What A Day, What A Day!

Already running late the flat tire on my truck was the last thing I expected to find or need. The reality is that, yet again, my tire was messed up. Of course I was VERY, VERY upset. I have put so much money in that truck, and it seems like every time I turn around, there is something new needing to be repaired. After looking back at it, I have to thank God for having another car to hop into that was already gassed up and ready to go. There goes those traveling mercies we pray for daily. I was able to get C.J. safely to the babysitter and get to work. That is what matters to me most. The interesting thing is that my Princess slept through the entire fiasco. It would be a good thing too because I will admit that I had a cussing fit that she needed not to hear. Since she has been in my life, cussing has almost become obsolete from my mouth. A Princess being born will do that for you.

So now I go through a productive day at the office and I come out ready to commute back north, and I see a ticket on my car. $50 for having a flat tire and needing to drive your spare to work. I called campus police immediately, and they instructed me on how to appeal the ticket. That made me simmer a bit, but I did not boil over. So I get up north and get to the babysitter on time to pack C.J. up and carry her out to the car. The next automobile dilemma...a check engine light. That is right. Now my spare car is acting up. The only problem is I can not get the hood up to check anything so my mind starts to wander. How will Mommy get to work tomorrow? How will C.J. get to the sitter? How will I get the tire I need for the truck? How will I get to the bank? I honestly had resigned myself to waiting until the morning and wishing the light would mysteriously go out on its own, but thought later on that would not be fair to Mommy since she still needed to get to work and C.J. needed to be at the sitter. They love her there, and anticipate her coming daily. So with a determined HEART (as I said my head was made up to wait), for C.J. and Mommy, I went outside (I hope you all know I know very little about cars) and tried over and over again to get the hood to the car up. I called my dad for advice; I will admit that. Finally I got it up and checked the oil. That is taking a stick out and wiping it so I can handle that well enough. I was almost out, which as my father said, could be the cause of the light coming on. So I nursed the car to the gas station and put a few quarts in. As I came back home on my final turn the light went out. Whew, we live to fight another day, Daddy and the "Hoopdie Deluxe"!

Now this all occurred on a Thursday, which is C.J. and Daddy bath night. Of course we keep that going. Tonight I bathed her, "Eucerined" her up and prayed with her. I also read about the Berlin Wall to her. I know what you are thinking...What strange reading material. Well you must understand that my Princess is 12.5% German as her Great-Grandmother was German. Daddy believes that it is important that C.J. learns about all aspects of who she is. So C.J. will always have diverse educational experiences. I want her to be able to build the uniqueness that she has within and the only way for her to build is by exposing her to all she is. After reading I put her down and she was asleep within ten minutes tonight...Good job Daddy!

So I learned that the devil is busy, and if you continue to Praise God, he will continue to throw daggers and in my tire he literally threw one. What I have to condition myself is to automatically see the Praise opportunity instead of needing the day to pass before I remember that God blessed me with another vehicle and I did not have to miss a day of work. God is GREAT and GREATLY to be PRAISED. You all continue to pray. We know that prayer changes things, people, and situations. I think I fit into every category tonight so stay on those knees a few more minutes on my behalf!

Galatians 6:7-9

OK, I bet you are wondering why a scripture for a title. Do not be scared...go ahead and read it. Tonight Daddy left his Princess yet again and went to the last night of revival at church. The message was "Don't Give Up!" What I took from it was that I have to wait on the Lord and continue to sow good. In God's time I will reap good. I need to sow faithfulness and devotion in my marriage so I can reap endless love. I must sow love, care, support, opportunity, experiences, and education into Princess C.J. so one day I will reap a successful strong black woman. I must sow hard work and dedication at my job so I can continue to sow success career wise.

The message was so on time for me because I needed the reminder to wait on the Lord. I have allowed impatience to seep in but tonight I got the spark I needed to drive it out and allow patience to return to its rightful place in my spirit. Now you might ask what this has to do with C.J. Well, when her foundation is secure, she has the ability to stand without wavering. The message of the scripture lesson will help her along the way one day and I am glad it will be her Daddy that provides it for her. So go on and continue praying folks, prayer STILL and ALWAYS will change things, people, and situations.

April 27th Another Late Night

You are correct, it is 11:00pm and I am just getting in. Tonight I had to work up North in Livingston. As usual I dropped Mommy and CJ off on my way so I would not have to backtrack and lose time. No one would have thought that this fair would last so long. I mean I was so busy that they began to turn the lights out on some of the families still around. It was a good night at work but it wore Daddy out even more.

