Working from Home

Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, I'm working from home this week, instead of making the weekly trek to Cleveland. My girls were so excited to get the news. Even a couple of evenings without their daddy-boy, it appears, is too much for them.

It was nice to be able to take the family out to dinner on a Monday, and then to come home and build forts with the girls until bedtime! Priceless moments, that I'm thankful for!

Loving the moments

It kind of hit me hard today for the first time. I HAVE 3 DAUGHTERS. Wow, where have the last 10 years went. I officially have as many kids as my parents. What a crazy deal. I'm in love so deep with these little gals, it is an indescribable feeling. I was rocking Teagan today, and I just realized that she will never be as little as she was at that very moment. Before I know it she will be as big as Emer or Ashy. I spent the rest of a lazy Saturday trying to soak up the moments...smelling Ashtyn's hair, how it feels to kiss Emer's chubby cheeks, looking deeply into their eyes (which Ashtyn thinks are windows into a persons heart).

I have these same sappy feelings about their mom too. Sarah is still the beauty queen who showed up at youth group every now and then. My brain used to go fuzzy when I'd catch a look from her. It's all still there, just fast forward 13+ years.

It's a good life. Even through all the uncertainty, seeming injustice, and sometimes scary stuff...I've been telling God an awful lot lately how unbelievably grateful I am for my tiny part (which feels extremely important though) in this cosmic experiment!

More Baby Teagan

Traveling Buddy

You know you have a good friend (who's profession offers him some locational flexibility) when he say's, "Hey man, if you ever want some company on one of your weekly trips to Cleveland, let me know...I can work from anywhere."

I basically called Joe that afternoon and told him that it is a long drive, and some company would be incredible. That next morning at 6:45 AM we were hitting the trail to Cleveland.

There's one spare office at InvestLinc, and the team there was most gracious and warm. No one had a problem with me bringing a friend to work. We camped about 10 minutes from the office at Punderson State Park, and that was a riot.

We ate good, saw a movie, looked through houses I'm considering, had great conversation. All in all it was a huge blessings to have a buddy from Jackson get to glimpse the life I'm building in Cleveland.

This picture is of Joe and his oldest son Austin. (Who I currently deem as first in line as a potential suitor for one of my princesses...he's a good kid) Joe's middle little guy is Logan, and his youngest is a daughter, Adia. Wife...Laura, beautiful family.

Joe is the director of SimplyMissions.org, and is in the process of building a world class missions and discipleship organization. My friend is an artist too, check it out at Station Six!

Just another day in paradise!

Well, I just got those two oldest sisters down to bed a little bit ago. Sarah is out with some of her girlfriends and she has the baby. Ashtyn, Emersyn, and I went to Westwinds to help some friends paint the nursery there. The girls played with Jessica, Nicki, Danielle, and Gracie while the dad's rolled paint until our arms gave out. It was a good time. I can't think of a better group of guys to be painting with either...Brian D, Brian D, Tom S...and there was a SAU student there helping too. Her name was Jordan, like the river, she let us know. Anyways, I'm about to cash out with a good book. Sarah could be late. She hasn't been together with a group of girls in a month or two, so who knows when they will call it quits. Amazon.com shipped me 3 new titles today, and one of them is a new Ted Dekker...I'm pumped!

Fun Insanity

Ways to Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity. (Thanks to my wife for forwarding this!)

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It 'In.'

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ' For Smuggling Diamonds'

7. Finish All Your sentences with 'In Accordance With The Prophecy.'

8. Don't use any punctuation

9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.

10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go.'

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

13. Go To A Poetry Recital And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme?

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical Sounds All Day.

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream 'I Won!, I Won!'

18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives, They're Loose!!'

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner. 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'

20. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity.......READ THIS AGAIN AND LET YOURSELF LAUGH A BIT!

