Ready for the game.

There are two unwavering truths in the South.

On Saturday, you are a fan of somebody’s football team. Pick a team, any team…and root them on loudly — “Roll Tide Roll,” “Gator Bait,” “Geaux Tigers,” even “War Eagle.”

And on Sunday, you had better be in church…or proceed straight to the gates of Hell, as my grandmother used to say.

The NFL has confused things and today, a Sunday, my two-year-old saw his world’s collide and he did not like the result.

My wife asked me to get Hugh Michael dressed. I found a nice pair of navy blue dress pants in the closet. He was fine with that. I then put on his white undershirt; and because he was cold he was fine with that too. Then I began to put on a nice argyle sweater that his grandma bought him. [Read more...]

As I look in the rear view mirror of our standard issue, family-equipped SUV, I see that we are leaving paradise behind. My wife, Hugh Michael, Haley and I just spent nearly a month in the warm sunshine of the Florida Keys. It was our long-awaited summer vacation…after a long tenure in Jacksonville’s City Hall had come to an end.

Never have have I spent so much time with our two kids for such an extended period of time. It was AWESOME! It was also tiring, hectic and sometimes loud…but mostly it was awesome.

Time on vacation with one’s family is what this fatherhood thing is all about. And seeing new things for the first time, through my kids eyes, was like having a whole new perspective life. That’s something we really busy (and, of course, really important) dads need every once in a while.

This morning we packed our bags. Tonight when we get home we’ll unpack and life will go back to normal. But the memories we made will not get unpacked and stored away. They, my friend, will stay with me forever. [Read more...]

As a Christmas present to one another for the next 10 years (not to mention birthdays and anniversaries too), my wife and I had a new pool built this summer.

Hugh Michael and I christened it today. It was awesome!

We spent hours splashing and jumping and laughing.

We threw a football back in forth. We blew bubbles. He jumped into my arms from the side of the pool.

…all that and Bubba can’t even swim yet! Imagine the antics that are still to come!

As the sun set on our first pool day, I couldn’t help but think about the memories we were creating. There’s no doubt that family life will revolve around the pool. Cook-outs, birthday parties, skinny dipping…

Our investment was well worth it…even if Santa won’t be visiting us for a decade!