The Changes We Go Through

The one thing that no one could ever prepare a new parent for is change. You know it will come. You hear about all the changes, you read about them and lore is past down from generation to generation about them. I have learned that no matter what they tell you, your experience will be unique and specific to you. I strongly attest to the fact that none of my changes have been negative though. They have forced me to keep my innovative hat on and like a chameleon I have to adapt to all of the changes C.J. goes through.

I am reminded of a visit to the doctor when C.J. started to cry. She dropped her lip and her doctor was even hip to the fact that she was full of drama. We laughed with the good doctor but we were already aware that this girl could be dramatic when she wanted to be. I always mention C.J.'s personality development and these days it seems like the locomotive is in full throttle. This girl is always doing something. The thing is that the older she gets, the more attention she demands. If Mommy or Daddy leave the room C.J. is not pleased and will let out a loud shrill to remind us of where she believes our attention should be. She also tends to be more physical. Her contact with my face is a sure sign. She likes to grab my head and then my mouth. The only bad thing is that her nails grow faster than light travels so I have to watch out for cuts.

The changes are interesting. One day she wants to hold her own bottle. The next she wants to be lazy. One day she will enjoy tummy time and the next she will cry the entire time. One day she is all giggles and smiles and the next she is stone cold to a degree. (C.J. is generally a very happy baby) The changes take Mommy and Daddy for turns but we try to keep up. The changes will tire us out but we make a good team and tag the other in when we need to. The changes will have us ready to knock her out but we remember she is a symbol of our love, and then we tend to her needs with haste. So the changes, in reality, help us all grow together. I know they help Daddy learn more and work harder to be the best Daddy he can be.

So as was the theme of high worship today, God is Good! Also he is a God that we can depend on. This is why we always pray because we know for a fact that prayer changes things, people and situations.

NOTE TO C.J.: We all go through changes in life, even you will have your highs and lows. Always remember that in your seasons of high or low that God is a God that you can rely on. Always make sure that you have a relationship with him and you will be alright.

Yucky Spit-Up

All of a sudden I felt something warm and slimy oozing down my hand. C.J. had spit-up on her Daddy again. She does this because she is exploring with her hand and she always seems to bring something up. So needless to say, Daddy was not pleased because this was the second pair of sweats C.J. had ruined today. This evening I had to punish her by putting her back in her chair instead of providing her the luxury of Daddy's arms.

Today was great! Over dinner I told Mommy that I really enjoyed my Saturday home with the girls. I woke up late and had my favorite breakfast. A boiled egg, toast and cereal. I also had the opportunity to watch "Not Easily Broken" in its entirety. I think the message at the end was specifically for me and another sign from God! The message is becoming clearer now too!

To round out the day we went food shopping, then came home, ate dinner and watched television. Now instead of lullabyes we are listening to the music of El Debarge. I keep C.J.'s music knowledge up to par. This new stuff can not be considered music at all. I figure if she is brought up on the classics and true music, when she gets older and the Soldier Boy of her time is out, she will know that it is whack.

The next time I am home I have to make sure C.J. gets her basketball IQ stirred up a little more. The past two weekends she was able to see two games live and this weekend we really did not focus on basketball too much. C.J. did not even get to see Serena Williams win another grand slam event. When she is older hopefully the Williams sisters are still playing and we can go see them live. Daddy has to look into that.

So as I go head to bed and out of my pants full of spit-up you all have a great night. Do remember to pray because prayer changes things, people and situations. When God speaks, listen. Your life will be all the much better and it will not take watching bits and pieces of a movie for three days to hear what the end was saying just for you to hear.

The Color Red

OK, everyone has the color that they like to wear and that they look good in. For Daddy it is anything bright but I tend to love teal or sky blue. For mommy she likes brown. For CJ Mommy and Daddy differ. Anything Daddy buys tends to be Red. Their are many reasons why but the one reason that will always stick out is that Daddy hates girly pink. I mean everywhere you turn pink this, pink that. I hate it and I vow that Daddy will never make CJ wear it. Talk about gender identification will you. Now pink oddly enough is a color daddy wears well. It is just not for his Princess so Red will do. Or at least until she begins to pick out her own clothes.

Tonight it picture night and Daddy chose an outfit for CJ. You got it, the color Red is dominant. I have some friends that will be proud and happy about that and some others that will hate it. Nonetheless Red it is. Now these are not Valentines Day pictures. We just happen to be hanging out with the photographer and it is that time of year again. (Daddy hates Valentines Day and will write about that in a few weeks) She will have some themed props that will only compliment her beautiful smile.

Tonight CJ#1 and CJ#2 will hang out again. CJ#1 is almost a year old, my how time flies. CJ#2 will have to catch up. They will have fun and probably see who will out sleep the other like they always do. I am just glad she has some friends to grow up with. Welp, as we get ready to depart tonight as always remember to pray, and I know you know why but I will remind you. We pray because prayer changes things, people and situations!

Bath Time

Another Thursday is upon us and you all know what that means. You got it, Daddy bath night. So of course things have to go a little differently. It is just the way Daddy operates. This week we have moved bath time to the bath tub. The kitchen sink left Daddy and Mommy more wet than they desired to be. Now that we use the tub, C.J. has a limited splash zone. I think she will realize that soon and figure out a way to soak us again. She is pretty smart.

So today after I got her ready for bed I read a book to her. Usually, I read scripture with C.J. but tonight I selected a book I created for a class back in college. The title is Chester's Chance. The book is about a boy that wanted to do everything but was good at nothing. He tried and tried until he found that football was his niche and he excelled at that. The moral of the story is to keep trying and never give up. This is a lesson I want to embed in C.J. now so she can draw from it when she needs to.