When I finally arrived to pick up CJ and Mommy I heard them both before I saw them. They were calling hogs! I left the car running thinking they would be ready. When I saw they were not I quickly strapped CJ and and got back to the car in a hurry. At least it was warm for them. I knew CJ was really sleep because she did not even blink when I moved her from her Grandmother to the carriers or from the carrier to the crib. Usually she would wake up to great her Daddy but that is OK, I want her to get her rest too.

These late nights are soon coming to an end. Simply because all the school will be out so their will be no evening fairs. Prayerfully the number of late nights out will change due to another calling. Lets keep praying! We know that effort will change things, people, and situations!

NOTE TO CJ: The nights get long sometime but you have to always keep trucking when duty calls. Hard work always pays off!

Something Has To Give

OK, so with babies you have to be prepared for all the changes that happen. One day C.J. is the sweetest little girl on the planet. The next day, she is not. The funny thing is that she can change from hour to hour, which has been the case from the time we pick her up from the babysitter to the hour when we attempt to put her to bed. Now I will denote that C.J. still blesses us by sleeping through the night. She has had sympathy on us since she was a little lad. However, know when bedtime comes she acts as if she does not want to go to sleep. We really try to get her down early because we know she must start her day much earlier than the normal almost nine-month-old child.

The problem with her not going to sleep is that she is loud about it. So loud that one would think that we are doing something mean to her from the sound. The reality is that it is quite the opposite. She usually has been bathed, fed, read to, prayed with, and laid in a very comfortable crib. She has no reason to be as loud and unruly as she is. Daddy usually can not take it and will go in the room to try and comfort her and then after he leaves Mommy will do the same. We both hate to hear her cry and get fussy but as Mommy says, "We can not let her play us."

So we have a 90% united front. Daddy still has a weakness but is growing out of it. As I always say, "That is my little girl and I am always going to be partial to her." I do not want to create a monster (some may say that I am already working from behind, but I am just enjoying being a Daddy and having a Daddy's girl) so I know I have to be cognizant of how I respond to her. So, on that note, be sure to pray for me as I continue to grow as a father. Pray for C.J. too because Mommy said she's gonna have to get kicked out if she continues to have these bedtime manners. We all KNOW that prayer changes things, people, and situations, even C.J.'s bedtime practices.

Gone All Day

A phrase that is becoming all so familiar with C.J. is that Daddy will be gone all day. After getting home real late last night, actually it was this morning, Daddy had to be up and at it all over again. Today was our Pastor's 3rd anniversary, which meant we would be in church all day long. Mommy had already made the intelligent decision to stay home with C.J. The long day, after the long night, would just be too much for her to handle.

So like on any day when Daddy has to go, and his girls get to sleep in, Daddy tried to get as much sleep as he could. Getting out of the bed at 7am, turned to 7:30am, then to 8:00am and then finally 8:30am. I am worn out and have to work late some nights this week, too. As I get older my body can't rebound like it once did. There were times where I only needed two to three hours of sleep and could be fully charged. If I tried that now I probably would be on truck number four from crashing them due to me dozing off.

Pastor MP3 made a statement tonight about how he thanks God that his daughter understands that sometimes Daddy is tired and they will have to do different things another day. He also mentioned to everyone how he is grateful for a wife that is home taking great care of her, which allows him to be able to put 100% into ministry when it is needed. Well I know exactly how he feels. I pray that my daughter will understand the calling on my life when she comes of age. I pray that God fixes her heart not to hurt when those next times have to come, and when Daddy can not play like she wants him too because he is exhausted. I am thankful because he blessed me with a wonderful woman who is capable of holding the family down when Daddy has to be off and running.

These past two weeks have brought me to this point but I am back to trying to lessen my load. I have recognized that I am tired and I have to begin my steps to recovery. I had it down packed previously, and I will get my MoJo back. You all pray for me and I will do the same for you. We know prayer changes things, people, and situations.

NOTE TO C.J.: Daddy's goal is to write every night. Sometimes I am not able to because I am worn out. Trust your Daddy when I tell you this, your body needs rest to operate at its optimal level. Love you a bunch Princess!

CJ Going to Work With Daddy

Just wanted to get a post for today in case we get back after midnight. I will update you on the Fashion Show Trip!

