Why is it when you want to blog the kids wake up!?!
I just finished my first redesign of the blog just in time for Mary to wake up. So she's sitting here on my lap and graciously offering to type for me!
So let's start with a bloggable moment: I decided to let the kids run rampant in the garage this morning as I reorganized "my" half of the basement.
It's going to be great! Once I've got the supplies I'm going to put up some tables in order to set up my train tracks. Eventually Bob and I will build some lego cities to go up around them! I've got it all planned out in my head ;)
So the room above was filled with boxes and other "stuff" from our move. After I got all that organized (don't look behind those doors or behind the camera) I decided to lay out the kids old play mat. As I began doing it Bob approached me and asked "Can I help Daddy?"
"Sure!" I said and he sat down next to me and began linking the squares together. It was so simple but he was so happy to be helping out his dad.
I reflected on that. Isn't that what God wants from us? I mean isn't that what the New Evangelization is all about? Helping God do His work here on earth?
But wait! There are more similarities. As simple as a job as laying those pads out was, it took a LOT longer once Bob started helping me. He had great intentions but I had to keep going back and showing him where the squares go and which links to link. He needed me to guide him. You see where that is going...
Most importantly though is the joy that Bob showed in being able to spend time with me and help me accomplish some "work." That's the real joy of not only prayer but simply striving to do God's Will in my life. Just like Bob's smile and happy demeanor I hope my life can reflect my "smile" of knowing that "my Dad" wants to let me spend time with Him no matter how simple the job is.
Before I get to my awkward moments check out this video of Bob. He loves singing Matt Maher and something new he has picked up is playing my harmonica while I'm showering (okay- maybe the awkward moments start here). The video itself is uninspiring but the music inside I think was surprisingly good!
Life is full of awkward moments! If you know me (especially from my FOCUS & LT days) you know I strive to be as awkward as possible! My wife loves it! So it goes without saying that my wonderful kids and I would share in an awkward moment from time to time.
Awkward moment number 1? Right now. Mary is straddled to my face as I try and type this. Oh dear.
Warning the following is PG-13 & any innuendos are NOT implied. A habit (whether good or bad) that Bob and I have gotten into when he doesn't want to go potty is to go at the same time to try and encourage him to let it flow. (In fact Bob just woke up and we did just that!- Oh the joys of blogging, I'm sure I'll get a filter on me eventually!).
So last week we took the kids to Florida before Amanda and I flew out to Denver. While out at a restaurant I took Bob into the bath room. I mentioned to him that he had finished before me. Which he replied with (for all the bathroom to hear) "Well daddy you're really big. I'll be able to pee longer when I'm big like you." Thanks Bob :/
More bathroom humor? Try this on? Yesterday as Bob was going pee Mary walks into the room and gets a wide eyed look on her face right before she grabs a fist full of pee stream!
I love how honest our children are. For instance the other day we were outside playing baseball with a plastic bat and ball. By the time our neighbor had come out to trim some rosebushes I had Bob pitching to me toward their house rather than me batting toward their house. That didn't stop Bob sharing with our neighbor how I had bashed a pitch off the siding of their house. Thank goodness there was no dents!
But there is no greater awkward moment than the regular walk of shame I take with one of my kids at Mass after they've thrown something, hurt someone, or screamed something. Last week Bob was being particularly loud and rough when I gave him a warning. "The next time you do something we go outside and you get spanked." Moments later he accidently knocked some books onto the floor (I was watching and yes it was an accident- but he was still being loud and I thought it best to take him out.) So I picked him up and headed for the back of the church. No sooner do I reach down than he screams "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It was an accident! I promise it was an accident" He continued to scream this despite my promises that he wasn't going to get spanked all the way out of the church. Yup. That was a shining moment for me.
Here's not so much of an awkward moment but an awkward place to eat a snack (this is happening right now)
Kids are great for your humility. I'm learning that everyday. I think the hardest lesson I had to learn as a father was that my life was not my own anymore. Once I got over that things got a lot easier for me.