That is pretty much it for tonight. C.J. is now asleep in her crib soundly. I will give myself an A+ tonight because everything came together like clockwork. So I remind you all to always pray. We know that prayer changes things.

Discipline

So Mommy is sharing some information about her day with me. She says something that is kind of sad and what does my princess do? C.J. laughs. So I thought to myself, what better time to start a little discipline? So I asked her to look at me in a very stern voice and explained to her that laughing was not nice. She stares me right in my face and laughs again. At this time I wanted to get a belt. Mommy laughed and said you know you're not going to do anything, lol!

C.J. is beginning to look more and more like her cousin Breezie these days. The question has to be whether or not the personality will accompany the look? Breezie is an interesting character...full of pizazz, life and spunk. She has a style of her own and an attitude that is always up for interpretation. So now we have C.J. who has a smirk that she shines when need be, and a smile that says, "You can not discipline me...I am too cute for that." What Daddy has to do is gain the strength to look beyond the smile and the grin and remain stern in his position so C.J. learns right from wrong. Mommy is ahead in the discipline category so Daddy has to catch up a bit.

Tonight she went to sleep without fuss so that is an accomplishment for us all. We love her dearly but we love sleep as well. That is about it tonight. Some days are more eventful than others, but nonetheless, we are blessed that she is healthy and is really strong. So as I go, continue to pray because we know prayer changes things!

I'm UP!

Well we are still adjusting the sleeping patterns for C.J. The good thing is that she still sleeps through the night. We are just a little worried that her amount of sleep is lacking. Today the report from the sitter was that she took a long midday nap. Do not get me wrong, C.J. is pretty active but I do not think it is to the point that she knocks herself out.

On the ride home we had to make a stop and my Princess was asleep. All Mommy said was when I get home I need you to keep her up. She allowed her to sleep for the moment but I was already getting my plan together. Little did I know I would not need my plan. When I got settled and proceeded to undress C.J., I noticed that homegirl was awake and sucking her thumb like, I am waiting for you to get me out of this hot box you all have me in.

I have to share with you the happenings of bedtime last night. Now you all know that C.J. is my girl. You also know that Daddy treats her like a Princess! The problem is that in our kingdom resides a Queen that acts like a Queen Bee sometimes. (This statement is not figurative before you all go saying I have the nerve to say that about Mommy. In a beehive the Queen Bee runs all activity.) She made the statement that C.J. is to stay in her crib no matter what. So needless to say I needed to listen. So about 10 minutes in last night C.J. begins to whine. The whine turns into a fuss and then the fuss became a faint cry. At this point I am shaking in bed and Mommy says, "You are shaking" I'm like, "Yes". She says, "She has to stay in there. If you take her out she will never learn." I really did not want to hear that nor did I want to keep my Princess in that crib, but because the Queen Bee said so, I obliged. So I kept shaking and gripped the sheets tight as my baby girl cried and cried and cried sooner than later that cry became a shrill and then guess what, the Queen Bee says, "Ok, get her out." I am out of the bed before she probably finishes the last words in the sentence. I scooped my girl up and then had to wipe the tears from her eyes and hold her closely like a Papa bear would do his little cub.

Daddy is all with getting C.J. in a groove now so we do not pay for it later. It is all good, but trust and believe I will be the enabler when she has reached her frustration point, and last night it came quickly. Tonight seems to be going a lot better. She is in the crib and not making a sound! Daddy does not have to shake!

That is all for today folks. Keep praying because you know what I believe...Prayer changes things, people and situations!

Sleeping Beauty

Today was a different day for C.J. Usually I talk about her being bright eyed and bushy tailed. However from the outset of the morning C.J. had other plans. I should have known something was up because when I went over to pick her up to get her dressed, C.J. was sucking her thumb watching television through the bars on her crib. I picked her up and then she laid silently this morning as I made her look all cute.

What was odd about the morning was that C.J. tried very hard to go back to sleep. Normally around 6:10am she begins to get fussy. That helps Daddy to know that it is time to prepare her bottle. On this day C.J. was quiet. So I continued the routine...I put on her coat, her gloves, her hat and strapped her into the car seat. Before I could look away her eyes were shut and she was zoning off. As always I prayed before we left the house. On some days C.J. will give some kind of sign that she was listening, but today she just slept. C.J. was in so much of a zone that she slept while she devoured her morning bottle. Now I think she was just, as my great-grandmother used to say, "resting her eyes". Mommy, on the other hand, reminded me of my science background. She told me to remember that sucking is a natural reflex. Either way that bottle was handled easily by the Princess.

So when C.J. was picked up from the babysitter, I never thought I would hear that C.J. did not sleep at all during the day. I was sure she was tired. Mommy seems to think that C.J. is not getting enough sleep, and was fighting her sleep today instead, so we changed things up a bit and she is already in bed.

As an educator of first grade students, as well as those I work with at the collegiate level, I always stress the importance of sleep. One needs eight hours minimum to function at 100%. So I have to make sure I get that point across to my soon-to-be six month old child.

So we shall see what tomorrow shall bring. Hopefully C.J. will be back to her usual self in the morning. So as the evening fades to the night, and I go run to my Princess as she cries out for her Daddy, always remember to pray because prayer changes things, people and situations.

Country Gal

If Daddy had his way he would have been born in North Carolina. Whenever he is in the "Great Tarheel" state he is comfortable and has a lot of fun. So whenever he is out and about and sees anything that will make C.J. look like a little country girl he probably will buy it.

The one thing about a country girl is that she always will wear a hat. I am glad to report that all the hats that C.J. has worn, her dear ole dad is responsible for. Today the look was priceless. She looked so cute in her hat and she really wore it well. Now neither of C.J.'s grandmothers like hats at all. They will wear them when they have to for fashion, and that is on first Sundays at church. On the other hand her great-grandmothers love hats. So much so that they have closets and attics and basements full of them. They have winter hats, spring hats, summer hats and fall hats. They have big hats and little hats. Hats with ribbons, hats with bows and hats of many colors. Any hat you want to see, trust me, they own one. So Daddy is just starting C.J. off early to follow in her great-grandmothers' footsteps.

