30 June 2008

What Fatherhood Has Taught Me


So, on Father's Day I spoke in church about what I've learned as a father over the last year. It was a really short talk. Seriously. I have learned a few things, and I imagine they are mostly things that everyone already knows (I'm a slow learner). Here's the list:

  • mothers are amazing
  • I can sleep through anything
  • it's possible for me to miss my family even when we're only across the room from each other
  • I now eat table scraps
  • having your daughter fall asleep in your arms is the best feeling in the world
  • music is excellent at calming babies...and parents
  • all of the old cliches are true--it takes a village, they really do grow up fast...
  • infants like the bright green and colorful uniforms of a soccer pitch on the television
  • nobody likes getting immunization shots
  • there are some things only mommies can fix
  • high school biology can teach you the probability of a quarter Japanese girl having blue eyes and blond highlighted hair, but it can't prepare you for it when it happens
  • I'll never, ever again get the most presents at Christmas
  • Disneyland is even more fun with your kids
  • children's Benadryl can solve a lot of life's problems
  • I'm perfectly okay watching New Year's festivities on east coast time and calling it a night at 10:05pm
  • the amount of luggage you need is inversely proportional to your size
  • good friends are priceless
  • digital cameras are a blessing
  • I'm now learning to be okay when my child makes too much noise and too big a mess at restaurants. I'm also learning that I have to tip a lot more when this happens.
  • I've learned that there's a special love that a father has for his children, and this love is a less perfect version of the love God has for each of us.
dk

3 comments:

Lisa said...

What a list! I feel like I could make my own new list every week. I keep thinking I will get it figured out, only to be taught by my two-year old that I still have much to learn. Did I mention we miss you guys??

Felicity May said...

dk, well said. Very clever way to express the simple fact that it has been a good year. Love you guys. rob/felis/gracey

Lisa said...

Ditto to everything! Although I thought you had a rule about having to mention "halo" in all your church talks... k-diddy