Sick Baby 4:47 PM

Stockton did tremendous on his first cross-country flight to California (with special thanks to the awesome Ajas!) Unfortunately, he has come down with a California cold. Needless to say, his father is freaking out. Pray that my sweet baby boy can breath a little easier soon.

Here he wishing you a Merry Christmas.

What's wrong with this picture? 1:51 PM

Fun Game 1:34 PM

My office sits right off of the main hallway in the church. Attached to the church is an early learning center which has its main door at the end of the hallway, about twenty feet from my office, so kids are frequently walking past in the old-fashioned semi-straight-but-ever-bending preschool line. The teachers have implemented "bubbles (puffing out your cheeks with air) and ducktails (woo - ooo) (hands behind your back pointed out) " in order to make sure the kids stay quiet and keep their hands to themselves.

Here's a game that makes my day awesome. When the kids walk by, I wave at them. It is amazing and hilarious how many of them break their ducktails (!) and wave back - because even if I wave at only one kid, all the other kids see that kid waving at someone and they start waving too. It's like domino's (not the pizza) with each kid trying to out-wave the other. Not sure how the teachers feel about it - but it is hilarious.

The Jaybees 12:08 AM

The curtain hasn’t dropped on 2007 yet – but it has risen on my 26^th year of life. Year 25 was one of gut-wrenching goodbyes, heart hugging hellos, and full of more harsh transitions than a middle-school mix-tape recorded off the radio. (“Can you play “I’ll Make Love to You again without talking over the beginning part of the song?”) Here’s a better transition…into the awards for Year 25 of my life. Ladies and Gentlemen…the Jaybees.

The Jaybees Soundrack – “The best and most meaningful songs of year 25.

Killing in the Name – Rage Against the Machine

the most oft-played face melter during vicious ale-8 drenched Guitar Hero gatherings.

Sweet Child O’ Mind – Guns and Roses

the second most oft-played song at said gatherings and the first song dedicated to Stockton

Monkeywrench – Foo Fighters

My battle cry for a little while

Bubbly – Colbie Caillat

Do not think I am less of a man – wins the Jaybee because Dana sang it to Stockton while he was still wombing it

Song in My Head – Sherwood

Great concert / care ride with quality friends / nothing turns a crappy day around faster. "Oh I don't believe it" either

The Best in Me – Sherwood

See above

Sunshine of Your Love – Cream

The iheARTjesus band did a rendition of this…and it has been in my head ever since.

Jump – Simple Plan

The soundtrack for a mind-blowing fall retreat.

Streetcorner Symphony – Rob Thomas

Don’t be a music snob – you know you liked it to.

The Office Theme – Scrantonicity

Thursdays at 9 (8 central!)

And now…the awards…

Proudest Moment – 9:55 am, Thursday, November 15^th – 8 pounds 1 ounce of life-changing fury

Most “Oh Jesus, you’re going to have to help me moment” – 9:55 am, Thursday, November 15^th – 8 pounds 1 ounce of life-changing fury

Most Difficult Moment – 7:00 pm Tuesday, November 13^th – 9:54 am Thurdsay November 15^th; The process of labor began on nervous/ excited (nervited), and went through ridiculousness. Eventually we were sleeping during the three minute intervals between contractions.

Best Book (Seminary) (tie) – The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

(points out where Christianity has neglected its duty to be a prophetic people and seeks to correct it)

The Drama of Scripture by Bartholomew and Goheen (traces the big picture ideas of the story of God in a captivating way)

Best Book (non-Seminary) – The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

Most Embarrassing Moment –

The nominees are…

1) sweating through 2 shirts during
mine and Dana’s big dance recital

2) Dana interrupting classto let me know how hungry she was or

3) the time I standing-spooned Kelly Lawson because her and Dana were both wearing a black shirt and blue jeans…

standing-spooning someone other than your wife squeaks it out…

Most Surprising Moment –

Dana: (expletive)

Jason: what’s wrong, baby?

Dana: I’m pregnant.

Jason: what’s that?

Dana: I’m pregnant.

Jason: Hmmmm.

Best New Discovery – Diaper Genie

Best Re-Discovery – Billy Ocean

Best New Skill – and the nominees are…

1) playing Guitar Hero on the expert level

2) doing a ferocious and sexy tango

3) changing diapers…

and the award goes to…changing diapers! (clothes, velcro, lift, wipe, cream)

Coming Through in the Clutch Award – Ben and Beth Kickert for making the house magic happen

Friend(s) of the Year Award – Team Kickert; Team Lawson; Team Aja – I have a combined total of 45 nights in their homes, eaten 34 lbs of their food, been on their internet for 300 hours. Six finer friends do not exist.

It Is My Personal Belief Award – Miss South Carolina

God-Moment of the Year – Saturday night fall retreat

Best Community Building Moment – I did not want to use a port-a-potty in humid/hot Mississippi in the middle of summer – so I loaded up some youth kids and used the facilities at a gas station five minutes down the road. We took turns. I called first.

Quote of the Year – “Mah Fahngers!!”

And baby makes three...part duex 12:53 PM

And we’re back….following never-the-same-November…

I am no more than five feet away from a massive crib that is holding my less than massive baby boy. Less than massive, however, does not mean less than stellar.

Just over two weeks ago, following 38 hours (?!?) of labor (I didn’t know it went that long!) Stockton Isaiah came into the world. After a splashdown, screaming, and squirming on his mom’s chest, Stockton scoped Dana and was immediately soothed.

I have soooo much to tell you….but I’m sooo tired…. Here’s some quick hitters before Stockton needs a diaper change.

- I’ve had this conversation no less than 74 times.

o “What a cute baby! What’s his name?”

o “Stockton”

o “Stockton…hmmm…is that a family name?”

o “No actually, it’s the name of my favorite NBA player.”

§ (I tend to leave out everything that John Stockton stood for)

o “Oh…that’s nice.”

- Stockton is named after John Stockton, but “Stockton Isaiah” means something even more awesome than that. “Stockton” = “firm foundation in”; “Isaiah” means “salvation of the Lord”. Put them together and you’ve got “firm foundation in the salvation of the Lord” For comparisons sake, Dana’s name (Dana Marie) means “bitter man from Denmark”

- Stockton does not like having his diaper changed, but doesn’t mind peeing in his own face.

- Stockton likes to sleep ALL day….and ROCK AND ROLL ALLLLL NIIIIIGHT!

- Stockton is a diaper diva – he refuses to reuse an already dirty diaper and instead waits on you to change it to he can use the clean diaper.

- There is nothing like walking into your room and seeing your beautiful sleeping wife holding your beautiful sleeping son. Over like grover….

- Diaper rash cream must be cold...really cold. Stockton puckers his butt every time you put it on him.

I’m out like a soiled wipe…