Two Lists for Ryne

While I was recently bored at a professional development, I made a couple of lists because I'm lame and I enjoy making lists...

My first list is my "bucket list" of things to do with Ryne (in no particular order) (and yes, a lot of these are things that I enjoyed while growing up):

1. Go to a Chicago Cubs game in Wrigley Field once a year


2. Watch him get autographs at the Chicago Cubs spring training


3. Play hooky from school/work to go to a Major League Baseball game


4. Go to a baseball game at Fenway Park


5. Go to a Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field


6. Watch him get autographs at the Chicago Bears training camp


7. Go to a Chicago Bulls game at the United Center


8. Go to a Chicago Blackhawks game at the United Center


9. Go to an Iowa Hawkeyes football game at Kinnick Stadium


10. Take him golfing


11. Take him deep sea fishing (in the Gulf of Mexico with Captain Jesse as our guide!)


12. Take him to Disneyworld before he gets too old to think that it is lame


13. Coach an athletic team of his (but only if HE asks me to)


14. Begin a "baseball" card collection for him


15. Buy him his first beer as a 21-year old


16. Enjoy a beer with him in the Wrigley Field bleachers - when he is of legal drinking age


17. Enjoy a beer with him while tailgating for an Iowa football game - when he is of legal drinking age


18. Spend an evening with him in the Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City


19. Hug him, and tell him that I love him every day of his life


20. Watch him graduate from a four-year university (Iowa or an Ivy League school...just kidding, he can go wherever he wants as long as it isn't Iowa State...just kidding, no - I am not kidding about that)


21. Be in attendance for the best day of his life - when he gets married


22. Be in attendance for the new best day of his life - when he becomes a parent


23. Play catch with him


24. Teach him how to shoot a basketball


25. Continue to get him his favorite player's/team's jersey as he outgrows them


26. Attend Iowa football's children's day so that he can get autographs (August 13th, 2011! Minus the autographs)


27. Attend Iowa basketball's summer league games so that he can get autographs


28. Take him to an Iowa football bowl game


29. Begin a Father's Day tradition to celebrate with him


30. Run the 50th anniversary Bix race (2025 - I'll be 42, he'll be 15)

My second list is the goals that I have in regards to raising Ryne (again, in no particular order):
- I will pass on my love of sports to him
- I will be comfortable when he moves away knowing that I raised him to be capable of making good decisions
- He will consider himself to be a Christian
- More importantly he will live as a good Christian - open minded and forgiving
- He will always see the glass as being half-full
- He will have a job that he considers a career, he will enjoy going to work, and it will reward him adequately financially
- He will always put forth his best effort, and he will never quit the tasks that he begins
- He will respect all people, regardless of their differences
- He will become a life long learner who reads for pleasure
- He will live a healthy lifestyle

And again, for pictures see Facebook...they take to long to load onto the blog...sorry.

Best Week Ever

Does anyone remember the VH1 tv show, Best Week Ever? It was televised around the time that I was an undergraduate so I had what seemed like an unlimited amount of time to watch such garbage television. Oh...wait...what??? I should have been using that down time to study, really? That would explain why my undergraduate transcripts look the way that they do.

I had a GREAT time while I was an undergrad, but I would not go back to that time in my life. I am lucky. I have enjoyed each stage of my life a great deal, but once each stage has ended I've never wanted to return to any of my previous stages of life. I am lucky. I sometimes wonder why I am so lucky and/or when my luck will run out. Then I remember what Branch Rickey, the man behind bringing Jackie Robinson into Major League Baseball, said about how luck is a byproduct of preparation. I have a great wife, a great son, a great family, a good job (for now), a great boss, good friends, a good education, and a great bill of health. I am lucky.

This brings me back to my first sentence of this blog. I am about to embark on what very well could be my best week ever. Starting on Sunday (the 19th) during a six day span I will enjoy my first ever Father's Day as a Dad and then on Friday I will celebrate my 28th birthday. I have yet to encounter any diminishing returns that age will eventually bring. In fact, my life seems to keep getting better and better the older that I get!

