Dad's Perspective

Ostracized

2011-09-15T07:03:00.000-05:00

Recent events have prompted to me to make this journal entry public as I've seen and heard things that have happened to people around us and in our family.

Maybe "ostracized" is a little too strong of a word, but certainly we hear (unfavorable) comments about us having 5 children. Then add that two of those children are adopted (more comments). Finally, those two that are adopted are not of the same skin color as us (yep, comments from both sides). I won't even mention that we are not done having children yet (because that instantly gets the label of "crazy").

People, people. You have things the Lord has asked you to do and so do we. This family is one of them. So if you don't have anything nice to say about it, please keep your comments to yourself (because having one less negative comment sent our way is one less thorn for us to step on).

So, as if our family size and makeup isn't enough to garner an extra share of looks and comments, add to that the fact that we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) to that. Now if that isn't enough to start another holy war, I don't know what is. In all seriousness, people seem to be unaware that we believe in the Bible (we use the King James version). They get all freaked out that we (also) believe in the Book of Mormon. Without getting into any doctrine or deep arguments, I've just got one response to that:

Do you really think that we could believe in both and not have them be in harmony with each other?

I'm not saying that I'm walking around without a big plank in my own eye, but seriously, if you take a step back, Christians are Christians and there are certainly many bigger issues in the world for all of us to deal with.

So if you see the RitterBs headed your way, if necessary, take a step back (and if that's not enough, take two ;-).

Medicine

2011-07-20T06:32:00.003-05:00

So the other night, out of frustration, one of my lucky boys won a *free lecture*. The lecture was along the lines of "why can't you just obey? I made what I wanted you to do very clear and simple and yet you still cannot seem to follow that."

So I was remembering this morning how Heavenly Father created each and every one of us, sent us down here and told us to "have fun and come back, and here is ten clear and simple rules for you to follow to help it all happen. Don't worry, I'll send a Savior to show you how to live and to take care of the things you cannot do. How about if I command some people to write down some great examples to help you with the finer details? Oh and how about I inspire people around you to be leaders and help remind and guide you on even finer details of living in this day? Oh yes, one more thing, how about if I give you the Holy Ghost to help you with your personal decisions?"

It's ironic how much of a heel I feel like knowing how far short I fall of just the simple things and yet how incredibly blessed I am (in spite of it). Maybe if I take some of my own "medicine" this life I get to live will seem more clear and simple.

The World According to Noah

2011-06-21T06:53:00.003-05:00

So Noah is going through a really funny phase right now in explaining his version of the world around him. There are so many funny things he says right now in describing things or even trying to be funny (like his older brothers). Here are just a few of them:

Walking down the street, we see a big, fluffy dog and Noah sees him and turns to me and says, "that dog is comfy." I responded with other possible words to describe the dog in an effort to "help" him choose another word that I thought he might have meant. Noah says, "no, that dog is comfy."
When asking for a volunteer to say the prayer, sometimes Noah will raise his hand and then when I call on him he will point to one of the boys and say, "Isaac/Ammon wants to say the prayer."
I believe his two favorite words to describe how food tatses are "tasty" and "spicy".

Humor

2011-06-21T06:44:00.003-05:00

It really is fun to watch our kids grow and learn. Humor is always a wide and varied path as kids start to grasp how to do or say something funny. This is just one of those moments I wanted to "preserve" by blogging it:

Uncle Matt came up to visit us some time ago. Now bear in mind that Uncle Matt is a bartender, so let's just say he doesn't get up as early as we do. He got in late, so the kids didn't really get to see him, so they were really excited to see him in the morning. I'm not sure how the entire event went, but I could hear Isaac and Ammon sneaking into Uncle Matt's room and in Space Dad's voice (from "Megamind") saying "Rise, my creation! Rise!"

(If you are not at least smirking, then I'll have to say that "you had to have been there" and that "you had to have watched "Megamind" too.)

I owe it to You

2011-04-11T06:50:00.002-05:00

I owe it to you, my public, to set the record straight: I love my children and I think they are all wonderful. What comes out of my mouth tends to be like world news: the worst stuff; the stuff I think you'd want to hear.

I owe it to you, my children: just in case I don't tell you or show you that I love you, I love you all very much! You each have such a special place in my heart and I love how unique all of you are.

I owe it to you, my true love: I have been so blessed to have you at my side; to be such a strong and deep-loving mother to these beautiful children; to love and fight for these children with every ounce of your mortal body.

