How to Dad

You all have TV.  I don't.  So you've probably seen this commercial already.  I just wanted to take a moment and talk about it.   So take a second.....watch it...again....and then catch back up with me below.



Ok my gut reaction was that I love this. 

Let me give you the positives here first.   The fact that a dad was portrayed as anything other than a bumbling idiot is a step in the right direction.  The fact that dad can be cool and yet keep the house moving in the right direction is awesome.  I really loved that he gives his wife coffee as she's leaving...clearly dressed for work...the main day job.  LOVE IT.   I actually really like that he calls his wife "hot" too.  Whether you like that term of affection or not, it's good to have kids hear you say that you like your spouse.  Good on them. 

One thing I really love is his use of the phrase "just a suggestion" when talking to his son about his hat.  He doesn't tell him how to wear it.  He shows him what is good and bad with how he's wearing it and leaving it up to him.  Awesome.

The bad.....I don't buy Cheerios very often because they're not cheap....particularly their flavored kind (4+ dollars a box)...and they last about 2 mornings at our house.  (however the Banana Nut Cheerios are the bomb....they were on sale once) Also, I like Peanut Butter enough....and the boys love it....but the idea of peanut butter Cheerios grosses me out. 

Also...at no point in my recollection was I ever asked if I gave my consent to this product being the official cereal of dadhood.  I'm pretty sure I should've got a vote in there somewhere. 

Finally......if a kid jumps on me and wakes me up in the morning my response is NOT going to be "of course I'm up" and i"m not going to be calm and mellow about it.  Particularly if they scare the crap out of me wearing a horse mask.  Let's be a little honest here...right?

Love the positive vibes.  Love the "real" family feel.  I love the idea that it's fine to break some traditional family stereotypical roles and still be a good family.  Thank you Cheerios.

Elementary Talen Shows and My Boys

Last Friday was Grandparents Day at St. Joseph's Catholic School (where the boys go).  Basically it's a great reason to have lunch with Grandparents.  The last few years they have had a talent show in conjunction with lunch.

For the past couple years I've had to hear Corban come home and complain that we didn't "let" him participate in the talent show.  This has not been the case.  He just never had anything to share.

So for months the boys have been talking about hula hooping for the talent show.  It should be noted that they hula hoop a lot.  There's no way for this to not sound biased, but they're good at it.  So I encouraged them.

So the day arrived and the show began.  E and I went to see the boys have at it.

To sum up the talent show I will leave this thought that I emailed to Marjorie while the show was going on.  "The horror of elementary talent shows is that the world hasn't beaten these kids down enough for them to know that what they're doing isn't really talent......and it's also the joy of elementary talent shows."

What I mean is that, no one was HORRIBLE...but no all of them were amazingly talented.....and they were still so proud to be up there doing what they did.....and that's awesome.

OK back to the boys.  I know this will sound biased....there's no way around it....but I have to say that I'm being honest and sincere when I say....they were the best act of the day.  I'm serious.  The crowd freaked out while they were performing.  They didn't just stand there and hula hooping to a song.....well you'll see.  They got the biggest ovation, cheer and afterward congratulations poured in.







Ok I'm a little braggin on my boys.

Hanging Out with Dad

I have heard the phrase before, but today I heard it with different ears.

I spend a lot of time as the direct care giver for the boys.  I'm the "stay at home dad".  I don't pat myself on the back for that.  I don't think I'm the best at it, but we've made it work.

Today while sitting at the YMCA waiting for Corban, I heard someone talking to another dad who had his two boys with him.  She said, "so you're just hanging out with dad today huh?"  She didn't mean anything by it.  People have said that to me countless times.  Today a lightbulb went off though.

People rail against inequalities in the work place because woman don't get equal opportunities or equal pay.....and those are real things....and they're wrong.  I would like to tell you that the inverse also happens. 

I get looked at sideways because I'm the stay at home dad. 

