Lately, my dad has been calling me or emailing me every couple of days with one question: “So what have you been learning?”

He’s aware of the fact that this new venture into parenthood will come with its share of “lessons,” so his question is serving to remind me that my son isn’t the only one who needs to continue growing.

So far, my answer has been, “I’m not sure yet.” These first couple of weeks have been a re-calibration for our senses. I tend to take a lot of time to think through new circumstances, but the addition of a new human being into our living arrangement has provided the new circumstances, but very little time for reflection. With the constant influx of loving family members and the inability to do any of our new parental duties at an efficient pace, only today have I been able to stop and reflect on this new miracle.

Unfortunately, deep thoughts escape me, and I can only come up with the following summary of what we’ve learned so far:

- Jude really does like the song, Hey Jude !

- Changing diapers requires a level of coordination and quickness beyond my current abilities. Jude likes to poop while I am changing his diaper, which only adds to the difficulty and excitement level.

- Krista told me the other day that I need to “grow a boob,” and though I would love to help, I’ll stick to the support role I currently have.

- The nativity story about Joseph and Mary wrapping Jesus in “swaddling clothes” wasn’t so much about Jesus’ coming as it was about telling us that if you want to sleep through the night, you better know how to swaddle a newborn.

- Finally, my wife Krista has shown a level of strength and resilience that I’ve rarely seen. Jude has a wonderful mom, and I hope I continue to grow in the role of servant leader to them both.

The good ol’ days are here, now.

Jude Adam Barmer - Born 07.08.09 at 7:47 a.m.

“Imagine the ecstasy, the cry of joy when God makes a person in his own image! When God made you! The Father gives you as a gift to himself. You are a response to the vast delight of God. Out of an infinite number of possibilities, God invested you and me with existence.”
~ Brennan Manning, The Signature of Jesus

Jude Adam,
May you always know that all heaven and earth, along with Father, Son, and Spirit, breathed a sigh at your life today. And the sigh echoed your own first breath. It is the name all creation speaks with every breath.

YHWH.

(by Krista)

Waiting for Jude
With two weeks before our official due date, we are still awaiting the arrival of our little one. Krista feels pretty good, and has actually enjoyed being pregnant, though I hear that’s not the normal experience.  I attribute her experience to the fact that she is non-toxic, pure granola girl.  Keep an eye out, as I’ll be using my website to post pictures within days after he is born.

Contract on a House

We are excited about the possibility of closing on a house at the end of August!  We made an offer on a house in Franklin, hoping that the seller would be willing to delay closing until that time, and somewhat to my surprise, it worked out.  It’s a great-looking place with most of the items on our wish list.  I’ll tell more once we have officially closed later this summer, since the deal isn’t done until then (this is me, guarding against disappointment).

Ellie’s Run for Africa

I ran in Ellie’s Run for Africa this morning, finishing somewhere in the top 1000, which was easy, since there were close to that number of people in the race.  It’s one of the best 5Ks in Nashville, thanks to a great cause (which you can read about here) and a great venue.  I was able to raise about $350 in sponsorships, and if you would still like to give to the cause, just follow the link (big THANKS to those of you who donated!).  Percy Warner Park is a gorgeous place, and running cross country is a nice relief compared to the usual road races.  Somehow I was given 3 as my race number, so I was thrilled to be in the single digits for the first time ever in a race.  Unfortunately, this did not mean I would receive an automatic bronze medal.

Tattoo
I’ve completed the second of three phases for the tattoo on my forearm. The purpose of it is to remind me of a core belief I have about God as my Father.  It’s the Greek text from Galatians 4:7: “No longer a slave, but a son.”  I also had a symmetrical cross put on the inside of my wrist as well.

Birthday Wish List

Finally, I know that a lot of you have been out shopping this week for my upcoming birthday (please read the sarcasm there).  Fortunately, I have discovered a perfect item that you will probably want to buy for yourself as well.  If you are into board games, check out Settlers of Catan.  Apparently it makes Monopoly look outdated and poorly designed.  Plus, it was invented in Germany, where all the great board games originate, so they tell me.  I found it here.