#LivingInTheMoment

Look at me, posting again!  It's only the second week, but I think I can do this #52weekproject! We'll see.

Today's main story isn't all that great.  It's about blood, tears, ice cream, and memories.  Sounds interesting, right? I hope that means you'll read on...

On Tuesday of this week, I had an institute function that I was to attend for work.  It was specifically for the high school seniors, to help them transition into the "post-high-school-life" scene, and we were asked as teachers to attend, so they had some familiar faces.  Since Mom had a meeting of her own, I decided to take B and E with me to mingle with my students.  Because there was to be ice cream there, I told the kiddos that they were coming with me to "daddy's work ice cream party".  Boy, were they excited.

Thus begins the saga.  The kids were super excited to go, but when the clock reached the time for our departure, as so often occurs, we weren't exactly ready to head out the door.  B wasn't "done" with dinner yet.  E couldn't find her shoes.  Then I couldn't find my phone or keys.  The culmination of craziness was when B snuck outside, tripped on the concrete sidewalk, fell face first, and got a bloody nose (I told you there was blood). All in all, when we finally were in the car ready to leave, there we were WAY behind schedule.  With our ETA just about 5 or so minutes before the ice cream party was to end, I decided it wasn't in our best interest to go to "daddy's work ice cream party" after all.  E and B very much disagreed with me.  Nothing I said came close to consoling them.

As I tried to explain to my two two children who were in the depths of despair that we weren't going to be able to make it to the party, I was reminded of the store just around the corner and their 59 cent ice cream cones.  So we had our own ice cream party there.  Children satisfied.  Problem solved.

Now I know that this story really wasn't all that exciting, but while I was sitting at the store with them, my mind flashed to the advice from all of those "old folks" out there who said that time with small kids goes so fast.  My mind did a quick flash forward.  Soon, Child Numero 3 will be joining us, the kids will go to school, graduate from 6th, then 9th, then 12th grades, go on missions and get married, and poof!...they'll be gone.  So crazy!  I just want to cherish and treasure these moments with them.  I hope I can remember that each time its a "hard parenting moment".  I hope I can see that these "moments are the molecules that makes up eternity" (Neal A. Maxwell), and that by living in the moment, I can learn to appreciate my kids and my family even more.  I love these guys and I'm so thankful for them.  I just absolutely, completely, totally, entirely LOVE being a dad!

#LivingInTheMoment #DoutreLove #TheyMeltMyHeartLikeIceCream #CapitalLettersHelpYouReadHashtagsBetter #Seriously

This video illustrates what I am thinking about rather well.  Enjoy!

Oh, here's a picture from our ice cream night...

The difference between can, should, and does...

Today's post isn't anything special.  Just the first in a series of efforts to actually share my experiences as a new-ish father, learning how to raise a family in today's marvelous and scary world.

I have only one brief story to share this week. Last Sunday, E was coming down off a throw-uppy night, and we told her that she had to stay home from church until she got better. She had thrown up for the third time just a few hours before church, so, from a parental perspective, keeping her home was totally logical. However, E doesn't see it from our parental perspective. As we waved goodbye to B and Mom going to church, E started crying. She expressed that all she wanted to do was "go to church, play with her friends, and learn about Jesus." I took her by the hand and sat her down in the front room, where we tried brainstorming different activities that we could do at home to keep her mind off of it, but every few minutes she would ask if we could go to church. I couldn't believe this girl's perseverance and persistence. When the other half of our little family finally came home, E told Mom in a very dramatic fashion about how "all I wanted to do was go to church!"

Although I laugh at that situation and think it was very cute, I also wonder how I feel about attending church and my own personal worship that should take place there. I mean, I know that I can and should pay devotion through my faith and the way that I live each and every day, but church is a time each week when I can and should focus all of my thoughts and energy on learning more about my Savior and strengthening my personal relationship with Him. It is a time when I can and should renew my promises to Him through the sacrament. It is a time when I can and should replenish my spiritual reserves for the week and prepare for the coming trials of another week. I know all the right answers as to why going to church can and should mean something to me...but does it? That experience from last week with E affected me and my worship today as we attended church. For that, I am grateful to my wonderful, ever-so-cute daughter!