We Made It!

Another long day but we did make it in before midnight. No Cinderella here folks! I am sitting here with CJ in my arms about to go lay her down. I will fill in the meat of the day soon. Prayer changes things, people, and situations so just do it folks!

Worn Out

Something that I rarely admit is being tired. I am a self-classified hyper active individual. I am like the Energizer Bunny I literally keep going, and going, and going as much as I can. Lately I have been hitting the wall which is very unusual. Between work, commutes, church, and keeping up with CJ my body seems to wear a lot more than usual.

No matter how worn out I may be at the end of the work day, I try to give CJ 100%. Today i was able to spend a few precious moments with her. After I picked her up from the babysitter we had some time to kill before Mommy would be out of work. Daddy decided that he and CJ would ride around Perth Amboy and Hopelawn to see houses. I must confess that their were some nice houses along our journey. Once we arrived at Mommy's job Daddy hung out with CJ for a bit in the back seat. of course those moments were filled will laughter and all smiles.

That was it for them though because Daddy had to drive back up north to go to work this evening. What a waste of time. When Daddy got back to pick CJ up she was sleeping so he knew the next contact would be him transporting her from the carrier to the crib. Not only are Daddy and Mommy worn out at the end of our long day but CJ is worn out too. At times I wish that CJ's day did not have to be so long but we have to go with the flow right now.

It is getting late. CJ has been sleep. Mommy has left me stranded so now I sit and watch the last few picks of the NFL draft. (Aside: I am very upset and want to make sure I have this in print. Denver made a stupid decision in picking Tim Tebow. You just got Brady Quinn and have Kyle Orton. Why would you select him so high? ) I am going to get to bed soon but not before I remind you of why we pray. We do it because we know prayer changes, people, and situations!

Just Another Day

CJ does some pretty fascinating things. The only ting is that she does them when she wants too.

One Moment In Time

April 20, 2010 was another one of those days that Daddy did not see much of C.J. He woke her up and dressed her as usual, but by the time he arrived home, it was time for her evening bath. She was read to and prayed with and then Mommy put her to bed.

Now Mommy should know by now that C.J. usually wants to spend a few moments with her Daddy. So C.J. did what she normally does to get Daddy's attention...she began to make lots and lots of noise. Of course Daddy went to get her and then he sat and watched a few moments of the Celtics versus Heat game together with his Princess. It was not long before C.J. was fighting her sleep then her head rested on Daddy's chest. Very shortly after that, she was sound asleep.

It was one moment in time but it was so special. My Princess refused to go to sleep without resting a bit with her Daddy at the end of a long day. This moment meant a lot and I pray it is the foundations of many more to come. So C.J. has already prayed, Daddy will pray, you all keep praying too. Prayer changes things, people, and situations!

Hurry Up Daddy!

Today will be a little different from most posts. I will give you an update of an occurrence that happened this evening and call it a night. Tonight Daddy was going to cook but when he was trying to figure out what to create he realized that we did not have enough of the ingredients to make magic happen. Mommy figured that because we needed so much we should head to the diner to grab a bite to eat. No problem, Daddy always enjoys breakfast for dinner.

So we get to the diner, and as usual, C.J. sits next to Daddy. Usually no problem, but tonight she was very demanding. We brought along some snacks for C.J. so we were not eating in her face. The problem was that she was eating the snack as fast as she could. Now we know she can not say, "Daddy may I have another one please?" yet. Instead she decides to kick my arm when she is ready. However, Daddy was so into his meal he really did not respond as fast as C.J. wanted him to so she let out a demanding yell to gain Daddy's attention. It was so demanding that I needed to look over as if to say, "Who in the heck are you talking to like that?" As soon as I blinked I gave her what she wanted. I know you may say that I am soft but that is my girl.

So we came back home. C.J. was bathed, read to, and is now sleeping soundly in her crib. So now I am finishing up some work and then off to bed. Keep praying too. God is moving...I can feel him! I proclaim to you all that prayer changes things, people and situations. I am a witness!

C.J. Is A Mess

When children are born you generally know that your life will never be the same. Your life will now be governed by diaper changes, feedings, responding to cries, and many other miscellaneous tasks that come with the territory.

