The JanEric Blog: March 2011

TOUCHED BY A TODDLER

I usually don't name my entries but today I felt that the above title is appropriate. Today is Austin's 3rd birthday. Wow! I can hardly believe my little baby boy is already three. It seems like yesterday when I held that tiny little bundle of joy in my arms for the first time. My life was changed in an instant. Oh what joy he has brought into our lives. I am so blessed to have been present for so much of his moments and milestones over the last 3 years. Thank you God for such a wonderful gift you gave us on March 17, 2008!

Everywhere I look now there are signs that a toddler is close by. The two of them leave quite a path. We call them hurricane and tornado! Today is no exception. I don't think there is a square foot of floor in this huge house that has not been touched by a toddler! There are toys everywhere, dirty pee pants from 3 separate accidents in the corner of the room, and countless smudges of sticky, grubby hand prints on most of the shiny surfaces.

There is one place in this house that has been touched by these toddlers more than any other and that is the heart of this one, proud daddy writing this post. Nothing I have ever done comes anywhere close to the privilege of being a father to these two wonderful boys. I have struggled recently with that "midlife crisis" stuff that comes for some when they reach the age of 40 or so. I wasn't spared from this mental exercise! I have been having thoughts of wanting to do "this" or "that". Should I be doing something else. Have I done everything I wanted to do? Not today though. Today, I am feeling pretty happy being just where I am.

Getting to see my little baby boy grow up is such a blessing. I'm a family man. I just am. I have always wanted to be a family man and I waited a long time to get here. Some men get to fly planes, fight wars and do exciting things. Thank God for them. I envy them in a lot of ways! I will never be that man. I will just have to resign myself to being content with the most satisfying thing I have ever done and that is to be a good dad and a good husband. I can live with that!

So Austin, if you read this in 3 years or in 30 I hope you will have the same love in your heart for your dad as I have in my heart for you. I am so proud of you and I love you. I hope I am an example to you as to what a real man should be. May you draw closer to our Lord through watching your dad love on you, your brother and your mother! Today we celebrate your birthday and your life and give thanks to the Giver of all these things.

Happy Birthday Austin!

Love,

Dad

Some Pictures Through the last 3 years.....

Just Before You Were Born

From Our Little Newborn

Holding Austin for the first time

From Our Little Newborn

Proud Parents!

From Blogger Pictures

6 weeks old

From sixth week

Your 1st Birthday Party

From austin's 1st BD

From January 2009

Here Comes Caleb!!!!

From june 2009

Holding My Brother

From Caleb Alan

From fall 2009

Yep! I'm growing!

From january-February 2010

I'm Two!

From austin's 2nd birthday 2010

Flying High Now!

From july august 2010

Trouble

From first half August 2010

Handsome Little Feller

From family photo 2010

From october 2010

Will I be an astronaut when I grow up????

From feb and march 2011

Life is hectic and crazy as usual. Seems as though the blog posts are few and far between. Spring is just around the corner and we are looking forward to seeing the grass again. There is still about 4 feet of snow on the ground so we have a ways to go!

I am still going to work in Fallon, Nevada 10 days a month. Janet works in a family practice group 1 day a week. We are both liking our jobs.

The boys are into everything. Caleb and Austin are two non stop wrecking balls. Constant messes to clean! Speaking of messes, we are covered in saw dust. We just had the hard wood floors re-done from the pre-Christmas water damage. They turned out really nice.

Yes, I know you wouldn't ever guess by looking at me but I turned 40 this last month. (Laugh, Laugh). I must say, hitting the big 40 has screwed with my head a bit. You start thinking of things you wish you had done and things you want to do a little more. Crazy what a difference one day can make in one's mind. We had fun though. Janet and the boys woke me with breakfast coffee/birthday cake in bed. The boys and Janet were adorned in black all day in mourning. Funny. Janet treated me to an afternoon of ice skating followed by a couples massage and then a romantic dinner. Thanks Gaga and Papa for baby sitting!

My brother and I met some friends in Park City, Utah and skied for a few days last week. That was fun. We ate some really good food and enjoyed some pretty good skiing. Janet and the boys took refuge at her parents house for the week as the floors were getting finished. Not much more news other than the boys both having croup and crud this last week. They are both doing much better and are napping now and Janet is skiing. Good times!