So, let me start by diverging

This is no surprise to those of you who really know me. Great ideas, lots of 'em, and yet I love to speak about what's on my heart! Yesterday, Tammy and Emerson and I got the chance to go to Jacksonville, Florida. Initially, Tammy and I were going to get up early this morning and drive down for a quick visit at the "F.I.R.M." (which strangely feels like it should be in a secret warehouse somewhere near the docks), it actually stands for Florida Institute of Reproductive Medicine, but plans got changed, go figure! After checking with the normal babysitter, Aunt Sandi, we learned that Katie Beth was still sick so we decided to not risk the transfer of "SICK" and just take Little E with us. So we left on Sunday afternoon after lunch, and arrived in Jacksonville around 6:00pm. After a few minutes in the hotel room, which was on the water in JAX, we went down to Maggiano's in St John TownCenter, a "Grove-like" (makes sense if you've been to LA) shopping center in a really nice part of JAX. While we were waiting on dinner we got the chance to watch a bunch of baby ducks, (otherwise known as ducklings) and their mom take care of them. We also got to see some turtles, and fish!!! Since the title of this blog is "keepin' it simple," I'd like to refer all of you back to your younger days...when it was really simple. Remember when a baby duck just really made your day? Remember when an ugly black and white and orange fish was AWESOME? That's the kind of day I had...It was great!!! Not because it was "cool" for me, but watching Emerson have the time of her life!

Back to the food!!! We ate at Maggiano's, and I ate the Eggplant Parmesan. (That sounded a whole lot less girlie when I said "I want the Eggplant Parmesan" to the waitress!) I'll have to consider that next time...The food was fine, but Emerson blew me away with how lovey-dovey she was! She couldn't seem to get enough of her daddy! At every turn she was hugging me, leaning on me, sitting in my lap, and just generally being "infatuated with me..." (I MUST REMEMBER THIS NIGHT IN SAY...14YEARS... 'Cause I can only imagine that it won't be like that forever!)

Let me some that up...WOW I was blown away by a great night with my wife and my daughter. It was kind of neat to walk in front of all these "high-end" shops...and just not care. I told Tammy that we had to remember this night...it was just one of those moments you know you're gonna need later on!

Moving on, I'd apologize for being sappy, but I'm not sorry! If you don't like it, don't read it!

Tammy and I went to the FIRM for an appointment to see where we were in the process to start having another baby. As expected, Tammy checked out great! The Doc said that we could start as soon as next month! So, since I'm gone for a week in June it looks like we'll start in May. It's my understanding that rarely in life do women long for that monthly visitor, but in this case she does...Once "the visitor" arrives we get to start the process again! YIPPEE!

So, if you're reading this and you're a pray-er, then GET YOUR PRAYER ON! We understand fully that even though "science" says all looks good, it's still in God's Hands. So, Lord willing, we will start the process again in May of 2009!

Thanks for reading "the divergence..."