Everything else I need to know, I learned my first year of fatherhood...

Jeana went out tonight with one of her friends and left me here for a guys night in. So, as I sat here holding Will and watching "The Lion King" for the second time in a week, I couldn't help but think of some of the ways I've changed and how he's partly responsible for those.  You see, he's turning 1 in 4 days and I'm having my 2nd Father's Day (he was born on my first) in 2 days.  So here are 'The rest of the things I need to know... that I learned in my first year of father hood...

• Babies really are some kind of durable.  I mean, he cries up a storm if we take something away from him or put him in timeout.  He laughs when he falls and cracks his skull.  Amazing. 
• Farts and poop are still funny at 33 years old.  I don't care what you say.
• It's okay that I'm still amazed by simple things.  Apparently I've been that way my whole life.
• I haven't seen everything, but of what I have seen... nothing compares to the beauty of the love of your life holding the love of your life.
• There is absolutely nothing my child could ever do or become that could make me not love him with all that I am. 
• The art manipulation is learned at a ridiculously early age.
• Nothing compares to a child smiling simply because I am in the room.
• Life can actually start all over in your 30's.
• Football just might not, and I'm still working this out in my heart of hearts, be as important as I once thought.
• I'm grateful for truly unconditional love.
• When you have a cute baby with you, it matters not what you're wearing. It will go unnoticed.
• It's not just something they say.  God really is good.
• It's ok to be in love with two people at the same time.
• Good things happen to stupid men.
• It's true.  Men do lose testosterone once they've become a father.  I'm good with that. I cry and enjoy it sometimes.  What of it?
• Milk.  It does a body good.
• It doesn't matter how old or fat I may be.  When the "not moving or breathing" monitor alarm goes off, I can go from a dead sleep to his crib side in less time than it takes most people to fart.  See, farts are still funny. :-)
• Phineus and Ferb.  Watch it. 
• Mickey Mouse looks absolutely nothing like a mouse.
• Apparently, rocks are tasty.
• Sometimes, heroes can't even talk.

He's learning though.  Just last night, 3 days before Father's Day, he called me Daddy for the first time.  That kind of thing can erase a lot of pain.  Not gonna get into it, but suffice to say, it can.  Back to tonight.  I hadn't seen "The Lion King" in 15 plus years when we watched it the other night.  Great movie.  One of Walt's better ones.  Funny thing happened both the other night and earlier tonight.  He danced, both times, at Simba's first solo, "I just can't wait to be king"... I guess he just can't wait to be king... Shhh... apparently he doesn't know he already is.

Decades of love that give me hope...

And we're back... a lot of stuff going on since I last posted... Will's gonna be 1 in 2 weeks, wow!  I'll post about that soon.  Tonight I want to try and express a little appreciation to my folks.  On June 5, 1966, Larry and Phyllis Hodge started a journey that reaches it's 46th year today.  Let me say that again.  Forty six years.  In a day and time where about half of all marriages take the "easy" way out, I'm proud to say my parents have done a bit more than stick it out.  Not too many people I know have that sort of example.  I do know some, just not a lot.  I'm only the husband and father I am because of the example my father set.  I try to be as caring and loyal as possible thanks to the greatest teacher I've ever had, my mother.  I'm overly blessed to have had the best situation, for me, that I could have had growing up.  Not the richest or prettiest.  The best.  In closing, just a side note... The Jeana and I will celebrate our 3rd anniversary tomorrow.  Her parents will celebrate their 30th on Will's birthday.  (busy month when you add in father's day and The Jeana's and my father's birthday)  All said, we've got two very good examples to lean on when we need to.  Mom and Dad, thank you for everything.  Those words will never be enough, but those plus some meager attempts at showing you are all I have.  Here's to many, many more.  I love you both.