I had someone ask, "So what do you do, that allows you to spend so much time with your boys?"   If I were a woman would they have asked me that?  Probably not.  Because they would just believe that I'm a stay at home mom.  But because I'm a male, I must work somewhere and do this too......which just happens to be true.....but why would you assume that?  (For the record, I am fully aware....and thank God regularly for the awesome flexibility of my job that lets me do what I do)

Today when I heard that comment about "hanging out with dad"....I got the implied thought behind it, that I hadn't really noticed before.  The thought that says, "mom must've had a meeting or needed time out, so she left you in charge for a little while until she gets back....and you're probably just counting the minutes till she returns". 

Marjorie is a great mom.  She is totally capable of handing the boys any time.  While I did say in my recent post it note thread, that I look forward to Marjorie coming home (and that's true), I also don't feel like I'm out of my element handling the boys either.  It's just easier with two of us. 

This isn't a call to arms or anything.  Just a reminder to be careful what you say and to whom. 

And also....I love my family.

Pinewood Derby: Gru's Car

Pinewood Derby.  One of the coolest things about being in Cub Scouts. 

For the uninitiated, here's the scoop.  Each boy gets a kit.  A simple block of pine wood with slots cut for the axles, 4 wheels and 4 nails to use as axles.  That's it.  They then have to build a car that weights no more than 5 oz. 

For me this project was how I learned anything about tools.  Working with my dad.  Getting my hands on a saw.  Painting.  I point back to these simple projects and designs as learning times in my life.

This is Corban's 3rd year in scouts.  The first year you might remember we created Han Solo frozen in Carbonite.  Last year he wanted to make a hot dog in a bun with mustard (which apparently I didn't blog).  Each year it's up to him what we build.  So this year he wanted to build Gru's car.  Do you know Gru?  Despicable Me.  If you don't know it.....this is it.

So it took us awhile to figure out how we were going to actually make a block of wood look like that.  We sort of figured the main body out....by using two bodies....and then Marjorie helped with some design things.

The most fun is spending time and working with Corban.  He has a great sense of humor.  I love listening to him giggle at things.  He's a little hesitant in working with some of the tools, which is fine.  I'd rather have a healthy hesitation, than juggling saws.

So as we started assembling it, the two of us giggled because it was awesome.  We were high fiving left and right.  He was pretty proud.  We knew we weren't going to win.  It's not a design that's going to be fast.....but it's gonna look awesome.

Sure enough it looked awesome.  And sure enough we didn't win a race.  In fact, out of our 6 races, we were last each time.  No big deal.  But here's where the big deal was.....this year they had a "kid's choice award".  We thought we had it in the bag.  We didn't.  The kids chose a ice cream sandwich.  I mean the sandwich was cool......but the work they put into it was pretty minimal compared to what we did. 

We still feel like we're winners.

So without further ado....here is our car......compared to pictures and models we used to make the car.

 I thought we did pretty good.....now that I see the pictures side by side.....I think we did AWESOME!


The two dudes at the end of a night of racing.  We had fun.  That's most important......but we should've won the kids choice award too.  We were robbed.

Next year Tobiah will be old enough for Tiger Cubs.....that means I have to help make TWO cars.....

Stay at Home Dad Post It Notes

This has been making the rounds of the internet.  It's a dad who gave up his full time office job to be a stay at home dad.  He used to use post-it notes for organization.  Now he leaves his wife post it's for thoughts on parenting. 

I found some of these funny.  Marjorie asked me, what I would add if I was making my own post it notes.

He had one post it that talked about purchasing toys based on how they would feel when stepped on at night in the dark.  I have thought similar things, but I look at it more like home protection.  Go ahead and break into my house.....see how that goes for you......because I turn the lights off each night and break myself getting up the stairs....and I KNOW where the stuff is waiting for me!

I would have a post it about nap time.  How nap time isn't for the kids but is TOTALLY for the parents to gather up their sanity again before going at it  for round two during the day.

I would have a post it note about how poop and vomit used to be things I never thought I could deal with....and now a little of each seems like a walk in the park.

I would have a post it about not messing with Daddy until you're done your breakfast and Daddy is done his first cup of coffee.

