The way it all ended

This is our favorite guy at the end if a big Thanksgiving Day!

Missing

Jaelyn came in to our room this morning saying, “Good news Mom and Dad,”. And then she opened her mouth and we saw something missing…her front tooth on her left side! This is the 3rd tooth this year. Also, her front tooth on the right is loose as well. Our girl is really growing up!

Somebody Else

Me: Good night Jaelyn.

Jaelyn: Good night dad. And please don’t preach too long tomorrow, because if you do I’ll get tired and want somebody else to be the pastor!

The Texas trip is over. Many memories, even more blessings. I must write about the plane ride home.

The Drive for 5ive

Year number five for our favorite girl has come and gone. Hard to believe but real enough to appreciate and treasure.

Jaelyn has been so excited for her birthday weeks, really about the last two months. As the date has come closer she has been doing a countdown all of her own. “Five (four, three, etc.) days until my birthday!” It has been fun to hear.

Her birthday this year was on a Saturday, which means a day at work for dad, I wish it could be different. But Jaelyn took the whole day in stride. It started off with her coming in to our room and announcing in her happy joyful voice, full of excitement that today was the day. After breakfast and getting dressed we headed to church were we picked up a surprise for her from the train station, Grand Pa came from MD to spend the day with us. Jaelyn was glad to see him.

On to Sabbath School where Jaelyn had told her class mates for weeks that her big day was in sight. There her teacher had a nice greeting for her and some nice things planned as well. She was not ashamed of her big day and wanted Jayné and I to tell everyone about it. She did most of the telling but many people responded generously and in a kind way.

One of her favorite place to eat is Red Robin, so that is where we went for lunch. Jayné and Grand Pa went in ahead of us to set the table with some of the party decorations which this year had the Hello Kitty theme. In the car during our wait we called Aunt Jackie who shares the birthdate with Jaelyn. When Jaelyn, Avery and I got to the table she was greeted with one of her favorite words, “Surprise!” and she sat down to a plate, bags and stickers with the Hello Kitty theme. The food did take a long, long time to come but was enjoyed by everyone. As we were waking into the restaurant she said to me, “This is the place where they come to your table and sing happy birthday.” and that is what they did in their own Red Robin kind of way, following a long wait. While were waiting she got calls from Grand Pop, who was in Idaho and Grand J.

After leaving, we took Grand Pa to the train station and thanked him for joining us and wished him a safe trip home. But the day was not over and the surprises had not come to an end because even though it seemed like nothing was left to do we surprised her by pulling up to Chuck E. Cheese for the last stop of the day on the birthday wagon before heading home. After changing her and her brother’s clothes in the car for what must have seemed to them like an eternity we got inside and she was being mesmerized by all of the games and people she was met by her buddies Luke and Eli Simon. And to top things off Spencer and Winston Goodman came also. So tokens were bought games were played and at the end of it all the kids had fun and the adults were spent!

I hope she had as good of a day as she anticipated. I deeply regret and miss not being able to chronicle her life on DVD as I look forward to each year. But we do have a boat load of memories from the greatest girl in the world!

House Watching

We Made a visit to the White House today. A big honor to walk in the house where the Obama’s live, and a thrill to do it with Jayné, Jaelyn and Avery. The decorations were captivating. But the paintings and artwork were unforgettable. The East Room is smaller than it looks on TV but is larger than life when put in perspective of all of the things that have happened there: civil rights bill signing, Lincoln and Kennedy laying there, press conferences, concerts, etc.

Being in the foyer brought to my mind all of the inauguration days and state dinner receiving lines I have watched and now we got to stand where all of the action takes place.

I know Jaelyn and Avery will remember being there. I hope they love history and learning for what they can learn and experience.

…Easy Go

Our little girl has lost her first tooth. It was on 15th in the afternoon that the space was cleared on her bottom row. She first told us about it being loose last Wednesday and Jayné and I knew it would come out soon. But it is such a milestone for our precious Jaelyn she is really growing. So fast I fear that I am not able to catch it all but I am loving her and am so proud of who she is right now. In the words of an old song, “the future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.”

Walk

Here is a pic from a walk we took yesterday. The enjoyed saying “Hello down there!”

Skating – on Ice!

We went ice skating today at the state fairgrounds rink.  It is a very nice place.  I forgot (duh) that it would be cold there especially on the ice but it was fun.  She has been roller skating but has wanted to go ice skating for a long time and today was her day.  Jaelyn was very good at walking in her skates, when not on the ice.  When she got on ice it was a different story. She held on to the side of the rink while holding on to my hand at the same time.  After alot of slipping and sliding she showed that she could get the hang of it with more practice.

Four!

Today was a great day for Jaelyn.  She woke up about 6:20 this morning with the biggest smile on her face!  She said to me “Daddy I am four!” I asked, “When did you turn four?”, her response was “While I was sleeping!”

After breakfast she helped to make smoothies which were better than anything I have bought in a long time.  Then it on to the party at Xbos where Luke and Eli Simon and Spencer and Winston Goodman came to have a good time.  The kids had a ball!!  The big slide was one to remember for everyone adults included. After we finished there we came back to the house and enjoyed pizza and ice cream cake.

Since today was also Aunt Jackie’s birthday and she had a celebration in Philadelphia at the church the Goodman’s attend we went there and enjoyed good times with family and friends.

I am amazed at the fact that I am a father. And the father of a remarkable sharp and intelligent girl.  She made me smile the day she was born and has given me a reason to keep on doing the same every day since!