Sickness

Elizabeth Anne is going through her first real illness, and it's so awful! Trust me, we know because we got it too.

I haven't been that sick since I was 11 months old!

My baby girl is still getting over it, it's a double nasty stomach bug.

All I want to do is make it go away and for her to get better. It is so hard watching her all sick and lethargic.

Doctor says she seems to be on the way up, so I am ready for her to play with me again.

Plus - she has a BIRTHDAY coming up in a week and a half!

Kicking the ball

My conversation started like this.

Hey sweetie, how was your day?

Ball..

Were you a good girl?

Ball..Ball..

Did you miss me?

BALL...BALL...BALL...BALL..

Well, ok.

So our conversation turned into this......

It's what I do. : )

You Version

Here is something new and cool. It's called You Version.

It basically a community Bible developed by the Lifechurch team. On the left side is the Bible, on the right side are posts based on whatever passage you highlight.

What a great idea!

Linebacker

Elizabeth Anne is showing early signs that she will be a linebacker.


*NOTE: No person or animal was injured in the shooting of this film. Do not try this at home without supervision. The result of this tackle were many giggles from the tackler - the bear however, wasn't laughing.

Remarkable (pt 2)

Having the desire to be remarkable is one thing, actually doing something about it is a whole other ballgame.

It reminds me of a verse in the Bible that says "Let us not love with words or tounge, but with actions and in truth."

In other words, talk is cheap!

Andy Stanley goes into more detail in his message "The Path Principle", which is "the path you are on will lead you to your destination. We can desire something, wish for something, even write down plans to do something - but all that means nothing if we are not walking the right path.

For example: I want to be a remarkable dad. You say - that's great, way to go! You should be saying - so what are you doing about it? What little things are you doing everyday to become a remarkable dad? Are you on the right path toward your destination?

Here are some things I think I am going to do:

1) Every morning I tell Elizabeth Anne that I love her, and that if I could choose any girl in the whole world to be my daughter - I would choose her! (see Matthew 3:17)

2) Subscribe to Family Times when she is a little older and make it a priority to teach her values and virtues.

3) Take her on dates.

4) Pray with her.

5) Apologize to her when I mess up.

6) Love her mother like I want her future husband to love her.

7) Give her lots and lots of hugs.

8) Care enough to discipline her when necessary - and be fair about it.

9) Care enough to get involved with her life as she grows older.

10) Look for her gifts and talents and encourage her constantly to go for it.

11) Write a blog about her for her to read one day. : )

These are just a few thoughts, and I would love more ideas.

Remarkable

One of the books that have had an impact on me is Purple Cow by Seth Godin.

In short summary, it's about being remarkable. That in today's world, good doesn't work. You have to be remarkable - worth talking about, worth paying attention to. If you aren't, you just get lost in the crowd.

To me, one of the main reasons I think some people don't go from good to remarkable is because of plain laziness. They are satisfied with just being average or good and don't want to put in the extra effort it takes to make a lasting impression. Come to work, get by, go home.

It is a great business book, worth reading.

But what about in our personal life. Why not be a remarkable dad, a remarkable husband, a remarkable friend? Why not strive for excellence in those areas? You know, do the little things that make your wife, children, or friends day. In the business world we spend so much time thinking about and working towards blowing away our customers - but do we put in the same effort at home?

The same culprit stops us - laziness. Come home, get by, go to work.

It is hard work, takes extra effort, intentional action, and dedicated focus to be a remarkable husband, dad, and/or friend. I would say harder than whatever it is you do for a living.

But the thing is - in the long run, it pays better. So, why not strive to be remarkable? I can't think of any unselfish reason not to.

Lifehouse's Everything

Stick with it - this is truly moving.

Elizabeth Anne laughing at Daddy

Although the lighting is not good, this is my favorite video of us. I got her laughing at me so hard she had tears in her eyes.

Little Things

She makes me read her books over and over and over, I don't mind

She sings along with Snoopy her ABC's

She can throw a ball, a bow, a brush, a remote, food, my cell phone, .....

She dances

She cuddles with me when we watch her Baby Einsten DVD

She claps and waves bye-bye

She points things out to me and tells me what they are - hey, she knows what she is saying

She pulls out Chase's hair and hands it to me

She tries to say Thank You

She sleeps with her knees tucked under her stomach

She giggles at me when I chase after her

She likes to run when I stand her up and hold her hands

She turns her head sideways and down when I say "aaawwwww"

She ALWAYS smiles for the camera

So I have started blogging again..

Wow.. 4 months and not one post. Frankly, I just got tired of it. But I have decided to start blogging again.

Not because of my HUGE fan base (all 10 of you), but simply because I hope my children will read this one day.

Little things happen every day with Elizabeth Anne that I know I will forget one day and this is the best way to capture those memories.

I will start catching up on those later, but for now take a look at how my little girl has grown!




Since my last post (when she was 7 months), she is now eating real food, crawling with ease, pulling up, cruising on her own, pointing out familiar objects (cup, apple, dog, etc), and bossing me around!

Time is flying.