My Boys

My boys. I am so proud of you. It sounds silly since you are so small. Gavin you are such a young gentleman and Logan you are such a happy go lucky little guy it just makes me proud. It is a miracle that hearts don't burst from having children. The statement being "full of joy" has never been so true. Having your mothers love has made me so happy I didn't think it was possible to feel more joy than that, but you boys are just such a blessing (I hate that terminology but I don't have another word for it) that words cannot describe how perfect this family is because of your addition. I pray that one day you find a woman you love as much as I love your mother and that you can have children as wonderful as you are to me. I love you with all my heart.

-Daddy

Last Night

Last night mommy and I put you to bed around 8:30 like normal and we sat in our bed and watched some TV. Around 9:30 or so we were talking about you and I missed you and wanted some snuggles. Mommy said "its only 9:30 and Gavin is still up" so I got up and snuck in your room and grabbed you out of bed and ran into mommy and daddies room and sat you on the bed between us to watch TV. It was the best idea ever. You were smiling ear to ear the entire hour we watched TV and snuggled and played under the covers. Daddy and Mommy went to sleep with happy hearts and you have a memory I am sure you will be fond of for some time to come.

Spoooooky!

God forbid this thing format correctly anymore. :( It was a good time anyway.

In Love

Yesterday I met you at the rink to pick up the babies since our schedules are cutting it pretty close. We made the exchange without incident and I decided that I would take the boys into the rink since Gavin was little fussy about just changing cars with no payoff. When we went inside you pushed your sunglasses up on top of your head and something about your face was lit up. I was looking at the girl I started dating 15 years ago. I know a lot of pressure is off of us with Paramedic school being over and all. I don't know what it is but I miss you so much right now. I want to call you but I know you are probably sleeping. I guess I am trying to say that this feels like one of those moments where our relationship has entered a new stage and I can feel it all around us, and its nice. I am more in love with you than I ever thought possible. My partner, my heart, my friend. I love you.

Mike

What a Bargain

My father-in-law recently sent me this email that breaks down the cost of a child and why they are so worth it and I sobbed while reading it. Enjoy.

I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition .
But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,

· $741.38 a month, or

* $171.08 a week.
* That's a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich."
Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140?

* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watching Saturday morning cartoons,
going to Disney movies, and
* wishing on stars.
* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths hand prints set in clay and cards with backward letters.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream or pizza regardless.
You get a front row seat to history, to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date, and
* first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits. So, one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

ENJOY YOUR CHILDREN!!

Part Deux

This second child has nearly brought me to tears. He is inconsolable at times. I am humbled by the fact that my parents had 6 children. I am almost at a loss for words to describe how frustrating and sad it is when you cannot console your baby. Lately, nothing seems to work. It is an incredible testament to their love of us children that they kept having more. They wanted 8! They by no means had an easy life. My father was working 16 hour days so my mother had to be the 24/7 baby caregiver. I am amazed she wanted to do it even twice let alone 6 times. Mom I love you and appreciate you that much more.

Our Families Newest Addition!

Welcome Logan Lee!
Born 9-13-07
9' 04" 21.5in

Should I die tomorrow read this.

"After the first death, there is no other," wrote Dylan Thomas. That doesn't mean the ones that come after won't break your heart, but it's the first that punches your soul's passport. Welcome, fellow human, to a different country than the one you woke up to this morning. The air's different here; so is the scenery. Your knees don't work so well; in fact, you may want to fall to them.

For a precious little while, you are allowed to be stunned into silence, or to shriek, or to talk—recounting stories of who he was, what she meant to you, and how it all came to an end. Tell those stories. Some people may try to enforce "The Rules," to wit: Enough of This Drama Is Enough. Ignore them. Besides, if you treat yourself gently and take the time you need, someday soon you'll hear the faint but steady voice of your own good sense. Play music you love, sit in the sunshine if you can find some, and if anyone offers you a hand, hold it. Let them feed the cat, too, because they want to be useful. If your good sense does not kick in on its own, help it along: scramble some eggs. It will feel strange at first. But if you pretend that scrambling eggs is normal, eventually it will become normal. Soon you can squeeze some orange juice, too.
For some of us the stay in this new country seems endless. But time passes, seasons change, and, truly, would those we grieve for want us to mope? Come with me, back into the world. We'll return to this land someday, all too soon, but in the meantime the garden needs weeding, the bills need paying. Your other loved ones need you. And you, my sweet friend, you could use a shampoo.

