Perfect

I just got off the phone with a friend I haven't spoken too in a while. We sometimes get into deep conversations about life. He lost his wife to cancer last year and is one of the most incredible people I know in terms of his outlook on life. One of the things we talked about was how often life is taken for granted. The simple, everyday occurrences that seem so benign in our every day life, are so easy to just let slip by with no notice or no care. It's hard to not take things for granted. We all do it. From a simple phone call from your wife, to hanging out with friends and family, to spending time with your son. It's hard to remember that not everyone has this luxury, like I do. It's not about being fearful of change, it's about being aware of what you have in your life when you have it, and how much of a gift it really is.

It always makes me think of Tyler and this new family of ours, just now 19 months into our dynamic. Life likes to get in the way of moments like this, where I can stop and take a breath. It's so easy to forget how lucky I am. I have an amazing little boy, and an incredible woman for a wife. What more could a guy ask for? (Except another Playstation game...lol).

19 months of life has just slipped by, with no indication of slowing down anytime soon. Today, when I look at the world, I pray that I can keep the focus I have as I type this right now, all the time. That I can get this focus back when I lose it and take it all for granted.

Tyler is not our little baby anymore. That bothers me, to be honest. I miss him being so small that he just fit into the crook of my arms. But, when I stop and think about the boy he's becoming, I also feel a sense of pride. He's so smart, and so aware of the world around him. There are way too many things about him to mention in a blog, and I've written this before. But, those little mannerisms, those little movements and sounds, and smells that make him unique, fill me up with energy and emotion. They make him who he is. They make him Tyler.

Kelly said it best last night when we were talking about him. Tyler is the perfect name for him. Cuz he is Tyler. It's almost as if his name has always been a part of the family. It just fits him perfectly.

According to Tyler's teachers at Rosey's, he is way ahead of the kids in his class when it comes to his vocabulary and his speech. A co-worker of mine thinks he'll read sooner than others because of it.

He just gets it. I feel like I could show him anything, or tell him anything, and he understands it, and will remember it to shock me a few weeks later when he says it, or does whatever it was I showed him.

And, he's been doing something interesting. I tend to be dramatic, but this, I can't help but wonder about: Tyler has been saying "eight...ten" a lot lately. Kelly thinks it's "H...N", but I disagree. For those of you who know us well, you'll know that 810 is a special number for us. Kelly and I officially became boyfriend/girlfriend on 8/10/98, only to get married on 8/10/01. Tyler was born, weighing 8 pounds, 10 ounces. I count that as special. Some will say I am reaching, but I don't care what they say, cuz I believe it was meant to be this way on purpose. Now that he's randomly saying "eight...ten" when playing, I can't help but wonder if this, too, is something special.

Simple reminders maybe? Reminders that what I have right now is a gift. This life, this family that I will be going home to tonight is something special. Something to not take for granted.