I owe it to You, my Heavenly Father: You have blessed me with these precious little spirits. You have entrusted me to help raise them in this world. You have greatly super-seceded my deepest desires to be a father.

It is so hard, and sometimes so deeply personal, to explain the great joys, even moments, that happen between you and your children. It is easy to let the frustrations that come with being a parent slip from my mouth. I pray that I can reverse this trend of mine so that no one every questions how much I love being a father.

From 1st to Last

2010-11-23T07:25:00.002-06:00

So growing up, you start out in 1st. You are the center of attention and the world revolves around you. The funny thing about life is you are supposed to end up in last.

I've learned a lot about working my way to last place over the years. Now the goal is to finish in last without being a martyr. Heavenly Father loves those who serve cheerfully (or at least not reluctantly ;-). I have learned a lot from my wonderful wife watching her serve our little ones endlessly. If that wasn't enough, she serves her friends and community quite often. (I'm sure she wouldn't mind a vacation, though.) I pray she gloriously ends up in last place.

I've been a bit of a slow learner in working my way to last place. It's hard when you spend so many years being in 1st place and only looking out for yourself. I am learning and I do have the desire to keep learning. Certainly having 5 children has given me ample opportunity to learn how to be in last place.

Service to our fellow man (and woman) is service to our God. May you find joyful times in your own quest for "last place."

"I never said it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it."

Moments

2010-11-03T10:45:00.004-05:00

There are so many fast and fleeting, wonderful moments that I observe or get to be a part of with my children. Maybe if I was really dedicated (to this blog) I would scribble them down before they got lost in my head. Then I would have a more permanent reminder of them.

Certainly with 5 kids, there are many moments. They bring smirks, laughs and sometimes sighs of frustration. Maybe I can rededicate myself to writing down more of those moments before I lose them.

Noah is an endless supply of moments right now. He is so stinkin funny and such an individual. He has two "great" teachers in Isaac and Ammon and when they all combine their super-brothers powers, you'd better be ready for some interesting results. So we were at Old Navy the other day and Noah (in addition to either strutting around the store to the music or skipping through the store) noticed himself on the video surveillance camera. It was fun watching him do all kinds of crazy moves and see himself in the video. He really understands so much of the "humor" moments in movies and shows now and is full of giggles when watching them. If you haven't heard his giggle (or laugh), that is a treat in itself. He's got the cutest giggle/belly laugh that it'll make you laugh. His language continues to blossom:

Me: "Noah. Are you poopie?"

Noah: "No, mommy already changed my diaper."

(Ok, you had to have been there and heard it in HIS voice.)

I could go on and on, but I just don't have that much time (to preserve precious moments and memories that aren't captured anywhere else...oops, that's the guilt talking).

Ok, this is National Adoption Month (or so I've heard), so I'll try to dedicate some more posts this month to things loosely related to adoption (the above being my first post).

P.S. Have a good belly laugh today!

Moving On

2010-08-02T08:40:00.003-05:00

Forgiveness video

While of course nobody wants this to happen to them or even other people, I've thought about this situation every now and then. I would hope that I would remember that the Lord would prevent something like this from happening if it were His will.

I am very thankful for the time that I do get to spend with my family here on this earth...for so many reasons. I would be very sad if that time seemed artificially shortened, but I'm sure the Lord would have a very good reason for it that I hope I would understand while I'm still here.

I selfishly pray that I never get tested on that and I secondly pray that it does not happen to you.

Warming the Heart

2010-05-26T21:42:00.003-05:00

Of course, at any point in your life, somebody out there somewhere has it worse than you. We all know the saying and if we cannot find an example of someone that has it worse than us, we can certainly imagine it. "Ok, woe is me. Oh wait, someone has it worse than me. I guess it's not that bad."

So why stop there? Most people that are religious have an inkling that there is endless joy in being reunited with our Creator. That is a lofty thought and we mortals like dealing with the here-and-now. So what if you start counting your blessings...until you smile.

Man, I've got some really busy kids and I'm pooped out chasing them around! I'm pooped out chasing them around because they are healthy and inquisitive kids: both things I am very thankful for.

Oh, my oldest boy continues to make whiny, loud, grinding monster noises in the car! Freak! He just doesn't stop (laughter from me)! Oh, he's got my littlest boy back there giggling with his wonderful belly laugh! (more smiles)

See it's easy! It took very few things to be thankful for to bring a smile (and even a little laughter) to myself.