My personal favorite post it that he made, and the one I agree with 100% is below.  There is no relief in the world, like the sound of Marjorie coming in the door.

 

Cozy

This is one of the first pictures we ever received.  My heart melted.  How could it not right?  I mean this is the cuteness. 

I want you to pay attention to his hands.  Fists.  Here's the thing....you think that he's worried or upset because of the first right?  Wrong.  Just the opposite.  He's comfy.  He's cozy. 

How do I know?  Let me show you a different picture.

This is Tobiah sitting on my lap last week reading books.  We were snuggling.  He still loves cozy.  This is his cozy hand.

When he goes to get dressed in the morning he asks for cozy pants.  Jeans won't do.  Normal kahki's won't do.  He wants sweatpants, lined pants, flannel.  Cozy. 

3 Questions

Good friends are friends that ask really hard questions of you and don't want your fluff answers.  I'm convinced of that.  It's not just fun activities, telling secrets, and going on trips, but really challenging your life.  Some of my best friends are the people who ask me questions that make me uncomfortable.  I say that only as a means of introduction.

Jim Baker (who's back blogging again!!!!!), almost always when we talk (chat online since he's in Hawaii) asks me "how's Jesus?".  What he wants to know is how is my relationship...my pursuit of Jesus.  He expects me to be honest.  I am.  It also challenges me.  When I hit dry spots, and I admit that to Jim, he usually asks good questions or encourages me in ways that kick me into gear. 

So last night he asked how Jesus was and I told him my answer and he said I should blog it.  So I am.

Jesus is good.  And at least for now....and it's because of putting Corban to bed at night.

Every night after stories have been read (usually with mommy) and songs have been sung (that's a family affair), Marjorie takes Tobiah into his room to start his breathing treatment and I tuck Corban in.  We've gotten in this habit over the last month or two of asking 3 questions before bed.

1.  What was the best part of today?  This is a great question because he gets excited.  He sometimes laughs or giggles or just gives me his big smile.  He tells stories.  I ask him how things felt.  What was good about it. 

2.  What was the worst part/bad about your day?  This isn't usually a super heavy thing.  I mean, he's 7.  How bad can things go for him?  Usually the worst parts of his day are things like, "I didn't get to have a popsicle" or "we didn't get recess outside today because it was raining".  Sometimes it's a little heavier...like when fish die.  Again, just another opportunity to talk.

The third question is the good one. 

3.  Where did you see, feel or hear Jesus today?  This is hard for him.  Sometimes he says things like, "we went to church"....which I always say...well where at church did we see/feel/hear Jesus....because just going doesn't mean we did those things.  Sometimes he has good things.  Sometimes he just tries to con me....like says..."I feel Jesus every time you hug me."   HA!  Now I know that that can be true, but you can tell he just wants another hug from daddy. 

Here's what has happened though.  When he doesn't have an answer to #3, he turns to me and says, "I don't know dad.  Where did you see, hear or feel Jesus today?"  Good question.  He wants to know that hearing from Jesus or seeing Jesus at work, or seeing Him show up in my day is a real thing...not just words we say.  I need to show him....model that.  And once again....not in a fake way...because he knows when daddy is blowing smoke.

So my God radar has been put on super sensitive.....where it should be. 

Do you ask your children God questions?  What are the important things that you need to model? 

(when I ask questions at the end like this...it's not intended to be rhetorical.  Click the little comments button below and have a conversation!)

Tobiah States His Case

Tobiah and I were leaving the other day to go pick up Corban from school. All of a sudden he started stating his case for why he wanted a kitty cat. The family has been on my case for awhile for animals other than fish. I'm not a big animal fan because I know that I'll be the one that has to take care of it. I particularly am not fond of cats. We WILL NOT be getting one of those. So I quickly grabbed the camera and had him state his case for the world.

I'm Sensitive and OK With That

I'm Sensitive.  or at least I've become sensitive.

Not in the "in touch with my emotions" sort of way....but maybe that's true.  Let me explain.