At first C.J. did'nt make much of a mess. She pooped...we cleaned it, and that was it. She spit up...we wiped it, and that was it. Now C.J. is getting older and much messier. Once I arrived home from work today, I found her looking a mess. Mommy just sat and shook her head. She had veggies here, veggies there, C.J. even had veggies in her hair! All because she likes to grab the bowl when she is eating. Soon she will have her coordination good enough to where she can feed herself. I figure that will be another level of messiness waiting to happen.

In life these days C.J. revives your spirits. When I came home today I was exhausted. Work was long, I was losing my voice...I could have laid down and went to sleep easily. (That is after I finished watching the Lakers win, of course) However, I reach the top of the stairs, and see C.J.'s face (even when it is messy) or hear her voice. I do not care how tired I am, I perk up quickly and a burst of energy runs through me, just enough to keep up with my little homegirl. We roll, we scoot, we laugh, and we fuss. The biggest thing we do is LOVE! I love that girl and she loves me.

She was such a mess Mommy decided to bathe her and get her ready for bed. I just gave her a kiss good night, and of course she wanted to see what was on the computer. She is really into the lights I think but I will feed her appetite for technology. I will also continue to feed her appetite for a well-balanced life. That means she will be in bed getting the proper rest her body needs to be fully functional on a daily basis. A regimen I pray she carries with her throughout life. In my profession, I too often see, students who forget that the body needs rest to function at 100%.

So now as Sunday is quickly approaching an end, I solicit your prayers. As the song says, "I can feel the presence of the Lord and I'm gonna get my blessing right NOW!" Pray that I allow the Lord to move in my life the way he wants to, with no pushing back. We all know, and I BELIEVE without a doubt, that prayer changes, things, people, and situations. Sometimes all in one, be blessed!

Dropped A Load

Today we were able to spend the evening together. I came home from work (my budding personal business), and decided to read with C.J. Being a daddy to C.J. has helped me begin to read a lot more. I usually bathe her once a week and read to her then. Here lately I have picked up a book randomly and read to her. I want to do that a lot more.

I know you may remember the past few times Daddy and Mommy have gone out to eat, C.J. made it very difficult. Most recently we had to leave a restaurant and we sent her to the babysitter so we could enjoy an afternoon movie and lunch. Well this evening Daddy wanted to take Mommy out for a quick bite to eat. We cleaned C.J. up and away we went. Thank God that today she behaved. Not too much spitting, no crying, no whining...she chilled and played with her toys. We were able to enjoy appetizers, a meal and dessert. For her great behavior Daddy saw it not robbery to buy her a toy, OK it was two, but one will say her name!

While we were strolling in Target, I began to smell something that was not pleasant. I unzipped her carrier cover and caught a whiff of a bad odor. C.J. had dropped a load. I looked over and informed Mommy that we needed to get her home before the flies began to come around. To Daddy it was that bad.

Now, we are home. C.J. is pretty tired so she was changed and put immediately to bed. She is quiet tonight, much different from last night. So needless to say, Daddy is pleased and now will rest up to prepare for work...yup, on a Sunday. We will get into that tomorrow, Lord willing. So pray before the night ends. We know that prayer changes things, people, and situations, even including Daddy, who has to work on Sunday!

NOTE TO C.J.: In the future be sure that you use the bathroom whenever you are leaving home. You never know what type of situation you may find yourself in and you never want to end up in the bad smelling predicament you were in tonight. Love Daddy!

Keep People Out Of Your Face

Some people may say I am teaching her to be mean. Daddy says he is teaching her to create boundaries and demand respect. I play this game with C.J. called, "Get Me Out Yo Face." What I will do is invade her personal space by putting my face as close to hers as possible. She will usually smile, but then C.J. will mush me out of the way. I clap and congratulate her and tell her, "Even Daddy, keep folks out of your face."

You have to understand, folks, that C.J. will need to know how to defend herself. The first line of defense is the personal radius one creates around their person. Now I also teach her to smile and giggle...to overall have a great time and enjoy life.

Tonight is turning into a rough night. C.J. is clearly sleepy but is refusing to go to sleep. We came home tonight, she scrawled, she played in her playpen, and she made great use of the walker. All of these things we know tire her out, but she is still going like she is the energizer bunny. These are the moments where Daddy and Mommy differ in opinion, but we somehow work it out to show a somewhat united front.

So I just did the dirty work and put C.J. back in her crib. She is still yelling and whining, too. So pray that she will soon drift off to sleep. We know that prayer will change things, people, and certainly this sleeping situation.

