Fatherhood

Patrick has a long and glorious future in front of him. That does not mean that I have a clue about my future as a parent. There were so many things that I was sure of before I had a child. I got an e-mail this morning from the  LEGO Learning Institute, Denmark. They want to use one of my images ( Adjusted Lego Heart ) in a video about "Systematic Creativity" ... actual academic research, to be used both internally and externally. I cannot even remember when I got to take a photograph that did not have Patrick in it ... and I love it! Now, I am sitting home ... Patrick is asleep in his crib ... on a Friday morning (my work schedule has aligned with the day-care in-service day ... I never knew they had such a thing; once a month and we have to arrange for one of us to be home). I've got an ear cocked for sounds from above ... praying that today will be a fun day. Maybe this afternoon, we will invite Papap for lunch at McDonald's and spend some time over ther...

"I'm building my family tree one child at a time." I remember making this lighthearted joke, not long after Patrick was born. I've been working on our family history for several decades.  Working on computers for a living (and for fun), I've learned a lot about this type of research.  My grandmother got me started ... and encouraged my interest in my family history.  With her assistance, I've compiled quite a bit of information about our family tree and quite a few stories about the people on the tree. Many times, months of research resulted in nothing ... occasionally, some small thread would lead to some larger find.  I've researched lines into the American Revolution (my grandmother always wanted to join the DAR).  I've traced many lines overseas ... Germany, Italy, Ireland, Poland / Austria, and more. But, nowhere along the way have I had such an exciting addition to our tree.  In all my years of tracking down family members, verifying st...