I've got a secret

Anyone want to know what that secret is.

Here goes:

There are 4 words in this world that, when spoken together, are the BEST words to ever be spoken. Want to know what they are? "I love you daddy."

That's the secret. That is also a secret that a lot of our world seems to have forgotten about.

Moving on

I wonder if anyone actually reads this. Probably not, but it's here anyway.

Second semester starts soon. I can't decide if it's a good thing or not. It's less work than starting the year, but at the end people leave. It is the nature of working on a college campus. People come. People go. I'm still not convinced that it makes it any easier.

Family is doing well. Kira is growing well, we think she rolled over tonight but we aren't sure. Kind of makes you feel like a bad parent missing major developmental milestones like that. Oh well, can't take it back and I'm sure she'll do it again. Addie still likes her sister. But, she is definitely her fathers daughter.

Second semester also marks the beginning of choir season. It will be busy this year as I am singing with two groups this year. There will be some decision making going on this summer. I don't know if two different groups are going to make me too busy but we'll see. Neither of them are a huge commitment, though one is more than the other, but they still take time.

Sleep calls.

Wow!

Surprisingly it has been two weeks since the addition to the family. Kira seems to be doing well. We're having some troubles getting her to recognize night and day, but she's only two weeks old. I think we can forgive her for that.

I've heard horror stories about how first children can be incredibly obnoxious (that might not be the right word) when a sibling comes along. Addie really isn't that way. Yet. She knows who her sister is and likes to hug and kiss her. She also likes to help change Kira's diapers and play "hidin" with her. That being said I think she is starting to realize that she no longer has mom and dads undivided attention. We'll see how she keeps up.

I'd also like to state that at times I really hate people. I can't really say more than that. But suffice to say that there are people that I REALLY think need to pull their heads from a certain body orifice, use their eyes, and stop talking shit.

Many of you know that I really don't like politics. I try to stay out of it. But, I've been reading a few things and some things are bothering me. Things like health care. Why can't the wealthiest nation in the world (money-wise that is) not provide even the most basic health care for it citizens? The question shouldn't be yes or no to health care for all, it should be how is it best accomplished. Furthermore, as Christians shouldn't we all be for health care for everyone? After all we are commanded to love our neighbors and care for the poor?

Another thing that bothers me is pro-life advocates and war advocates and where these two meet. I fail to see how these two can co-exist in the same person. Should someone who is advocating life also jump on the band wagons to tell our sons and daughters to go kill other peoples sons and daughters and be prepared to die as well? What happened to the sanctity of life? Does the unborn child have more value than someone who has loved and been loved for the last however many years of their life?

I've read some other things, said by people I know to be professing Christians, about how the current president is trying to take your money. To which I say let him. As long as you can get the necessities of life who cares how much money you have. It is a creation of men to be desired by men. Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's. Give unto God what is God's.

Anyway, enough rambling for one night. Maybe I'll post more later.

Adding to the Choas

Well, it is official. There are now 4 members in my branch of the family. Kira Joy was born 9/9/09 at 9:28 pm. What other news can I relate? Nothing else seems quite so important as that tonight.

WOW!

That's all i really have to say.

I feel rather sheepish about beginning yet again. But here it is. It has only been what four months since the last time I posted anything.

Summer was...yes it was. A bunch of here and there and fixing and thinking and hoping and praying. We met some new people, who happen to be good people. We fixed our roof. Silly shingles. We relaxed and played. It was a good summer all told.

Things are finally settling into a routine at work and home. The start of school has been a little bit of crazy. Working in food service at a college has some perks. I mean who can say to to summers sort of off? But, students seem to be arriving earlier than they have in the past, and in greater numbers. This is all fine and dandy, but when you add early arrivals to some major changes at the Grille (which I happen to be in charge of), to special diet needs on campus (which I also happen to be in charge of), to making sure that our student work-study staff is in place and provided for as well as scheduled (which, yes, also happens to be my responsibility), and add to that catering Dordt and outside events which are again part of my responsibilities, and the general day to day duties. It has made for an incredibly busy last three weeks of my life. Think at least one 80+ hour week (more likely it as 90-100+ but I'm not entirely sure).

