Miss Ella

She was very busy working in this pic.....

just stinking cute
Miss Ella with her new puppy Mocha
This is our favorite past time...reading books on dogs...

Just amazingly cute....

The Joy of a Daughter

I was in Nashville TN from Thursday of last week until Monday of this week. I was there for a youth convention. It was great and I learned a TON. That is not why I am blogging today though. I will blog on that soon. But when I get there, my wife calls me and says, "Well I had the doctor appointment and the baby has dropped in place and I am starting to dilate." Lucky for us she did not have the baby but just means we are that much closer. And then I call the next day and Miss Ella was crying for me to rock her to sleep that night. Broke my heart. So I get home very late on Monday night so I just have to peek in on her. She is getting so big. Cant believe she is going to be 2 in Jan. Sick. Anyway, she gets up at 5 am. So I go in her room and crawl in bed with her. When she sees it is me, she hugs my neck (hard for a little one year old too) and starts to kiss my face. I then lie down next to her so we are looking at each other on her pillow. She starts to rub my face saying "daddy home, daddy home" At this point I am crying just a little, not enough for anyone to tell...but a little. And it just reminds me how great my life is. How awesome God is. And how much stinking fun it is to be a dad. Even of a girl who is entering her terrible two's.

~Learning As I Go~
One-T

Christmas Through New Eyes

I had a good friend tell me once that when you get older, you dont feel the magic of Christmas that you once felt when you were a little kid. I guess I am still waiting for that time to happen. But then again I am a Christmas FREAK. To some it is a time for family and fellowship. To some it is a sad time when they are missing someone that is no longer here on earth. No matter what, it is a special time. And now that I am older and have a child and one on the way it makes it all that more real. My wife and I went Christmas shopping today. I know it is kinda early but the new baby is coming right before Christmas so we thought we better hurry up and do it while we can. We have however had our tree and some lights up for a while now. And watching Miss Ella look at them and touch the ornaments with that "awww" look in her eyes makes me think of when I was little. And how I couldnt wait for that day to come. I remember not sleeping a wink on Christmas Eve listening for any sound. And then finally being able to get out of bed. She cant even say the word clearly yet but I think she is beggining to understand it. My dad always read the Christmas story out of Luke to us before we opened gifts. At the time it would drive me crazy because I just couldnt wait to rip into the gifts. So it will be fun making Miss Ella sit through that. A tradition that we will uphold. With all the commercialism it is going to be tough teaching her the real reason for this day. Just fun to watch now. That magic is still there, just a different kind....and this year we will have two kids to enjoy it with...well hopefully, that is if baby #2 comes on time. Who knows we might celebrate this year in the hospital. Either way I better have my bible there...
Whats that famous quote from Linus..."And thats what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown..."
But then again...we need to get through Thanksgiving first....HA

~Learning As I Go~
One-T