Choose a category below to see all related posts.

001 #contentcreation 002 #family 003 #god 004 #journal 005 #productivity

I have a super special date night planned..

It is too expensive and my wife will probably kill me when she finds out the price. But I think it is much needed and I wanted it to be really special because Maria has been going through a lot lately.

As I solidified the details of the date itself and what we will be doing (will probably write about the details another day), I realized something:

The date itself doesn't matter.

Let me explain.

For us, at this point in our lives, we are busy and have a lot of responsibilities when it comes to work, social life, and family.

For any of you who have kids, you will know it truly can take a village to raise a kid. Add in another child (or more) and things get hectic quick.

There are so many little rhythms and habits and ways of doing things that have to be kept up in order for things to run like a well oiled machine in a family unit.

My wife handles most of these things, for which I am truly grateful. I think she would tell you I help quite a bit and I really do prioritize being a dad pretty heavily, but there is no doubt she carries most of the weight.

Especially the mental weight.

She makes sure all the little details and bits and bobs are constantly and consistently being taken care of.

So when I say, the date itself doesn't matter, I mean everything around the date is what matters.

I was talking to my friend, Jonathan, this morning about this very topic.

I told him, we could literally go to Walmart for an hour and it would still be a great date night as long my wife's mind isn't at home with the kids and those various responsibilities that weigh on her daily, hourly.

Therefore, today is a day of preparation for tonight's date.

The date details are all planned and ready, but now comes the more important part:

Making sure child care is taken care of (thank you in-laws!!!!), making sure dinner is planned for the kids, making sure the house is clean, making sure bed times are set up and laid out, making sure the dog is fed, making sure my in-laws have everything they need for it to be easy on them to watch the kids, etc. etc. etc.

These things are what matters because in making sure they are taken care of, my wife's mind can actually be at ease on our date.

Couple that with an awesome, special date activity, and it's sure to be a really nice night... I hope!

I will report back on details of this secret little date and if it all went to plan. I can't wait!

#family

This morning as I drove the kids to daycare something simple yet amazing happened.

I glanced into my rear view mirror and asked my daughter, Lina, if she had her water bottle back there in her car seat.

I watched her think for a split second about what I said and simply nod her head.

This sounds simple and mundane and not special whatsoever, but it struck me that this, as simple as it was, was an interaction I would have with a friend, my wife, a colleague – an adult.

However this wasn't a friend, my wife, or a colleague. This was my daughter. Someone I created (with my wife).

I had a very simple, yet very real interaction with something I made.

I talk a lot about how I love making YouTube videos because you go from something that didn't exist to something you can package up and share with the world. Out of nothing, something.

Creation.

But this isn't just some art piece or stereo system or YouTube video. This is a living, breathing human being. That started as nothing and is now something.

How beautiful and gracious that our God allows us to create life much the same way he did?! We get to experience the creation, love, and admiration of our own offspring.

It was just a simple question and an unspoken answer, but it was beautiful. And it made me wonder at all God has done and all he allows us to do.

We have a good, good Father.

#god #family

I really enjoy work.

Like a lot.

More than work, I just like the work day.

My job allows me a lot of freedom and allows me to be independent and work on my own schedule as long as I am getting my work done.

I am able to take longer lunch breaks or run errands or exercise or work from wherever or work on side projects here and there.

So the work day is a huge time of opportunity and excitement and freedom.

Something I feel a guilty about is the end of the work day.

I don't look forward to it.

That is the time that my kids get home and I switch to full dad mode.

Don't get me wrong I really love my kids and I love hanging out with them, but that time becomes more of a waiting and duty mode – waiting until bed time and doing everything to get the kids ready for the next day, get them fed, and get them ready for bed.

After that, Maria and I just chill together and kick up our feet.

So I look forward to waking up and going to work, then I look forward to our evening chill time, then I look forward to work again.

That sucks.

I think one reason why this is the case is that I don't feel I have enough time in the evenings with the kids to do a whole bunch.

We either 1. sit on the couch and watch kids shows, or 2. play in the playroom. Because the kids get home around 4:30, dinner is around 5, Joel goes to sleep at 6, and Lina goes to sleep around 7.

So what all can we do or where all can we go for a tiny 30 minute or less window?

Not to mention it's currently winter and cold, it gets dark early, and we don't really want to be spending money.

I need to think some more about how I can make these evenings with my kids count. How I can make them more enjoyable for THEM? In doing so, I know they will be more enjoyable for me.

The short of it is I'm selfish, lazy and not content.

But at heart I am a creative person and I need to be more creative and thoughtful about these tiny windows of time I have with my kids because before too long, those windows won't exist as they do now.

Those kids won't be as little as they are now.

And I don't want to miss a thing.

#family

Today I stayed home with Lina. She was up last night puking and into the morning. I didn't take off work, I just watched her closely and kept email and Slack open in case anyone needed to reach me.

It was a bonding day for us. We barely did more than sit on the couch and watch tv but I loved being with her and talking with her and after nap we went on a little walk to the park.

Maria is having a really hard time with her anxiety with all that has been going on but we are hanging in there and leaning into the Lord more and more.

I played Death Stranding more during Lina's nap and I am really really enjoying the game it is just the right amount of relaxing and stressful and I have really just started. The story is so intriguing.

I hope both kiddos can make it to school tomorrow and make it through. I find it highly unlikely that I don't also get this stomach bug. I ALWAYS get what the kids bring home. It sucks but it is what it is and God is good, always.

#family #journal