Almost two years ago...

Evan was born. And the world changed. I changed. It wasn't a conscious decision, there wasn't a moment of hesitation or question (though those came before and after). It was like one moment I'm just a guy, cheering on the most important person I'd ever met... So proud of her strength and courage (and yes, physical ability to some how push another living human being into the world)... But then the next moment, I'm a dad... Without learning how, I'm instantly connected to this gooey screaming alien child... And I can't take my eyes off him. I want to tell him that he's okay, and that I'm watching out for him and taking care of him. Even though everything happening around him and to him is incredibly traumatic and terrifying, I'm there for him. And I look at Christine knowing we have something so special at that moment... A family. We're parents. (I'm also very aware and thankful for amazing drugs that allow us both to be smiling and talking at this point.)

So fast forward to tonight... I hold him down to put eye drops in his pink-eye stricken eye, pray beside his bed, and kiss him on the head, knowing he'll scream when I leave the room. I go in an hour later, take the big wire with the wooden beads toy thingy off his bed, pull his cup out from under his side, and cover him up. Think about his newfound affinity for altoids, his pronunciation of the word 'daddy', how I never planned on calling anyone 'buddy'... But since the day he was born it just seems to fit. And I still have the deepest, most profound love for him (and his beautiful prego mama)... And I realize that part of the gift that a child is, is the experience of fatherly love, perspective, nature... It really is a gift.

So I go to bed thinking 'Jesus, we really need to name 2.0 before he gets here...' and realizing I'm about to go from being amused and amazed by ultrasounds, heartbeats, and belly-fluttering, to completely enamored and eternally connected to another human being... (one we still don't have a name for). Life is so weird.

Sent from my Windows Mobile phone

Not enough memory...

Isnt that the most annoying error popup on a cruddy old computer...
trying to run programs that it wasnt designed to run? But I kinda
feel like that...
The other day, Ev was screaming and crying as we drove away from
'appanodals' (McDonalds) because he didnt get to play... And
Christine and I just died laughing. It was one of the small things
that just bring a smile or moment of happiness, but probably wont be
remembered in the long run. So my joy was a little squashed at the
thought of how many memories will be lost due to my 'not enough
memory'... Hopefully someone in heaven is video taping this stuff for
me...
In the meantime, I might just have to blog some silly little moments,
so they're not forever lost...
Sent from my Windows Mobile phone

Evan's new discovery

Taken in the rear view mirror...
Sent from my Windows Mobile® phone.

Evan playing in the water

At tempe marketplace...

Crashed on the couch....

My lovely family...
Sent from my Windows Mobile® phone.

youth convention 08

I have the privilege of driving the bus this year for YC. And my lovely fam decided to tag along for a while...

life and rest

i just got back from a little two day getaway with my grandparents in payson, after an insane week last week with the careforce lifekeys conference. so, i'm just getting ready to take off for the office after missing two days. it will be non-stop til 9pm tonight, but I am staying in vacation mode until i walk through the door! man, i needed these days...

on a more interesting note, i posted a couple new evan videos on youtube. my account is supermanmcgee, if you'd like to search 'em, or just look below!