I will add that many folks did not like her hat today. They said she looked too much like a country girl. Well that is too bad for them. Daddy likes the country girl look and C.J. wears the look well so as long as Daddy is buying the gear, tough luck for them.

C.J. had a good day today. She ate way more than she usually does and that was new to us. C.J. is still such a happy baby. She enjoys life and she enjoys having fun. She even got her hands on a chicken bone today and sucked on it for a little while. By the slobber on her bib you could see that she enjoyed it. It was a great day of Worship and family today so I would say that C.J. is all GOOD!!! So I am done early tonight. Mommy said, when she saw me writing already, that I did not even let half of the day go by. I told her that I already had my thoughts for the day in order. God is a GREAT God and He is worthy of all my praise! You all continue to pray because prayer changes things, people and situations! Have a great evening.

NOTE TO C.J.: If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a DUCK! If we dress like we are country and we eat country food we have a right to claim the COUNTRY!

College Tour

In the year 2027 when we are driving from state to state looking at different campuses and narrowing down the schools in which C.J. will choose to matriculate we will look back to this day. January 23, 2010 will serve as C.J.'s first college tour. Mommy and C.J. hung out with Daddy today and witnessed a great game by TCNJ! C.J. and I hung out last week, if you remember, but Mommy coming along was a special treat. Again, C.J. was focused on the game. However there were a few instances where I caught her checking out the cheerleaders. I kindly told her to pay attention to the game because that is where she will be, lol! I know, I know...no pressure.

So Mommy had the bright idea to go on a tour of the campus in 37 degree weather. Keep in mind Daddy's head is bald and he did not have a hat on. My bad I guess. So of course he obliges. Once we packed C.J. up and made sure she was at 90 degrees, the tour commenced. We went from building to building. I showed the Science Complex fountain, the brand new library and even the atrium of the Social Science Building. It was a quick tour but a tour nonetheless. The campus is beautiful but Daddy does not want C.J. to attend TCNJ at this point. Seventeen years from now he may have another story. TCNJ is a great school but Daddy is looking for a school with a more rich athletic focus to go along with the strong academics. Davidson, UNC, Duke or an Ivy will do. We have some time for that though.

So today was a great day! We hung out as a family. C.J. had fun at the game and slept through her first college tour. I can not make out if that is a good or a bad thing but that is what she did. Now she is getting all cleaned up to be bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow. As I go I remind you all to pray because prayer changes things, people and situations.

Another Day in The Life of C.J.

So here we are, another day has gone by for C.J. As I type I listen to Mommy scold her for splashing a lot of water on her while she is being bathe. It is just what C.J. does. When she sees that water her eyes light up and we know what is about to happen.

A day is pretty long for C.J. She wakes up at 5:45am. She has to get dressed and fed. Then it is off to Ma Lucy's for the day. It seems like she makes up for her early rise by sleeping for long periods of time, which always alarms me because we want to make sure she sleeps at night too.

Another interesting part of her day is the car ride. When C.J. was born I lost my trusty co-pilot. Mommy would hold my juice, pass me the toll money and read signs so I could focus. These days Mommy rides in the back seat and it is pretty hard for her to do all she used to while holding a bottle. C.J. chooses when she wants to cooperate back there too. Most of the time she is sleeping but when she decides to ride while awake her presence is always felt.

So when her day comes to an end it is always with a bath, prayers and reading. Recently we have begun just to put her in her crib and she plays, laughs and scoots herself to sleep. What she does during the night I could not tell you because C.J. allows Daddy to get a full night of sleep. The one thing that is evident is that she does twist and turn because she never is found in the same position or area of the crib that she was laid. Hey, as long as she is comfortable, I am good!

As we head to bed, you all continue to pray. For we all know that prayer changes things and people!

Lazy, Lazy, Lazy!!!

During the day Mommy and Daddy both have the responsibility of motivating students...Mommy at the middle school level and Daddy, believe it or not, at the collegiate level. (Yes, they still need it!) So it would be safe to say that we are veterans in the field. So now that our little Princess needs motivation we are both searching our archives to see what will work best.

Now I know you are sitting there saying, "What are they doing to that poor little girl?" I will tell you. We are simply helping her become independent. The normal things that people want their babies to do. Roll from front to back, hold her bottle, and sit by themselves while Mommy and Daddy eat dinner. Now if she wants to excel she can start cleaning her own poop too, lol!

Daddy is trying not to push his Princess too hard. He would love to see her walking so they can go outside and run and shoot hoops when the weather breaks. Calm down folks he understands it all takes time. The one thing we do not not want is for C.J. to get lazy. At times she seems to know what she is doing when she drops her bottle or refuses to sit in her chair without whining or fussing. Daddy tries to be stern but when she drops that lip, all bets are off.

Daddy has vowed to be a little more persistent when it comes to making her hold her bottle. Also, when she needs tummy time he will make sure she is down there for a good amount of time, crying or not. I know that if I do not want her to be lazy I have to be a little more tough with her. She is a delicate Princess but if she ever is to be a Queen she needs some toughness.

So you all continue to pray for us. One that Daddy does not get too tough. Also that C.J. will begin to be more independent. Finally that together they will continue to be a great dynamic duo. Now we know that prayer changes things and people.

Sometimes You Make Me Smile

Please forgive me for missing last night. I was just not in the writing mood. Praise God I am here today though! So today I realized something that I should have known for a long time. I realized that C.J. loves to smile. It makes me happy to see her gums when she turns her head when she hears me walk in a room and gets giddy.

