dads and kids.

coop and ains at the walrus tank
disregard me. check out you-know-who.
roo went crazy at coop's tball game.

coop's first game was great. that's him on first.
father's day 2008.
wow. we all look decent.

when i met matt i was significantly besotted. nine years, seven moves, two degrees, one doctorate, three children, and many hair colors and styles later i am still totally mesmerized that he chose me. sounds odd, huh? i mean, of the two of us i am so obviously better looking. strike that. i used to be better looking. while i have aged considerably over the past decade, matt still looks as fresh faced and adolescent as he did in high school. i would blame the physical trauma on pregnancy and childbirth, but the twenty seven-plus months i have spent gwc have been some of the most gratifying of my life. in spite of the massive relocation of much skin and a few body parts, i am almost positive that matt still thinks i am wonderful. and i him. so we finally get to the point.

all the reasons i love matt . . .
1. he makes me laugh.
2. he still looks at me like he did the first day we met.
3. he has squared, thick hands. no tapered fingers permitted here.
4. his favorite thing for breakfast is sugar free jell-o with 32 oz. of cool whip.
5. he tells coop he is his best friend and i believe him.
6. matt only uses really bad language when he is in the company of his elder brother.
7. he is incredibly driven. unbelievably bright. and in possession of a memory whose capacity knows no bounds.
8. he looks fantastic in worn jeans and t-shirts.
9. he looks athletic playing any sport. because he is.
10. he has taught our son to respect his mother and his sister above all others.
11. he wears the pink j.crew swim trunks that i bought him. even though coop laughs at him.
12. i don't know a single person who doesn't like him. or at least respect him.
13. he shares my love for expensive tennis shoes.
14. he loves me enough to tell me to shut up when it is necessary.
15. he is the best friend, best love, best father, best person i know. and i am glad he is mine.

that's enough. on to the events of the day. during fhe coop interrupted matt's lesson, keeping the sabbath day holy, to tell us that he had finally grown a new toenail in place of the one he lost about six months ago. and during closing prayer he thanked heavenly father for letting "me and dad have a break from mom and ains when we went to the golf course." after watching tiger in the open the last couple of days, matt said coop was very intent on the putting green. apparently he crouched down and lined up his shot. when matt asked him what he was looking for her replied that he did not know. when he nailed the putt he did a reenactment of tiger on the 18th green.

beckett can say "basketball," but not "no" or "milk" or anything else for that matter. the first few days at the pool the lifeguards told becks to "walk" every time they saw him. and then last week one of the guards stopped me and asked me if he knew how to walk. and the answer is an emphatic "NO!" he leans forward and sticks out his chest and goes. he always looks like he's about ready to fall over.

and ainsley. i asked her if she wanted to get her hair cut and she told me that she was "growing it out real long like aunt weed." when i told her aunt weed looked amish because her hair was so long she told me that she wanted to be amish. to which i responded, "that's fine with me. no more tv and no more riding in the car. we're going to take a horse and buggy to the pool and wear long dresses and ugly shoes." she about came unglued when she thought she was going to have to wear ugly shoes. problem solved.

this is just a quick recap of random thoughts and happenings.