Nov 2, 2010 Life, Love, and God, Me Leave a comment
I married my very gorgeous best friend, Kayla McKenzie, and made her my partner in life. It’s been the hardest and most wonderful 8 years of my life. I love her more today than ever before and I can’t wait to see what the next 8 years has for us.
She still kisses me, which is the best part.
Oct 23, 2010 Me Leave a comment
Dear Kenzie,
Having some alone time with you this weekend was much needed. I still think you and I should get out of the house more. You’re getting to the ages where dads like me begin to feel time slipping by more and more. It’s not about the speed of things. I don’t feel that time is faster or slower so much as I feel the weight of each day more than the last one. So, it’s not so much about time (although it can be at times) but it’s about the pressure of one day soon having to let you go.
I began to feel this way when you were two. I remember the night. I was the one who put you down nearly every night so Mommy could put Brennan down later. He was little and needed some extra Mommy-care. Each night you would reach up to my hand and have me walk you to your room; your little legs bending and straining to pull yourself up bicycle-style.
I’d read 3 books to you (though you’d beg for more) and sing a few songs (though you begged for more) and then we’d pray. I went to bed one night and began to cry uncontrollably. Don’t laugh! It happens.
Mommy asked me what was wrong and I told her I didn’t want you to grow up. I know. That was a total loss of man-points on my part. I should’ve just said, “I broke my arm earlier trying to build something and I can’t hold back the pain any longer”, but I told the truth.
The truth is that I want you to grow up, but I don’t, all at the same time. Silly…I know. I’ll do my best not to cry in front of you, though. Okay?
Yours,
Daddy
Oct 20, 2010 Creative Arts, Kids In The Hall, Video Leave a comment
At the beginning of each semester my kids bring home a dozen nasty cold viruses and we have to deal with them for weeks. The past 5 weeks I’ve had 2 colds and 2 stomach viruses. Everyone has gone through the latest stomach bug except for my wife…who just got it today and came home early from work and who is writhing in pain. She refuses to puke: TROOPER!
We’re letting her lay in bed and we’re trying to not bother her as she is not in the mood to play or chit chat. Kenzie made a ‘get well’ card for her immediately when she got home and it’s an instant classic…
Oct 20, 2010 Kids In The Hall, Life, Love, and God, Me Leave a comment
Dear Brennan,
It’s Dad. Just wanted to say I had a great time at the Apple Orchard with you today. It was great to meet your school friends and their parents, too. I have to say, the donuts and cider were flat out sweet! I’ve had cider from a lot of places, and that’s the best.
I’m not sure what the highlight of your day was, but for me it was when we were on the wagon ride and I was sitting up front by Auden’s mom. She introduced herself and told me that she has been around you quite a bit at school and really likes you. She says you are exceptionally kind hearted. I tried to tell her that I knew that, because you are certainly filled with a compassionate spirit. You always have been. But she went on to say that there is a kid in your class that doesn’t get quite the attention or friendship from the kids. He gets somewhat isolated. But you seem to always include him and make time for him and have fun with him regardless of what everyone else does.
I was a little speechless. I just said, “thanks, I didn’t know that.” I hope you never lose the ability to reach out to the people who don’t have lunch-buddies; who are isolated for some reason; who just need to be included. I have no doubt that it’s what Jesus would do. I have no doubt that there is a serious need for it.
And you, apparently, make it seem effortless.
Love you,
Daddy
Sep 22, 2010 Kids In The Hall, Mr. Mom, Stuff My Kids Like, Video Leave a comment
Call it “a father’s touch” or bad luck or whatever, but all 3 of my kids have, on multiple occasions, surprised me with some seriously vile ‘movements’. Looking back, it’s really funny. It wasn’t always funny at the time, however. Here are some examples:
- When my oldest was just a year old, my wife took on a part time evening job at a video store (hottest video clerk ever!). The first night she left to go to work was also the first night ALONE I had with Kenzie in the whole first year of her life. Not planned that way, just happened. Well, I was bathing Kenzie and set her down in my bedroom floor to go turn the water on. It took LESS THAN 15 SECONDS and when I came back she was squatting over the carpet, grinning at me, with a doberman-sized pile of poo under her. I totally freaked and rushed her to the bath. 15 minutes later, carpet is all cleaned, she’s all bathed, I get her out to dry her off and lay her on my bed. She PEES ON IT! And it was my side, of course. The second night alone wasn’t any easier. We just paid good money to have the carpets cleaned that day. Kayla leaves for work and as I begin to put Kenzie down after her bottle SHE PROJECTILE VOMITS ALL OVER ME AND THE CARPET. Most puke EVER. She must have had a reserve tank that ran all the way to her toes because I have no idea how a baby could vomit her body weight and still look the same. Great first two nights alone.
- When Brennan was a year old I was putting clothes on him after a bath and I turn my head for one second and then feel my head getting sprayed with his pee. I quickly used a towel to cover the rest of the event up. Around the same time, I’m bouncing him on the dinner table, playing with him, and HE TOTALLY PUKES ON MY PLATE. We learned quickly the boy has a weak stomach.
- Kloe was laying on me one afternoon recently and began to go tinkle. How did I know this? Oh, she’s smart enough and curious enough to go take her pants off and remove her diaper. Apparently, she likes to go commando. So I feel my torso get moist and realize she’s taken off her diaper and is NOW PEEING ON ME. Argh.
