My "get out of the office free" card

For the last couple years I have been involved in a program where I go to a school every couple weeks and read to a class (same one all year long). Now before you get the wrong impression, let me admit that part of my motivation for going is that Wachovia (my employer) allots employees 4 volunteer hours PAID every month for things like this. So it is a great excuse to get out of my cube and go goof off with some kids. Here are a couple pictures of my class this year.

Today I read a book about a caterpillar who turns into a butterfly. One of the butterflies had crème colored wings, so in trying to keep them engaged, I asked the class which one was crème colored. To my surprise, one of the white kids raised his hands and said, “I am.” Priceless

Here they are doing their “Sally Struthers” pose.

Caden update

Caden started crawling this week which means:

we have to seriously child-proof our house now

and

we can start worrying about the next big thing

O.C.P

(D)umbrellas

Umbrellas are for women.
Only when it is pouring outside (which is defined by raindrops causing a splash effect when it hits something) should men ever use an umbrella. Get a raincoat. Cowboy up

I may be alone in this one, but I just think it is “dainty” for a man to use an umbrella. The only time it is acceptable for a man have large patch of nylon over his head, when it is not really raining, is when they have just jumped out of a plane and it is a parachute.

Minus the Mullet

No more party in the back. Caden' s unruly mullet is now gone

Caden's Uncle Justin

Maybe that hat is on a little too tight

April in Ohio

Spring time is here, can't you tell

Grandma and Grandpa Poff, with cousin Tyler

This reminds me of my first car

Caden with his Great Grandparents (Janelle's side)

Twisted Sisters

Janelle and her sisters (in-law)

De Plane, De Plane

Caden's first airplane ride. He hasn't been this cramped since he was in the womb. Get used to coach son

How Lent almost killed me

Caution: this story is both a bit embarrassing and crude, so read at your own risk (no one will heed this warning though).

As I mentioned before in the blog, I practiced Lent for the first time this year. I gave up sweets, which turned out to be alot harder than I thought. Lent ended this weekend, so I celebrated by loading up with some sweet treats. This must have overloaded my system, because today the world stopped. For the first time in my life I was constipated. Coincidentally, "consti-pate" used to be a nickname in college. For those of you who haven't been initiated in this prestigious club of survivors, let me state that it was one of the most horrific experiences of my life. I would break my toe with an axe again anyday over constipation. Worst, my wife was out of town, and my parents were traveling back from out of town. My parents were able to make it over to the house after about two hours of this torment and that is when I was asked the question that no man should ever hear.....
Mom: "Son, do you want me or your dad to give you the enema?"
Talk about the lesser of 2 evils.
So, here I am, almost 30 years old and my mother had to give me an enema.....twice.
That is when I knew I hit rock bottom. And that is how Lent almost killed me

The week in recap

Last week, Janelle’s cousin’s husband Jeremy died suddenly. Apparently he had some sort of heart failure while at work. He had a wife and two children (a 3 year old and a 3 month old) who will never remember their father. He was just a few years older than me. This comes just a few months after a coworker of mine (who was younger than me) died of heart failure as well. Both are sobering reminders of the frailty of life.

Janelle and Caden are in Ohio for the week for the funeral so it is a bit quieter at the home front. This has given me a chance to focus more attention on Kait and it has been a great week, which was capped by maybe my most redneck experience to date. Going to a country concert……wait for it…….. in a Wal-Mart parking lot.
No one told me being a parent (guardian) would require such sacrifice.