As I handed Ella…
As I handed Ella her milk this morning, she said, “There you go sweetheart.” My sentiments exactly. 
Feeling Like a Child on Father’s Day
Every so often I get the most tantalizing awareness of the life I’m living. Despite my thirty-five plus years, I feel as though I’m experiencing a moment as the me I was twenty-five or so years ago. For example, sometimes I stop and ponder the present life I live with my wife, Beth, and our daughter, Ella, and I think it so strange that a “twelve year-old” like myself should find himself in such circumstances. When will they “find me out” and tell me to pack up and go home because playtime is over?
Mind you, this isn’t a bad or frightening feeling. I’m not saying I feel like an imposter during these moments. Rather, these are times when I’m able to enjoy my present circumstances with the joy and whimsy of a child. What’s more, I know I’m not alone in these thoughts. I’m quite sure that whether or not you’ve ever felt this way, you’re capable of feeling this way given the right outlook.
What I’m describing here is one aspect of what I believe it means to be young at heart. It isn’t about not “acting your age”. Instead it’s about enjoying life’s moments as a gift. I count it as a gift when I’m able to reflect on my present roles and responsibilities with the delight of my younger self pretending to be all grown up. It’s a great stress reliever, and it helps me enter into the experiences of those around me.
These thoughts came to me as our house was winding down this evening. Mommy was brushing Ella’s teeth, and I was getting ready to read Ella a bedtime story. It had been a wonderful Father’s Day. It started with me getting Ella out of bed this morning. As I rubbed her back, she lifted her arm and said, “Hi, Daddy.” Then I brought her into the den, and we snuggled on the couch for a while before Mommy came in from getting dressed. We went to church, and then we drove over to my Father’s church to hear him preach. He exhorted all the fathers that their single most important job was to lead their children to Christ. I could attest to his integrity in saying this as he has done this for me.
Later this evening, I found myself thinking about God as my Dad. It’s such an astounding claim that Christians make: The God who created the Universe is the same God who is our Abba, Daddy, Father (Romans 8:15). Yet, this is what is attested to in the Scriptures. Therefore, considering my adoption as God’s son by virtue of my faith in Christ, in one sense, I’m justified in feeling like a child as I go through life. By virtue of His Holy Spirit, God imparts the vitality of the Christ-life upon His children. He makes all things new, redeeming our lives for His eternal purposes. Despite the fact that our bodies grow old, if we allow Him, His Spirit will infuse our everyday moments with the wonder, awe and even whimsy that comes from being children of the Great, High King.
Drinking Milk
Ella has started drinking her milk out of a cup with a straw. What a big girl!
Ella’s Super “Twos” Day
Ella is two years old today! We started the morning by giving her a Madeline doll. Then we brought her into the den where her Cozy Coupe was waiting for her. She proceeded to climb in and zoom around the house.
Our Beach Trip: Seven Questions Asked and Answered
Yesterday was a wonderful day to get back in the flow of home life. We started the morning at church. I was blessed with the opportunity to teach in our community group and got to lead an active group conversation on God’s role as Creator. When we got home, Ella went down for a nap. I cooked lunch and had some great conversation with Beth (she said the distractions of my cooking made the pacing perfect for processing her thoughts). After Ella’s nap, the three of us headed outside for some yard work. Finally, we finished off the evening with a “dinner” of frozen yogurt at Froyoz and a little grocery shopping.
This past week was a wonderful week of discovery for our little family. Given Beth and my predilection for details and planning, several questions were on our mind as we planned our beach trip. Now we’d like to share our questions and the answers we discovered:
1) Will the pool and ocean be warm enough?
LONG ANSWER: We got serious about our beach trip in late April. We saw that the week of Memorial Day offered accommodations at substantial savings to the following peak summer weeks. The only major question about doing this in Beth’s mind was, “Will the pool and ocean be warm enough?” With thoughts of global warming in mind, I assured her that it would.
My prediction held true. Air temps were in the mid to upper-eighties, and I’d estimate the ocean temp was in the mid to upper seventies. As I’m writing this, I ask Beth if she concurs, and she says, “I don’t know temps, honey. It felt great. Not even a shiver from Ella all week.” In addition, the pool started out warm, and got warmer. By Tuesday, it was warmer than the evening air temperature.
SHORT ANSWER: Yes, they were perfect!
2) How will Ella do during the car ride?
Ella far exceeded our expectations. She was so patient, and she took naps “on command”. I swear I’m not making that up. For example, yesterday we ate lunch at Wendy’s. Afterwards, we started down the interstate, and mommy gave Ella her milk. She finished, and mommy said, “Ella, it’s time to take a nap.”
Ella asked, “Take a nap at home?” and mommy smiled and said, “No, in the car.”
