Well, if you look at the gap in time between my last post and this one, it's been several months since I last posted. I have been quite lax, and I hope to return to a more regular blog-updating schedule. Here's to hoping I can keep to a better schedule, but today's events in Washington seem to be prime for commentary; so on that note I thought that I would begin again.
No matter your opinion on the Bush administration's proposed bail-out that was voted down today in the House of Representatives, you probably have been detrimentally affected by the fallout after the vote and the precipitating economic crisis. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone (much less myself) has a crystal ball that can provide the best way forward to get us out of this mess, but I think that the market's reaction to uncertainty provides ample opportunity for reflection.
As I've been pondering today's events, I've been reminded of a couple verses of scripture. Most notably Ecclesiastes 5:10 - "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless"; and 1 Timothy 6:10 - "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." I can't help but think that God is using this situation to remind us all that the world is an evil place, and that above all else, it has an insatiable greed for money and the power that it brings.
I'm not one to advocate that this is God bringing some sort of karmic comeuppance upon us. I think to proffer such a position shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the gospel; for if God were a cosmic accountant waiting for us to fail, we all would have been eliminated long ago. I just think that times like these, when hardships are on the forefront of many minds, it is worthwhile to remember that God will continue to preserve those who look to Him, and that "[we] are not of the world, even as [He] is not of it." (John 17:16).
I guess the best way forward for those of us on the fringes looking in is to pray for wisdom for both our leaders and ourselves. Thanks for sticking with me on the blog, and I'll get back to Addie soon.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Writer's Block
Since my last blog entry a few weeks ago, I've been suffering through a stupendous, jaw-dropping lack of motivation to do much aside from going to work and helping Anna with Addie. Yesterday, after being mocked by my Mother-in-law for the dearth of blog posts that have been appearing on Blogsted, I have made a commitment to start over again. Therefore, as you read this, the blog is transforming from Blogsted to Blogsted 2.0! Huzzah!
In order to properly inaugurate Blogsted 2.0, I think it would be appropriate to give you a brief recap as to what has happened over the past few weeks. Imagine the following list coming across your computer screen like the crawl of text before the Star Wars movies. Go download the soundtrack, and prepare to play the first track. I'll wait.
Okay, are you ready? Press play, and then slowly scroll through the below list. Here goes:
Okay, you can stop the music. That's about the long and the short of it. My writer's block has effectively dissipated with the writing of this post, so I'm planning on writing more often. Thanks for sticking with me.
In order to properly inaugurate Blogsted 2.0, I think it would be appropriate to give you a brief recap as to what has happened over the past few weeks. Imagine the following list coming across your computer screen like the crawl of text before the Star Wars movies. Go download the soundtrack, and prepare to play the first track. I'll wait.
Okay, are you ready? Press play, and then slowly scroll through the below list. Here goes:
- Addie smiles, a lot.
- Addie is quite vocal, and she is fascinated by the ceiling.
- Addie rolled over, but I was not around to see it.
- I've decided that Anna is the best new mother I've ever seen. I'm in awe of how she relates to Addie and how good she is with her.
- I change diapers pretty regularly.
- The diaper genie has been replaced with another, superior diaper disposal contraption.
Okay, you can stop the music. That's about the long and the short of it. My writer's block has effectively dissipated with the writing of this post, so I'm planning on writing more often. Thanks for sticking with me.
Monday, May 5, 2008
She smiles!
Up until recently, I've been telling people, when they ask about Addie, that she's healthy. Now, due to recent evidence, I can claim she's happy, because she's started smiling. It's easy to question whether or not said smiles are actual expressions of happiness or expressions caused by an excessive quantity of gas. My first questionable joy/gas smile was a few weeks ago, so I was willing to let that one pass. But last week--when Addie heard me talking to her after I walked into the room--she looked at my and gave me an honest-to-goodness smile. And my heart melted. It's weird how that happens, but the moment I knew that she was pleased with me as her daddy, I was the happiest I've ever been.
