Spirituality

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Dear Holly: I Want Mommy to Go into Labor Tomorrow Night

39 ½ weeks.

Dear Holly: I Want Mommy to Go into Labor Tomorrow Night

Dear Holly,

Here we are, 3 days before your due date on the 21st, and just 2 days before my birthday on the 20th. So you can imagine what I want to happen:

I want you to be born on my 35th birthday.

For that to easily happen, Mommy needs to go into labor with you late Tuesday night (the 19th) and then you can be born on Wednesday (the 20th). Even if Mommy has a long labor with you like she did with your brother Jack (20 hours), you would likely still be born within the 24 hour time frame of April 20th.

The stars are aligning for this to take place. Today begins Mommy’s 4 month maternity leave; plus, Grandma (Mommy’s Mommy) flew in from California late last night.

Therefore, Mommy has so many reasons now to finally be able to relax…and have a baby!

And that brings up another reason it be nice for you to be born on the 20th; Grandma specially had her flight moved up by 36 hours to help ensure she got here before you did.

Even if you’re not born on my 35th birthday, our birthdays will still be close so I’m happy about that either way.

That’s the way it was with Nonna; my own Mommy was born on April 11th, just 9 days before my birthday.

So ultimately, even if you’re not born on my birthday… you, me, and Nonna will all have April birthdays!

The strangest thing happened today on the home when I stopped to get gas. The lady across the pump from me asked me to help her unscrew the lid on her portable gas container. I then complimented her on her Honda Fit; which I want to be my next car.

As we were talking, I mentioned that “my wife is about to have our 2nd child in a few days.”

She immediately responded with a confident smile, “Your wife is having a girl?”

With amazement, I said, “Yes… but how did you know that? Did I already tell you?”

She told me she just could tell; even though she was just looking at me. I hadn’t show her a picture of Mommy or anything. I guess it’s even further fascinating that she followed up with, “And your first born is a boy.”

While I started to imagine she might be an angel walking among us, she told me she is a school bus driver named Darlene. She said she’ll be looking for me on my way to work each morning now, since her route is the same as mine. Her bus number is 69, so I’ll be on the lookout.

We are so happy and so ready for your arrival! While the whole labor process is obviously on the chaotic side, it’s something that Mommy and I are officially looking forward to now.

I am ready for our family to grow, by about 7 pounds… hopefully on Wednesday.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Easter 2016 at The Shell House

5 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack: Easter 2016 at The Shell House

Dear Jack,

This makes our first Easter as a family where we didn’t travel to Nonna and Papa’s house in Alabama to celebrate. With Mommy being 8 months pregnant, she isn’t currently able to be in the car for that long of a trip.

Dear Jack: Easter 2016 at The Shell House

I never thought of it until this weekend, but this also made the first Easter for our family where I was responsible for hiding the eggs. So I obviously had fun hiding them in our backyard.

When you discovered your Easter basket, you immediately thanked and hugged Mommy and me.

I responded, “But what about the Easter Bunny?”

You instantly replied, “No, it was you and Mommy.”

I didn’t argue with you. Smart kid you are.

Mommy is such a good gift-giver. She found a very appropriate book for you: I’m a Big Brother.

Plus she got you another owl to match the one you got for Christmas. And she found some dinosaur eggs that dissolve in water and leave behind a dinosaur toy.

I know it sounds random, but she even got you a “bath bomb” for bath time. You love that kind of stuff these days!

Not to mention, there were one dollar bills in some of the eggs, plus a five dollar bill in the golden egg. So thanks to Grandma’s $2 bill she sent in the mail, you are now $14 richer.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HLIZ0AE/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

As far as candy, we did get you some of the traditional stuff, but you were just as excited about the Annie’s Homegrown snacks in your basket too.

http://www.annies.com/

Another first for this Easter, this made the first time, as a kid, you’ve ever gone to the main church service with us; at The Church at Station Hill. You love your Pre-K class that takes place while Mommy and I are in the main auditorium, but today, all the kids remained with their parents.

http://www.annies.com/

I’m pretty sure you thought it was neat. The story was fresh on your mind as I read the Easter story to you from your children’s Bible yesterday before your nap.

http://www.annies.com/

If nothing else, you got to work on an activity sheet where you had to help Mary through a maze to find the empty tomb of Jesus.

