Studying Up For This Daddying Thing

For Christmas, Elise gave me a book on Fathering. I had asked for one so that I could begin to prepare myself for the most important job I'll ever have. For some reason, having a daughter seems far more daunting (though equally special) . Perhaps it's b/c there's a foreignness to it all. I'm a boy myself, I have only 3 brothers, and I have a Mom that's been brazened by all the testerone of raising us four. My lovely wife is my lone coach in teaching me the ways of little girls. Having said that, however, I know there's a soft spot in my heart just waiting to be commandeered by Mia Grace. I fear, more than anything, just being wrapped around her finger.

John Mayer wrote a popular song called "Daughters" that really speaks to the power of a Dad in the lives and hearts of their daughters: "You are the god and the weight of her world, so fathers be good to your daughters, daughters will love like you do, girls become lovers who turn into mothers, so mothers be good to your daughters, too." Nice, huh? I would add a slight but ever so important twist to say that, as Dads, we have the powerful opportunity to show them God's heart for them and that their ability to love God directly ties to how we have been their father on earth. What a gut check job, I say.

Dan the Sand Man

As proof of Dan's deep love for his baby girl Mia, he actually took on the task of sanding, wiping down the walls, and painting Mia's room. To make it worse, all the work was on the ceiling. Since he absolutely hates working on the house in any capacity, let the record show that a Father's heart is already in play!

Out of Review Room Celebration

On September 9th, 2006 our dossier officially made it out of the review room with no questions asked. Phew! No more worrying about somehow getting kicked out of the program. To celebrate I (Elise) went and bought the highchair that I had my eye on for the last year. For whatever reason Mia's highchair was the one piece of baby furniture that I was the most excited about getting.