Ok, so it is easy for me and you might be saying "yeah, you've got it good, it should be easy for you!" True, but I challenge you to look at some of the little and big things in your life that God has a hand in; whether it is directly or through someone else. I challenge you to not only notice those things, but to verbally thank your Heavenly Father for those things.

A grateful heart warms easily.

Another Day

2010-03-30T07:02:00.005-05:00

Lately, it seems that I've been extra-grateful for each day. Although I've been extra tired lately (8-month-old and 2-year-old tag-teaming waking up in the middle of the night after going to be really late, sometimes with the bonus older child coming for a visit for who knows what reason), I've had a thankful song in my heart to be blessed with another day. Another day to spend with my wonderful children. Another day to be with my true love. Another day to try to be a better Christian than the day before. Another day to learn and grow, laugh and cry, experience some pain and experience some joy.

I am thankful for the joy that I get to experience here on this earth. My family does bring me great joy and I shall forever be thankful for having each and every "another day."

All Pooped Out

2010-02-23T15:44:00.003-06:00

Lately, my life has been filled with "poopedness". Zion and Noah have had some bug where they poop like there is no tomorrow. In addition, I'm so pooped out that I've been finding myself waking up cramped up, twisted or in some contorted position in Noah's toddler bed. He has been coming down to our bed lately and unless he is nearly asleep, he will immediately get up out of his bed and come downstairs. Me being one of the two pooped parents, is too tired to keep getting up to put him back to bed, so it is easier to just lie down next to or near him. For a grown adult, a toddler bed is cramped quarters, add to that Noah's multitude of stuffed animals and there is pretty much no way you're going to be comfortable. Add a dose of "poopedness" and you're out probably faster than Noah! Waking up isn't much fun, though because then you redeem the cost of sleeping in a toddler bed!

"Poopedness" comes in other forms too. Like just last night (at least I think it was last night...yet another "benefit" of poopedness, you don't have to remember which day is which) Zion was fussing in the middle of the night. Her "fussing" is belting out cries loudly until she gets serviced and since there are (usually) 4 other kids up in the near vicinity sleeping, you don't want to delay too long "servicing" her. This bit of service only required the reinsertion of a binkie, but she squawked and fussed a little about it for a little while. Well, while I was waiting to make sure Zion was going to really go back to sleep, poopedness plopped me in the middle of the floor with no blanket or pillow. There is nothing like waking up cold and sore and then having to walk back downstairs to your bed.

Anyway, I'm sure I'm not the first parent to talk about "poopedness" and I'm sure I won't be the last, so here's to all you parents who are all pooped out!

Back in the groove!

2010-02-03T13:17:00.002-06:00

Not really, plus getting the kids from vacation mode back to "real" life just does not happen overnight. It certainly does not help that our house is turned upside down while parts of it receive a facelift.

Ah the joys of home ownership!

Spelling Lessons

2009-12-08T08:55:00.003-06:00

If you have kids, I sure hope you enjoy all of the crazy things they do (that sometimes cause you to pull out your hair).

Our middle boy, Ammon, received a spelling lesson from me yesterday. He was singing some song (probably originally bestowed to him from another kid at school) that went something like this:

"B-U-T-T-H-O-O...BUSTED, you're busted." (repeated over and over)

Well, I'm pretty sure (and thankful) he didn't fully either remember exactly how the song went or exactly how to spell the word he was singing. Needless to say, I corrected him on the spelling:

"B-U-S-T-E-D...BUSTED, you're busted."

Let's hope it sticks...or he just forgets that little song entirely!

BWP2?

2009-11-05T07:13:00.003-06:00

Apparently no time was wasted in making a sequel...

(my apologies to the innocent bystanders that were included)

The Blair Witch Project?

2009-11-04T21:29:00.006-06:00

I've never seen "The Blair Witch Project," but I'm guessing it's something like this...

(Sorry, it's kind of long...that's what you get when you're on a small budget!)

Marriage

2009-10-13T06:31:00.003-05:00

So as I see marriages struggling and crumbling around me in this world, it makes me all that much more grateful to have such a wonderful and dedicated wife, forever. How incredibly blessed I am to not only have such a wonderful daughter of God for this small speck of time here on earth, but also to be with her for eternity.

Kiera, I love you, always have and always will.