What a great Easter day for our family. And imagine, by next Easter, you’ll have a nearly one year-old baby sister!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: Easter 2016 at The Shell House

1 Comment Posted on car reviews, Spirituality, Uncategorized

I’ve Now Owned My 2004 Honda Element for a Decade; Looking to Trade It In

I’ve Now Owned My 2004 Honda Element for a Decade; Looking to Trade It In Now

It was a decade ago, in January 2006, that I got my first real job out of college. And 10 years later, I’m still at the same place; which is unusual these days, especially for a Millennial like me.

Just a couple of weeks after I got hired, it just so worked out that I was able to get my dream car: a Honda Element.

It’s been a wonderful decade. I’ve had no mechanical issues with it. It’s been faithful.

My Element was the car that my wife and I took our first date in.

It’s the car that I’ve carried our son to and from day care/pre-school each day for the past 5 years.

I’ll always remember the first time I ever asked him a question and he legitimately answered me; it was as I was placing him in his car seat in my Honda element when picked him up from school one day.

I asked him what he did that day at school that day.

To my amazement, he answered me, “I played.”

My 2004 Honda Element has been a great car. I still love my car and I wish they still made Honda Elements.

However, we have another child on the way, due in April. The plan is to trade in my Element for a new car by the time she arrives.

By “new car,” I mean “slightly used” car. I personally fundamentally can’t see myself buying a brand new car when I can get a better value by letting someone else “drive off” the warranty; and therefore, much of the price for me, as I will be the 2nd owner.

I’m looking for a Honda Fit that has between 30,000 and (up to) 60,000 miles on it. That puts us in the budget range we are prepared for.

A week ago at Darrell Waltrip Honda, they evaluated my 2004 Element being worth $5000 as a trade-in. (It has 153,000 miles on it.)

I’ve Now Owned My 2004 Honda Element for a Decade; Looking to Trade It In

My wife and I are planning to trade it in for a “slightly used” Honda Fit. While Fits are smaller than Elements, Fits have 5 seat belts whereas Elements only have 4.

Plus, my car is mainly used just for commuting Monday through Friday; we always drive my wife’s Honda Accord on the weekends and on road trips.

Basically, I’m just looking for a newer, slightly smaller version of what I already have, but also with another passenger seat, as well as cruise control. The way I see it, a Honda Fit is what I’m looking for; a quirky commuter car that will hold its value, like my Element has.

My research has shown me that Honda Fits definitely hold their value.

Because my wife and I are faithful Dave Ramsey followers, we already have the cash in the bank to pay for our “new” car. It’s not that we make more money than the average household in Nashville, because we don’t; that’s not why we are able to pay cash.

It’s instead because we have live by a strict budget where every dollar has its place, so that we tell our money where to go… instead of our money telling us where to go.

We are not in a desperate situation where we have to hurry up and by a car. We obviously will not be making payments on it or paying interest. When the time is right and the perfect Honda Fit presents itself, we shall strike.

The money will be paid. The car will be purchased. Sale complete.

Our plan from there is to eventually trade in my wife’s 2006 Honda Accord for possibly a “slightly used” Honda CR-V.

I am happy about moving forward with a newer vehicle and I am happy for whoever ends up with my Honda Element next. Ole “Jedi” has been good to me.

As for now, a decade later, it’s a year of change and new beginnings.

5 Comments Posted on Spirituality, Storytelling, Uncategorized, vegan

To Become an Atheist or a Vegan: Which is More Difficult?

To Become an Atheist or a Vegan: Which is More Difficult?

One shared stereotype between atheists and vegans is that they bring up the topic within 5 minutes of meeting people. In theory, they both have extreme beliefs and lifestyles that many other Americans don’t feel comfortable with accepting.

Atheists deny the existence of God or any kind of higher spiritual power. Meanwhile, vegans deny the need to consume any animal products (meat, dairy, eggs) in order to be healthy.

Both extremes deny things that most people can’t live without: God or edible animal products.

It’s almost an impossible question; to ask, “Which is more difficult, to become an atheist or a vegan?”

(That’s of course assuming you’re not already an atheist or agnostic; or vegetarian or vegan.)

I think much of the difficulty in legitimately asking and answering this question in a public online forum is that it might be easier for the participants to become more focused on bashing each other’s beliefs than it is to actually simply answer the question I am proposing. Hopefully, that’s not the case…

If you live your entire life believing in God (or at least some kind of spiritual higher power), it seems it would be nearly impossible to just switch off that fundamental belief; especially knowing that to believe in God is to accept accountability for your life, once it ends; assuming there are eternal rewards and consequences, accordingly.

It seems that if you truly believe in God, even if you’re a “lapsed Catholic” or a “backslidden Baptist,” you still wouldn’t be able to declare there is no God; because in your heart, you still would believe there is.

