What If....?

I've been thinking for a few weeks regarding the question: What if....? I started making a list of ideas and then went to the Internet. I Googled "what if.." and got a staggering number of hits. For example, there are student competitions that generate "what if" ideas. There are a blogs, innovation companies, and even a restaurant named "What if .... of Hershey".

"What if" can take on many different viewpoints. Here are some of my thoughts:

What if we ....

1. never needed locks
2. had no bad memories
3. always made the right decision
4. had no regrets
5. never had a negative or impure thought
6. had unlimited resources
7. always felt accepted
8. never envied anything or anyone
9. we were always satisfied
10. never wanted
11. were happy with our bodies
12. were never sad
13. had a sports team that never lost
14. never had cliques
15. were always thankful
16. took nothing for granted
17. never needed a doctor or lawyer
18. never got tired
19. never cried
20. never had another bad hair day
21. all had hair
22. never had crime
23. were never lonely
24. really enjoyed each other
25. could ask God anything?

Hmmm... Sounds a bit like heaven doesn't it?

Another viewpoint:

What if....

1. I can't remember how to change a diaper
2. my DirecTV goes out during the Iron Bowl
3. they finally decide that Splenda really is bad for you
4. hand sanitizer is really a scam
5. my kids dress me in stripes together with plaids when I'm in a old-folks home
6. all of our recycling efforts just end up in the same pile of garbage anyway
7. Savannah doesn't recognize me unless I place a laptop next to my head
8. UK is not in the Final Four
9. my dog stopped barking at 6 in the morning
10. turkey & dressing really are good for you? - Happy Thanksgiving!

Want to add to the list? Leave a comment....

But.... "what if" no one has an opinion....?

It's Like Riding a Bike... Hope so!

Daniel, Lauren, & Savannah are moving to Sweet Home Alabama! Wow! You heard right... they will arrive on December 18 and stay with us until they get their feet on the ground, learn to speak "Alabama", and learn to love SEC sports. Given that Daniel is a PAC-10 fan, it may take quite a while.

It will be wonderful to see the three of them! We haven't seen them in person since July - when Savvy was born. I can't wait to hold the little bundle of joy again. Based on Skype sightings, I know she's changed quite a bit since we last met.

Needless to say, it's been years since we've lived with a baby. I'm "older and wiser" now, so I'm sure I will be able to discern every need and understand every cry..... right! Baby accessories

have changed so much since Tami & I raised kids over 20 years ago. Back then they didn't have "Boy diapers" and "Girl diapers". We just had Huggies & Pampers... period. I remember: "Don't put lotion on your hands before you put the diaper on! - the tape won't stick!" The new diaper technology has probably solved that problem by now though...

Having a baby in our home is going to be a major change for me.... Am I ready for a 5 month old in our house?! Hope so! Maybe it's like riding a bike.... you never lose the parental instinct, once you've been through it. Hope so! What about waking up in the middle of the night to a crying baby? Will I really be able to help, or should I just roll over and pretend I'm asleep? You think Savvy will recognize us from the Skype sessions? Hope so!

We'll have to Baby-Proof our house. She's not crawling yet, but I suspect it may be soon.... after all, I can discern these things, you know... When we babysit Savvy while Lauren & Daniel are out, will we be able to handle it? It's been 20+ years, you know.... What if we can't get her to stop crying? What if she gets sick? What if we run out of diapers!? Do I sound a bit nervous? You bet!

Here's my strategy.... Take a step back! Let the others take the lead. Leave the room at just the "right" moment. Get a "call" on my cell phone at just the "right" time. Listen & learn from the sidelines. Get my stride back by observing others. Take things one-step-at-a-time. I don't want to let on that I am virtually clueless when it comes to babies. So, I'll simply take a step back. After a while, I'll make my move and step in like a pro! Confident! Sure-handed! Ready to handle even the worst Huggies blowout she can deliver! Bring it on, Savvy!

No matter how long they decide to stay with us, we will treasure every moment! I am honored that they feel comfortable enough to return home to the US and want to spend time with us. No doubt adjustments will have to be made by all parties involved, but I'm up for it! Lauren, Daniel, & Savannah can stay with us as long as they want - no strings attached... Only one request: If Savvy needs tending to in the middle of the night, see if her Granddaddy is available to help.... I can still change a mean diaper.... you KNOW so! Can't wait to see you Savvy... I love you...

Planning for the Future...

Arrived in Upland, IN, yesterday evening. Drove 7.5 hours from Huntsville to the land of Taylor University where our son, Jordan, and his fiance, Bethany, are completing their senior year. They both are on schedule to graduate in May, 2010. We will spend today with them, attend church together Sunday AM, and then head back to sweet home Alabama. The weather here is great. Even though Upland is about 1 hour NE of Indianapolis, it's warmer here than it is in Huntsville, Alabama! The sun is bright, the sky is blue, and the wind is brisk. But the most obvious difference is the flatness of the land. This contributes to the ever present breeze blowing through the many rows of corn stalks. Cell phone towers are not very tall here - there's no need to be.

Jordan & Bethany look great! We haven't seen Jordan since we helped him move into his on-campus apartment last August. He rooms with 3 other students. It's definitely a "guy's apartment". Amazingly, the abode looked quite clean and presentable. Maybe he knew Mom and Dad were coming to visit?? Perhaps a surprise weekend visit might me more appropriate and telling....? Then again, some things are better left alone...

I wouldn't call Upland, IN, a wild and crazy party town. It's more like they plopped a conservative liberal arts Christian college right in the middle of a big corn field. There's not much to do here unless you drive via I-69 to Muncie, Ft. Wayne, or Anderson, IN. And with gas costing $2.69 / gallon, college students don't go far. So, Taylor does a good job creating activities on-campus each night and weekend. In fact, last night all four of us visited a student photo exhibit in the exhibition hall. A young female student was displaying beautiful large color and B & W photos of the people of Uganda that she took during her last visit there. They were gorgeous! Tami bought one... surprised?

This was also the first time we've seen Jordan & Bethany since their engagement. They both seem very happy. Bethany's ring is beautiful. It looks much better on her in person than it does via the internet. She will make a beautiful bride! While they are still completing school assignments, building relationships, planning a wedding, and fulfilling leadership roles at school, they are obviously thinking about the details of "life after graduation". Things will be different, no doubt. They will no longer be two, but one. Yet they both will have their own goals, expectations, and desires. A strong union and partnership is one that considers and yields to the other for the benefit of the whole. It's exciting to watch and listen to them think and dream out loud!

They both have a set of loving parents & family firmly behind them. We will always be there for them... no strings attached! In today's world, the future is more uncertain than it has been in quite a while. But, family has your back... We are anxiously looking forward to seeing what lies ahead for J & B. I hope they will always remember how much we love them both.