(Another) Tough Lesson

2009-08-18T08:34:00.003-05:00

As a father, I (usually) try to set a good example for my kids. Well, after repeated advice from Kiera to bring some pants to wear to court, I didn't. The judge was kind enough to make me, and thus my entire family, pay for that show of disrespect and make us wait for our 5 minutes of court time for over 2 hours. Yep, we had to wait until all of the other proceedings were completed before he would see us...all because of me.

Kiera is being very nice about this and not telling anyone, but it's true, she warned me and I did not heed to her advice. Because of that, I made our family pay for it.

While I usually try to keep in mind how my actions/decisions will affect our family, this time I forgot that I wasn't in control of the situation and someone else had the power to negatively affect our family because of my decision.

I post this as a reminder to dads that even the smallest, seemingly most insignificant action can have a big effect on your family.

What day is it?

2009-07-20T08:10:00.004-05:00

So I was asked today how our first weekend home with the new baby was. I replied, "you mean our second weekend?" He kept insisting that he really did mean our first weekend home with the baby and I kept replying that this was our second weekend.

Yes, this was our first weekend home with the baby. I guess it's just been really, really long. :)

A Down-up Day

2009-07-08T00:29:00.003-05:00

You would think that today would be a day of celebration for us, but any celebration is muted by how heavy our hearts are. In our 10+ years of marriage, I believe this to be the toughest thing that we have ever had to go through. Our hearts are very heavy today and many tears were and continue to be shed. We have a deep love for Zion's birth-parents. There are so many deep and personal feelings about this, that I believe I will stop here.

Maybe someday more details of the past 72 hours will be publicized, but just know that today our hearts are very heavy.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers.

Happy Eater

2009-05-19T22:14:00.005-05:00

Sometimes it is so fun to watch Noah eat. He's such a good little eater (usually). He can also be very serious one moment and kicking and giggling the next. He's such a fun boy!

I Love My Boys!

2009-05-17T22:42:00.003-05:00

I don't know how they do it, but it's just part of the genes of boys. I tried to catch it on video, but he wouldn't cooperate. Noah, while I was changing his diaper, had a Buzz Lightyear in his hands that he was playing with. He was making full-fledged zooming and flying sounds as he was pretending Buzz was flying around. He's not even 16 months old yet, but he knows. Baby boys are a lot of fun!

Don't get me wrong, I love my precious daughter and look forward to having another one, but there is something different about boys and it starts pretty much shortly after they are born.

245 Days

2009-05-15T07:11:00.004-05:00

245 Days until I turn 40. Not that I'm counting, but I thought that I'd just mention that to my wife that acts like my 40th is tomorrow.

Just to give you an idea of how incredibly long 245 days is, here is a short list of some of the things I expect to happen between now and then:

I expect to have another daughter
our 3 older kids will graduate to the next grade (and make it 1/2-way through that grade)
countless hours will be spent at the pool
Kiera's least favorite season will be back in full force
about 1/2 of our yearly holidays will be celebrated within that time
all but 2 of our family's birthdays will be celebrated within that time (and one of those 2 will only be 15 days out)

Just a few things...

Thank You!

2009-05-08T01:13:00.002-05:00

"'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we Americans have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. In Jesus' name. Amen!'

Today was National Prayer Day and I don't care what religion you are, this prayer pretty much says it all.

Thank you Dr. Billy Graham!

Sophisticated Couch Potato

2009-05-06T17:56:00.005-05:00

So our little couch potato has gotten a little sophisticated lately. Notice the crossed legs. Notice the dual binky. Usually he has one of his favorite stuffed animals nearby, too. Toss in a soft blanket and he's set. I've also noticed his interest in "Toy Story 2" (which I think Kiera has probably let him watch before). "Yo Gabba Gabba" is still an all-time favorite with him, but his interest in some of the many Disney/Pixar movies we have is a step up.

Of course, he doesn't mind having a little company either.

For the Team!

2009-05-06T17:35:00.004-05:00

Yes, I took one for the team today. It's me and the boys tonight. I asked them what they wanted for dinner. Ammon immediately replied, "Pizza!" Isaac kind of frowned at that idea. I mentioned McD's and they both agreed to that. They've been deprived so long that they had pretty much forgotten about BK. Reluctantly, I mentioned BK, which they pounced on, of course. Don't forget this girls! I spared you the same fate! Hope you're having fun.

Shhh! Don't tell my wife!

