Parental Education

I'm finally getting around to porting some pictures from the hard drive on Brenna's laptop to Picasa so I can utilize them here or on Facebook. You would think that should be simple, but it's a daunting task to take on all of the photos on Brenna's hard drive. One can get lost for days reviewing all those memories. It's amazing how she's managed to capture so much of our lives. Choosing only a few of the photos almost makes me feel guilty!

At any rate, I've been wanting to get this photo onto my machine for some time now. This was taken on Father's Day last year, and it reminds me how lucky I am to be a Dad with children who love me. I try hard to be worthy of their love, but I know I fall short in many areas. It's simply a testament to the ability of children to love unconditionally.

As the youngest child in my family with my nearest sibling being 5 1/2 years older than I, I grew up not having to share my things or experiencing what it's like to have a younger brother or sister always wanting to tag along or pester. If anything, I was the one doing the pestering. Translating all of this into the life of an adult meant that I wasn't sure how I would fare with the responsibilities of fatherhood. The good news is that as a family we're helping each other and learning from each other.

The other night I heard Savannah lose her temper with Madison. Pretty common stuff, but it really struck me as to how much Savannah sounded like me when speaking to Madison while frustrated. So, I said to Savannah in my parentally patient voice, "Savannah, I know you learned that from me, but try to do better than your dad." I was amazed and appreciative at her quick reaction. She has a real capacity to be kind and a leader, but she simply needed a gentle reminder. It made me think how easy it should be for me to maintain patience and speak soothingly instead of becoming angry and raising my voice.

I enjoy these little rewards of parenting so much. It's the learning that the children bring into my life that really makes me grateful for the opportunity to be a dad. And then, you have days like the one in the photo where they sit on your chest, and for those moments you know life can't get any better. When those perfect moments come along it almost makes me feel like I'm stealing.

And now we know that child number four will be another little girl. Hunter was a bit disappointed, as he was hoping for a brother, but he quickly got over it, and we're all anxiously awaiting her arrival in early May. A father to four? Yep, and I couldn't be happier!