We finally unpacked the boxes in the youth lounge at the church. We threw out old papers and abstinence brochures. I also came across some very old journals. One year, I had purchased notebooks for everyone, and we wrote letters to each other every week. I laughed and cried as I read through them, reminiscing. They wrote about music and sports, and about how difficult it is to be a Christian and a youth. [more]

There are the more obvious signs – like frequent trips to the store to buy new clothes – that our kids grow like weeds. K-Man, for example, sorta skipped his 3-T phase and jumped straight into 4-T. (By the way, the whole kids' clothing thing is such a scam. The prices for a square of fabric put any gas prices to shame. And, I just don’t really ever get the sizes. T? What the hell is a T? But I digress). While the clothes may ultimately make the man, the actions make the boy. Nothing highlights K-Man’s growth like his ability to do things that he couldn’t previously do. [more]

As K-Man and I were hanging out today (at a firehouse, of course), I was somewhat taken aback by how he’s really, truly turning into a little boy. I know the transition from newborn to baby to toddler happened in a blink. Somehow, though, he has morphed into a kid. Seems I say that every month now. And, maybe that’s just how it’s gonna go from here on out. I wasn’t ever all that impressed with the “miracle of life” in those early days, but I’m now slammed by it each and every month. [more]