2009-04-16T07:33:00.003-05:00

So as you have probably heard from Kiera's blog, we've been matched, with a girl, no less. What you don't get to hear is the roller coaster ride that she hops on when something like this is within sniffing distance. I always take a later ride; she always has the fastpass. Well, I'm on the ride now. So my heart flutters at the thought of it, my prayers are deeper, more hopeful and more full of gratitude. I feel the waves of emotion building and buffeting me; inviting me to take a small surf and ride the wave.

You can't hop off of the roller coaster once it has started, so we're on it to see it through.

Change of Perspective

2009-03-13T08:38:00.003-05:00

(Yes, I'm long overdue for a post. Sorry.)

So the other night at like 3 in the morning (or something), Noah wakes up...and of course, starts crying. He knows if he keeps bellowing that eventually one of us will come get him (especially because we don't want him to wake up his siblings at 3 in the morning).

Kiera and I were up late chatting and goofing around (since lately that's about the only time we get to spend together), so we're both exhausted. She mumbles something that I don't remember exactly what it was, but it was to the effect of "you go get him" (in a grouchy and stern tone). Needless to say, I wasn't happy to have to get up and then get up a few hours later, but I held my tongue and got up.

I got him a bottle and went into Jordan's room and plopped down with him in the great chair that Kiera found and proceeded to feed him. As I was sitting there, I had a change of perspective leading to a change in heart: what a beautiful baby I was holding; things were peaceful (once again); I got to spend some time loving on him and touching him and holding him. How freakin' lucky and blessed am I!

I used to be much better at this "change of perspective" game. I post this as a reminder to myself and others to enjoy the moments you have, even the seemingly bad ones and they may turn into precious ones.

Punxsutawney Phil is Bunk

2009-02-10T21:48:00.002-06:00

Punxsutawney Phil has sold out over the years and I don't believe him anymore. So I put the snow shovels away in storage this weekend. Call me crazy...but it's hard to argue when we've been having so many near 70-degree days lately.

Singing Frog Caught On Tape

2009-02-10T21:35:00.004-06:00

Out of the blue, Noah had a burst of energy and decided to walk back and forth between us. (By the time I recorded it he was getting tired...sorry.)

Quick Draw Mc-Noah

2009-02-10T16:23:00.003-06:00

Grandma thought it was funny to tease Noah by holding some food in her hand and then closing it when Noah tried to get some. Yeah, well, she did it once and that smarty-pants Noah grabbed the food so fast out of her hand that I think she forgot to breathe for a bit. (Then, of course, we had to suppress our giggles since we were in the middle of Gospel Doctrine.)

Hard-to-eat Food

2009-02-09T18:00:00.005-06:00

If every food were this hard to eat, we'd all be thinner.

When Bad Math Is Good

2009-02-08T22:12:00.004-06:00

Ok, so I've been telling everyone that Kiera is going to be gone for 10 days (because that's what I was told). So she left on Thursday morning the 5th and gets home in the afternoon on the 16th...yeah, that's more than 10 days. Me in my infinite wisdom figures that out while trying to reason with my emotional 9-year-old about how short the time is going to be. Who would have thought that my sobbing girl would take the correct math calculation even worse? (Proof that even good boys/men can be knuckleheads every now and then. Sorry, Kier...she'll be fine, I swear. I'll find some way to make it up to her ;-) I think we'll have her favorite salad for dinner tomorrow.

To Clean Or Not To Clean?

2009-02-08T19:42:00.006-06:00

So Grandma and I had a little discussion about the kids' fort:

Kiera would make the kids clean it up tonight, but as it is, she's in Africa. So should we make the kids clean it up tonight or not?

Church, Here We Come!

2009-02-08T19:38:00.003-06:00

Yes, we made it; early even! (Nevermind that church starts at 1pm ;-)

After-dinner Munchies

2009-02-07T20:54:00.004-06:00

Seriously, this boy sometimes does not stop eating. Well tonight he decided to have an after-dinner snack. I could see him chewing on something, but I had no idea what it was...

...until I saw him get some more.

Doesn't Hurt To Ask

2009-02-07T18:06:00.003-06:00

Ammon: Grandma, can I be ungrounded from scissors?

Grandma: Oooh! Thanks for asking! No.

Ammon: Oh, ok, I'll be ungrounded from scissors when mommy gets back. I'm grounded from them for 10 days.

Lovin' the warm weather!

2009-02-07T12:45:00.007-06:00

The boys were inspired to make a big heart that eventually led to a distraction of many big, long paths (that even extended to the neighbor's driveway).

Hey, when you get near 70 degree weather in early February, it makes you do crazy things.

We Can Do It!