We’ve had kids puke at restaurants, we’ve taken car seats to the cleaners, we’ve picked them up many times before realizing they had a blow-out of galactic proportions, we’ve seen diapers that would make you change your religion, and so on and so on. And now? Well, poop and burps and toots are just hilarious. Just the other day my son tried to wipe a boogar on me! I had to tell him you only do that to your best friends, which he replied, “you are my best buddy.” Fair enough.
So here’s to all those gross moments as a daddy. In honor of this edition of SMKL, I’m sharing two seriously gross and hilarious clips from two of my favorite movies of all time. The first one is called “Stand By Me” and the other is called “Dumb and Dumber”. Enjoy.
Sep 20, 2010 Stuff My Kids Like Leave a comment
I’m sure most kids like to go to the movies, so many parents will understand this one. My kids love the theater. It’s a super special place for them. Huge screen, big sound, full of people, overwhelming all the senses. I mean, I like the theater but they REALLY like it. They are so appreciative, too. This goes for drive-ins, too.
The last time we went was for Kenzie’s Birthday last month. She watched her first PG movie (I wouldn’t recommend most PG movies for kids, but Despicable Me was fine). She took a travel pillow for her head and my favorite image was looking over every few minutes to see her smiling. She was in heaven, pretty much.
Sep 18, 2010 Sports Leave a comment
You know that feeling going into a game where YOUR team is the heavy favorite and the other team is having a terrible year in a much weaker conference? Yeah. You’re very confident. You’re like, “I just want to watch this one to see how much we kill those guys“. Do you also know the feeling after your team that was heavily favored loses by 2 points because they played horrible and were over confident? Yep. That’s the one that fits this game. Tennessee was shooting for an SEC title and high bowl bid. We had tied Auburn that year in a comeback game and had lost to a terrible Alabama team in a route while we were ranked in the top ten. But the rest of the fall schedule was supposed to be cake walk en route to a possible matchup with a National Title contender. Unfortunately, no one told Boston College we were really good and that they stunk. They showed up to play and we didn’t. I couldn’t find any footage or pictures of this game, but my memory is fresh with the feelings of how we blew that game and our potentially good bowl bid by losing to a very awful Alabama and Boston College team.
This was a makeup game at the end of the season of a game supposed to be played a few days after 9/11. Obviously, life came to a halt for about 10 days as our country rebooted and got back into a normal rhythm. This game got postponed…thankfully. It gave the Vols an entire season to get ready. I watched this game in a Subway restaurant with my good friend Greg and our band mates as we were getting ready to lead worship at a teen convention later. Steve Spurrier and his Gators were ranked #2 in the nation and only needed to win this game and the SEC championship game to play for a title…again. Well, Travis Stephens, the Vols’ running back, had a galactic game. He busted out for over 200 yards and 2 scores as Tennessee won in the Swamp by two points. Spurrier probably puked all over his quarterback, Rex Grossman, after the game. This had to be a demoralizing and embarrassing loss for them.
Sep 15, 2010 Stuff My Kids Like Leave a comment
We’ve done this numerous times over the years, but the latest one was probably my favorite because it was Kloe’s first. We walked down the street to a conveniently close nature park in our neighborhood. We found small walking trails and eventually we found the end of the dried up creek bed.
The dusty waterway which overflowed all through spring and early summer was now dried up and good for walking. My oldest daughter FLIPPED out when she realized it was the creek. She led the way as Brennan followed and me and Kloe were the rear echelon. There were some scary rock faces that we had to climb and even some minor hurdles related to poison ivy. I was at first nervous but realized that I needed to embrace this adventure as my own and stop being such a worry wart! We found our way back to the bridge and I lifted them all up. We escaped the nature park unharmed and full of stories. We pretended that we had to be quiet in case bears would hear us, but since Brennan was the designated bear killer, I wasn’t too concerned.
I have to say, I love it when my kids make me wish I was a kid again. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s awesome.
Sep 10, 2010 Sports 2 Comments
RECAP; Every game day I’ll post, counting back from #10, my top ten win and loss for the week. We’re at #9 so far. And they are…
Sep 9, 2010 Mr. Mom Leave a comment
My senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell) have gone through a major education and readjustment to my new situation as the stay-at-home-mo…uh, dad. I’m getting used to things that, when I was working full time, I didn’t deal with during the day. For instance, I am the mini-van driver now and my wife drives the other car. That’s because I pick the kids up from school and if I need to run around with the kids I need the van. At the house and in the van things can be somewhat noisy. Kids yelling from annoyance, pain, and joy. There always seems to be a reason to yell and be loud. There’s never a justified time to be quiet and gentle. Such is my life.
Well, I mentioned I picked up a third job and that job is one night a week I have to clean an office for a small business. 2-3 hrs a night, for one night, make some mad money and go home. Thing is, I have to do it right after worship practice (which I also get paid for). Last night, didn’t leave for work until 10:40. Got home around 3am.
Here’s the thing: you think I’d enjoy the silence of the dark sky and clear roads. You’d think that if I wanted any noise at all I’d want a cd of my favorite stuff since I never get to listen to it any other time. But, no. After two minutes of driving I realized something: I enjoy the noise of my kids playing, annoying each other, and even the boo-boos (at least I can hear them when they need their daddy, you know?).
So, instead of popping in a cd or just enjoying some peace and quiet, I turned on the dvd player and listened to Monsters Inc. playing behind me in the passenger part of the van. I just wanted to feel and pretend like my kids were with me.
Turns out, I don’t mind the noise so much…
the offspring
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