We don't have a ton of things planned for Father's Day this Sunday, but that is fine. We will wake up in Iowa City due to the fact that we have a wedding there on Saturday night. I plan on waking up early and getting some coffee at Starbucks where I am hopeful that I will, again, run into Kirk Ferentz (I have seen him there the past two times that I've been there). Then we are going to have breakfast at the Hamburg Inn with my Dad. After breakfast we will head home to relax until Amy's Dad joins us for dinner at our house.

Now that I am a father, I have realized that Father's Day isn't about the father. It is a chance for the father to be thankful for his children; thankful that his children have allowed him to be a father. More or less, Father's Day is a celebration of the children in a father's life.

I'm not sure what this next year will bring to my life...maybe a new home, maybe a new job (hopefully!), I don't know. What I do know, though, is that as long as Amy and Ryne are around it will be another great year!

Oh The Places You'll Go!

I write this blog for two reasons: 1) graduation season is upon us, and 2) Ryne was just given a pretty cool University of Iowa tee-shirt that portrays my topic.

In the past, when I had a class of students and a little bit of extra time at the end of the school year I would read aloud two stories. One of those stories is one of my all-time favorites. It is written by Theodor Geisel (most likely Ryne’s favorite author), it makes for the perfect graduation gift, and it is an excellent story with many great messages. The story that Geisel (you probably know him Dr. Seuss) wrote is Oh! The Places You’ll Go! I am going to highlight some of my favorite parts, and aim the messages toward Ryne.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you can do anything that you want to do with your life. The excitement of having your whole life in front of you is unmatched. The sky is the limit, Ryne.

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street. Your Mom and I are raising you in hopes that you will make good decisions…even in difficult situations.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest. I know that there are at least two people (your Mom and your Dad) that hold you above all of the rest; remember that, and have confidence in yourself knowing that we believe in you.

Except when you don’t.Because, sometimes, you won’t. I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. It is true, Ryne. You will not succeed all of the time, and that is okay. Because while your failures may sting when they take place, experiencing those failures make your successes so much more rewarding.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done. When you are in a slump, for whatever reason, you may get depressed and think that things will not ever get any better. However, I promise, that things will get better. Slumps don’t ever last forever. Time heals all wounds so be patient. Over time you will come out of your slump and good things will start happening to you, again.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.Tom Petty once sang, “The waiting is the hardest part,” and he was right, Ryne. Whether you’re waiting for a girl that you like, or an outcome regarding your education, or an employer that you want to work for, or any other important decision that will impact your life; I am sure that you will have to suffer through waiting throughout. Remember, although the waiting is hard, as the cliché says, “good things come to those who wait.” You must learn to be patient, and you must learn to see things/think of things in an optimistic light (it will make the waiting so much easier).

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t. Due to my love of sports, I hope that you will love sports equally. The best part about being involved in sports is the lessons that you learn that you will be able to apply to your life as you grow older. If you decide to participate in sports that will just be icing on the cake. I will not ever pressure you into signing-up for any particular sport. I will only coach you if you want me to; and if you want me to I will be very careful about how I go about doing so. My only request is that if you begin a sport, you stick with it at least until that sport’s season is over and then you can give it up if you’d like. If you decide not to participate in sports all together, and you decide to participate in other things or have other hobbies – I’m sure that I will fall in love with those things whatever they are.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.All Alone! Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot. Being comfortable alone is a good thing; it is called being independent and it is a fine quality to possess.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are. Perseverance. Don’t ever give up Ryne; work hard and be determined to finish what you start. There is a short little poem that I like a great deal because of its message says, “If a task is once begun, never leave it till it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all.” If you are going to start something, commit yourself to doing it well; and once you start something, don’t give up on whatever it is that you’ve started until it is completed.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Don’t ever be afraid to go against the rest of a crowd (probably your peers), if you don’t believe in what they are doing. Being able to go against a crowd of your peers when you know that what they are doing is wrong is so hard to do and requires so much inner strength, but it is the absolute finest way for one to exhibit strength.