2009-02-07T12:14:00.003-06:00

That's what we kept thinking for our "first outing." Granted, we were down one kid, but we're just getting warmed up ;-) Our momentous first outing? Wal-Mart, of course (Grandma's favorite store)! I am glad to report that we succeeded quickly and without incident and think we are ready for our next outing....McDonalds (probably, since Ammon pleaded so strongly for it).

It's always fun until someone gets...

2009-02-07T12:06:00.004-06:00

...food in their hair!

Well, you can't really see it, but look at his hands! Yes, he did a couple of grab-the-top-of -my-head-with-dirty-hands routines. He was quite pleased with himself. I, on the other hand, wasn't so pleased and promptly gave him a bath.

Alive and Kickin'

2009-01-21T07:05:00.003-06:00

Ok, I AM still alive and kicking, even after turning 39. I've had many ideas that I wanted to blog, but I've just had no time to do it...so I guess they are lost :-(

Having four kids and trying to be an involved father take a lot of time, and "me time" (sometimes resulting in "blog time") is rare. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing more important or worthwhile than being involved in my kids' lives; it's just busy.

I love my kids and want them to succeed in ways that I had only dreamed of. They have a good life that is shaped and supported by Kiera and I (and hopefully well-molded in the ways of our Heavenly Father). Our family has truly been blessed and I pray we make good use of these blessings. I hope to return to my Father in Heaven someday and have Him say, "well done, my good and faithful servant." Then I will turn to my family and embrace them with a love that cannot be dreamed of here on earth.

Wow, I got a bit personal there. Those of you that know eternity understand.

I thank the Lord for giving me yet another day here on this earth.

Snaggletooth no more!

2008-10-22T21:54:00.003-05:00

Well it finally happened with Noah! No, he isn't walking. No, he isn't cruising. No, he isn't crawling. No, he isn't rolling over. His single "snaggletooth" now has a partner! Complete with tons of drool and all kinds of unusual fussiness! I'm sure Kiera will eventually post a picture on her blog, but nonetheless, today is a great day indeed ;-)

Is 38 Great?

2008-10-10T07:47:00.004-05:00

I've been relegating myself to the fact that I'm "almost 40" for a while now (even though I still have over 1 year to go). Not that I'm afraid to turn 40; I just don't look forward to it.

So I realized this morning that I'm 38 and not only do I still jump on the trampoline with my kids, but I also will play "monster," "octopus," and "crack the egg" with them on the trampoline. I still will hide around the corner and pounce on one of my kids and tickle them. I'll chase them around the house (usually to tickle them, sometimes to toss them on the couch or on the bed, usually repeatedly). I'll play "monster" with them. Hide and seek sometimes occurs. Octopus in the house is a favorite of theirs. Soccer in the house has been a fav lately. Wrestling is always a favorite (even with Jordan). I'm not partial either: when they have friends over, they get included in the "activities" too (hopefully that makes me a "cool dad"). I'm there for shoulder-rides and piggybacks when they are tired of walking. When they fall asleep in the car, I'm able to carry them to their beds.

There are a myriad of other things too that really make 38 great!

Stinkin' Cute - Part 2

2008-08-16T12:51:00.003-05:00

Do I really need to say anything more about this kid?

After the show...

2008-08-16T09:16:00.009-05:00

So the boys and I went and saw the new Star Wars animated movie. We all loved it. So after the movie we had to find something to do...

Yep, it sure didn't take us long to find something else to do...but Star Wars was still cool!

(Since Blogspot apparently cannot convert this video properly, here is the translation:
me: "Lookit alllll those ants"
Isaac: "Yeah, there's a lot! And they're crawling all over the place!")

Growth

2008-08-11T18:05:00.003-05:00

I think Ammon is going through a mental growth spurt right now. He seems to be realizing in many ways how much of an individual he is. He plays with his older sister's friends. He plays with his older brother's friends. He's used to it and he gets along pretty good with all of them, but lately, it seems like he truly realizes that he is some one that can do different things and adds different things to this family. All of our kids are wonderful, but it is always fun to watch them grow and learn. He starts kindergarten this week and I hope the teachers at Northview are ready for him ;-)

Sleep Cannot Stop Love

2008-07-28T08:20:00.004-05:00

When Noah starts crying, he tends to get a lot of immediate attention from his brothers and sister. Noah really responds to music, especially children's church hymns, and even more specifically, "I am a Child of God." Well, this morning (at about 5am, ugh!) Noah was waking up/crying, so I went up to get him. The "rule" is that I'm supposed to change his diaper before I bring him down, so, of course, I do. As I'm getting Noah situated for the diaper change (he was still fussing and crying), I hear Ammon in the middle of his sleep mumbling/humming "I am a Child of God" presumably to try to calm Noah down. It was pretty funny and I do appreciate his effort, especially at 5 in the morning. Gotta love older brothers!