Thanks for taking the time to read again. Not sure if I'll see you tomorrow or next week but I'm sure I'll see you again soon. God bless!
I just finished my first redesign of the blog just in time for Mary to wake up. So she's sitting here on my lap and graciously offering to type for me!
So let's start with a bloggable moment: I decided to let the kids run rampant in the garage this morning as I reorganized "my" half of the basement.
So the room above was filled with boxes and other "stuff" from our move. After I got all that organized (don't look behind those doors or behind the camera) I decided to lay out the kids old play mat. As I began doing it Bob approached me and asked "Can I help Daddy?"
"Sure!" I said and he sat down next to me and began linking the squares together. It was so simple but he was so happy to be helping out his dad.
I reflected on that. Isn't that what God wants from us? I mean isn't that what the New Evangelization is all about? Helping God do His work here on earth?
But wait! There are more similarities. As simple as a job as laying those pads out was, it took a LOT longer once Bob started helping me. He had great intentions but I had to keep going back and showing him where the squares go and which links to link. He needed me to guide him. You see where that is going...
Most importantly though is the joy that Bob showed in being able to spend time with me and help me accomplish some "work." That's the real joy of not only prayer but simply striving to do God's Will in my life. Just like Bob's smile and happy demeanor I hope my life can reflect my "smile" of knowing that "my Dad" wants to let me spend time with Him no matter how simple the job is.
Before I get to my awkward moments check out this video of Bob. He loves singing Matt Maher and something new he has picked up is playing my harmonica while I'm showering (okay- maybe the awkward moments start here). The video itself is uninspiring but the music inside I think was surprisingly good!
Life is full of awkward moments! If you know me (especially from my FOCUS & LT days) you know I strive to be as awkward as possible! My wife loves it! So it goes without saying that my wonderful kids and I would share in an awkward moment from time to time.
Awkward moment number 1? Right now. Mary is straddled to my face as I try and type this. Oh dear.
Warning the following is PG-13 & any innuendos are NOT implied. A habit (whether good or bad) that Bob and I have gotten into when he doesn't want to go potty is to go at the same time to try and encourage him to let it flow. (In fact Bob just woke up and we did just that!- Oh the joys of blogging, I'm sure I'll get a filter on me eventually!).
So last week we took the kids to Florida before Amanda and I flew out to Denver. While out at a restaurant I took Bob into the bath room. I mentioned to him that he had finished before me. Which he replied with (for all the bathroom to hear) "Well daddy you're really big. I'll be able to pee longer when I'm big like you." Thanks Bob :/
More bathroom humor? Try this on? Yesterday as Bob was going pee Mary walks into the room and gets a wide eyed look on her face right before she grabs a fist full of pee stream!
I love how honest our children are. For instance the other day we were outside playing baseball with a plastic bat and ball. By the time our neighbor had come out to trim some rosebushes I had Bob pitching to me toward their house rather than me batting toward their house. That didn't stop Bob sharing with our neighbor how I had bashed a pitch off the siding of their house. Thank goodness there was no dents!
But there is no greater awkward moment than the regular walk of shame I take with one of my kids at Mass after they've thrown something, hurt someone, or screamed something. Last week Bob was being particularly loud and rough when I gave him a warning. "The next time you do something we go outside and you get spanked." Moments later he accidently knocked some books onto the floor (I was watching and yes it was an accident- but he was still being loud and I thought it best to take him out.) So I picked him up and headed for the back of the church. No sooner do I reach down than he screams "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It was an accident! I promise it was an accident" He continued to scream this despite my promises that he wasn't going to get spanked all the way out of the church. Yup. That was a shining moment for me.
Here's not so much of an awkward moment but an awkward place to eat a snack (this is happening right now)
Finally: Mary discovers her love of clean clothes!
Kids are great for your humility. I'm learning that everyday. I think the hardest lesson I had to learn as a father was that my life was not my own anymore. Once I got over that things got a lot easier for me.
Thanks for taking the time to read again. Not sure if I'll see you tomorrow or next week but I'm sure I'll see you again soon. God bless!
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