Quote I had to share...

Hi Max!

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone

You are my heart walking around outside my body.

Love you.

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

Hi Max!

What a great Labor Day Weekend we had!

I got home from Birmingham on Saturday mid-day and we went to play in the bouncy-houses restaurant (as you like to call it) at The Great Mall.

Sunday, we had the VFW Picnic at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park at 87th and Lackman. Ate some lunch and then played on the new playground set and LOVED the astroturf and padded FieldTurf at the playground. We walked on the trails to the creek and bridge.

On Monday, we topped our great weekend off with a trip to the Zoo! We went two years ago, but all you did was sleep then. This time, you (WE) had a ball. You loved the polar bear as he did his somersaults and was very active. You said the monkeys were your favorite and you really liked the train ride - wow you love trains. :) We rode the train, the tram, the boat, and my favorite was the African Sky Lift that was a ski lift of sorts that took us over the wild animals of Africa - cheetahs, elands, african birds, ostriches (Australia section), Zebra, antelope, and we even peeked a lion while going across the zoo on the lift. It was a terrific ride! We zoomed right through your nap time thought and by 4 you were just about out on your feet. You fell asleep in the car on the way home and I couldn't help but reflect on how great the weekend was for us as a family.

Weather was terrific, relaxation was at a 9 or 10 level with no or little client expectations, and we really got some true quality time together. Sometimes I wonder if you realize how great you have it right now (you've been on 15 airplane rides (most of them first class or business class), two loving parents who have the time to spend with you and a plan to keep it that way, no other siblings, a great house, lots of toys, a great school, and lots of love around you) and I realize that it is me that has it great right now for having you in my life. Thank you for letting me live again through your eyes as you discover life. It's a blessing. You're a blessing.

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

P.S. Pictures to be uploaded later. Have to figure out which ones to post - took MANY!

Our trip to Disney...

Hi Max!

The terrible twos evolve into the trying threes don't they? :) Max's favorite word of the week was "No!" With that being said (often :), Max had a terrific time meeting his favorite Disney characters. We have the most incredible book of pictures with signatures! Also, my next post will be a few photos from our trip! We are watching Hurricane Irene tear up the east coast of the United States on television in preparation for leaving tomorrow.

Really... if I had to boil the week down to one lesson it is one that I know well and always need to be reminded of: LOVE is spelled TIME to a child.

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

Resilience... From Enabling to Empowering...

Hi Max!

Amy Stoehr sends out a motivational e-mail occasionally and I really enjoyed her words today and I can't wait for you to reflect on this later. You'll maybe understand better why I push you at times to do things on your own, to get back up, to not quit... I don't want to enable you. I want to empower you. Here's what she wrote...

"I read a blog today about teaching your kids resilience. Essentially, the message was, don't prevent your kids from falling down. Instead, teach them how to get back up and continue on.

Two memories came to mind - the first, a time six years ago when I was out on roller skates (that's right, skates, not blades) and I completely "yard saled" in front of my house. I got up, came in the house, picked as much asphalt as I could out of my knee, and... here's the awareness: never roller skated again. In fact, I sold the skates at a garage sale.

The second time was two years ago when I slipped on ice at a retreat and suffered a spiral break of my distal fibula. My first bone break, I thought it was just a sprained ankle. Long story short I spent eight weeks in a cast. Instead of giving up, though, I greeted the incident with optimism and continued on. I rented a "rollabout" because I had to be non-weight-bearing for four of those eight weeks.

When you fall down, in business and in life, how do you respond? Do you "sell the skates" and walk away? Or do you get back up, and find a new way of going?

Make it your best day yet!

Amy Stoehr"


I'm here to help you get back up, persevere, and go farther. I love you and will always support you, lift you, inspire you, motivate you... I'm here for you, not to do it for you, but to help you do what you do.

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

ALL DAY... ALMOST... :)

Hi Max!

Here was my message to my FB friends tonight: "We were celebrating Max Maher's first full day wearing big-boy pants without an accident. We were jumping around, dancing, yelling and screaming, having a great time and then, as if to help us appreciate the moment... a little puddle forms on the floor below him. +m2 P.S. We moved a little and kept dancing. I think I might have tickled him too much."

You were so close! You're getting there buddy - and I love you!

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

A message from Kevin Eastman....

Hi Max!

Your mom and I are at the James Malinchak Big Money Speaker in Las Vegas and you are playing with Grandpa and Grandma Soetaert! Guest speaker Kevin Eastman of the Boston Celtics just outlined a great Vision Exercise.

1) Take a moment to write down all the things you think it takes to be a success.
2) Take a moment to write down what it takes to be a success in what you do as a profession (in case they choose your profession).
3) Put a copy in your desk and give a copy to your spouse. The copy in your desk will be given to the child when "they are ready".

I really see this blog as this letter. I know you will read all of it (I would read everything my dad wrote). As this grows, I hope it becomes a place for you to go - when you are down, when you are lonely, when you are excited, when you are celebrating, when we are apart - whenever you want. Just know that I love you and think about you all the time. You're the best. You're the greatest. You're Max.

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)

I. Miss. You...

Hi Max!

I've been on the road a lot lately. I just wanted to let you know I love you and I'm really missing you right now. I miss "We made it" and "bubble guppies" and "Daddy, will you get me?" and "Played with Brenna at school" and "Cars and trucks and trucks and cars"... really miss you. And I have to wait 5 more days to see you! Crushing...

Love you.

Blessings,

Max's Dad (Michael)