She also smiles at other times during the day. No matter what time she wakes up, whether it is 5:30am, 9:00am or in the middle of the afternoon after a nap, she smiles. She also smiles when I bathe her and when she splashes the water in her tub. Another time she smiles is when we play on her activity mat. She rolls, grabs at the objects and wiggles all around all while smiling from cheek to cheek.

Her smile carries me through the day. It does help that I have her smile plastered all over my office. Even when I am not in the office when I see that smile it gets me through the day. The funny thing is how C.J. can turn that smile into a drooped lip quickly. Daddy and Mommy have determined that she is faking when she does that. Daddy still falls for it, whereas Mommy is a lot more tough. Sometimes I have caught her look back at her Mommy when Daddy responds and gives her a sneaky grin of comfort.

As of right now C.J. is asleep so there is no smile. Just a thumb in her mouth I guess to soothe her as she sleeps. Three pacifiers and she chooses the thumb. I guess it is good and tasty. With it being 10:22pm I need to have my thumb in my mouth sleeping too. So you all remember to pray and keep me in your prayers too. We know that prayer changes things and it changes people.

CJ's World

Some days I sit and have a bunch to say. Other times I leave advice for CJ to follow. Tonight I am empty. All I ca do is look to God. When I came home today I needed to see my Princess. I need to look into her eyes. I needed to deliver a message to her. I needed to hold her and I needed to kiss her. I needed to comfort her and I needed to make sure she felt her Daddy's touch.

I struggle today because today two of my students stopped by and once again thanked me for the opportunity I had given them to attend a quality college. They mentioned that they felt like they had a family and that I was awesome. One asked to see a picture of CJ, the only one I had was of my family. She uttered the words picture perfect. Inside I broke into pieces, I crashed and I felt empty. I managed to say thank you but i know it was faint.

Just yesterday a litany about a few good men and what I should be for CJ and I let stupidity get the best of me. Now all I can do is pray. God is in control and I always preach and teach people and I always say I end up teaching myself. Looking back on what I taught yesterday I should have sat down and listened to me.

So I am currently on a quest. A quest to rise from the ashes. A quest to return to the place where God would have me. A quest to restore the foundation and become the man that was preached about yesterday. Yo know its really crazy to me I just taught about how things happen when it seems that you are doing OK. You get on cruise control and then the devil seeps in Well I have been a fighter before and I have to fight again. This time however it is for family, marriage, my Princess CJ and God. I will leave these words for CJ today. So she can have them when as her daddy felt all day long like throwing up and defeated. She can pull them out and say them. My grandfather prayed this prayer daily and I believe he was as righteous as you would find. Today I understand why he did so because you need the Lords covering daily. So CJ, this is a note for you and a note for Daddy today. I made a promise to you today that I vow never ever to break.

Psalm 51

1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

As always remember to always pray because prayer changes things, people and situations.

On A Rainy Sunday Afternoon

For the first time in a long time we came home right after church today. My grandmother is sick and we did not want to risk getting C.J. sick again. The only problem with that was that we ended up eating Dominos Pizza for dinner. Ode to Joy, how I longed for the savory taste of southern cuisine.

Well, anyway, today was a long Sunday. We left the house at 7:30am for the 8:00am service, stayed for Sunday School at 9:30am and then 11:00am Worship. The good thing is that again, C.J. pays attention to what is going on. She got to hear her grandfather preach today, too.

So once we arrived home we were able to do something we rarely do, relax. I was on the floor. Mommy on the couch and C.J. took to her chair. We all dozed off for a bit but Mommy went fast to sleep. You have to understand that we are really enjoying the relaxation we are getting these days.

So today was really uneventful. We got our Worship on and came home to relax as a family. One thing I do want to mention that C.J. and I are very glad about...the Cowgirls lost today, lol!

You all pray because prayer changes things and people! Have a great evening and all of you, including Mommy and C.J., who do not have to get up and work, I wish it were me.

1st Time to TCNJ

Today Operation: Daddy stay home was in full swing and I will give myself an A. Toward the end of last year I realized I ran around too much on the weekends and wanted to spend more time at home with my leading ladies. I made a pact with myself that on weekends the bulk of the day will be spent with them. So this morning I remained in bed until I was physically tired of laying there. I got out of bed and prepared my breakfast then relaxed some more. Usually I am up so early I bypass breakfast and keep it moving. (Which I know is wrong for me to do especially with my health condition.)

No, today was different folks and I must say I enjoyed every bit of it. Early in the week Mommy expressed to me that she wanted to clean the house, that is when I came up with the perfect plan. To give Mommy a break from the hustle and bustle of motherhood, changing diapers, cleaning bottles and aiding C.J. when she needs to be tended to, I decided to take C.J. to her first basketball game. You got it folks Daddy and C.J. were going to hang out and have fun!

Once we arrived to the games C.J. was so good. She sat still, was not fussy, only needed to eat once and the best thing of all she did not need to be changed. If you all could have seen how focused she was watching the games. I mean her eyes were fixed in on the players. When she got excited it seemed to be at the right moments. Two of my kids (students) came by the game to meet C.J. for the first time. She smiled and giggled and even talked to them for a minute. The funny thing was that when the action started back up my girl placed her attention back on the court. So her first basketball experience was good. She saw a girls' game and a boys' game. The best part of it all was that Daddy's school won both games!

So a lot of firsts today. Daddy and C.J. shared their first basketball game. C.J. visited TCNJ for the first time. C.J. met two of her older sisters, Angelika and Shakia; and Daddy and CJ allowed Mommy to have a day off. (Hopefully when we do this again Mommy will be able to go out and pamper herself or have some fun of her own. As long as she does not spend all of Daddy's money, lol! I wrote this because I know Mommy will read this) So I had a GREAT day today and now I must get some rest. Have an early rise in the morning. You all remember to pray because prayer changes things.