What A Difference A Day Makes

OK, yesterday Daddy fell asleep, that is the story and I am sticking with it. Honestly, it is the truth. I laid down to watch House of Payne and the next thing I know it was 1AM and I was waking up to move to the bedroom. The computer was still on and I looked to type but I was led to my bed by sheer need to sleep.

So today was the first time I realized how quickly babies mature. Yesterday C.J. continued to roll everywhere she wanted to go. As long as she did this we could keep up with her and did not have to worry about where she would get so much. Well, today is another day, and just that quickly, C.J. is now scrawling. I said it properly too. She has mixed crawling and scooting all in one. I actually have video footage that I will cherish for a while. It is these moments that you always want to witness and hold dear to your heart. The only problem is that she gets into stuff she should not be near. She was messing with picture frames, moving DVD's around, and finding every fragment of anything the broom did not get up. So this weekend we will be do some first steps to child proof the areas she frequents.

I am going to end here today because this is a high note. Now it is time to get the video camera ready because she will be walking in no time now. I pray I am around for the first steps she makes. If I am not I will have clear directions left with the camera to ensure I witness those moves just as if I were there. So tonight I leave you with a smile on my face. I hope your evening was as great as mine. I will pray for you as you continue to pray for me. We all know that prayer changes things, people and situations!

NOTE TO C.J.: Even though you were all over the place wrecking things tonight, you put a HUGE smile on your Daddy's face! Continue to be the exploratory and inquiring mind that you are developing into. You are great and will continue to be great as long as you demand greatness from yourself!

April 13th

Today was swell. I dropped my CJ off and when I came home she was sleep. TBC

Listen C.J.

Having a Diva for a daughter is going to help me launch a very lucrative publishing company pushing my own literature. One book will be the same phrase over and over again with pictures of C.J. in different situations. I would simply be telling her to listen to Daddy. C.J. is now very exploratory. She sees something and she wants to know what it is. The problem with that is she goes into prohibited areas to find things. She puts herself in harm's way and does everything her Daddy instructs her not to do. Stay here C.J., do not put that in your mouth C.J., you're going to hit your head C.J., do not lean too far back C.J., stop spitting C.J., and the list goes on. I will admit it is exciting to see her doing new things but it would be even better if I was able to keep up.

My Diva daughter demands to be heard. I wonder where she gets that from? Answer, her Mamma! C.J. will look at you and if she does not gain the response she seeks, she will begin to get loud. If you continue to look at her and not respond, she will get louder, and louder, and louder. Sooner than later I get irritated and usually pick her up to shut her up. I know it sounds harsh, but listen folks, even I, the loudest man on the planet, need silence at times. She is also scooting with near perfection. Daddy is still waiting for her to lift that belly off the ground and crawl but my stomach would be tired too if it ingested as much as C.J. puts down.

I know, I know, I know, fathers should not hike on their daughters but a joke is a joke, and if she fits it, then so it is. C.J. will learn soon enough that she better be able to utilize quick wit when dealing with her paternal side of the family. She already has her laugh down packed, now she just have to study her Daddy and absorb some of his great comedic material. Today was a good day for us. We got to play on the floor together despite her not listening to her Daddy. It is alwaYS a great time bonding with her. These are the times we all wish for. (Ok, sad excuse to quote Dru Hill but I am keeping it!) So remember to pray folks, and keep in mind that prayer changes things, people, and situations!

Quiet Sunday

When you're sitting in the front of the church and you hear a sound and you do not even have to turn around to find out who it is, you know you have a loud baby. That is normally the case with my Princess, C.J. That girl seems to like the excitement that comes along with worship service. I am always afraid that she will see me up in the pulpit and will begin to holler out to me like we are at home playing with each other. Though I would probably laugh about it later; at that moment, I would want to scold her royally.

Today C.J. was unusually quiet in church. It could be that her two teeth are hurting her that much. There is a possibility that she is actually learning that in church, especially when your Daddy is up preaching, C.J. should be quiet. Perhaps it was because her talking buddy Jayla was home sick today. Or could it have been the reality that C.J. slept through her Daddy's sermon. When I asked Mommy, who said others had remarked about her silence, she told me it was because she was asleep.

