Being a Dad

Laura is pregnant with our 2nd girl. She is due Feb. 7th, and my brother’s wife is due on Feb. 8th with their first baby (a girl). We are so excited that Ansley will have a cousin the same age as her.

With Ansley coming so quickly, I have thought a lot about being a dad. I have a great example for a dad, and I try to emulate many of the things I love about him. I do love being a dad, and I wanted to share a little of what I’ve been thinking about, and am thankful for.

• I love waking KJ up. It is so neat to walk in and hear her say “I’m awake daddy!”
• Our house giggles. This little girl is SO happy. She loves talking, playing, and giggling.
• I love talking to KJ. Like I said…she LOVES talking.
• I was laying down with KJ a few weeks ago. I thought she was asleep when she raised one arm and said, “Go Cardinals!”
• She Prays
• She brings out the very best in Laura. I could not be happier that Laura gets to stay home with KJ and Ansley.
• KJ reminds me that dandelions are flowers
• I get to watch cartoons (even though it’s Dora)
• I love that she runs to me when she’s scared
• I love when she just wants to cuddle (which is very rare)

These are obviously just a few things. I could go on for quite a while. Not only is being a dad fun, but it’s challenging. When my mom said many years ago that she prayed that I would have a child that tried my patience like I did hers, I didn’t think that God would answer those prayers with my first child. God has taught me so much about myself, and how much I need to let go of my desires and wants if I want to be the Dad and Husband that He wants me to be.

“No I didn’t!”

Every day, I come home with another new story about the kids in my classes. Some of them are hilarious, but some are really…well…scary. Today, I saw a student eating some chips in class. Not really a big deal, but I asked her to put them away (while her fingers were in her mouth). She swallowed the little bit she had in her mouth, and proceeded to yell at me. Apparently I was mistaken. She was NOT eating Doritos in my class. The problem was, I caught her orange handed, and cheesy breathed. She had no way out of this one. She, however, believed that she could yell her way out. I’m not sure if she thought she could intimidate me, or at the least, persuade me that her orange powdery fingers were from her highlighter.

*Side Note* If you are trying to hide the fact that you are eating, don’t eat Doritos!

This is a common occurrence in my room. I’m not sure if my students think I’m an idiot, or if they really believe that they weren’t talking, or eating, or out of their seat. Either way, I guess I’m a little upset.

Satan is very sneaky.  He used a bag of Doritos and a little attitude to get me going.  I’m so grateful that God is bigger than a little attitude, and a bag of chips.  But I would never deny the evil I do, or try to sneak my way into believing that what I did was within the rules.  Nope, not me.