Being a Daddy

I think most of you who read here know that my wife is expecting. I do not really know what to expect. I have a lot of dreams. I saw a commercial today with a list called "Things to do before the kids grow up." I thought that may be a pretty cool list to make. So, I figured I should give it a shot by listing 25 things I want to do with my kid before he/she grows up. My kid has 6 more months in the womb, so I cannot officially begin these things sometime in November or thereafter. In no certain order of priority:

1. Play catch - (I have to admit, I believe if I have a son, he will be a major league pitcher, so there is much more than playing catch that I hope happens.)
2. Wrestle in the living room floor
3. Tickle them until that can't take it anymore
4. Star Gaze
5. Catch lightning bugs
6. Go fishing in the dark
7. Wade in a river
8. Play Basketball (and lift them up so they can dunk)
9. Bake some cookies (and eat them too)
10. Have an ice cream cone together in the dead heat of summer and watch them try to eat it before it melts
11. Ride a tractor
12. Go floating down a river
13. Go camping
14. Take him/her to their first St. Louis Cardinal's game
15. Enjoy a Krispy Kreme doughnut
16. Finger paint
17. Spend the morning watching cartoons
18. Spend a rainy day cuddled up together watching movies
19. Take a nap on a hammock
20. Go Four-Wheeling
21. Teach them how to drive a stick shift
22. Build a treehouse
23. Take a walk together on my grandpa's farm
24. Hunt
25. Fly a kite

As you can tell I am excited about all the things I get to do with my kid. It is going to be such a journey. I also get really excited about who they will be. It is fascinating to think about the personality that will develop within them. Pray with me now that they do not get mine nor my wife's stubbornness :) God has so much in store for this child. I certainly know I do not deserve this great gift. That little rapid heartbeat is so much more than I can handle. I am glad he does not strand me alone in this.