Nicholas just started wrestling a few weeks ago.  He is the kind of kid that needs to be pushed a little to get involved with things, but after he is pushed a little, he does just fine.  One of the hard parts of being a parent is to know how much to push your child to do something, when to push them, and when to back off.  Vicki and I are just beginning those skills...it's good to have friends that can be honest with you about how to navigate these kinds of issues.

Nicholas was hesitant at first with wrestling.  Wrestling practice consists of exercise and skills practicing...single leg take downs, double leg takedowns, and sprawling.  He said he was a little bored...until he actually got to wrestle someone.  I got his first "wrestling match" on video.

After church on Sunday, while a number of families were hanging around talking, off in a corner Grace was playing with another girl her age (about 2).  They were playing quietly for a little but then I noticed something that interested me.  The other little girl started to hop up and down and yell, yelp, and holler.  It only took about 5 seconds for Grace to begin to hop up and down and yell, yelp, and holler.

My mind raced to junior high, high school, and beyond.  Hopping today  = something tomorrow.  I hope she has positive influences around her and she chooses to mimic things worth mimicking.

Last night Vicki and I reached a milestone in our lives.  At about 7:00pm I ceremoniously removed the right side of Grace's crib thereby turning her infant crib it a "big-girl" bed.  There was not a lot of fanfare, there were no tears, but it was meaningful.

For Vicki and I, it marks the end of an era; all our kids are now in "big-kid" beds.  It is a great feeling, but it caused me to pause for a moment and realize that the end of one era simply means the start of another.  I don't know what to expect in the next era of life, but I do know that Vicki and I will depend on the wise input of friends and family who have already helped us navigate through the first era.

Having four kids is great...and two boys and two girls is an additional blessing.  It hasn't been easy...it has challenged my patience, my ability to spend time and show love to four kids (and a wife), and has forced me to evaluate myself in light of God's desire for my character (Galatians 5). 

Coming soon...no more diapers.