Although Anna (in full disclosure) has received the lion's share of Addie's smiles, she still seems to smile at me every now and again. I'm wondering what it is that she finds so entertaining, but I'm trying not to delve too deeply into the infant psychology, as it would probably be a misshapen facsimile of me that would speak with my voice (which, now that I think about it, would be awesome. I hope that's what she imagines me to be--amorphous daddy-blob). No matter what I'm just glad she's happy. But I must confess that I've been furtively trying to recreate the circumstances that led to the initial smiling. As far as I can tell, just talking to her seems to trigger the smiles, but I'm not sure what else. So, until further notice, I'm talking to her like nobody's business. I just hope that I can crack the code--unless it's gas.
Although Anna (in full disclosure) has received the lion's share of Addie's smiles, she still seems to smile at me every now and again. I'm wondering what it is that she finds so entertaining, but I'm trying not to delve too deeply into the infant psychology, as it would probably be a misshapen facsimile of me that would speak with my voice (which, now that I think about it, would be awesome. I hope that's what she imagines me to be--amorphous daddy-blob). No matter what I'm just glad she's happy. But I must confess that I've been furtively trying to recreate the circumstances that led to the initial smiling. As far as I can tell, just talking to her seems to trigger the smiles, but I'm not sure what else. So, until further notice, I'm talking to her like nobody's business. I just hope that I can crack the code--unless it's gas.
Monday, April 28, 2008
My dog ate my blog posts!
It's been far too long since I last updated the blog. Unfortunately, I am without proper excuse. Sure, I could say, "I have a baby, give me a break!" Or I could say, "I was in Atlanta last week in training, and you try blogging when you're in class all day!", but that would be pretty stand-offish of me, and I really don't want to do that. I've come to realize that I couldn't keep up the break-neck pace that I originally started this blog with, as I was fueled by adrenaline, sleep deprivation and Mountain Dew.
I promise, from here on out, I'll try my best not to leave you hanging. Instead, I'll try to settle in to a more realistic updating schedule. And seriously, Abbey ate my blog posts. I had, like, dozens.
I promise, from here on out, I'll try my best not to leave you hanging. Instead, I'll try to settle in to a more realistic updating schedule. And seriously, Abbey ate my blog posts. I had, like, dozens.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Could I really have expected less?
Although Anna and I have been taking pictures of Addie since the day she was born, today we had a session with a professional photographer in our home. This was a fantastic opportunity, as we are acquainted with the photographer, and this initial session was a gift. All seemed well at first. Addie was in a good mood, I had just changed her diaper--which I'm changing now (not well mind you, as I still get Anna to approve every change. I'm the roadkill remover to her foreman)--and she was awake and alert. Time to take some pictures!
The very first pictures we were to take we're going to involve Addie without a diaper, and in order to not show too much, we had to do some creative positioning. Remember, we had just changed her, so clearly, we were not flirting with disaster, right? Well, the first thing that Addie does when Anna puts her up to her chest (while wearing black, no less) was spit up, and then, immediately, she peed. Anna took being a human diaper in stride, and she and Addie took some great pictures. Then, Addie was handed off to me to take some daddy/daughter pictures--which I think turned out pretty well, and somehow, I avoided the consequences of a diaperless infant. Then, as soon as I gave Addie back to Anna, and--boom!--she poops down Anna's shirt.
The rest of the picture taking exercise went fine, save Addie getting a little upset toward the end. But Anna wanted me to make absolutely clear, that for some reason, Addie only used her as a toilet. We're not really sure why I didn't have target on my back for the logical end of Addie's meals, but I escaped for now. I'm sure that's not a permanent condition--but I'll take it when I can get it.
The very first pictures we were to take we're going to involve Addie without a diaper, and in order to not show too much, we had to do some creative positioning. Remember, we had just changed her, so clearly, we were not flirting with disaster, right? Well, the first thing that Addie does when Anna puts her up to her chest (while wearing black, no less) was spit up, and then, immediately, she peed. Anna took being a human diaper in stride, and she and Addie took some great pictures. Then, Addie was handed off to me to take some daddy/daughter pictures--which I think turned out pretty well, and somehow, I avoided the consequences of a diaperless infant. Then, as soon as I gave Addie back to Anna, and--boom!--she poops down Anna's shirt.