NOTE TO C.J.: Today was only the beginning of us hanging out and having fun together. As long as you are a well behaved little girl and respectful of yourself and others Daddy will have no problem treating you like the Princess you are. Our bond is a tight one that only we will understand. We will be the greatest Father/Daughter combo the world has ever seen!!!

What Do Sneakers Do?

OK America, (In my Bernie Mac voice) tonight we went out to pick up a few things for C.J. For those of you who do not know, babies grow rapidly and you will find yourself shopping for things that fit all the time. Finding the clothing items was not a problem. We got what she needed and kept it moving. On the list tonight was shoes also. I found out something interesting tonight. Did any of you know that a baby's feet can be two different sizes? Again no one ever told me so I found out on my own tonight. We have to make sure she gets the good shoes from Stride Rite to help her feet develop properly and support her arches and ankles at the same time.

All of that went over well. It was when we could not find her any dress shoes to go along with the casual walkers, we made the decision to get her some sneakers. Now this is right down Daddy's alley because he was once labeled "The Last of the Sneaker Wearers" by his friends. Yes folks in the time of Timberland boot, Construct, Beef and Broccoli, Single sole or Double you all remember the lingo. Instead I chose to dedicate myself to finding the most exotic and throwback sneakers I could. This was before all this retro stuff of the early millennium. I did it first people and did it well.

So we are in the store and of course Daddy likes all the basketball style sneakers and some of the running kicks. The only thing is that he despises pink and has vowed to do all he can to never ever buy anything with girly pink in it. Hot pink is OK. However Mommy rest her eyes on a nice pair of Nike's but the swoosh is pink. Daddy is like no, lets get some Jordan's. After we go back and forth we leave without sneakers. While in the mall Daddy tells Mommy that this time he will yield to her and she can pick the sneakers. Mommy is skeptical but goes along with it. I am glad to report that the sneakers she wanted did not come in C.J.'s size. So then we saw two pair that we liked and we held them up in front of C.J. C.J. looked for a second and then began to grab at the sneaker she wanted, which was the Lebron James sneaker. The funny thing about that is, Daddy hates Lebron James!

What is good is that C.J. was able to make a thought out decision. Go ahead and call me nuts but the girl looked and she processed. Then she evaluated and made her decision. My girl is on her way. Who knew that even in a shoe store you could help develop her young mind by challenging her to make a decision? This Daddy gig is getting better and better as the days go by.

Today is Friday and C.J. can stay up as late as she wants. Mommy tried to put her to bed but Daddy reminded her of what she had already told our kid. I reminded her that we want to always tell the truth and keep our word. I just hope this one does not come back to kick me in the butt. You all remember to pray because we know that prayer changes things!

Load Lifted

I pray daily for C.J. and I to have a great relationship as father and daughter. This week that prayer became all so real as one of my students had to wait to see if his mother had survived the earthquake in Haiti. I spoke with him briefly and let him know I was praying for him and his family. The only thing was that I could not imagine how he was feeling.

As I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night, the crib and bed are too far apart for me and C.J. So me being countries apart would devastate me. I could not put myself in his shoes. I did not know what else I could do. All I could do was kiss my princess and hug her tightly.

This is something I want to do daily until she gets too old and then is embarrassed by her dear old dad. Go figure, C.J. better not do that to me. It would be that embrace and that kiss that will give us both assurance that we are complete, that the fire inside of us is still healthy and strong.

I will tell you this...a load was lifted when I spoke to my student just a few minutes ago and he informed me that his mother was alive along with his brother. I immediately told him, "Look at God working!" and entered into Praise. Point blank, God is Awesome!

Today was Daddy bath day and it went well. I have to give myself a B+ only because Mommy was standing there so I made her assist. Other than that we prayed, played video games and she fell asleep in record time. I love that kid!

So as we part tonight, always remember to pray because as the testimony of my student shows us, prayer changes things, situations and people. He deserves and receives all my PRAISE!!

Made My Day

As I drove the entire way home the only thing going through my head was that I had not seem my princess since this morning. I wondered what I would write in tonight's blog? I spoke with Mommy earlier and all was well with her so I was cool. I had to stay at work today to complete some task and catch a basketball game. TCNJ won so it was well worth it. One thing that I am thankful for is a wife that supports me as I support the students that I work with daily. I always tell Mommy that CJ has so many brothers and sisters who love her to pieces.

So when I arrived home tonight I was expecting to tip toe into the room and kiss my ladies on the forehead as I always do. When I came to bedside I kissed Mommy and then CJ's eyes opened. My heart melted! I gave her a kiss and of course picked her up. I hugged her and told her that she had made her Daddy's day and that now that she had seen him she could go to sleep. I can not begin to tell you how filled I am at this very moment. CJ waited to see her Daddy and she helped cap off a fantastic day!

I am on cloud nine now and fully awake. All because of my Princess CJ. So now as I go to lay down, please remember to pray because prayer changes things. Also, please continue to pray for the world we live in. Pray that those hearts of stone can be softened to view everyone as a brother or sister.

CJ Get on Your Belly

Ok, so C.J. and this belly time thing will not be easy. She has the spirit of her mother and father in her. Which in most cases would be a good thing but for this we have a struggle on our hands. Now we are taking things slowly but we want her to at least make attempts. Today the sitter said C.J. was not having any of that belly time. So when we arrived home Mommy (who would not be as nice about it) attempted and she had some success. With assistance, C.J rolled over a bit.

When Daddy got hungry we had to change spots so you know the time would be different. We had her on her activity mat and she pulls the toys from above so I moved them over to make her roll. BINGO!...we had some success. So much so that after a bit C.J. got comfortable on her side, stuck her thumb in her mouth and the next thing I knew, she was napping.