Now I must admit, Daddy really likes noise during worship, as long as it is relative to the flow of the Spirit. So when C.J. and her cousin Jaylen yell out on cue, it works. They usually can time when a Hallelujah or Amen are needed to complete a thought. It helps the preacher keep his pace steady. So today I would have liked to hear a little noise, just a little bit from my C.J. Maybe I played too much music before church, and while driving to church, and she got her worship in and then needed to rest up. In any event, she was quiet and that is a good thing. One thing I want her to learn early is that worship is exciting, but you must pay attention at certain times. I hope she also learns that sometimes you have to get loud while getting your praise on!

So today was a quiet day for C.J. and that is OK. When you're quiet you allow the Lord to come speak to you and you listen better. So keep the prayers flowing. We know that prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Humpty Dumpty

The old nursery rhyme says that Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall and had a great fall. Today was C.J.'s turn to play Humpty Dumpty. No parent ever wants to hear that sound. You cringe just thinking about it. The sound is more of a THUD! I was not here but I felt the pain in Mommy's voice when she called me to share the news. The good thing was that I did not hear C.J. All her limbs were fine and she was acting normally, so for now, all is well. Babies will fall, run into things, stumble, and a lot more. You do not wish to see it but you become faster than the speed of light when you are the witness to the great fall. You scoop your baby up and soothe them...most of the time more than they want to be soothed.

Daddy had to work today so I had to think about how C.J. was doing the entire afternoon. I would call Mommy to check in on her and she would tell me that she was OK. Truth be told, I was calling to make sure Mommy was OK. When I arrived home, C.J. was making noise like she always does. She was being her giddy self which helped me be at ease a bit. Then, I settled in and held her. She proceeded to throw up on me, which I did not appreciate, but of course Daddy did not mind. I just wanted to hold her and let her know that Daddy was home. She was still sleeping when I left out early this morning.

I just went in to check on her and she was sleeping well. I pulled her thumb out of her mouth, and as my Princess normally does, she placed it right back in with the quickness. Of course I will worry about her. What Daddy would not? She seems to be OK and I will continue to check in to satisfy myself. So today marks C.J.'s first fall. No bumps or bruises so I would say she fared well. Not like poor Humpty Dumpty, who with all the king's horses and all the king's men could not be put together again. So when you pray tonight say a little prayer for C.J. that everything will be OK. C.J. knows that prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Off to the Sitter

One thing that always sticks out to Daddy from his marriage counseling is this. "Never stop dating." So when Mommy invited Daddy out to a movie and lunch he eagerly accepted. There was only one thing wrong. Where was C.J. going to go? As of late C.J. has made it difficult to go out and enjoy a meal. She is not terribly bad but she will start whining and crying right when the food comes. LOL, we recently had to leave a restaurant because of her noise. Little did I know that Mommy had everything planned out. When you organize a date you have to put all the pieces of the puzzle in place. Mommy decided to send C.J. to the sitter for a few days this week and today would be one of those days. Daddy got up this morning and drove C.J. to the sitter, and that way Mommy and Daddy could go on our date.

Now C.J. going to the sitter is never a problem because the sitter and her family absolutely love her. They are upset when we do not bring her. I will admit I enjoy hanging out with C.J. when I am off but today was a great day just to chill with Mommy alone. Sooner than later, I began to miss my little homey so we hurried along to get her. C.J. made a stop to the beauty salon today. Daddy needed a trim so he went to Mommy's place where they have a barber on duty. Mommy came in with him and C.J. got to see a place she may frequent in years to come. The beautician was ready to go too. She asked Mommy to let her get at C. J.'s hair.

It was a great day even though the weather took a turn for the cold. Everyday that God creates is a great one. C.J. is down early tonight even though it is a Friday. She seems a bit tired and she has a long day full of her Auntie Brandie and her cousins to rest up for tomorrow. So you all continue to pray for us and others. We all know that prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Whose Loud Baby Is That?

So today C.J. and Mommy were home together. I was late to work because I was envious of their sound sleeping as I prepared myself to depart. I do not even think they heard me pray with them or kiss them on the forehead before I left. I wanted so badly to stay in the bed, but I knew I had to get down to work.

I did not get to call home much today. when I did everything was cool. I had to stay late because I arrived late. Once I did I heard a whole lot of noise. I asked Mommy, "Do you have another child there with you?" She told me no, so I said, "Well whose child is that making all that noise?" She assured me that it was my child making all the noise. She sounded like she was having loads of fun.

One thing I love about my child is that she enjoys life. She is always smiling, laughing, willing to play, and always makes a lot of noise...just like her Daddy. It is cute now but I wonder if it will remain that way?