Despicable Me.  Funny movie.  Great quotable lines.  "They're so fluffy!"  We all laugh.  We think the googley-eyed creatures are cute and funny when they blow each other up.  And we laugh. 

What does that movie say about what adoption is?  Why did the evil scientist adopt them?  Because he loved them?  Nope.  Because he desired to grow his family?  Nope.  The orphanage that they were at was horrible.  The view of what adoption is in this movie is horrible.  It turns my stomach.  So this cute movie that is so quotable won't be shown at my house. 

We were watching old Foghorn Leghorn cartoons the other day.  In one episode Foghorn "adopted" a chicken hawk.  The entire thing was derogatory toward adoption.  We skipped to the next one.  I get that this was made ages ago.  It won't be seen in our house.

It's easy to say, "it's no big deal...it's just a funny story." "You're making a mountain out of mole hill."  "But by the end of the story he really does love them."

I think it's you that's missing the point.  The point is that everything matters.  How can I possibly let this slide as OK?  I know what adoption is.  I know that it matters.  It's the same thing as belittling father figures on TV and movies.  I'm not the bumbling dolt just because I"m a dad.  I'm insulted when fathers are portrayed that way.  That's not healthy.  In a world with fewer and fewer strong father figures, tell me how that's good for us? 

I just saw Kung Fu Panda 2.  Adoption is all through this movie.  While I thought the action in this movie was better than KFP1...the adoption line still got my dander up.  How is it that Po's dad NEVER talked to his son about being adopted until he's older and had to confront his dad about it?  And the movie gives you the impression that what happens in the past doesn't matter, it's where you are now and where you're going that matters.  That's pure crap.  Both of my boys came from birth-moms who were unable to care for them.  That's part of their past.  That's part of who they are.  And while they were both two small to know that consciously, it's part of them.  Of course that has been redeemed and their future is bright....but our past is what makes us who we are right now.  Po's dad also gives him this big guilt trip when he decides to set out to find out about his birthparents and his past....instead of encouraging it.  I CAN'T WAIT to take my boys to Ethiopia to see the land that they come from!  That's going to be awesome.  For now, this movie won't be seen at our house.

When I tell me boys how much we love them and how we loved them before they were in our arms....how can I show them these movies?  How can I send them mixed signals.  So yeah, I'm a little sensitive.  My radar is full tilt.  That probably won't change.  I'm kind of OK with that.


More:  Are there redeeming things in the Kung Fu Panda 2 and Despicable Me?   Sure.  Po comes home and tells his dad that's he's his song.  By the end of Despicable me the bad guy falls in love with the kids.  But I can't ignore everything else that leads up to those points. 

Adoptive Parents Mis-cue

So sometime ago a friend sent along a link via Facebook. As often happens I read it, thought "that would be good to blog", bookmarked it, and it's now sat for a few months. Today is the day.

The "article/blog post/short snippet" is on some baby/parenting website (what's up with me using / today?) Let's be clear that I'm not a regular reader of said website. The article is 10 things NOT to say to adoptive parents. I don't like the format for one thing. You have to click through each one of the things, so you can see the picture that has nothing to do with the item it's attached to, rather than just have it in article form. Whatever.

Also, I don't think that all 10 things are legit things. Some of them are specific to the writer of the article and not universally applicable. SO I'm going to comment on these because I feel some of them need some clarification and the little snippets aren't good enough. The fact that it was "published" on a fairly large site like this makes me cringe.

1 and 2 Is it difficult to love a child that isn't your own? I could never love someone who doesn't share my biology. No on has said these to my face. They've inferred things similar to this, but not these words. It takes all of about 10 seconds in my house to know that my boys are my boys. There's nothing I could do more or less for a home grown child. Love is love. I think if someone were to actually use those words to my face I would just stare at them like they're speaking a foreign language. Honestly I rarely see skin color. I see my boys. They just happen to have a different skin tone as mine.