In my mind, to choose becoming an atheist over a vegan means you are already heading down that path of non-belief; that you’re already quite skeptical of God, or at least of the general public’s view of what God is supposed to be like.

But my perception is, that is not how most people (at least here in America) are.

On the other hand, if you are used to eating meat, dairy, and eggs, you could switch to just eating veggies, fruit, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. However, it would take much education to realize it could be done.

Most people still believe the myth that vegans don’t get enough protein. But I feel I’ve done a good job of busting that myth.

(Please read my related post: Vegans Don’t Get Enough Protein and the World is Still Flat.)

Look at me. I’ve been a vegan nearly 4 years now, and a vegetarian more than a year before that, and kosher (no pork/shellfish) for several years before that.

At 5’9”, 155 pounds, and age 34, I have remained in the perfect weight range. Notably, I am clearly not underweight.

To Become an Atheist or a Vegan: Which is More Difficult?

If I wasn’t getting enough protein, it would be pretty obvious.

Of course, my doctor confirms I am getting enough protein, as well as all other nutrients I need; and that I am “healthier than most 34 year-olds” he’s seen.

He even commented that he “wasn’t surprised” to learn in hindsight that I am a vegan; since I waited for him to assess my health before I broke the news about my plant-based lifestyle.

I say that not to brag, but to provide evidence that when you actually replace animal products with the proper plant sources of fat, protein, and iron, becoming a vegan is actually an intelligent and efficient option.

Plus, by being a vegan, by default, you consume less than 1% (basically 0%) of your daily allowance of cholesterol. You still consume a lot of fat, but virtually no cholesterol.

But in my experience, most people either A) don’t know this, B) don’t believe this, or C) don’t care.

Therefore, there are many people who believe in God but who are unable to bring themselves to believe that becoming a vegan is a sustainable lifestyle. They would have great difficulty in denying their belief that consuming animal products is necessary for proper nutrition.

That’s why I think it’s such a great, and difficult, question to answer.

Assuming you’re not already an atheist or agnostic, or vegetarian or vegan, which is more difficult, to become an atheist or a vegan?

I think I am the perfect person to propose this question.

That’s because I am not the stereotypical vegan. Most vegans, as this infographic below demonstrates, are liberal, non-religious females.

Meanwhile, I am a Libertarian (socially liberal, fiscally conservative), religious male.

For me personally, the answer is obviously simple: It’s easier to become a vegan, but impossible to become an atheist.

My faith is God is non-negotiable. Sure, I will go to my grave with questions I don’t understand about God, but to me, that’s what real faith is anyway.

And I’ve already been living the vegan lifestyle for nearly 4 years.

I’ve “been there, done that” when it comes to answer the vegan question.

But what do you think? What’s your answer?

Assuming you’re not already an atheist or agnostic, or vegetarian or vegan…

Which would be more difficult: To become an atheist or a vegan?

Which would be more difficult: To become an atheist or a vegan?

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, Spirituality, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Baby Moses, as Portrayed by a Sour Patch Kid, Floating on a River of Jell-O

5 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack: Baby Moses, as Portrayed by a Sour Patch Kid

Mommy and I have noticed how exceptional the children’s program is at our church, The Church at Station Hill. As part of your class curriculum each Sunday morning, you all get to walk over to the craft room after the lesson, where I am always impressed by what new craft you make.

I love it that our church has a room set aside just for kids’ crafts; most of which are edible. It’s always interesting to walk by that room and peek in to see what you’ll be making each morning as we take you to your classroom.

This past Sunday as we were walking back to the car after church ended, you showed Mommy and me the newest one.

It was baby Moses floating down the river.

What made this craft a lot of fun, especially on a Sunday morning as I was now buckling you into your car seat, was that baby Moses was actually a Sour Patch Kid, floating on a river of Blue Jell-O.

As I drove home, with you and Mommy in the back seat, I could hear you enjoying eating your Sunday School craft:

“Mmm… baby Moses tastes good, he’s crunchy!”

I’m just glad that it was Moses floating down the river in a basket, and not baby Jesus in the manger. Because that would really seem weird. It would take the concept of Holy Communion to a different level.

An edible gingerbread house is fine, as his baby Moses floating down the river, but I think an edible manger scene might be a little too crafty.

But as for baby Moses, he floated down the river of your digestive track and you were happy I was letting you get away with eating candy so early in the day.

Needless to say, you definitely now know the story of baby Moses floating down the river.

Love,

Daddy