Kid, you’ll move mountains!So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Your name is Ryne; Ryne Bailey Ewald. You will move mountains, you will do great things, and you will be off to great places!

A Belated 'Happy Mother's Day'

Last weekend was Mother’s Day. It was Amy’s first Mother’s Day. At our house, we kind of decided to turn it into Mother’s Day Weekend. Why shouldn't Mother’s Day get an extension? After all, how great and important are mothers? They carry our children for three-quarters of a year as the child develops inside of her. They then go through, what I have heard, is one of the most painful processes that a human being can go through to allow our children to enter the world. I must admit that I am a little envious of the natural bond that this creates between a mother and her child that a father does not have; however, I am also very thankful for the sacrifices that mothers make during this process.

Think about all of the other sacrifices mothers make. I know that my Mom cooked at least one meal a day, and usually prepared two more for me. My Mom made sure that I had stylish enough clothes that allowed me to fit-in, and then she made sure that they were always clean. My Mom put up with me through my teenage years when I exhibited jerk like symptoms that most people would never forgive (this is probably the number one thing that I hope Ryne does not inherit from his Dad). My Mom would (and will) always listen to me when I need to vent. My Mom sacrificed her evening and weekend time to attend all of my basketball and football games (minus my first game during my freshman year of college, but that was in Wisconsin…); I never made a big deal of that while it was happening, but now that I am older and I’ve coached children whose parents never come to their games – that sacrifice is/was a really big deal – thank you! I could go on and on listing all of the great things that my Mom has ever (original wording here was a typo; it is now fixed) done for me, but I want this blog to be focused around Ryne’s Mom.

I knew that before Ryne ever joined the two of us that Amy would someday make a great mom. Nothing since Ryne’s arrival has happened to make me change my mind of that thought; in fact, my prediction of Amy being a great Mom has been confirmed each and every day of Ryne’s life. He is a very lucky boy. So, we (Ryne and I) wanted to make this a very special first Mother’s Day weekend.

For Mother’s Day weekend, it was my goal to do all things that Amy would enjoy/like. Our weekend started Friday after-work with Ryne, Amy, and I going to watch game three of the Bulls/Hawks series at one of Amy’s co-worker’s house (they have children that go to the same daycare as Ryne). On Saturday, Ryne, Amy, and I went to the “Opening Day” of the Davenport farmer’s market, I watched Ryne and baby-proofed our house while Amy went dress shopping, we had an outside picnic for lunch, Amy was able to take a nice long nap with her son, and then Amy and I went out for dinner, the two of us.

The next day, Mother’s Day, I woke up with Ryne at 5:30 and let Amy sleep. When Ryne became tired as he normally does around 7, I took him in to bed with Mom and the two of them received additional rest. While they slept, I prepared for Amy a Mother’s Day breakfast of bacon, eggs, and mimosas. When the two of them awoke, breakfast was served in bed with the Sunday ads.

After breakfast was finished, Ryne and I gave Mom her present. When I was told that Mom wanted, not a store bought gift, but a homemade craft for Mother’s Day I was less than thrilled. I don’t like crafts, and I don’t think that I’m good at crafts. But I take pride in my gift giving so if a craft is what was wanted, a craft is what was given. Ryne and I made picture frames with his hand print on the frame. Getting the hand print on the frame was an adventure. I got some red paint on a paper plate, and then I got Ryne undressed to minimize whatever mess was about to be made. I tried to dip the palm of his hand in the paint, but he wanted to make a fist. This was a two-handed job. It ended up turning out pretty good, I think, but he did, towards the end, grab the paint filled plate with his free hand (again, remember, I was using both of my hands to control his paint covered hand) and toss it onto the floor. The plate landed face up, but there was red paint in the carpet; fortunately, it cleaned-up with a little bit of scrubbing and cleaner product…I hope/I think that Mom liked the craft.