Even though Mommy and Daddy go about it two different ways we both are on the same page. We want C.J. to get the proper time she needs. So we both have made the decision to change the way we end the evening. We just want to make sure our Princess is getting all the attention she needs.

Today C.J. and I listened to Mommy sing. I will not tell you how C. J. frowned a few times when her mother sang. The funny thing was that she was singing, Giving You The Best That I Got by Anita Baker. Clearly C.J. and Daddy did not share that sentiment. We even chuckled a bit to some of her riffs and octave jumps. Mommy does her best but she should let Daddy handle the singing obligations for now. We love her nonetheless though.

So I will let you go for now. I just ask that you remember to pray because prayer changes things.

NOTE TO C.J.: Today in history there was a catastrophic tragedy in the country of Haiti. A 7.0 earthquake hit and sent chaos throughout the city. Your daddy knows a lot of Haitians and has a lot of Haitian students. When you pray at night always remember that we are all brothers and sisters and to always pray for peace around the world. Haiti will never be the same. Even today it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. When you go to school learn about the true history of the country. The real stuff will not always be in the textbooks you learn from but no one can hide the truth from you...go out and search for the truth.

Off to the Doctor

Well these visits come once a month but they feel like they are always one right after the other. The great thing is that all of the visits have been positive. C.J. is really beginning to warm up to the thought of needles and the doctor. He even stated that fact today in the office. He said that she is really growing up temperament wise.

Again we are so grateful to have found a great doctor for her that has hours conducive to those that work. We realized today that C.J. has to step her tummy time up. Over the break we noticed her getting a little lazy. I guess she said I have Mommy and Daddy here, and that means I will milk them for all it is worth. Funny thing is that Daddy gave in and the spoiling was mutual between the two. So Daddy assured Mommy today that he would spend more of his time with C.J., belly down.

C.J. is really growing up right before her daddy's eyes. She is talking, ok babbling. She likes shiny things. She is very alert and her grip is strong. She is growing to be quite independent too. Which of course Daddy loves. Pretty soon she will be doing push ups and dribbling drills, lol.

So today was another routine day. The sad thing is that there is no football on tonight to watch together. So we will now go sit down and chill out for a few so we are recharged up for tomorrow. As we go,(because C.J. is right in my lap limiting my typing to one hand), you all remember to pray because prayer changes things!

Thank God It's Sunday

"I'm blessed just to be here. Just to be in the land of the living. I've got another chance to testify, of how good God's been to me!" Those were the words echoed by the choir this morning in church. If everyone would utter those same words to someone else, Daddy said we would be fulfilling our mission to tell the world about Jesus. I have to admit that the song touched me today. Just knowing that God grants us another day with health and strength gets me excited.

Today we actually got out of the house with a whole lot of time to spare. We were able to stop for breakfast and still arrived to Sunday School a half hour early. It was a great day outside and a great day to worship together as a family. Family together in worship is something I try to lead my family in doing all the time. We pray together daily and you can catch us sometimes having our own little praise service in the house. Being a preacher's kid, C.J. will be around the church a lot. However my prayer is that she understands that there is more to church than just going. I hope she understand that she must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal savior. Mommy and Daddy's profession of faith will not help her. It will be an example but she must profess it on her own.

Tonight we sat and watched the tenth annual Celebration of Gospel together as a family. That is until the three became two because C.J. fell asleep. One thing C.J. already knows about her daddy is that he celebrates gospel music daily. Gospel music is in my pores and pours out daily. I just pray that what C.J. hears will resonate as messages on how to live and how to give God all the Praise.

Today was a great day and I pray that all our Sunday evenings can be shared this way. Home, together and in Worship! You all pray as we retire tonight. We know that prayer always changes things!!!

Daddy is at a Meeting

Let me begin by saying God is a great God and is worthy to be praised! A big shout out to the man upstairs for bringing me out OK from an accident this morning. When you are doing the will of God, He will take care of you. When I came home this evening I told C.J. that they tried to take me out, but it will take much more than that to keep her daddy down! I am OK, the truck will be OK and my meetings were very productive.

This was the first Saturday that Daddy tried the two meeting format in order to be with his Princess and Queen a little more. I will give myself a B+ for today. I was home in time enough to play with C.J., talk with the Queen, have dinner and enjoy a funny movie. This really means a lot for me because had I not made a conscience decision to change the way I did things, I would have let things get out of control. To sit and laugh with C.J. as Mommy and I relaxed on the love seat is a great feeling.

I never want C.J. to have to contend with her daddy always being in meetings. I do not want C.J. having to schedule her life around my business and involvement. That would not be fair to her nor would it be the responsible thing to do as a father. The word says I must take care of home first before any other tasks are done. This will create harmony within myself, as well as with my family and with my business.

So as we now prepare for Worship tomorrow I thank God for all He has done thus far in my family's lives. Also for what He is going to do. I thank Him for speaking to me in different ways and showing me that if I continue to surrender to Him, He will direct my paths. So you all get ready for Worship too and while you're doing that, remember to pray because prayer changes things!

Dance The Night Away

Today as C. J. and I patiently waited for Mommy to come out of work a great song came on the radio. The song was ole skool by a group named Switch. The hook of the song simply stated that, "There'll never be a better love". It was a great sentiment so I decided to play it once we were settled at home. As Mommy read Daddy and C. J. practiced the two-step they will perform on a few occasions to come.

The moment was very special to me because C. J. was actually focused on what I was doing. She will look at me as I glide across the room singing to her and motioning her arms the way they would if she was more active in the dance. I will have you know that she does hold on to my hand though and she lets me lead. We have not danced in a while and tonight it felt good to dance with her.

