Arms Wide Open

The guys over at Dad-Blogs.com do a very cool thing every Friday to coordinate posts from some of the many Dads that blog out there. This is my first entry on a Fatherhood Friday but hopefully something I will be able to do each week. I’m up to my ears in conference calls today so this post will be short and sweet…..literally.

Basically it was a conversation that took place with our youngest child a few weeks ago. Those that know our youngest daughter know that she is a bit of  a card. She keeps us in stitches and is the one at the dinner table that provides the evening entertainment. She is also 4 years old…

So a few weeks ago, I picked her up from school (which is one of my favorite Daddy moments and one I don’t get to do often enough). As we were leaving the school, the following exchange took place.

Her: “Dad, I am now part of the Zip-Zip Club”

Me: “That is great! What is the Zip-Zip Club?”

Her: “It’s for all of the kids that can zip up their own coat”

Me: “Hey, I can zip up my own coat. Can I be a part of the Zip-Zip Club?”

Her: “Um Dad…It’s a small club”

Maybe you had to be there, but her response was priceless. I guess it takes more than just being able to zip up your coat to hang in the Zip-Zip Club. I’m also sure it won’t be the last time I won’t be invited to hang with one of my kids in their exclusive clubs. So it begins….

“The Boy” sent me a Power Point presentation that he put together this morning. Yes, you read that correctly. My 9 year old actually put together an entire Power Point. That amazes me because I work with grown adults that don’t know how to use that program. I did not assist him or help with this at all. It came straight from his mind. It was too good to not pass along this morning. Hope it makes you all laugh like it did for me:

“If I Were President” by “The Boy”

- I would make cotton candy for breakfast.

- I would make no bed times so you could stay up all night.

- I would make your birthday everyday.

- I would make video games $1.00.

- I would make your pay day $100,000,900.

- I would make the basketball hoop 5 foot not 10 foot.

- I would make school’s have 17 weeks off of school and then 1 day of school and then 17 weeks off.

- I would also make flat screen tv’s only $5.00

- I would make PSP’s free for everybody.

- I would make there be 20 feet of snow and basketball cards are a penny.

- I would make the North Carolina Tar Heels the best team in every sport.

- I would make instead of regular slide I would make a water slide. That would be sweet.

- You could meet Lebron James and Kobe Bryant.

- I would make tickets to games like basketball, baseball football and tennis games free.

- I would make Duke University the worst team in everything.

- I would make these little robots that would correctly answer every question on your math test. And you would just say something and then I would happen. For example, you would say I would like some hot chocolate and then it would be right there

- I would make a pool in everyone’s house.

- I would make your backyard 1,000 feet.

- I would make no math at school and just playing outside, lunch, writing and reading.

- THE END.

Now THAT is change we can believe in!!!

On Saturday morning, my good friend Brian and I are headed back to Indianapolis. In what is becoming an annual tradition, we are taking our 2 oldest children to the All Pro Dad Colts Father and Kids Experience. Last year we took them to the same event but visited the home of the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a great time of connection, affirmation and fun with our little ones. On several occasions over the past year, my son and oldest daughter have both asked when the next All Pro Dad days is. Being that Brian is a diehard Colts fan and I am what you would call a “frontrunner” fan (they are 7-0!!), we were first in line to sign up for this location. While I don’t claim to be an All Pro Dad, here are the 10 ways to strive for that:

1. Love Your Wife

2. Spend time with your children

3. Be a Role Model

4. Understand Your Children

5. Show Affection

6. Enjoy Your Children

7. Eat Together As A Family

8. Discipline With a Gentle Spirit

9. Pray and Worship Together

10. Realize You’re a Father Forever

Dad’s -- If you think you don’t have time for something like this…I would argue that we don’t have ENOUGH times like this. This is the best investment you can ever make. “It won’t be like this for long…..”

In the morning, our son will officially celebrate his 9th birthday. I can’t even type those words without wondering where the last 9 years went. I can’t seem to get my mind around how quickly it has flown by. What scares me even more is that when that time frame goes by again, he’ll be officially an “adult”. In honor of his birthday, I thought I would post this letter I wrote to him in March of 2005. The words still ring true today. To “the boy” I want to say Happy Birthday. Thank you for making the last 9 years of my life something I never knew I was missing and so much more. I love you son.

Because…..A Letter To My Son

Because you are my son
Because I am proud to be your father
Because I will never forget the day you were born
Because you are more beautiful than I could have imagined
Because you were “fearfully and wonderfully made”
Because I am your hero
Because someday, you will be mine
Because “I want to go with daddy”
Because you have taught me how our heavenly father loves His children.

Because you have my hands and feet
Because you have your mother’s eyes
Because you love your sisters and mother as much as I do
Because, no matter what, you always love me..
Because no matter what, I will always love you
Because you greet the world with “Arms Wide Open”
Because I can’t wait to watch you grow and learn
Because of stories at night and breakfast in the morning
Because you always remind us at dinner to “say our prayers”

Because I can protect you at times
Because there are times when I cannot protect you
Because we serve a God that watches during ALL of those times
Because the things of the past
Because the future to come.

I love you my precious son.

I saw this commercial the other night and was cracking up. I’ve got 2 little girls and it was oh so close to home. If I’m going to stand in the backyard and play catch with “the boy” or spend hours developing his wicked post game, it’s only fair that I be an equal opportunity father. If it means grabbing the pom-poms and belting out a cheer, then so be it. I’ll wear that moment like a badge of honor! I’m telling you right now, I can do a mean “Hoedown Throwdown” (it’s a dance in case you were not sure) and I know every single word to the song “The Climb“.

I’m just saying…that’s all.

So how about it dads? What’s the worst most embarrassing thing you’ve done for your little ones? You can share it here. You’re amongst friends….

A few weeks ago, I was flipping channels in time to see Michael Jordan’s induction speech for the Basketball Hall of Fame. You all know me enough by now to now that I bleed Carolina Blue. I defend the colors. I am obsessed with it’s history. But I will be the first to say this….Michael, you were a jerk. “The boy” and I often watch old clips of “His Airness” so he can see the amazing gifts and abilities of the greatest player to ever play. I’m thankful that “the boy” wasn’t watching the night I stumbled across MJ’s speech. I would have had some “splaining to do”. Enter “The Admiral”, David Robinson…..

If I need a video clip of what it means to reach the top and never forget who and what got you there, this is it. This is the complete opposite of MJ’s speech. This is a man that has never apologized for his faith or his love for his family. Watch this clip (if you don’t have time, watch the beginning for what he says to his family and forward it to the 6:41 mark to hear the end). Thank you David Robinson. You are in a class by yourself.

By the way, all was not lost. Former Tar Heel Larry Brown was on stage to represent the Carolina Blue during David’s Speech.