new blog: thestateofpate.com

We have literally outgrown "pate, party of 3" with the addition of Lainy.
Come see the new and improved blog. It's like PPo3 on HGH but without congressional hearings.

thestateofpate.com

Big Brother Caden

We were initially a little worried about how Caden would react to having another Pater Tot in the house, but those went away quickly. So for he is turning out to be a great big brother.

Some early pics of Lainy (without the birth filth)

she's here!! (the 1st preview)

Alaina (Lainy) Harper Pate was born today. Everyone is fine. More pictures coming soon. I'm tired....and I did the least amount of work today.

This is a post birth picture. It ain't pretty...buts its real.

As you can glean from above, we have landed on Harper as the middle name. In keeping with a literary theme for middle names (Caden's is Crusoe), Harper comes from one of my favorite books To Kill a Mockingbird (highly recommend the movie too if you haven't seen it). Harper Lee is the author.

surf and turf

When Janelle and I started dating in college, we were both servers. Obviously, Valentine’s Day is a big day in the restaurant industry, so our first couple Valentine’s were spent apart…..working.
Once we moved on to 9 to 5’s, we had a newfound freedom on Valentine’s, but also knowing the chaos at restaurants, we weren’t in any rush to get in the back of the lines. So one of the first Pate traditions emerged. We buy some steaks and lobster tails and make an extravagant meal at home. It now is truly a day I look forward to every year. Happy Valentines everyone

more Lent stuff

Winn Collier (frequent contributor for Relevant Magazine) is tracking his Lent journey on a blog here with weekly installments.
Good reads. You can see his first entry here, and his second entry here.

Eviction Notice

double click on the picture to enlarge

any day now

Last Friday, Janelle’s OB told her that he would bet money in Vegas that she would have the baby by Monday (that’s right…yesterday). Naturally we were both really excited:

• Obviously to see our little girl for the first time (hopefully she looks like Janelle)
• Janelle is at the “just get out of my belly” point of pregnancy and wants to sleep on her stomach again
• and I get 2 weeks off of work once the baby arrives

Alas, this apparent false hope has had an anticlimactic effect. Now every day that she lingers inside her spacious womb is like torture to us (the parents). It’s like having the proverbial carrot dangling in front of our face….for days.

Lent stuff

NCC (a church in DC) has a great Lent prayer blog that is updated daily. It’s a great resource for any fellow “lent-ers”.

yeah, we're that poor

Caden has been watching a little too much Bob Ross

We think he may have a drug problem

Lent (2)

Lent begins today.
I participated in Lent last year for the first time which ended in one of the most embarrassing experiences of my life (so of course, I blogged about it).
Why do it again?
Candidly I’m not sure.
Maybe it’s because its hard for me to accept that I am “saved by grace” and I feel the need to work for it a little.
Maybe it’s because there is a part of me that enjoys the structure and tradition that Lent offers.
Maybe it’s because I’m not all that good at spiritual discipline normally, and this is a small enough spiritual exercise that I can do.
Maybe it’s all of the above.

If you want to jump on the Lent train, it’s not too late. Find something to fast (it doesn’t have to be food) until Easter.

Let me also admit that I practice a modified Lent by orthodox standards. I didn’t go to an Orthodox or Catholic Church today for Ash Wednesday (which includes having ash smeared on my forehead in the shape of a cross), although I would like to in the future. Frankly it’s a little intimidating because of my unfamiliarity with Catholic Mass. I don’t want to be the moron who doesn’t know when to stand and sit. I need a catholic buddy.