C. J. is growing so fast I notice. Today I was speaking to one of my students and she expressed to me that in no time she would be walking and running around. I told her that I would race C. J. at least until my knees can not hold up anymore. So we are at the first Saturday of the new year. Hopefully my plan of having one busy Saturday a month will work out. I planned things like this to focus on my family and to spend more time with C. J. and Mommy on the weekends. Wish me luck my friends and as always please remember to pray because prayer changes things and situations!

Daddy Bath Day - January 7th, 2010

Thursdays used to be IHOP night but since the winter is upon us we stay home. I will have you know when the weather breaks we are back at IHOP on Thursday nights! So with nothing to do Thursday night has become Daddy bath night. Now if you could see how organized and systematic Mommy does this you would understand why she is a little worried when "CJ" and I get ready for bath time.

So you have to see this girl/ As soon as she touches the water she begins to cycle like she is riding a bicycle. I pause and ask her to stop. She continues to kick because it is funny to her. I tell her to stop but she looks at her Daddy and begins to chuckle like a drunk man at a bad joke. So what does Daddy do? He joins in the laughter and attempts (but fails) to stay dry.

We then go to the next phase of bath time and which is to grease her up like a turkey and get her sleeper on. Tonight we handle that without incident. Sometimes she might pee on the pamper or the changing pad or even you if you're too close. From there it was off to the task of putting her to sleep. Now Mommy usually goes in the room, closes the door makes it silent and dark and nine times out of ten she falls asleep before CJ. Daddy on the other hand stay in the living room and watches television. Tonight CJ and I watched the College Football National Championship. Well CJ did get to see the first minutes of the first quarter because soon thereafter she was knocked out. I laid her in her crib and I am out here enjoying the rest of the game alone.

So another Daddy Bath Night came and is now gone. Tonight I would give myself an A-, simply because it was a little later than it ought to have been. However, it was a success! So I am going to enjoy the rest of the game. You all remember to pray because prayer changes things. Tonight even though they are down, I still say Hook Em' Horns!

Note to CJ: Just wanted to let you know that today you wore your Giants dress. Even though we did not have a great season we support Big Blue. Next year when I buy you the next size up you will rock it for a winner!!!

Sensitive Dad

In my line of work one thing I do a lot of is reading. Today I read something that made an impact on my day. In the essay I was reading the applicant stressed the need for parents to share with their daughters how important their bodies are. She urged parents to help them understand that their bodies belong to them and that no one should abuse it in any way. She began the essay with the question, what is rape? I knew I was in for more than I bargained for from that point.

You all know I have a soft spot for women in general. No woman should ever be harmed in my opinion. When a little girl is taken advantage of, my soft spot gets filled with rage. The rage comes because whenever I speak to, look at or listen to any young lady all I hear or see is C.J. I just do not see how anyone could every even contemplate laying a hand or inflicting any type of pain upon a young child in a vulgar manner. As you may have already figured out the essay went on to announce the worse, that indeed the applicant had been a victim of rape.

Immediately my heart sank. I hurt so much that I needed to take a break from reading. I looked over at my shrine of C.J. and could only shake my head. How could someone be so cruel? Why did this young lady have to go through this? How has this affected her progress? How does she view herself now? All of these questions ran through my head. Soon a spark of light entered my mind. This young lady's grades were stellar. This young lady was able to stare her experience in the face and gain strength from it. She had taken the initiative to be an ambassador of education to parents on how to educate their children about themselves. This young lady is one who does not make excuses but makes examples for others to follow. I quickly referenced the poem from yesterday and this is a young lady of strength.

So I plan to follow her suggestion and when the time comes I plan to educate C.J. about herself and her body. I never learned a lesson from a prospective student applying to college before but today that essay changed my life. I ask that as we remember to pray we include this young lady and any other victims of sexual abuse in our prayers because we know that prayer changes things.

Quotes for CJ

Today was a great day. One of the days where I want to impart a few nuggets for C.J. to read one day. I hope that she becomes a stronger woman by hiding these words in her heart and pulling them out when necessary. So here are five that I will highlight today.

1. Anne Frank, writer Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
Parents can only give good advice or put them [children] on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.

2. Oprah Winfrey, American TV personality
As you become more clear about who you really are, you'll be better able to decide what is best for you - the first time around.

3. Janis Joplin, American singer
Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got.

4. Susan B. Anthony, women's activist
A woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself.

5. STRONG WOMAN VS. WOMAN OF STRENGTH

A strong woman works out every day,
Pride in her appearance she portrays,
But a woman of strength kneels to pray,
Keeping her soul in shape, God leading the way.

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything,
Looking forward to challenges each day will bring,
Women of strength show courage in the midst of fear,
Knowing triumph through faith because the Lord is near.

Strong women won't let anyone get the best of them,
So skilled in defense even if they have to pretend,
Yet a woman of strength gives her best to everyone,
Knowing she’s anointed with blood from the begotten One.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same for tomorrow,
Refusing to take time looking back with reverence and Godly sorrow,
The woman of strength realizes life's mistakes no matter how slim,
While thanking God for the blessings as she capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks sure footedly with no doubt in her mind,
Again, no matter what, she’ll not make this mistake a second time,
But a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls,
So when a situation arises again, she’s not afraid to answer the call.

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face,
Always doing whatever it takes to finish, seeking only first place,
The woman of strength competes with an emotional sense of grace,
Understanding it’s more important to run a Holy Spirit filled race.

A strong woman has faith that for the journey she’ll have enough,
No matter how uneven the terrain or roads being rocky and rough,
A woman of strength knows it’s in the journey she will become strong,
And the love of God is forever with her, no matter how difficult or long.

- Used With Permission -
© 2006 by Luke Easter & Dee Cheeks

C.J. one day you will learn and memorize the poem Phenomenal Woman. It is my prayer that you will be a woman added to the list when it is all said and done. Stand proud and walk tall. You are already on your way to doing remarkable things in your life. Your daddy is proud of you!