Stinkin' Cute

2008-07-24T07:41:00.005-05:00

So I don't really have much to say other than our littlest boy is stinkin' cute...and very well-loved. I love to watch Jordan, Isaac and Ammon interact with him and love on him. He truly has been a fun baby!

Menace to Society

2008-06-28T15:59:00.003-05:00

I cleaned our church building today and there were two bouquets of flowers that were mostly dead that needed to be pitched. Well apparently when I was putting them into the garbage bag (these were big flower arrangements), some pollen got on my shirt. You know, that bright, yellow pollen that just totally sticks to everything. Anyway, the guy that was helping me by holding open the garbage bag didn't say anything about the pollen on my shirt and the other guy helping clean (when he saw me later) didn't say anything either (although I swear I saw him chuckle). I did notice the pollen on my left shoulder eventually. No big deal.

So we finally finish cleaning the church and I stop by McD's to get some food, but the drive-thru line was so long that I just went inside and got my food to go. Then I went to get some gas for the truck and drove down to Sam's Club to help Kiera and the kids with the shopping.

I get to Sam's Club and Kiera says, "what is all over you!?" Naturally, I respond that it's pollen and as I look a little harder, I see it's on both shoulders and there is some stuck on my arm. So I've got a white t-shirt with bright, yellow pollen on it, and you might as well consider the rest of my body a white t-shirt because I haven't got much sun this year. Well, I figured there is nothing I could do about it until I got home.

So I pick up my friend, Myka, on the way home and, of course, he asks, "what's all over you?" I explain how I got pollen all over me. Then he indicates that I had "some" on my face. Surprised, I quickly check in the mirror. Freak! It's like I had flourescent snot dripping from my nose and stuck my head out of a moving car to dry it out. So it was all over my left cheek. I walked into McD's. I walked throughout Sam's Club. And I had to wait until my only true friend, Myka, told me that I had it all over my face.

I mean to tell you that I did notice that I had people looking at me a little funny (I figured it was just my shirt), but no one told me that I looked like I was a menace to society. Sheesh!

Happy Father's Day!!!

2008-06-15T14:49:00.003-05:00

What a truly blessed man I am!

Joys, joys all around

2008-05-14T06:56:00.001-05:00

So we're playing our soccer game last night and throughout the game I have numerous players tell me they have to go to the bathroom (yes, even in the middle of the game they tell me). So the 3rd quarter ends and there is a mass exodus of players from my team to the bathroom (which is kind of far away). So much so that I had to start the 4th quarter down 2 players. The ref was being very nice and waiting, but I told him to go ahead, it's just a game. As players came back, I rotated them on to the field (sometimes replacing kids that did not want to play with ones that just got back from the bathroom). There certainly is no short of craziness coaching pre-schoolers and kindergarteners.

Quote

2008-05-13T20:44:00.001-05:00

"Youth need less critics and more models."

How true is this!? While I know I'm guilty myself of sometimes being critical before being supportive, this is a quote that I hope to live more closely to. Kids, not only my own kids, but all kids need to know there are people out there that care about them and their well-being.

Our gift

2008-04-21T07:08:00.001-05:00

So with Noah, it seems really different this time (other than the obvious). We are so happy to have him and we are so happy to share him, all at the same time. It's like a constant celebration. Instead of jealously guarding him after having waited for what seemed like an eternity, it really does feel like a celebration. I think people can sense that, and so we do get asked often about him, which always seems to end up leading to "can I hold him?" When you have a gift like that, how can you not share?

He's a very endearing little boy and even when someone new is holding him and he starts to get fussy, I have yet to see anyone try to give him up. There is something sweet about him that makes the fussiness seem very minimal (except maybe at 3 in the morning ;-). Of course, I am his dad, but there just seems to be something about him, something wonderful and something bigger than that little baby. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I'm sure we'll find out eventually.

Just for fun

2008-04-10T19:30:00.001-05:00

So we get a lot of pretty cool storms here. If only I could capture with a camera what I see with my eyes! Anyway, here is a picture, rather a series of pictures that I tried to stitch together looking off the back of our deck from the west to the east (sunny to dark and stormy). It looked much cooler in person, I swear.