Ella thought about that for a minute. “Paci in the car?” she asked pensively. Mommy nodded, handing back the treasured nap time talisman. Ella stuck it in her mouth and said, “Sing?” Mommy sang her nap time song, and Ella proceeded to take a two hour nap.
3) Will Ella sleep in her playpen?
Yes, Ella loved sleeping in her playpen. With all of her blankies and “pink puppy”, it seemed as though she liked it as much as her regular bed.
4) Will we eat good food?
Yes, we loved dining out at Roastfish and Cornbread, and our dinners in were scrumptious as well.
I was just discussing this one with Beth, and she said it was never a question in her mind. “You know why?” she asked.
“No, why?”
“Because you were going on the trip I knew we would eat yummy food,” she said.
Gee, thanks honey!
5) What will we read?
Beth read Take Four by Karen Kingsbury and I read Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand.
6) How will Ella do in the pool and the ocean?
Fantastic! Her progression throughout the week was fun to behold. Somewhat timid at first, by the end of the week, one of her favorite things to do was sit on the side of the pool, roll in with our help, and swim (with a helping hand) several feet underwater.
7) BONUS: What will we name our new baby?
Paige. We’ve got the middle name too, but we’re still working on the spelling.
Given that we’re getting back to our regular routine, my hunch is this will be the last extended post that I’ll write here for a while. In the meantime, I’ll continue to post pictures and shorter updates; however, I’ll save my longer writing for my personal/business blog.
Biking on Hilton Head
Today’s “post from the beach” is coming late because we’ve been busy packing a full day into our last day. Among the many fun things we’ve done, we made sure to take one last bike ride after dinner this evening.
We were told that Hilton Head ranks in some top ten list for US biking communities, and it’s easy for us to see why. Everywhere you look there are tree lined bike trails.
On Wednesday, we rented two “cruising bikes” for the remainder of the week. We attached Ella’s Kid Kart to mine, and we’ve taken a bike ride every day since. Last night we biked to dinner at Carraba’s Italian Restaurant, and tonight we took our longest ride of the week as we went over to a secluded golf resort.
The ease of hoping onto our bikes for a ride has fit in perfectly with the pacing of our vacation. Beth and I both agree that Hilton Head is our kind of place. Its quiet beaches, miles of bike trails and family atmosphere have made a great week long home for our little family. We leave tomorrow with sweet memories which will last a lifetime.
Morning Excursion
This morning we rented bikes from the resort where we are staying. We brought Ella’s Kid Kart, so this meant the three of us were off for some biking fun.
We ended up at a park about a mile down the road. Ella stopped long enough with Mommy for the shot on the alligator. She also enjoyed playing on the pirate ship play structure which she called “Noah’s Ark”.
Beach Friends
On Monday, we happened to camp out on the beach next to a father and his little girl. It wasn’t long before the girls allowed us to make quick introductions. The little girl’s name is Claire. She’s five, and her family is down from Maryland for the week.
Yesterday, Claire helped me build a sandcastle for Ella. Afterwards, Beth sat Ella inside, and she played for a while before we granted her wish to tear it down.
Here are some shots from our morning on the beach yesterday (be sure to click on an image to see it full size, and if you’re viewing through email or a feed reader, click through to the post for that functionality):
Swimin’
Just as We got to the pool this evening, Beth realized she had forgotten something. So, Ella and I got in the pool and proceeded to have a grand old time. We did “monkey chase the weasel,” “watering can,” and “Ella swim to Daddy”.
Later when Beth returned, she asked what I’d done to get Ella so eager to do all the exercises she’d learned in swim class. I had no idea as I had just done all the things which Ella had asked me to do. Beth laughed and said she had never seen Ella so eager before. She figured that perhaps it was because I was not as timid with Ella as she is. Next time we go to the pool, Beth says she wants me to have five minutes alone with Ella before she gets in.
Just before we left, I got this video of Ella swimming to Mommy:
First Taste of the Beach
We arrived at our place around six. Ella was such a trooper during the car ride. She only slept for an hour, but the rest of the time she played with Uncle Grizz, watched Blue’s Clues on the iPad, ate snacks or colored in her “handy dandy notebook”. All day she said, “Go beach?” or “Go sandcastle?” but she was patient nonetheless.
After dinner at IHOP (where we learned that Ella likes orange juice), we said, “Ella, we can go walk on the beach for a minute, but we can’t get in the water.” She looked Mommy in the eye and said, “Yes, beach,” completely understanding the gravity of the situation.
On the beach, she pranced as she held onto our hands. Afterwards, she calmly walked back with us. During bedtime, she gladly followed our instructions. She had her bottle, brushed here teeth, and I read her a book about Corduroy, the bear in green overalls with a missing button. She seemed to like the familiar routine in a new environment. After pointing out Mommy and Daddy’s bed and Ella’s bed, I sang her our bedtime song, laid her down, and she settled in falling asleep quickly.