Daddy's Heart

Being a parent has given me some new insights into God and his role as my Father. I've only just begin to really apply it to my relationship with him and meditate on it as I go about my day as a newish mom. First of all, God delights in his children. I never knew delight until I had a child and it only grows as my son begins to know me and love me. I delight in Judah's love for me, just as God delights in our love for him. When Judah chooses to be in my presence, there is no feeling to describe it. He is beginning to cling onto me out of what seems to be affection, security, and trust. How it must please and bless our Father when we cling to him and choose Him out of all the other idols in the world. How sweet it is for him when we run into his presence and just sit at his feet. I have yet to experience the sinfulness of my child, but I can just anticipate what God will teach me about forgiveness, grace, mercy, discipline, and unconditional love. I've always been a child, so thinking on God and these attributes as a child you almost miss half of the equation. But now as a mother, I get to almost walk in God's shoes with my own child and learn more about the heart of my Abba.

my wife...

Katie is the catalyst behind our humble blog. A few times she has encouraged me to "blog" something, but to date I hadn't been moved to write anything on a blog addressed to no one in particular.

But tonight is right. I just want to brag about katie if that's ok with you. She doesn't know I am doing this, as she is long asleep, worn from a day of taking care of Judah & I. She is an amazing wife & a hall of fame mother. She really just loves Judah & I so very well, so selflessly everyday. And we certainly don't make life easy for her, like when Judah decides to scream at 3 AM (almost every night) for no reason at all, or when I show up late (as usual) to a dinner party we are hosting, or forget to take the trash to the curb for trash day (every week), there's katie continuing to love, continuing to be patient. Judah & I talk a lot about how lucky we are. The first thing I told him in the delivery room after he was born was that he has the best mom in the whole world. He knows it. His face says it all when he sets his eyes on her.

But katie doesn't even know it. She wants to be a better mom, a better wife, and a better friend. She is always evaluating and wanting to grow in any weak areas. But tonight is about strengths; which for katie include singing, painting, designing, baseball sliding, cooking, and a myriad of other things you may not even know about her. I am so proud of her and thankful.

- joey

Lip Service...

So yesterday was my follow-up appointment with the dermatologist for my lip. He came into the room and says, "Good new, it's a Blah, Blah, blah (three really big words that I totally can't remember nor do I understand), which basically means that we don't know what it is, but it's not a pre-cancer nor cancer." So guess I left a little confused becuase that's really all he told me, it's not dangerous at all, maybe like a birth mark type thing or something. The problem is, I still don't want it on my face. He froze it to see if that would be enough to regenerate some new skin, but I'm not too optimistic. We'll see... all this to say, praise God that it isn't anything serious and I won't go through life with half a lip. Thanks for prayers and everyone's concern.

What we love about being parents...

Smiles for miles.


The sweetest face ever!


New Discoveries... Judah's first guitar!

Fat Lip...

Anybody that has seen me lately might have noticed that my lower lip is a bit swollen and yucky looking. I had a biopsy taken last Monday of a sun spot that has graced my lip for quite a few years. The doc wasn't too concerned and thinks it's probably just a pre-cancer and that it will be easily removed. We get the biopsy results back on Monday and I'm really not too worried about it, but keep thinking about the fate of my poor lip. It seems that most of my fears are more about my own vanity than anything else. Just thinking about having to walk around with a puffy, peely, yucky lip makes me sad and embarrassed. Then I tell myself, 'seriously Katie, if that's all you've got worry about, you're one blessed lady'. I guess I'm really thankful that God is protecting me from more serious fears, but pray for me that I can take this as a great lesson in humility and grace. I will update with results and would appreciate prayer that it really is nothing.

Recent Pictures of Judah

Nana got Judah to blow kisses. A move we have yet to duplicate. He loves being in Bakersfield because he gets lots of naked time.



Judah's throne. He loves playing on our bed more than anywhere else in the house.


One of Judah's first adventures in solid foods! The bib was a gift from our friend John Cashman.

Lullaby...

Ever since Judah was born he has enjoyed music. It seems to calm him down almost immediately when he's upset or lull him to sleep when he's tired. So Joey and I have perfected a repetoire of songs that we sing to him. Joey's selections include a June Carter Cash song about heaven, Amazing Grace, and a Damien Jurado tune. My favorites are Jesus Loves me, How Great is our God, and a Lori Schafffer song called Welcome. Since Judah is our first child we have a very limited knowledge of traditional children's songs and lullabies so these are Judah's special lullabies. The song Welcome is always the last song that I sing to him before bed time and nap time, hence I sing it about 4-5 times a day. Joey and I laugh that there are some great lessons for mom tucked into the song so I will share this beautiful ode to little boys and what I've learned from it.

WELCOME
by Lori Schaffer (Waterdeep)

Welcome to this dusty land
Where you will cry lots, but we'll all understand. (1)
Things may not turn out sometimes like you've (2) planned,
That's alright our little man.

Welcome outside of you mother's womb
Well I know that it's frightening but now there's more room.
Just think of all of the great things you'll do,
Just by you being you.

Welcome to us, oh our little song,
You're one part your daddy and one part your mom.
We're gonna help you grow up to be strong,
But for now little guy sleep on (3),
But for now littlle guy sleep on.

The first nugget is that he will cry lots!! and I'm supposed to understand, he's just a baby, that's what babies do. He's not going to die and I'm not a horrible mother.

Two, the second line should read 'things may not turn out sometimes like WE planned'. Like when I really want Judah to take a 2 hour nap so I can work out, sweep the floors, take a shower and eat lunch. Then 15 minutes later, just after I've brushed my teeth and put on my workout clothes he wakes up.

And third, there will be a day when he will sleep on. It's always funny when I sing that last line to him as I lay him in his crib and he smiles up at me. Sometimes the smile is followed by a lung exercise and sometimes he lies in bed and plays for like 30 minutes, but he will sleep on... eventually.

My first blogging attempt....

I've found that I so enjoy being able to keep up with family and friends via the blogging world that I feel that I need to begin my own contribution. Actually it's turned into a total guilty pleasure surfing the web/blogs after Judah's gone down for bedtime while Joey's checking all the sports updates. But the truth is, I'm totally tech. challenged so I never thought that I could figure it out. But Joey gave me a quick tutorial and I think I can at least get started.
I've begun reading a bit since Judah was born and I've found it's almost become a necessity to remind me that my brain still works and enjoys topics other than baby poop, sleep schedules, and what the heck is going on with Judah (which I ask nearly every day about some phenomenon that he is or isn't doing). Writing, I feel might be another blessed outlet for such thoughts and ponderings. But I'm sure that Judah will take up much of my blogging time as well because let's admit it, he's pretty darned amazing and definitely the most exciting thing happening in my life. Well someone is screaming after a 15 minute nap (and no it isn't Joey), so duty calls. Looking forward to this new relationship!