Godbrothers

Since Erin and I are godparents for Ryder Talamentez, I guess that makes Ryder and Dawson godbrothers. Here's a video of the first time the two boys met. Notice how Ryder is playing with Dawson's fingers; it's amazingly sweet!

Daddy's Preaching

Two weeks ago, I preached this message about sex. At the end, I shared how God often takes our (what feels to us like our) biggest mistakes and turns them into amazing gifts. I used Dawson as an example, how his birth mom felt for months like God was punishing her but after coming to understand our joy in the gift of Dawson, her perspective was changed.

The cool part is this; as I was talking about Dawson he was wearing a big smile. His Aunt Casey was holding him and quite a few people saw him smiling. How cool is that?

Tonight I preached Pat Logan's funeral. Erin was holding Dawson in the back of the room and when I got up to speak, Dawson started to squeak, which filled my heart with an incredible warmth. I'm not totally sure, but Erin's convinced Dawson squeaked because he heard Daddy's voice.

I hope my boy grows up to enjoy (or at least tolerate) his Daddy's preaching.

Videos

Some Firsts

I want to remember some of Dawson's firsts. There was his first bath, where he whimpered like a puppy. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. That first night, as we tried to sleep through his squeeks, I asked Erin whether we accidently picked up a puppy from the pound.

The first time I changed Dawson's diaper was the first time I'd ever changed a diaper. The very first one was just wet. The 2nd was his first poopy diaper. I took off the diaper too soon, though cause some more of the tarstuff came out in a bubble. I just about gagged... Erin took a picture of that, but I don't really want to post it.

There was the first time he came through our front door. It was an amazing feeling taking him out of the hospital and snapping in his car seat. We were taking home our little boy!

His first fit happened about a week ago. It started with serious gas pain. Dawson hurt so badly his legs locked up, so he was standing on his own (which I guess is also a first). But he then wanted to eat and we refused to feed him, since we were trying to establish a schedule. He threw an actual fit. I turned to Erin and declared, "our little boy is throwing his first fit."

I first saw Dawson as he was being wheeled out of the delivery room. We had been sitting in the waiting room for a long time and after several false alarms, we'd started to doze off. Then Kendra Rogers gasped, jumped up and ran into the hall and I caught a glimpse of the back of his head. I was able to squeeze into the elevator with him and Erin and I stared at him in awe. We were then able to be alone with him in the nursery and that was the first time we held him.

And what might be one of my greatest memories ever was our first few moments alone with him. It was late at night, everyone finally left us alone for a bit and I opened my bible and read from Ephesians chapter one, a section about adoption. It took a long time to make it through the passage because I kept chocking up. The waves of emotion were overwhelming. Erin just stared at him for awhile and then announced, "I love him." At that point, we were still a tiny bit nervous simply because he wasn't legally our child yet. We were trying to guard our hearts, but our hearts were pulling him in. Erin then read him "Horton Hears a Who." I'll never forget that night. It only lasted a few minutes before a nurse came in again, but I'll never forget those first few moments alone.

Irrevocable

There's a lot that goes into an adoption, including a lot of legal work. The day after his birth, Dawson's birth mom signed over her parenting rights to Erin and me. That court-ordered decree lasts for a bit over 30 days, before another hearing in which the adoption is made final and irreversible.

So yesterday, I sat on a witness stand for the first time in my life. Questions like "are you ready, willing and able to fulfill the duties of parenthood?" Yes.
"Do you realize that from now on, this child is your responsibility?" Yes.
"Do you realize that if he were to become sick or handicapped in some way, he's still your responsiblity." Yes.
And "What is your address" and some other basic questions.

After Erin testified, the judge read the final decree. Here's the last part of that decree.

The Court further finds that the said minor child is in the physical custody of the petintioners, and that all investigations, reports and all other things necessary and proper to be done for the legal adoption of said child, and all requirements relative thereto, have been fully complied with.
The Court further finds that the Petioners are persons of good moral character adn reputable standing in the community, and are possessed of suficient means and ability to maintain and educate said child properly, that said child is suitable for adoption, and that it is for the best interest of said child, that said petition be granted and that the child be adopted by Petioners as their own, and that the Petioners herein are entitled to a final decree of this Court for the adoption of said child and that the neame of the child should be changed to Dawson Patrick Miller and that said petition for adoption should be granted.
IT IS THEREFORE BY THE COURT ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the consensts to the adoption by the Petioners be and the same are herby approved.
IT IS FURTHER BY THE COURT ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the petition of Donald Levi Miller and Erin Kathleen Miller, husband and wife, for the adoption of Baby Gordon, a minor male child, as their own child, be and the same is herby granted, and that the name of said minor child be changed to Dawson Patrick Miller.

I had to fight back tears as I heard that decree read.

Donnie

Dawson at One Month

• Squeaks and grunts while sleeping

• Makes self-soothing noises while sucking his binky


• Loves to suck on his binky (Mom held out almost 2 weeks!)


• Extends his hands way out in a "stop" position frequently


• Lifts his feet off the bed when laying down and sucking on his binky


• Likes his swing


• Eats every 2 to 2 & a half hours


• Has a stork bite between his eyebrows that darkens when he is frustrated or uncomfortable


• Enjoys baby massage


• Does not like the bath except when he is having his scalp massaged


• Detests diaper and clothes changing


• Is very gassy


• Turns his head when he hears his mommy's voice


• Smiles in response to his name being said


• Grasps a finger put in his hand tightly


• Turns his head quickly side to side and makes a grunting sound when receiving his bottle


• Does not enjoy being swaddled unless his arms are out


• Has bluish gray eyes

A Miracle

Almost a month ago Dawson was born. To say that his birth into our lives was a miracle sounds cliche, but I really believe it is true. Donnie has been quoting a song by the Foo Fighters that says,

"Hands on a miracle. I got my hands on a miracle. Believe it or not. Hands on a miracle. I got my, hands on a miracle."

I'm starting this blog to keep record of some of the events of his life. I'll try to go back and cover how he came to be a part of our family through some later posts, but for now, i wanted to introduce the world to our little miracle...