Coming Soon....

....Pictures of Ian's 1st Christmas!!!

Family Photography

Ian's uncle Nathan was in town over the Thanksgiving holiday and was able to get some new pictures. We are blessed to have Nathan to take these pictures. You'll see why if you click here.

Undeserved

As I sit here and type this, I know that I am undeserving of all that I have been blessed with. I have a wife that I know loves me and I know also that she is the best mother I could ever want for Ian. Not that I'm down on myself, I just realize that things such as these are given by the grace of God. It is only by these gifts of grace that we can experience any joy in life. These undeserved gifts are a glimpse into what is to come if we live our lives for the purpose of being in His presence forever.

As a stay at home dad, when I sit and try to take it all in, I can't. This let's me know that God is right in front of me. We are called to be like children, accepting that we have no control over where we are placed, or what toys we are allowed to have or play with. As I watch Ian play with the simple toys (my most recent Sports Illustrated) and ignore the ones that I want to play with myself, I see his joy in the simple things. I see God dwell in him as Ian unknowingly allows God to use him. Ian is a happy child, content with where he is placed, where we go, and what activities we engage in with him. He knows he is taken care of completely, he is satisfied completely (well, as close to completely as a human being can get).

God dwells in children. They let him. This would explain why the image of Jesus smiling might most often be seen in the midst of children. This is just one of the many lessons I am being taught everyday with my son, and I hope that as Ian grows, I never lose sight of what God will forever be teaching me through him. And may I learn to be like a child, so that God will dwell in me in such a way that allows my family to have Him near, when they need to hear Him speak.

We're Back

I was able to switch to a new platform today. I have not tried to post a picture yet, but am hoping it will work. I could not get any pictures on here for some reason. I think I messed up something trying to get a slideshow that I made onto the blog. Anyway, I will post some pics tommorrow and see if it works. If not I will create a new blog and start again. We have many pictures and stories to go along. Sorry for the delay. I hope that Rachel and I were generous with the e-mails we have been able to send to share pictures. I apologize also, if someone wanted any pictures and did not recieve the e-mails.

I'm Soakin' It Up!

I truly believe that Ian was placed in my life when he was so that I would examine things that were being ignored by me in the past. Not that I was this terrible person, but God had things planned for me and my family and needed me to realize the importance of my being here and the obligation I had to let Him guide my thoughts and actions.

Ian has taught me:

• to respect the fragility of life.
• to love each new day for what it is.....a "new day".
• that all women are suckers for a smile.
• that my parents love me on a different level than I ever knew.
• that family, through good and bad, is what makes us who we are.
• and the fact that family should never be taken for granted.
• that sometimes we convey the truly important lessons to those around us by living silently, not preaching loudly.

Ian has taught me all those things, but I would say that the most important thing he has shown to me would be the fact that God speaks to us in ways that are beyond our knowledge, through people that we don't realize, and through the things we often ignore. This has been (and continues to be) a lesson in the nature of my creator and the reason I am here.

Just a Little Longer.....

I know I promised you something cool a couple of weeks ago and have not followed through, but I PROMISE that I will show you what I have before Friday of this week. I hate to leave all of Ian's fans hanging on my every post but I'm just not used to managing a blog devoted to such an unbelievable attraction. I'll get the hang of it though. Until he was born, I never had a need or desire to use many of the cool things available for the sharing of photos, thoughts, videos, etc...so I'm learning as I go.




For those of you not on myspace, I give you this new picture of Ian to hold you over until later this week. When you look at this picture, you can get a true sense of what this boy is to be around. He loves life and is most excited in the mornings, greeting each new day with an enthusiasm that inspires me to do the same. Ian was a gift that has proven to be rewarding in ways that only God can give, I thank God daily for the lessons he teaches his mother and I without even being able to speak.

Six Month Check-up

Ian went to the pediatrician on Friday and we were informed that he now weighs 18lbs 6oz, and is 27 1/2 inches long. Its hard to believe, but he is six months old. We were informed that we can now feed him meats (baby food, of course) or a vegetable for every meal now. And as you can tell from the picture below, he is still learning the art of keeping it in his mouth, but he'll get there. I'm not in too much of a hurry though for him to get there, seeing as how I have no clue where the last six months went.

He likes food!

Especially sweet potatoes!!

Anyway, not much else to report right now, but I have a special gift on the way for those of you that make a habit of checking his blog. We'll talk next week!

Giving Ian Up

I am writing this as I contemplate my abilities to be a father. Now, I know what you are thinking and I warn you not to get ahead of me here. I have no intention of giving him up in the way that most would take it, but I have looked at the book that is entitled "The Power of a Praying Parent". In this book it talks alot about raising your children under constant prayer and the power that this has in his/her ability to go through life in a positive way with a positive outlook.

I have realised that we as parents have about as much control over our children's lives as we do our own, even less. Some parents think that when they look at their children all grown up with a sense of accomplishment that they deserve a pat on the back. Many of them do and should be proud, but not of the job they did. You see, our childrens lives just as our own, are a product of what God has been allowed to do within it.

My mother, I know because of how teenage boys act, was forced at times to just give me and my future to God. This is where our faith came in to me. And my father, because of the distance between us at times had no other choice but to pray for me and my ability to find what I needed in this world without him being right there. In both instances I was lucky, luck that faith was so integral to both of them. I could have grown up in a home with both parents, unchurched but willing to give me the best that they could, but I would have lacked "substance". I would not have the overwhelming feeling of being led to where I am by a higher power. It is by viewing my parents "drop" all they knew at the Lord's feet that I even have the slightest clue that that is where all the power lies.

The book that I mentioned talks about praying for your children all along the path of life, but most of it speaks in terms of older children. The only advice given for children of Ian's age is to focus on giving your child to God. This is not as easy as it may seem. We've already had times of worry, which is normal, but also points to our inability to give him to God completely. We need to realise that we just have no control over jaundice or constipation or watery eyes. We do what we can; give it to God, and pray. That is all we can do.

Everyday I try to wake up and let God know that Ian is His. And I pray that we are careful in our handling of His property and that we take advantage of every opportunity as he grows to make sure he stays in God's arms. That decision will ultimately be his, but there is no doubt that if we give him to God 100% and prayerfully raise him and guide him as instruments of God he will end up right where God wants him in the end, no matter what path he may or may not choose on his own along the way. All paths will lead to home.

Ian Laughing

Here is the sound that Rachel was talking about a couple of posts ago. It truly is the greatest sound in the world to a parent to hear their child laugh for the first time.

Just Click On Ian's Picture

The Meaning of Life

I know one would expect a series of books rivaling an encyclopedia set or two when they see the title of this post. Yet I have been shown that the meaning of life is missed most often by the nature of humans to overlook the small/simple moments and things that, in reality, make up the world around us. I have been able to stay home with Ian since Rachel has gone back to school. As you see from the last post Rachel has a hard time with this because I think she realised what I am speaking of now.

Yesterday, Ian whistled. In no way am I lying to you. He truly whistled. And he won't amuse us with it unless music is playing. This is something that I have really never experienced. New moments, yes. But not having anyone else around to share it with is like getting a hole-in-one while golfing by yourself. There is such excitement in the happenings, yet nobody to share it with. Feelings of wondering when it will happen again or if it will. Though, I've never had a hole-in-one, I would think that there is a type of connection (if you are alone) with the being known as the "golf gods".

The lessons I learned from yesterday's religious experience will be with me forever! And that moment will never happen again, yet it will in other ways, reminding us as parents of each and every one of those moments God graces us with.