But, for all that it has been a wonderfully encouraging start of the semester. Sure I've made my share of mistakes, sometimes I think I make a lot more than I do, but it has gone great. The changes that we've made at the Grille seem to have gone over well with students. The staff has really embraced them as well and take pride in what they are doing. That whole process has been quite eye opening to me and was a great learning experience. I learned a lot about examining spaces for flow and process. I learned that there are a ton of things that I still have to learn even though I am the one in charge. I've learned that all of your positive words mean nothing to have the right systems in place that allow people to work in an environment that is busy, yet friendly, that works much like a family. I've learned that the sound of laughter in the work place is as welcome a sound as is the laughter from my daughter.

We are excited to have had good friends move back to the area. As much as it sucks for them, we are excited to have them back around. It is good to get together with them and their son (who happens to be about 9 months older than Addie is).

Once upon a time I had hoped to gather a list of words that Addie knows. I don't think that I could remember them all any more. So I think I am going to scrap that plan. I don't know if it counts but she had a 5 word sentence just tonight. Wow! Daddy Burp excuse me. That's what she said. Really.

For those of you who don't know we are expecting another mini soon. As in any time between now and the end of September. The due date is technically the 20th. But, anyone who has had a baby probably knows that those babies are not bound by doctors telling them when to come out.

Anyway, peace. If anyone reads this and would care to comment please do.

Reading about parent hood

Sometimes people ask me what its like being a dad. You'd think it would be an easy question to answer. Happy, frustrated, annoyed, delighted, amazed. How many other moods can you think of? Add them to the list, and then add a few more that you don't know exist yet as well as a few you make up yourself.

More often than not I end up thinking to myself that it is one of those questions that truly has no answer. I can tell you all about it, you can read every book under the sun about it. But, until you actually enter the brotherhood of being a parent you can not understand even the slightest thing that I or a book is talking about.

Should I try to explain?

Think back to when you're about 9 years old. It's Christmas eve. No, that's an over used analogy, and not very accurate at that.

Lets try this. Remember the day before the first day of school? It doesn't matter if you were looking forward to it or not. Now remember a few days in between? Especially early on where you're amazed by pretty much everything that you learn. It's kind of like that, except on a much higher order.

Tradition

If you'll allow me a mostly selfish post read on.

The Dordt College Concert Choir (one that I previously sang in) is taking a trip to the Netherlands this year. Starting tomorrow. They happened to do a pre-tour concert, which I just happened to attend. In addition to sounding pretty darn good on their stuff (especially Praise to the Lord which brought fond tears to my eyes) I was glad to see that all of the choir traditions that I fondly remember were alive and well.

Also at this concert I was invited to sing with the Valley Males Choir in their next season. It is a great opportunity for me to do something that I love to do. Come the advent of Oratorio practice it'll make for a lot of singing and some busy weeks. We'll see if it works.

On a side note it is now truly summer. Graduation is over. I had a day off before resuming work tomorrow. For those of you who haven't heard Doris Ann Fenderson retired from Carrie Foods. It'll make for an interesting new year as well as summer because one of our senior Student Managers has been hired to take her place. It will be different as he knows a lot of stuff, but there is much, much more that he needs to learn. I'm sure it will be a process, but it should work out for the better.

I also learned a bit about small engine repair today. So, hopefully, my mower is fixed and I'll be able to use it tomorrow.

Addie continues to grow up. She's adding lots of new words to her vocabulary now. We have to be extra careful with what we say. She can also put her own socks on. Mostly. Sort of. But it is a start. We're having a lot of fun playing outside now that we can. Mom and Dad have taken to a bit of gardening which Addie loves to help out with. She can water the garden, dig in the dirt, put weeds in the trash bin, take sticks to the burn pile. She's a very good helper.