3. He/she's so lucky. This is probably the best point made by the writer. Marjorie and I regularly say that we're the lucky ones. Every parent is lucky. A lot of this is our perspective of life though....God has a plan. He's always known what our family would look like. We're not lucky, we're maybe obedient....sometimes. Our boys have a history that includes birth mom's that couldn't take care of their children themselves. They have history that includes turmoil, paperwork, tears, upheaval, just to get them home. That might all be in the past, but it's still part of their story and just like you and me, our stories aren't just something that goes away because it's in the past.

4. It's so much easier than having the child yourself. Really? So you are pregnant for 9 months. We waited for Corban AFTER we were matched with him for 16 months....and that's on top of the 7-10 months of waiting before we were even matched up with him. Tell me how that's easier? Tobiah went faster than that but instantly went to the Hospital and has continually seen specialists for the past 4 years for weird things that were inside his body that we didn't know about. Yep, that's been pretty easy too. How about all the questions about why their skin is different colored than mommy and daddy's. or why their birthmommy couldn't take care of them. Super easy.

5. She's like a little China doll. Definitely not heard this one.

6. Her real mother was probably a prostitute. Again never heard this or even inferred. I do like the point....Marjorie is their real mother. I also don't like when people ask if they're real bothers....yes their real brothers. Literally as I type this they are playing tug-o-monkey in the next room and using loud voices toward each other. Of course they're real brothers. Their birth parents are different and they were born in different parts of Ethiopia but they're real brothers.

7. What kind of person would give up such a beautiful, sweet child? I feel like I've already addressed this. However I'll say this....my kids are definitely super cute/handsome. But I really believe that everyone notices how cute they are because they're also really well behaved and have great personalities. If our boys were grumps and unruly when we went to the store, they wouldn't be quite as cute. But they're always smiling and not begging for stuff and listen when I ask them to do something. Cute.

8. People who adopt children from foreign countries just want exotic children. Again, this just goes back to our view of life and who God is. We're quick to say that the reason we adopted period, we because God lead us there. It was never our plan when we were dating or in the first years of our marriage. God turned our hearts to Africa and specifically Ethiopia.

9. Anything in Chinese-directed toward Asian children. OK obviously this doesn't apply to us....but it did happen once. We were eating Ethiopian at a restaurant in Pittsburgh and the owner who is Ethiopian tried talking to Corban...who looked at him like he was dumb. Oddly when we were in Ethiopia picking up Tobiah there was another family there picking up a younger child and they brought their older son (18 or 19) who they adopted when he was 3 or 4. Everyone kept talking to him in Amharic because he looked the part, but didn't know a word of Amharic. Let's also not forget that few people, particularly where we live, know any African languages.

10. How much did they cost? Again no one's ever said this. As part of discussions about parents thinking of choosing adopting they've asked how much the process cost. Rick Rohlin once told us early on...don't ever add up the costs of the adoptions....just write the checks. You're not buying children, you're paying for the process...much like doctor bills.


So there are their list.....mine would've been different. Like are they real brothers? So many questions about how they are different than me.....which they're not. So many questions about African culture that are total stereotypes and misconceptions. Most aren't necessarily from a place of ignorance as much as they are just not knowing...and wanting to be part, but not knowing how to use appropriate words.

Adoptive parents, what would your questions be? What have people asked you?

Black and White

By now unless you're living under a rock or just never listen to the news or read, you've heard about the shooting of Trayvon Martin 17. At this point there is lots of speculation about what really happened, but I'm going to just outline what we definitely know.

Trayvon was walking home with a bag of Skittles from the store. Trayvon was African American. He was shot by a white community watch leader because he looked "suspicious". Apparently there had been some break-ins in the area.

I wasn't there. I don't know the situation. I don't want to judge......I really don't. I'm struggling here.

What was so suspicious about Trayvon? He was wearing a hoodie? I"m sitting at Tim Horton's right now wearing a hoodie. Granted I'm regularly suspicious. Was it the way he was holding his Skittles? He could seriously do some damage with that rainbow of fruit flavor.

Honestly this whole story isn't about any of that for me. What it's really about is my boys growing up in a white world and preparing them.