Next came time for a nice long morning nap, Ryne and his Mom together. Once rested, they went out for a Mother’s Day lunch with Amy’s Mom. The rest of the afternoon was spent resting and, per Amy’s request, a quick trip to the mall. When we returned home, I grilled Amy a nice steak and cooked her some baked beans and a baked potato to go with some red wine for our dinner. The weekend finished just like it began with our family watching the Bulls/Hawks (game four); unfortunately they didn’t win the game Sunday night…

Hopefully this was the best Mother’s Day that Amy has ever had!

I am finishing this entry with a YouTube link to a commercial that really has nothing to do with Mother’s Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJjauEtDXE

However, this commercial did air on TNT while Amy and I were watching the Bulls/Hawks game for our Mother’s Day finale. I just like the commercial, and the guys in the commercial kind of remind me of Ryne with his head that is in the 99th percentile for six month olds (although I think that the rest of his body is starting to catch-up with his head; regardless, he is adorable).

From the Masters

This past weekend Amy, Ryne, and I were visited by some of my family that we don't often see. I was asked what has been the most surprising thing that I've learned from parenthood so far. I thought, and I answered (the answers came to me quite easily, actually). There are two things: 1) You can not explain how great parenthood is to anyone who is not a parent - they'll never understand (I would have never understood prior to Ryne). 2) All of a sudden you regret all of the stupid things that you did when you were younger because you realize the enormous amount of stress it must have put on your parents to worry about you so much. The Masters also took place last weekend. I like golfing; I like watching golf when Tiger Woods is competing for wins. The Masters was just completed this past weekend, and it was entertaining on Sunday because Tiger was wearing red and he was in contention for another green jacket. Anyways, there has been a lot written regarding the Masters, and I wanted to share a couple of the things that I read. I came across the first article from a Scott Van Pelt (ESPN anchor) tweet. It is a MUST READ. It is about a son and his father, but it doesn't matter if you are a father, mother, son, or daughter - it is a wonderfully written emotional piece. If it doesn't bring a tear to your eye, questions will be raised. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=fathersday The following paragraph is from another Masters related story written by ESPN reporter, Bill Simmons - The Sports Guy (I LOVE the Sports Guy - he loves all teams Boston/New England - Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox - and he gets paid (a lot) to cover them). The Sports Guy is talking about Tiger Woods... "I am supposed to think that he's a poor role model -- that he's an adulterer, that he's selfish, that he's a phony, that he behaves badly on golf courses, that he's someone I wouldn't want my son to emulate some day. That's horses---. I want my son to know that people screw up, that nobody is perfect, that you can learn from your foibles. I want my son to watch "The Natural" someday, hear Roy Hobbs say, "Some mistakes you never stop paying for," and know that it's not just words in a movie. I want my son to know that you haven't lived until you've fought back, that you haven't won until you've lost, that you can't understand what it's like to relish something until you've suffered, too. I want him to understand that it's the 21st century, that we sit around picking our heroes apart all day, that we expect them to be superhuman at all times, that we get pissed off when they aren't, that it's hypocritical if you really think about it." Ryne has already watched "The Natural" with me, but I have yet been able to teach him Hobbs' lesson.

Happy Birthday Amy

Today is my wife's birthday so I dedicate this blog entry to random thoughts of her; even though I usually blog about Ryne, I haven't forgotten about you...Happy Birthday!

As I am applying for news jobs, and being interviewed...one of the most frequent questions that I am asked is name three adjectives to describe an educational administrator, or three adjectives to describe yourself. Well, here are my three adjectives to describe Amy: caring, kind, and nice. Amy, you might well be the nicest person that I know. You are the go to person for all of your family and friends when they have problems, and you help/listen to all of them. I hope that our son inherits these traits from you!

