you with God's strength and to love each of you with all the love that God has placed in my heart. I feel like the luckiest person in the world. Thank you, God!