As C.J. slept I noticed she had her thumb in her mouth, so I decided to take it out. Instantly she put it back in. So I took it out again and she repeated the same. After about a minute of this I could only laugh and leave her alone. I told Mommy she would have an overbite before having teeth, hopefully not. We still have not made it to Rita's and that means we have not been taking our walk. We have to get back on track soon.

So the loud baby is mine. She gets it honestly. Her daddy has benefited from being loud and maybe one she will. The one thing we do not do is shuck and jive. So now I am handling some business while she sleeps. You all continue to pray, as I always remind you, prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Silent Rides: CJ and The Chauffer

Well today I had a very unusual experience. It felt as if I were a taxi driver for C.J. Even though Mommy is on vacation we thought it would be best for C.J. to still go to the baby-sitter. This means that Daddy and C.J. both have to get up and get out by 6:30am. Just so you know that has not happened yet. Maybe on Thursday (C.J. will be home tomorrow) we will get it together.

Today C.J. began her bottle in the house and finished off in the car. I did not hear a peep from her. She sat back there as if she were a real Princess and I was her chauffeur. I got out, opened the door for her, and carried her up the stairs. Then I went off to work. The strange thing is that when I came to pick her up today, I found her the same way I left her, asleep. So I carried her out of the house, placed her in the car, shut the door, and departed to our destination. Usually you would hear C.J. shifting or moving about. Today on the ride home I was again the chauffeur and heard nothing.

Though weird I can not say that the silence was bad. It sure beats her whining and shrieking. She had another good day at the sitter and once she came home she was more calm than usual. Even though I do not like being the chauffer. I will serve with gladness because there will come a day she will be embarrassed to be caught riding with her Dad! A good embarrassment though.

So another day is come and gone and the night is here. Time to say our prayers and head to bed soon. When you pray be sure to pray for others! It is a fact that prayer changes things, people and situations.

NOTE TO C.J.: Prayer is essential to life. When someone asks you to pray for them or you offer to pray for someone be sure to follow through. Praying for others is a good thing because others will pray for you!

Duke vs. Butler

Good evening folks. Today is a big day for Daddy and C.J. The Duke University Blue Devils are playing for the National Championship. One day C.J. might play and get Daddy his trip to the White House. Unless he is a resident, that is. Today was weird. Daddy and C.J. had to get up and out, but Mommy was able to go back to sleep. On the ride to the sitter, C.J. was great. I did not hear one peep from her.

When I arrived to pick her up today, C.J. was not interested in leaving. She was outside enjoying the weather, and was fascinated by the train roaring by. After calling her about twice, she looked and finally I received the smile I am accustomed to getting when I pick her up. I told C.J. she could stay and I would come by to get her tomorrow. She seemed to be fine with that, as well as her sitter and her family. They all say they would be happy to keep C.J. I really like that they genuinely love C.J.

So on the way home, Daddy tried calling Mommy. He felt it was weird for Mommy not to have called to check on C.J. all day long. When she did not pick up for him, he became a little worried. When we arrived home, we both found out that she had locked herself out of the house while doing laundry. So she had to hang out in the laundry room for four hours, waiting for us to come home. C.J. and Daddy were relieved to know she was OK. C.J. will not get to see the game tonight. She is sleeping peacefully. Daddy and C.J. postponed their walk to Rita's since Mommy was not ready, and plan to go tomorrow. We will also see how well it goes with Daddy not bothering Mommy in the morning.

Be sure to keep praying. In your prayers include prayers for this hurting world. We know that prayer will change things, people, and situations.

Resurrection Day 2010

So many people sent Daddy texts today saying, "Happy Easter". The fact of the matter is that Easter does not exist to Daddy. On this day we celebrate the Resurrection and that alone. Ok, Daddy did have a fit today because he did not have one jelly bean. (That was until we arrived home, rested up a bit. Then Mommy found one inside of a basket for C.J.) Folks, do not get me wrong, I understand all the hooplah that goes on with this day and will buy a basket, boil an egg, and take a bunny pic. However I know, and state it first, that Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior rose from the dead. It is that purpose that C.J. will understand long before she plays with peeps and chocolate candies.