Ever since I moved to the Quad Cities, (Amy and) I have watched Mike & Mike in the morning on ESPN2 as we get ready for work. Anyways, one of the two Mike hosts, Mike Greenberg, tells a story about rapidly walking down the halls of the ESPN studios with the legendary college football coach, Lou Holtz (whom I do not like). Holtz asks Greenberg if he has children. Greenberg tells Holtz that he does. Holtz then tells Greenberg that the number one best thing that he can do for those children is to show them that he, Greenberg, loves his wife, their mother. I have heard this same piece of advice from another legendary football coach, Tony Dungy (whom I really do like). It is great advice. Amy, I love you, and hopefully my actions speak this to you every single day.

After watching them perform with Bob Dylan at the Grammy's, one of my favorite new bands is Mumford and Sons (thanks for their cd, Kyle). In one of their songs, Winter Winds, there are the following lyrics: "We'll be washed and buried one day my girl And the time we were given will be left for the world The flesh that lived and loved will be eaten by plague So let the memories be good for those who stay." I love those lyrics. And while it is sad to think about one day being gone, I think it leaves you with an excellent perspective. We, unfortunately, will one day be gone. Therefore it is important to leave those that we leave behind with the memories of us having fun together, loving each other, and being respectful towards each other. Amy, although our definition of fun may have changed over the years, I still have great fun with you (even when we don't do anything). I love you, and I respect you. (Here is the link to the Winter Winds video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KCg_QEHtkY the verse that I mention begins at the :55 second mark.)

Amy, you are a great Mom. You are a natural Mom. You seem to know all (or at least most all) of the answers to questions that I have. You do your homework so that you can be as knowledgeable as possible in regards to child development and raising a child. Ryne is lucky to have a Mom like you. I am lucky to be raising a son with a Mom like you.

Happy Birthday Amy! I love you! I hope that you have a great day today, and I hope that you have a great time with your birthday gift...it is for all of those times that you have gone to sporting events with me; thanks!

Big Day at CHA

Prior to writing what I really am meaning to write about, I need to write two brief paragraphs to put this narrative in its proper context.

When Amy told me that she was pregnant, one of my (many) thoughts centered on the fact that our child's life would be beginning during one of the greatest seasons ever for the University of Iowa football team (I like many others was, unfortunately, wrong regarding this prediction). How lucky for Ryne, to have his birth year associated with the '10 Hawks (this is the kind of stuff that I really do think about...). Then we brought Ryne home from the hospital; that very day, the first Iowa game of his life, they lost a heartbraker. You know how the story ended for the Hawks this year; they lost close game after close game to finish with a slightly above average season. Not the type of season I had dreamed of for the year my son was born...

I sometimes have quite a bit of anxiety. I like to have things planned out well in advance. Because of the unpredictable outcomes of taking Ryne to an Iowa men's basketball game at Carver Hawkeye Arena for the first time, I was (while very excited) nervous. If it didn't go well, our whole summer plan of taking Ryne to multiple Major League Baseball games (three) was in serious jeopardy. Regardless, our biggest adventure with Ryne, to date, took place yesterday...

The Iowa men's basketball team has not had much success the past 10 years. They had not beat a ranked team since 2006. They were tied for last place in the Big Ten. Purdue was ranked as the number six team in the country, and they were in contention for a Big Ten Championship if they beat Iowa yesterday. Notice I used the past tense verbs: had, were, and was. Purdue did not beat Iowa. The Hawkeyes upset the number six team in the country yesterday when they beat the Boilermakers 67-65. Ryne's first ever trip to Carver Hawkeye Arena, his first ever Hawkeye game that he was in attendance for was a monumental victory.

But it wasn't just an outstanding day due to the outcome of the game. This game would have been great regardless of how it ended (although the ending was icing). This was the first ever athletic event (and a Hawkeyes game, nonetheless) that I was able to take my son to! I think I'll remember it forever (even though he won't). I can not wait to take him to many, many, many more throughout his lifetime (and especially when he can really start to enjoy them!)!

And Ryne did great while at the game. He did not cry once (not surprising). The loud cheering did not really seem to bother him, although he did not sleep through any of the game even though he appeared to be extremely tired. Ryne is a great little Hawkeye fan.

Three adjectives to describe the day: memorable, fun, and exhausting!