X Marks the Spot

I hope that one day you'll get to see my son's bedroom. We really put some effort into his theme and the decorations. I have the following people to thank:

Jas - thanks for going with this idea. We made the cutest little Pirate in the world. I am so blessed to have your inspired ideas of decoration. You really perfected your role as project manager for his nursery.

Mom - Thanks for the baby furniture. That was a huge financial contribution and we always get compliments on it.

Meredith - Thanks for the knick-knacks. You've made his room a ship.

Dad - Thanks for putting up with my harassment about that toy chest. You have been an example of fatherhood to me that I've needed. You just love them. That's what dads get to do sometimes...they just show love. Thanks for your handyman skills and your tools. You're the man GPJ.

RuthAnne - That's incredible. That's all we could say when you painted something on his map. I'm going to record people's reaction to that so you can see what effect your work has on people. When they come into the nursery they see the nice furniture and then they see the wall and the oo's start roaring in. Thanks for being apart of the beginning of our parenthood.

Thanks to all those who filled it with toys and blankets and clothes. He loves them. We love you.

Graciously Thank You.

As I was rocking my 5 week old baby to sleep this morning, I had a spout of inspiration. We had put up a decoration that consists of vinyl stickers applied to the wall. The stickers were dashes and a big x marking the spot at the end of a trail. We started them at his doorway. They draped across the ceiling to the other side of the room where the trail ends with a big "X" over his bed. I got to thinkin' about (what an awesome southern phrase) that X and what it could represent. I think I was worried that he might grow up and think something ominous about that X over his bed.

Telling Jasmine my thoughts about this X, made her realize we needed to give it another symbol and meaning to calm my worries. She said X marks the spot of our little treasure. Ben. Ben is my little swashbuckling treasure. He is the greatest thing that ever happened to me, besides of course marrying the woman he knows as mom. I sat in the big rocking chair in his nursery trying to get him to go to sleep. I was thinking about some great fathers in my eyes and what made them so great. I've always admired parents who had a theme for raising their children. Sitting in the nursery with my son, the light of inspiration hit me. X Marks the Spot.

Home marks the spot. Family marks the spot. Love marks the spot. Living the Gospel marks the spot. X is the place where you want to be. It reminds you to come home. It reminds you to be in the right place. It shows how family will support you in that spot. It indicates that X is the place to be. So Ben when you're feeling lost or confused, look to the light and know that X marks the spot.

This is a funny video of Ben singing. This one's for you Lyric.