Upside Down Boy!
“Upside Down Boy!” Caleb’s momma happily says as she plays with him. The delight in his eyes sparkle and that grin that we love opens wider and wider. In a single moment is captured the essence of boyhood – to have fun and be rowdy!
I remember my formative years and the countless hours spent wrestling, tickling, playing with foam swords, and so many other rowdy games with my dad and how much fun it was! Already I see myself in my son. Not only do I see the resemblance in looks, but also in persona. He is easy going, loves easily, and wants to push every button and play with every electronic gadget within reach! Well, let me tell you it delights my heart to have a little boy like Caleb. He reminds me to stay a child at heart – to remember that life isn’t always about paying bills, working to provide for my family, and other seemingly mundane activities. It’s about finding joy in the simple things, a simple game of hide-and-seek, a wink from my wife, or being an “Upside Down Boy”!
So It Has Begun
So I did it, I put aside any self criticism and submitted a photo of mine to The Pioneer Woman’s newest photo contest. The picture I submitted I took just yesterday as my Brother-in-law came home from Romania after spending nearly a year at the YWAM base there. This moment although lasting only mere seconds was heart wrenching and electric with joy at the same time. The passion of the love of a mother for her son is told if only by her posture.
Caleb, Christmas Trees, and The Saviour
It’s been 1 year since our precious son entered our world. 1 year since our lives changed forever. In this same month, we celebrate the coming of Jesus to the earth. What a wonderful month it is! To on one hand know that because of Jesus coming as a little baby – vulnerable, fragile, and yet the King of all Kings has given us the opportunity to be redeemed and set free from the death that we have all been destined for – and on the other, to see the life that God gave us in our beautiful little son is such a miracle. We are blessed beyond measure. My heart is overjoyed and all I can do is say thank you Jesus, my Lord, for what you have done for us and what you have given to us. Celebrating the free gift of his Son and of our son fills me to overflowing.
The other night, as Caleb was playing in front of the Christmas tree which represents light and life, he paused for a brief moment to look up. He reached out to touch an ornament and in that moment, all of the joy and hope of our family was captured. The lights twinkling in his eyes, the anticipation of joy and peace… All in a moment.
“Me Make Fire” – Post from Melissa
I had to share this post again since it was such a beautiful post and a blessing to me. Visit www.aheavenlyjourney.net to view all of my wife’s amazing posts!
My husband wrote something that really resonated with me:
“I must admit, there is a sense of accomplishment each and every time I complete even the smallest task that improves the house or fixes something. It must be something built into us guys that we want to work with our hands to make things work… I am seeing the image of Tom Hanks dancing around the fire in “Castaway” shouting Me Make Fire! Yeah, I feel that way sometimes like when I managed to bring our front lawn back to beautiful green-ness for pennies – or one of many other countless victories.”
He loooooves working on our house. LOVES it. He gets mildly…okay, really obsessed with it. I don’t get it. I’d rather spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon relaxing, going on a picnic, having friends over – but his first thought when a few free hours come up is “What can I do for the house???”. I didn’t understand this for a long time. I’d be all “Whatever. Let me know when you’re done so we can go have some fun.”
Then, he wrote this blog last night. And I read it this morning.
And now I get it.
It is hard-wired into my husband to enjoy these things. It is in his masculine nature to conquer, to “make fire”. And he wants me to dance around the theoretical bonfire with him. But I haven’t been doing that. He’s jumping around inside, beating his chest and bellowing “Me make fire!” in great excitement, and I’m sitting off to the side going “Okay, you’re done? Finally. Moving on.”
And he just wants me to dance with him for a moment.
So let’s dance around that fire, ladies! Let’s celebrate our husbands’ masculine nature, their innate desire to conquer, their need to celebrate even the smallest conquest. It doesn’t take much, just a big hug and a kiss (yes, even if he’s sweaty and gross!) and a “Good job, honey! You’re awesome!” and you’ll pretty much make his week.
I think I can do that.
Or I could let him build a big bonfire in the back yard….
Nah…
“It’s been a while”
So, what’s new in our lives? Well, starting with moving into our new home! YAY!
This was from a website, I didn't take this one hence the copyright.
When we first got this house, it was a total miracle. We had put in an offer on the home the day it went on the market. We walked inside and saw the kind of work it would need and realized it’s potential. After 60 days of fighting with 2 lien-holders on the property and countless frustrations, we managed to secure the home and close on April 14th!
When I talk about the “work” it needed, see for yourself!
My Future Office.... Only one question... Why?
This room was the worst. The owners bought the house with an unfinished main-level bedroom and bath and attempted to finish it themselves. The short of it is that they managed to mud all the drywall without taping it first so it was entirely cracked on every seam, the electrical wiring was, in places, holding up the 2×4′s they used to frame parts of the room, and nothing was straight. It was the worst finishing job I’d ever seen in my life!
Entrance to my Office
Family Room - Just LOVED their choice of GRAY 
Our Kitchen - BEFORE
The Bathroom - BEFORE
And so the work began! We started ripping and tearing and spending every spare moment at the house trying to get it ready to move-in in the two weeks we had before our lease expired at our town home. We couldn’t have done it without the help of a multitude of friends and family!
Dad White in his Element
Painting Par-tay!
And we made it! We painted all the ceilings, all the walls, cleaned the carpet, cleaned the bathroom (it was disgusting) removed hundreds of boxes and trash the old owners left behind, installed all new appliances, and moved in in 2 weeks. Phew!
Well, at that point the fun at just begun. I never really understood how much work is in just keeping up a house let alone bringing it back to its full glory. Aside from the dozens of projects that are still left undone, I’ve been working on getting our front lawn to come back to life and trying to keep the weeds from invading our back yard! All of you fellow home owners know what I mean when I say the work is never done. But I must admit, there is a sense of accomplishment each and every time I complete even the smallest task that improves the house or fixes something. It must be something built into us guys that we want to work with our hands to make things work… I am seeing the image of Tom Hanks dancing around the fire in “Castaway” shouting Me Make Fire! Yeah, I feel that way sometimes like when I managed to bring our front lawn back to beautiful green-ness for pennies – or one of many other countless victories.
I can’t not (yes that’s a double negative!) mention that my wife has contributed in so many invaluable ways with her eye for decorating and colors. Me make things work, she make things pretty!
Our Living Room - NOW
A New Addition to our Kitchen
Partial view of our Kitchen
White Railings (Still in process)
Our bathroom
So on top of having an 8 month-old baby who is the love of my life….
And from having an amazing wife to spend time with who is the Love of My Life!….
And from having a relationship with Jesus Christ who is the LOVE OF MY LIFE!….
I now have this home to take care of. And that means that this summer I have not gone fishing, climbing, or hiking. I’ve been camping once with a couple of guys, and that’s it. But it’s strange. As much as I miss those things, when the time comes or the opportunity presents itself, I find myself wanting to either spend time with my family relaxing or working on the house. My family will always come before anything else, but now all my other hobbies have kinda lost their luster and my new hobby is working on my home. Strange… Never knew I’d be one of those guys who enjoys work 
Well, anyway, time is getting away from me and I need to get up early tomorrow morning to hit the gym (try 5:00am!) Goodnight blog-land! I missed you and I promise this time I’ll be around a lot more often!
- Child Rearing
- Children
- Faith
- Jesus
- Godly Parenting
- Portraits
- Engagement
- Babies
- Maternity
On Becoming Daddy
Colorado Springs, Colorado