So as I end tonight you all always remember to pray because we know that prayer changes things.

Here We Go Again

Today we began the day dark and early. If the sun was even visible when we left out I would have put bright and early. So today C.J. and I hung out once we got home. She is so interested in her thumb that I asked her to have some. She immediately put her hand in my mouth to share her nasty finger. I was just excited that she did as asked right at the proper moment. She is developing quite nicely.

When I went to pick her up this evening the sitter shook my hand and told me good job! I really appreciated that. I try to be the best dad I can be. So when someone commends me on the job it makes me feel special. It is easy though because C.J. is a fantastic baby. She allows Daddy to get his rest so he can be fully charged up when she needs him. As long as she does her part Daddy will be able to do his part with ease.

So the norm is back in place. We go and come, go and come. C.J. and Daddy will get their together time so Mommy can have her breaks too. I stop and ask myself sometimes if life is supposed to be this way? When I think a little longer a smile comes over me and I am able to say yes. So I won't be long today, you all remember to pray because prayer changes things.

A Sad Day

Good evening everyone. I am sitting here in quite a solemn state. I have not worked since the 15th of December and now the free time is over. I am on the fence of whether or not to go into work tomorrow or not. A lot of obstacles have been thrown in my way and I am dealing with them internally. With a family that has to drive far everywhere we go it means we need a reliable vehicle. Well just today the family vehicle became unreliable when we need it most. The weather is frightful and we are back to work to start the new year. I mean in a span of three days it has been one barrier then another and another. The problems have me even contemplating not going to work to tend to them. We will see where that goes.

To add to that, C.J. and I, who have been together all but two days during this break, have to part ways tomorrow. I think we both have the blues. C.J. has been quite different today. It was not until a few moments ago that I came to the realization that she might be acting up because she does not want to leave her Daddy! I mean can you blame her? When else does she get to sleep until she feels like waking up? Who else lets her make a mess while eating? Who else watches Sports Center with her everyday? Who else takes her to the mall and hangs out? Who else will play with her until she is ready to stop? Who else will let her take long naps and never interrupt her sleeping? The answer to all those questions is Daddy. We have had a blast together folks and it is hurting us both to see the time come to an end.

So today is a sad day in the life of C.J. and her Daddy. I think next year I might have to let her go to the sitter even though I am home. That will help us both not get too attached. We will get through this together though. So as always, please remember to pray because prayer changes things. It can even change C.J. and her Daddy's sad day into a good one.

When It's Cold Outside

When it is cold outside you stay indoors. I have been raving about the rest and relaxation we have had as a family. Usually during a break from work I stay busy. This year things are different so I find myself indoors a lot. Today I made a morning run and came straight back home. Immediately I needed to feed C.J., who was awake and warming up to be her perky self. For the rest of the day it was the three of us lounging.

We all had things we could have been engaged in. I could have been arranging things for work. I could have cleaned the house which was my intention...I did at least start to clean some things out. I could have worked on the certificates I need to make for church tomorrow. I could have taken the truck to get the light fixed. I could have gone to the cleaners. I will not even add the things C.J. could have been doing instead of lounging, but the relaxation feels great.

What you need to understand is that it was very cold and windy outside today and when the weather is that frigid the best thing to do stay in. Sure all the things that needed to be done are important but getting a baby bundled up to go out is a chore. The longer we can avoid the wicked air with her the better. It was not until we began the church preparation process that we saw the need to go out. We had to, C.J. needed something to wear and none of the combinations that we had at home worked. So we had to break our rule and get ready to go out and brave the cold.

I will have you know that I believe C.J. felt nothing. If she could speak she probably would say that she was hot as H-E-double hockey sticks! Whenever we have her out, especially in weather such as this, we are well prepared.

So the cold kept C.J. and Daddy in for most of the day. However, when it comes to looking good, not even Mother Nature herself can stand in the way of Daddy and his Princess. So we headed and found what she needed...I must admit that Mommy gets the Gold Star for finding the ensemble. So through the brutal weather we made it back indoors where it is nice and warm. I will close with this though. When it is cold outside the best place to be is inside. You all have a great evening and always remember to pray. I do not need to say it, but just in case you forgot the rest, because prayer changes things!

Friday, January 1st, 2010

So today was the first day of 2010 and C.J. and I spent some of it together but most of it apart. She did manage to send a greeting by way of text through her mother. I have to admit I missed C.J. just a little bit today. I know you are saying, "How could you?" Listen folks we have spent the past three weeks together. Both of us will get tired of each other at some point or another. I am not saying I was tired of the Princess but some time away from Daddy is always a good thing...for her sake, lol!

It was an interesting day to say the least. I started it by repairing a tire on my truck. I will tell you it was the last thing I wanted to do. However a man has to do what a man has to do. I had to make sure the truck was ready for Monday when we have to return to our regular schedule. C.J. and Daddy will have it rough on Monday and that seemed to be all I thought about today. That is what vacation will do to you especially when you have a bright and bushy tailed daughter to play with.

So we did not spend the day as planned watching football. I did manage to send her basketball with her to her cousins' house so she could practice her skills. I let her play with it yesterday and she showed me that she can do a no look pass. (The pic is soon to come when I figure out how to load it on here.) I know people think I am pushing sports on her but I am just introducing her to a lot of things. She reads, listens to music, has dolls and a whole lot more. I am accepting the fact that she might not want to pursue athletics, (WOW, I actually said that, I need prayer now.). Whatever she chooses to participate in I will fully support her as long as she puts forth 100%. Johnsons do not half-step at anything.

I am going to go now so in closing as always remember to pray because here at The Daddy Diary we know that prayer changes things! Have a great evening.