Dear First Church Friends,
I am writing to you late on the night of my second day of fatherhood. My mind is swirling with thoughts and emotions. The almost-48 hours that Casey has been our son have been absolutely amazing. Words can hardly describe the deep emotions we are feeling. By the time you receive this Steeple Notes, we should all be home, figuring out what life together will be like. I am sure when we are home, we will be able to better reflect upon the significance of these past days. (Although somebody told me that once you enter parenthood, all time for significant reflecting gets put on hold for 18 years....you are too busy operating out of survival mode. I guess we'll have to see what happens.) But let me say this: In looking back over these last nine months, you, our church family, have stood by us every step of the way. You have showered us with gifts and prayers in ways we could have never anticipated. All we can think to say is "Thank you." For all of those who contributed to Casey's college fund, we say thank you. For all of you who knitted a blanket or bought us an outfit, we say thank you. For all the cards and thoughts, we say thank you. Wherever the road takes us over the next years of our life, when we think of the birth of our first child, we will think of all of you.
One of the best gifts the church is giving us after CJ's birth is the gift of time. I have been granted an eight-week paternity leave this summer. (My dad keeps saying, "They just didn't do that in my day.") This is an incredible opportunity for me to help Bridget rest and recover from the delivery as well as invaluable time to connect with my boy. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