Cartoons versus real life

2008-04-08T22:00:00.001-05:00

So I overheard a brief conversation between Isaac and Ammon while they were watching "Tom and Jerry" cartoon.

Ammon: "Awwww, that would really hurt!"
Isaac: "That could usually kill you!"

I've always wondered what effect watching cartoons like that would have on them. Our kids love "Tom and Jerry," but the characters are pretty brutal to each other.

I'm glad at least the boys have it all in perspective. ;-)

Boy Talk

2008-04-05T10:20:00.001-05:00

So I'm trimming Ammon's toenails and out pops a(nother) random thought:

Ammon: "It's fun being a boy."
Me: "Yes, it is fun being a boy."
(As I was pondering the many ways it is fun being a boy...)
Ammon: "But it's hard to love everybody."
Me: "Oh, really?"
Ammon: "It's really, really, really hard."
Me: "Well, do you hate people?"
Ammon: "No."
Me: "Did you mean that it's hard to always be nice to people?"
Ammon: "Yes...really, really, really hard."
Me: "Do you try to be mean to people?"
Ammon: "No."
Me: "Well, it's not hard to love everybody, but sometimes we make people mad or hurt them. Accidents happen, but it's ok."
Ammon: "Yeah."

Ah, the joys of having kids, one tangent after another.

It's soccertime!!!!

2008-04-03T18:54:00.001-05:00

So it's soccer time again for the kids and new this season: Ammon gets to play! So it's only fair that I coach his team this time (since I've already coached Jordan and Isaac's team). Coaching kindergarteners and pre-schoolers is a bit tougher than 1st and 2nd graders. Designing and executing practice drills that will keep them engaged takes a bit of doing. The guy that runs the league used to be a goalie and doesn't have young kids, so canceling soccer because of rain and cold (and mud) doesn't happen unless there is lightening. I had to take matters into my own hands today and cancel our practice (it's cold and you guessed it...it's raining, or at least it's been drizzling all day). I feel good about the decision, especially after every parent that I talked to expressed some kind of gratitude for the cancellation. And thus goes on the life of our yet-to-be-named team (our color is TAN this season...yuck). BTW, the kids really are a great bunch and it ought to be fun (once the weather warms up).

Today...

2008-03-27T19:23:00.001-05:00

Today is our anniversary (9 years!!!!!)....and we're celebrating it in the usual way...we're not, or at least we just don't have time to. That's our life...and we love it; not necessarily the part where we don't get to celebrate our anniversaries, but the part where we are busy. Our beautiful children do keep us busy, but is there a more worthy cause? Kiera and I were made for each other and He knew our deep desire to raise a family and has truly blessed us in that respect. Sure we're busy, but when it comes to our relationship, we have less to worry about than many people because we are wholly dedicated to each other and the building up and support of our little brood.

So today really is a happy day for me. I have much to be thankful and uplifted for!

Random thought...

2008-03-22T18:39:00.001-05:00

Our sweet Noah. It is truly amazing how he's finally here with us (in case you didn't know, we've adopted a beautiful AA baby boy). While sometimes I can "see" some of the differences with him, I never feel them. He has always been ours, from the beginning, and Heavenly Father has brought him home to us, on His time and by His way.

The things that kids will say...

2008-03-21T15:24:00.001-05:00

So we're having lunch today and Ammon is saying the prayer...the first thing he's thankful for is Aunt Carol (who lives in Utah and whom we haven't seen for...well, at least a month :-). Where did that come from? Not that that isn't a good thing to be thankful for, but it's not like we've been talking about Aunt Carol lately. It's just another one of those things that cause Kiera and I to peek at each other with the where-in-the-world look.

Monkey See...

2008-03-21T13:31:00.001-05:00

Ok, so my lovely wife has created a blog (RitterBs), and while I am kind of a spaz about how much of my personal info I put on the 'net, I don't/won't stop Kiera from doing it. Since we are inseparable, I might as well jump in too.

So while it is kind of like peeking into someone's diary when you visit their blog, I'm going to try to limit this blog to musings, thoughts and happenings through a father's eyes, otherwise, I'd probably be too serious and introspective.

Of course, it's not like I've got tons of time for blogging, but it may be fun to see the different perspective on things when Kiera and I talk about the same thing.

Tally-ho!!!