Teachings from a 2-year-old

I feel as though my kids are constantly giving me examples that I should live by.  Both Eden and Brigham are just awesome at that.  I often catch myself watching them and wondering to myself if I see the world as genuinely pure as they do.  It amazes me, and I love those moments.

Yesterday, I again had one of those learning moments from Eden.  We had the opportunity to go to the open house for the Ogden LDS Temple.  The temple is newly renovated and is open to the public for a while before being dedicated in late September of this year.  I think that anyone who goes on a tour of the temple will agree that it is a building of great beauty.  For LDS people, it has a great significance because of the belief that it is a place where families can be sealed together for all eternity.  Here is a short video about why Mormon’s build temples and the significance they have to us (Temple Video).  We often refer to the temple as the “House of the Lord”…which is where my learning from Eden moment comes into play.

As we walked through the entire temple on a tour, I was holding Brigham and Becca was walking with Eden.  Because we refer to the temple as the House of the Lord or, in Eden’s terms, Jesus’ House, she was looking for Him everywhere.  She could care less about what the temple looked like on the inside.  She just wanted to see Jesus.  When the tour ended and we hadn’t seen Jesus yet, she was very disappointed.

On the south side of the temple grounds there is a reception tent that has more information about temples and such.  There is also a large statue of Christ entitled the Christus.  When Eden saw the statue, she was overcome with joy.  She ran to it and gave it a hug.  After sighing a huge sigh of relief for finally seeing Jesus, she turned to go…and then immediately ran back to Jesus again and hugged Him again.

Can you see what I mean about her teaching me?  Isn’t that a wonderful lesson from Eden?  When I see Christ will I run to Him?  Do I run to Him daily now for strength or comfort?  Am I content to seek Christ in all that I do, constantly?  Thanks Eden for once again teaching us about the simple and essential importance of Christ in our lives.

#ShareGoodness
#FamiliesAreForever

In the Words of a Toddler

E is now about 20-months old, and she has been jabbering away for quite some time.  To me, most of her words sound VERY similar.  I can't tell when she says "shoes" or "show" or "slide".  They all just seem to sound like "sssooooo".

She can name pretty much everyone on both sides of our family...well, with nicknames.  "Bubba", "Ty Ty", "Ju Ju", or "Bree Bree" are just a few that seem pretty easy for her to pronounce.  Of course, "Momma" and "Dadda" are staples in her everyday vocabulary.

But yesterday, at church, I was reminded that you don't need to know how to say everything to express how you feel.  E and I were walking the halls of the church building, when we saw a large picture of Christ.  I asked her if she knew who he was, and she instantly became nearly uncontrollable with excitement.  She touched his face, babbling on in a language only she can understand, continually smiling and laughing.  I have seen her do this before (each time she sees a picture of Jesus), and it simply amazes me the attachment she already has to her Savior.  Even the pictures of Christ that hang on her wall cause this same reaction.

I love it every time.  And it makes me wonder what my reaction is when I think of, speak of, or see evidences and illustrations of Jesus in my life.  Do I get excited about all of the things he has done for me? Am I willing to share my feelings so openly with those around me?  I believe and hope so.  I hope that I can always share my thoughts and testimony of Christ through the actions in my life, and not just words.

All I have to say to my daughter is...I couldn't have said it better myself.

25 Awesome Dad Moments

So, obviously I'm not the best at this blogging thing.  But I have set a goal to get better.  After all, it took me well over a year to even start the whole thing, so taking 6 months between posts doesn't seem all that bad.

Today we experienced a classic, which has inspired my thought for this post.  When I went in to wake E up from her afternoon nap, I found her in her crib, rolling around in something unpleasant.  Turns out her diaper wasn't on just right (my bad!) and things sort of escaped...all over the crib.  Oh the joys of being a father with a rather bad sense of smell!  It didn't even bother me to clean it up!  In fact, I was laughing most of the time.  I've included a few pictures to illustrate this afternoon's tale.  Oh, and this isn't the first time this has happened.

