Warning: You may hate this!

I love a good story. I love a story that draws me in and works on my emotions: anger, sadness, laughter, etc. It's why I love TV and movies. It is also why I love country music. I have my college buddy, Mike Rice, to thank for that. Whenever we rode in his car that is all we ever listened to. I would relentlessly mock him until that one day when I found myself singing along to a song. I was furious at myself. It snuck up on me. It got inside my head and my heart.

I confess. I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC!!

I wanted to share with you a few songs that are about being a dad. These are songs I wish I wrote. They speak words that are inside me in a way that connects with me deeply. I suppose when you are a parent and there is a touching song about parenting or your kids you can't help but connect.

Warning: these will tug at your heart strings.

* Just Fishing (Trace Adkins)


* He's Mine (Rodney Atkins)


* I Loved Her First (Heartland)


* Watching You (Rodney Atkins)


* Anything Like Me (Brad Paisley)


As I was finding these different songs I let the tears flow freely. Man! I do not like my kids growing up. Maybe we just keep adopting so we don't have to have the nest empty. ;)

There are soooo many good ones. I am going to put the links to several others below. Enjoy.

* Tough Little Boys - Gary Allan
* Mr. Mom - Lonestar
* Cleaning this Gun - Rodney Atkins
* Let Them Be Little - Lonestar
* Stealing Cinderella - Chuck Wicks
* Love Without End, Amen - George Strait
* I’m Already There -  Lonestar 
* My Front Porch Lookin’ In - Lonestar
* My Little Girl - Tim McGraw 
* You’re Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins
* Family Man - Craig Campbell
  

A Weekend of Spontaneity

spon·ta·ne·i·ty

noun \ˌspän-tə-ˈnē-ə-tē, -ˈnā-\

voluntary or undetermined action or movement.

On Friday we sent a text to the Mann's and said, "Hey, wanna hang out tomorrow?" We drove up to Fox Island for the day. We finally got to meet sweet little Jude!!! We talked, played at the park and enjoyed some dinner together. This was such a needed time for our families. It's hard to spend lots of time together when you live 3 hours away from each other. Mostly it's just good to be together.

Nyah, Mercy & Haak. We tried to get all 3 to co-operate. haha.

Karston & Jude

Kynzi & Jude

We ended up staying way later than we planned and as a result we didn't get home until 1:45AM! I finished my last paper for my class in the car and uploaded it outside of a hotel on the way home. It had to be in by midnight.

Although it was extremely late night, it was so good for our souls. I am very thankful to have friends that no matter time nor distance we will always stay connected.

The next morning I slept in until 10 AM! Then Karston and I decided to go fishing. We stopped at Safeway for some delicious sandwiches and headed to our destination. After about an hour or so we arrived at Detroit lake. We decided to fish off the bank you're the bridge.

 

Although Karston only got a few bites (and I got a big fat nothing!) we shared stories and laugh a lot. In the video below, Trace Adkins was singing about his daughter but it completely applies to us.

I love my son! I do everything I can to try to hold on to the moments we have. I don't want to waste my children's childhood because I'm too busy with stuff.

On Monday I was going to go paint balling with my dgroup guys. Instead we ended up shooting airsoft guns. We went out to Wheatland Park. That was my first time shooting airsoft guns at other people. Those suckers hurt! Bryant had a sniper rifle and shot me from across the gully and hit me in my tooth. I seriously thought I lost it at first. We played for several hours and I have the welts to prove it. 

Monday night my dgroup and Kara Brown's dgroup got together for a worship night with s'mores! We asked them to all share stories of moments where God really impacted their lives in high school. And then imparted wisdom as to how to stay connected to Jesus after they leave high school. It was a very sweet time together. And evening I will remember for a long time.

 

I love casting vision and dreaming about the future and making big plans, but I absolutely love spontaneous moments that just come together. I feel like it brings a lot of spice to life. 

This weekend was extremely spicy!