Today, instead of our usual Sunday feast, we decided to go out as a family...just the three of us. We enjoyed a great meal and C.J. even tasted some bread. She allowed us not only to enjoy our meal, but she let us get dessert, too. Two women were fascinated with her as she made her usual noise. C.J. was fascinated by one of the women's afro, which I might add was tight. C.J. would look over and smile as the woman smiled and waved at her. It was nice just to sit and chill with my ladies. We tried all weekend to do so and we were finally successful today!

C.J. and her cousins all matched today. Pop wanted them to wear the outfits he brought them and purple was the color of the day. You had to see C.J. rocking her lily white hat, as she looked just like a church lady. She even had her purple shades on to accent the dress fully.

So the day is gone and the night is upon us. C.J. is bathed and being read to. Daddy is relaxing and watching a little television. I urge you to take this newness that comes along with the resurrection and apply it to every aspect of your life. Let God dwell within and clean you up to be sparkling clean. So continue to pray that God moves in your life. I declare to you today that prayer changes things, people, and situations!

Take Two!

Just like in the movies, sometimes in life, you wish you could have a take two. A chance to run the play over. You saw what the end result was and now you want to alter your decision. Well today we were granted with another day's journey and we made the best of it. You can never have yesterday back so a take two was not ever going to come our way. So we just remembered best what we could and incorporated it into our brand new day.

C.J. was an entirely different person today. Her teeth were still a bother to her but she did not make too much fuss out in public. We needed to start the day early because we did not get anything done yesterday at all. So we left the house before 11am and proceeded to go from stop, to stop, to stop, to stop. We were able to get everything we needed, and had a lot of time to spare.

C.J. got to spend the afternoon with her grandparents as we had some food off the grill. We had to contend with the dogs but we were able to make it through. Now because C.J. took a nap earlier today she is very fussy right now. I even brought her out of the crib to see some of the basketball game with me. I put her back in the crib but she will not go to sleep.

lpu-89 jnj hil mni9by89 by 7by7o n

I let C.J. type the line above. You see the gibberish she produced. Well I am getting tired and my Princess is actually fading. You all continue to pray for we know prayer changes things, people, and situations!

NOTE TO C.J.: I think C.J. stayed up because you wanted to see the Duke game. You should have told your Mommy that, plus you did not need to whine.

CJ's FIT!!!

OK, so it is 12:32am and I am just getting in and settled. I spent the night receiving the word again and I am all the more blessed by it. Their is just something about being fed the word of God! Mommy and CJ did not go because we were concerned about how she would act so late in a different setting, and concerned we should be after this morning.

This morning their was no alarm, we just slept until the bed became uncomfortable. Well really until CJ woke up. We hung around the house until we decided to go to brunch and then to the movies. After the movies we were going to pick up some things then come home to chill. Well Ms. CJ had other plans. We were all set to eat our meal at IHOP when she began to cry. Not a problem it was about time for her to eat so Mommy prepared a bottle for her. She took the bottle drank some but them began to get lazy and drop it. Daddy would give it back to her and she would drop it again. Daddy then scolded her a little and told her to stop being lazy. After a few times of this CJ began to get fussy, so Daddy took her out of the carrier. The food came and she began to cry louder and louder, so much so that Mommy took her out of the restaurant. Daddy kept eating and asked to have Mommy's food packed up.

Once we got in the car CJ cried the entire ride home. We thought she may have a fever because her cheeks were red and her teeth have finally broke skin. When we checked she was normal. Once we took her clothes off down to her onezie Daddy took her and held her. She stopped crying. He then sat down with her and played a video game. CJ was like a different person. she sat still the entire time Daddy had her. Mommy nor Daddy could not believe it. Later in the day Mommy said she had forgiven her. Daddy said he did not. He believes she knew what she did, lol. Today was the first time CJ had altered a day. All Daddy wanted to do was hit the movies and get the things we needed on Friday so we could rest on Saturday. Instead we have to get up in the morning to fight the crowds in the stores.

So after a while Mommy and CJ took what was suppose to be a nap but ended up being a two and a half hour sleep session. Daddy slept for about a half. If it was a fit, she better not ever do it again.

So another day had come and gone and please continue to pray. We know prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Family's First Communion

So what it is 12:12am and I am just getting in. The word last night was straight FIRE! "Remember". CJ as usual was loud in church, having a conversation with her friend Jayla. The highlight of the night along with the word of course was CJ blowing her spit-up on my preaching robe. Now it has to be cleaned and I will kindly take that right from her bank account.