—Larkin Warren

I don't quite know why I posted this, but just in case I am honored to have been the one to have punched your passport. (knowhwatimsayin) ;)

Gavin Got The Giggles

Just a note

Digging a hole in the dirt in the back yard with tiny shovels.
Watching the ants bustle about.
Getting a little too close and realising that they bite.
A feeling of trepidation when a bug decides to use your skin as a sidewalk.
Kicking a ball with dad inside the house for15 minutes on end.
Amazement at seeing that Trinity can roll over on command.
Using a cardboard tube as a megaphone.
Morning hugs and tender pats on the back.
Climbing out of the crib at nonnies house for the first time.
Correctly stating "it's raining" when stepping out into the rain.

These are a few things you have done just in the last couple weeks. I am amazed at how quickly it goes. Daddy is quite impressed with you.

Melted

Gavin,

Lately I have been trying to put you to bed as much as possible because 3 nights out of the week I am not home to do so due to school. When I do it is always the same routine. I read you a story in the glider and then I give you a kiss and put you to bed. Sometimes in the middle of the night you will wake up crying like you had a bad dream, and I will get up and sing to you Neenah Dodo and rock you to calm you down and lay you back down so you can go back to sleep. Last night you were a little fussy when I was putting you to bed even tho it was about an hour past your bedtime so after I read you your story and picked you up to put you to bed you were squirming and fussing a bit. I hugged you close and swayed for a few seconds and you calmed down. I was just thinking how nice it is when you lay your head on my shoulder and hug me when you started to sing. Neenah - Dodo, Neenah - Dodo, something unintelligible, Neenah - Dodo, Neenah - Dodo. My heart melted right out of my chest, and I swayed to your little serenade until you started sucking your thumb - clearly ready to lay down for sleepy. I caught my breath and wiped my teary eyes and gave you one last hug before I laid you down. I love you big boy.

-Daddy

My wife in quotes

There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up, and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.

-- Washington Irving (1783-1859) American Writer

To be capable of steady friendship or lasting love, are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind.

-- William Hazlitt (1778-1830) English Essayist

Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life.

-- Ann Landers, born 1918

No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work.

-- Mother Teresa (1910-1997) Albanian Missionary

Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young.

-- A.W. Pinero

Dear Lord

Dear Lord,

I know we don't talk much anymore, but I know you always listen to me when I call. I just wanted you to know how much this family you have given me means to me. I tell you this a lot, but I just needed to write it down. I am trying my best to take care of them and do what is right. My little boy bows his head to pray before we eat, and he puts a smile on any face he meets. He truly is a treasure. If you took him home tomorrow I would be a better man for having had him. My wife is a blessing without end. I definitely don't deserve her, but I do try to make up for the discrepancy. She is carrying our second child now and I am equally amazed at how the whole process works. I know I don't deserve all that you have done and continue to do so I just wanted to say thanks.

Love,
Mike

Gavin

I am in the home stretch of a 36 hour shift right now and I just got off the phone with mommy as she was rocking you to sleep. I talked to you and you giggled which melted my heart. I miss you so much. I have been wearing the rubberband you left on the Coke machine yesterday on my wrist. When I look at it I think of you and I smile. I have clinical time tomorrow morning at the hospital, but I may just leave early so I can see you and mommy. I miss you guys so much, and it's hard to be away from you when I am getting paid let alone when I am not getting paid. Stupid clinical time.

I printed out the application for the town where your Uncle Robert is a police officer since it doesn't look very promising here in C town. I am number 10 on the list and I will be dropping 5 spots because I am not a medic nor do I have a degree. I do have plenty of college credits, but no degree. Don't worry tho I will make it on someplace, and that will probably be a good thing if it isn't here in C town.

I love and miss you!
Daddy

Unity

Lori,

I enjoy getting to know the person you are more and more every year. Thank you for being my perfect match. After 14 years you still amaze me. Your grace, beauty and gentle spirt are the envy of every man I know. You have the presence to soften the most bitter heart, and the loyalty to make the truest friends. Your have the grace and compassion of a queen. It is my greatest honor and deepest humilty that you chose to marry me. Thank you for all you are and for all we have become together. You make me want to be a better man. Plus you make cute kids. :)

I love you more today than yesterday,
Mike

Hockey is expensive, but babies don't know that darn it.