The rest of the picture taking exercise went fine, save Addie getting a little upset toward the end. But Anna wanted me to make absolutely clear, that for some reason, Addie only used her as a toilet. We're not really sure why I didn't have target on my back for the logical end of Addie's meals, but I escaped for now. I'm sure that's not a permanent condition--but I'll take it when I can get it.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
My world, turned upside down
For the last eight years of my marriage, I have slept on the right side of our bed. There has never been any dispute as to who's side of the bed is whose. Anna has always liked to sleep on the left side, and I enjoy the right. However, since Addie has arrived home, we have run into a problem. As Addie is still very young, Anna and I have been having her sleep in our room in the pack 'n' play (for those not familiar, a pack 'n' play is a portable crib/baby jail--you've probably seen one before, as a baby looks to you, the tallest individual available, for freedom). The sleeping in the pack 'n' play is not the issue--it's the positioning of the pack 'n' play (hereinafter the pnp, as I'm tired of typing pack 'n' play) in our bedroom.
In order for Anna to be as close to Addie as possible during the night (as Anna gets up with her so that I can sleep as much as possible before work), we've positioned the pnp next to her side of the bed. The problem is, this positioning of the pnp blocked our closet, making clothing retrieval a little complicated. So, yesterday, Anna proposed a solution--we switch sides of the bed, so that the pnp can be moved to where it would no longer block the closet. As a result of this bold proposition, last night--for the first time in nearly eight years--I slept on the left side of the bed. For those of you that are single, you're thinking: "so what's the big deal? I sleep on both sides all the time." While those of you who are married are thinking: "Switching sides of the bed must be grounds for institutionalization, right? Why would I switch? I mean it's my side." Married folks, I'm there with you--but I'm willing to sacrifice for the good of my wife and daughter.
But that doesn't mean that it wasn't one of the weirdest nights of sleep I've had in a while. Anna was genuinely concerned (as I occasionally sleepwalk--I locked myself out of a hotel room a couple of years ago at 2 a.m., but that's another story) that I would wake up in utter confusion as to why I would be sleeping on the left side of the bed. I didn't sleep all that well, but I consider the night a success as I didn't get up and leave the house in my sleep. I'll take waking up in my bed, albeit a little sleepy and slightly unnerved as to the left-sidedness of my bedded position, over waking up on the lawn. Until further notice, I'll continue to sleep on the left side of the bed. So, if you see me sleepwalking down the Interstate, please give me a ride--I'll thank you when I wake up.
In order for Anna to be as close to Addie as possible during the night (as Anna gets up with her so that I can sleep as much as possible before work), we've positioned the pnp next to her side of the bed. The problem is, this positioning of the pnp blocked our closet, making clothing retrieval a little complicated. So, yesterday, Anna proposed a solution--we switch sides of the bed, so that the pnp can be moved to where it would no longer block the closet. As a result of this bold proposition, last night--for the first time in nearly eight years--I slept on the left side of the bed. For those of you that are single, you're thinking: "so what's the big deal? I sleep on both sides all the time." While those of you who are married are thinking: "Switching sides of the bed must be grounds for institutionalization, right? Why would I switch? I mean it's my side." Married folks, I'm there with you--but I'm willing to sacrifice for the good of my wife and daughter.
But that doesn't mean that it wasn't one of the weirdest nights of sleep I've had in a while. Anna was genuinely concerned (as I occasionally sleepwalk--I locked myself out of a hotel room a couple of years ago at 2 a.m., but that's another story) that I would wake up in utter confusion as to why I would be sleeping on the left side of the bed. I didn't sleep all that well, but I consider the night a success as I didn't get up and leave the house in my sleep. I'll take waking up in my bed, albeit a little sleepy and slightly unnerved as to the left-sidedness of my bedded position, over waking up on the lawn. Until further notice, I'll continue to sleep on the left side of the bed. So, if you see me sleepwalking down the Interstate, please give me a ride--I'll thank you when I wake up.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Pictures!
Due to the high demand for pictures of Addie that we have received from family and friends, Anna has started a photo blog at http://www.thewamsteds.blogspot.com. Take a look...
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