Right now Corban and Tobiah are cuties and well behaved. Pretty much everywhere we go they are recognized by how cute or handsome they are. But they're going to grow up.

How do I teach my boys to "not look suspicious". Why should I have to? I have to teach them to keep your hands where they can be seen. I have to teach them to not run with a hoodie on at night even if you're a runner training for a race.

My friend Katie (who I've regularly plugged on my blog) sent me a link to another blog article written by a mom of two adopted boys from Haiti. In the post she talks about how she feels she needs to dress her boys "up". She says that if she takes them out grubby, even though white kids can get away with it as fashionable, they are looked down on or pitied. I wouldn't say that I've experienced that....but we usually dress our boys rather nicely anyway. And honestly, our boys like to dress up (there new thing is bow ties....they both love bow ties.....if you have a lead on cheap bow ties, let us know). But as they grow up, and I have less and less say on what they're wearing....why should I have to teach them that certain clothes say "suspicious"?

Literally as I'm typing this, CNN is playing on a TV over my head. The news flash that the "New Black Panthers" have a bounty on Trayvon's shooter. COME ON! Do I want to see justice done? Yes I do. Do I think that another shooting is going to bring that? NO I DON'T! Is race still an big deal? You better believe it. Would Trayvon been shot or looked suspicious if he was white? I don't know. I wasn't there. I have a gut feeling that it would've gone another way.

Where do you come out on this? What are you teaching your children?

EDIT: My wife just posted this link on Facebook to another blog post by a mom to Trayvon's mom. Very well done.

Pinewood Derby

I love Corban. I know that's obvious but the more time I spend with my guys the more I love their personalities and am amazed by them.

Corban and I have been doing Tiger Cubs together this year. A bunch of his friends are in his Tiger Den and one of the awesome dads leads. A good experience for him. It's fun to learn along side of him.

So it was Pinewood Derby time. For those that don't know, you're given a block of wood with slots cut for wheel axles, 4 nails and 4 wheels. You have to design and build your car to race on a metal track against other cars. All cars have to be 5 oz.

When I was growing up, my dad helped my brother and I, but it was a project we did TOGETHER. There were always cars that you know the dad did it himself. The reason I know some of the stuff I know about tools is because of Pinewood Derby. So I wanted the same thing for Corban.

We began with the discussion of what he wanted it to look like. Did we have to win every race or did we want to have an awesome looking car that we'd be really proud of? We started looking for ideas.

My man came decided on something super awesome. I'll show some pictures and then if you don't know what it is (you better) I'll tell you.















For those who are uneducated....it's Han Solo frozen in Carbonite. So cool. I know I'm biased, but I think we had the awesomest car there. We did the project together. The only things I did myself were drilling some of the underside out (we started together, but he got bored quickly and asked me to just do it myself) and today I had to paint the gray on top because we were running out of time and he was at school.

He was super proud of his car. We said together, "it doesn't matter if we win a race or not, we have an awesome car and this has been fun." We meant it.

We didn't win a race. He was so nervous. But he had fun. He was very proud of his participation ribbon and certificate for "Best Star Wars Car".



















I seriously need a hair cut.



EDIT: For comparison purposes

Tobiah's chair

Yes we still use a high chair for Tobiah. He's just so dang small. Even in his high chair, he sits on his feet to get up higher.

So anyway tonight he didn't really eat because we had friends over (thanks Wheeze and Jeff). So later he got hungry and Mari made him a sandwich. When he was done he showed us his new way of getting down all by himself. After I saw it, I taped it.

What's Christmas about?

Pictures of Awesome

T's birthday. He finally bumped up to a big boy bed. His room was painted blue with white stars (house came that way) so Mari repainted an old bed frame the inverse colors with stars and moon to match. He LOVES it. Now he's a big boy.












































Real deal Santa. Corban kept asking him questions instead of just telling him what he wanted. Santa hit it out of the park. So good.