B has a talent with the camera.  She can even make poo look rather cool with her skills.

The aerial view of the bomb site.

In light of today's events, I decided to post of list of important things that I have learned in my time as a dad.  These are not necessarily in order, nor is this an all inclusive list.  But it does include some of the best moments that I remember right now off the top of my head.

1. I have learned that not being able to smell so well is a blessing.  This has come in handy a few times, as I have had the privilege of cleaning up after my children a time or two.  Not so handy in nursery, when the nursery leader can tell it's my kid who stinks before I can.

2. I have learned that a sound uttered at the same pitch and frequency over a long period of time is a form of Chinese torture...and E has mastered it well.

3. I have learned that nothing makes me happier than to come home and receive a huge hug and kiss from my wife and daughter.  BR isn't quite big enough yet to hug...he'll get there.

4. I have learned that children don't seem to care what your sleep schedule is supposed to be like.

5. I have learned that 3 a.m. can be a sacred time when spending it with your kids, if you let it.

6. I have learned that car rides are the best!

7. I have learned that car rides are the worst!

8. I have learned that little kids are ultra curious about how things work, which in turn makes me curious myself.  This world is full of fascinating things.

9. I have learned that children really do see a lot...and copy everything they see.

10. I have learned that being a father on Earth helps me better understand, in the smallest of ways, how our Heavenly Father feels towards us.

11. I have learned that I have an amazing wife, who is exceedingly patient with all three of us kids...yes, I included myself as one of the children.

12. I have learned that we cannot begin early enough to teach our children about Jesus Christ.  He needs to always be the center of our home.

13. I have learned that Curious George only has so many episodes on YouTube.  We've seen them all.  Many times.

14. The same goes for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

15. I have learned that when a child cries, it sometimes can be the cutest thing ever.

16. I have learned that "sometimes can be" is the operative phrase in the above statement.

17. I have learned that the term "blow out" means something totally different in the diaper world than it does in the sports world.

18. I have learned how much fun Legos are.

19. I have learned that dance parties in the front room are the best way to pass the time.  Being out danced by a 20-month old has never been so cool.

20. I have learned that the heart has an infinite capacity to love.

21. I have learned that little princesses are born, not made.

22. I have learned that the next generation seems to arrive with innate iPad navigation skills.

23. I have learned nothing below three feet is safe from little prying hands.

24. I have learned that at large family gatherings, you no longer see your children until bed time...which makes you the bearer of bad news.

25. I have learned that being a dad is my favorite thing in the world...I love it even more than I do ultimate.  Now that is saying something.

Being a dad is the biggest blessing in the world.  I may not be too great at it, but I will get there...eventually.  Here's to continually improving.

First Official Post

As Ben Folds Five so elegantly puts it..."I don't get many things right the first time.  In fact, I am told that a lot.  But I know all the wrong turns and stumbles and falls have brought me here."  I, like good ol' Ben, don't get many things right the first time.  Thank goodness there are second chances...and third...and fourth...

As B and I try to raise our daughter in today's fast paced world, I think of the phrase that my dad told me when my wife was first expecting.  "It takes more than 9 months to make a dad."  I am finding that to be more and more true every day.

In Proverbs 22:6 it reads, "train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  After only a year of parenthood, I'm not sure if I am training my little girl or if she is training me.  I try to help point her in the way she should go.  I hope she is beginning to understand the way that Christ blesses her life.  But at the same time, B and I are learning so much from this whole parenting experience. I am learning more and more that Christ is training me on how to be a loving husband, a responsible father, and a good man.

Either way, no matter who is training who, B, E, and I make a good family team.  Little "whooozit" on the way will make us a happy family of four.  The Fantastic Four.  The Fearless Four...the Doutre Four.  I like that.  So here we go with Daddy Training 101.  This will be the ride of my life.