Letters to our boys

Something Tammy and I did with Brooks when he turned one year old was to each write him a letter that would go in his baby book. We’ve done this with Brayden as well. They will both hopefully have these letters all their lives and can look back on them periodically throughout the years. It seemed a great thing to do at the time, but this last year, I had the thought, why just one letter? Why not write more often to them, sharing the prayers I pray for them, giving them a glimpse of what my hopes were for them during each year or season in their lives. I want to share with them through their dad’s eyes how I see them growing, how I see their personality developing, qualities I see being formed within them. I want them to know what I think is so special about them at age 3, age 7, age 17. I want them to know what it is about them that brings a smile to my face, to know the things I love about them. They are incredibly special to me, and I intend to allow them to see what was and is in my heart and my love for them as they are grow and mature from little boys all they way until they’re full grown men.

Life Happens While You're Busy Making Other Plans For It

Time flies…whether you are having fun or not, time flies. In just a couple weeks, we will flip the calendar again and head into another year, and in fact, another decade all together. Seems like the other day we were all freaked out about Y2K, and now, just like that, it’s about to be 2010. It’s ridiculous, really it is. Life goes by so incredibly fast it seems like a blur. As I spend time with my wife, my boys, and those in my family, I often consciously tell myself to take it all in, to not miss “life” and all the blessings of God. I’ve heard it said, “Life happens while you’re busy making other plans for it”. Wow…that’s so true for so many of us. Certainly it’s been true of me at different points in my life.

I’ve always been a planner. I often think about the future, about being prepared, being ready for whatever is to come our way. Even in simple things like a family vacation, I spend probably too much time planning exactly where we’ll stay, what we’ll do, etc. I’m not sure being this way is always a good thing, but hey, it’s part of who I am. And as a planner, I’ve had to constantly remind myself over and over again that THIS IS MY LIFE. Instead of always looking ahead, I need to open my eyes, take a look around and enjoy this life and the blessings of God. Brooks will never be 4½ again, and Brayden will never be 2½ again. They are growing up and at some point soon enough, they will both realize that the Christmas gifts they get on Christmas morning are actually just gifts from mom and dad and not from some guy named Santa Claus. Tammy is my bride and never could I have imagined being so blessed with such a wife and mother to our boys as she is. Yes, I am a blessed man. And, I need to take it all in, not miss any of it. This is life…now. I can put the thoughts and plans for the future on hold for a little bit and just enjoy this life now.