Christmas Pagaent

So last night was our church's Christmas dinner and Children's Program/Pageant. Basically it's the Gospel message with a bundle of cuteness. Prepare yourselves for the cutest shepherd and wise man the world has ever seen (no bias on my part)!

Let Go

This literally just happened.

Mari worked late tonight so it was up to me to make dinner (a scary proposition). So I was in the kitchen. It's important to know that our kitchen, unlike anywhere else in our house, has a drop ceiling with those big ceiling panels.

Tobiah come strolling in and wanted me to pick him up. Which I did. Then he said "put me up Daddy." What he wanted was for me to pick him up above my head so his head bonked into the ceiling panels. I've done it before. No big deal. But Tobiah is also kind of afraid of heights. So he's in my arms and every time I try to lift him he grips my shoulders even tighter. I kept saying, "you have to let go if you want to go higher". He was giggling and it was silly. He just couldn't let go.

This instantly took me to this: We know God is in control. We know he is all powerful. He wants what's good for us. And yet we just can't let go. We hold on to our own desire to be in control. If we hold on we know we're safe, but we also don't go where we can.

All He wants for Christmas is His Two Front Teeth

Last year a few kids in Corban's class lost teeth. He was bummed. He kept asking when he would lose a tooth. He got impatient. Finally he had a wiggly tooth. He was excited. Marjorie was sad...because her little boy was growing up. He ate around his wiggly tooth for weeks. Then he had two more wiggly teeth.

So finally just after Thanksgiving, he lost his first tooth. He was so excited. The tooth fairy came and he was jumping around.

So the next night Mari put him to bed. About 1/2 hour after he was in bed she hears him going to the bathroom. So she went upstairs to check on him. There's blood on his hands, on his PJ's around his mouth. She goes into his bedroom and there's blood everywhere...on the sheets, on the pillow. Apparently as he went to bed he got obsessive and started playing with his other wiggly tooth. He couldn't stop. He just kept going at it. So she just told him to stay in the bathroom and get it out...because he clearly wasn't going to go to sleep on his own. So he finally pulls that one out too.

I was out playing hockey that night. I didn't hear a thing about it. So the next morning when he starts telling me about the tooth fairy coming, I thought he was talking about the night before again. For the record the tooth fairy upped the price the second night because of the work involved in the extraction!

He already had some adult teeth coming in behind his babies. Looks like I'm gonna have to shell out some bucks for braces! Dang.

Good Lesson Learned

I love my boys.

Backstory: A friend of ours Shawn...he started coming to our church. He works construction and has been helping me from time to time do odd jobs around the house...including some bigger things like insulating the attic. Shawn loves the boys and the boys love Shawn. I mean they just adore Shawn.

Well Shawn fell off a two story roof onto concrete and got really hurt. Several broken vertebrae...but the worst of it is his foot. He broke some weird bones in his foot that even if surgery goes really really well, there's not a great chance that Shawn will be able to work construction again or run or jump.

ANYWAY....So we're driving to school in the morning. We have a strict rule that we don't listen to music or the radio on the way to school...we just talk. So we were talking about Shawn and Corban (my big hearted boy) was asking how badly Shawn was hurt, if he had broken bones, and if he would need surgery. I explained that Shawn was really hurt and that there was a good chance that Shawn wouldn't walk the same again.

Corban asked if Shawn would need a cane. I told him maybe or maybe Shawn would have a limp...we just don't know.

And then he said this: "But we could pray for Shawn and if God wanted to, he could heal him back to normal right? You always tell me that God can do anything. So we should start praying more for Shawn."

I instantly went to tears. My faith sometimes is so lacking. I heard what the doctors said, but my son tells me that I serve a God that can do whatever He wants. So we pulled the van over and we prayed for Shawn right there. Probably not the last lesson I learn from Corban.

Famous

I just realized I don't think I ever posted this. Back in the fall Corban's Kindergarten class walked to the fire department. This was in our local paper. I love it because he's so intense. The other kids pictures are posted in the hallway of the school....sorry, but the other kids are woosy about it. Corban's rocking it out.