Going Bald

I had a dream last night that I was going bald. And in the dream I was quite concerned about this revelation. Then in the middle of this nightmare I come to the realization that I'm not really waiting on tables in my underwear at the Cracker Barrel (with my only concern not the underwear part, but the balding part) Man, I hope dreams don't reflect on mental stability, because I haven't had a wild one like that in a while. I must be sleep deprived or something!

Well, it was a funny dream anyway. It made me think about being 12 years old and remembering the thoughts and fears that I had then. I clearly remember thinking that if I ever started going bald...or wearing glasses...etc; how embarrassing that would be.

Well, now that I am 4-eyed and balding (before the age of 30) it's neat to reflect on the dreams and worries of my youth. All my dreams have come true, and most of my worries too. It all seems to be orchestrated though to make a pretty amazing life. And you won't catch me in the Rogaine section of the supermarket. (I haven't ruled out a sweet Bon Jovi hair piece though!)

Baby Teagan "Irish for Little Poet"

Finally I've found the time to get these few shots posted. The first two days at home I was getting up with Sarah and Teagan about every two hours. Sarah has settled into a routine now and that means that daddy gets to sleep more. Yesterday and this morning though I woke up at 5:00 AM to see Sarah and baby soundly asleep in the "nursing chair" next to our bed. I'm encouraging Sarah to try to sleep throughout the day, whenever baby is...but that is hard with the other two girls still crazy excited about having a new sister. They want to be around and involved with Mom and baby as much as possible. Thank God for Dora and BOZ movies though, as the girls are getting quite a bit more TV that they normally do. A necessary evil in my opinion...mom needs sleep, and dad has quite a bit of work to accomplish each day.

We've been to doctor with Teagan 3 times since last Sunday. They have been checking her bilirubin levels very closely. I'm thankful to report that her levels started to go down yesterday, so we don't have to travel into see her doctor any more (until her 1 week check-up) Teagan is also gaining weight quite rapidly, which is great.

Ashtyn and Emersyn are enjoying the new baby. Ashtyn wants to be involved in everything, while Emer is still interested but cautious. True to their personalities for sure!

Teagan Gabrielle Ansel

I'm so excited to web log the birth of our beautiful baby girl, Teagan Gabrielle Ansel. Teagan arrived yesterday morning at 8:51 a.m. weighing 6#14 oz. We got to the hospital Sunday morning at about 6:30 AM and just over two hours later Sarah was nursing a strong, healthy baby. This picture is from my phone, but I'll post more as soon as I get them off her camera.

Thanks for all the supportive phone calls, texts, e-mails, visits, and gifts. We want to thank everyone who has taken such good care of us for the past couple of days!

Attack the Watermelon!

Ashtyn attacked this watermelon at my parents cottage this weekend. These pictures crack me up. I wish that I would have had a video camera because it would be on YouTube right now.

Party Day in Monroe

We are hanging in Monroe today. Two important graduation parties. Sarah's brother Jason and my cousin Kaileigh are celebrating their entry into adulthood. I spent the morning preparing my famous baked spaghetti for J's party. Almost 30 pounds of it. I try to over-cook for events like this, because it is usually a big hit.

Kaileigh's party is at Grandpa and Mary's house. That will be a relaxing and fun time with the girls. They will both want to enjoy the pool most of the whole party, and I'm more than happy to oblige.

Today is also my Grandpa's 69th birthday. Amazing, he still looks 55 and has the work ethic of someone who has never asked for a handout in his life. I set up a breakfast meeting with him last week, and after about 25 minutes, he popped up and said, "Well, I'm sorry, but I've got to get back to work at the farm." Keep in mind that he retired from 39 years at Ford Motor about 10 years ago. He still has it in him though.

My girls are dressed up in matching outfits today. I love it when Sarah does that. I'll try to snap a shot today and will post it on http://www.sillyparents.com

Hide Away

Where I wish I was hiding out, right this minute, with the sexiest woman on the planet. (Who I just happen to be married to...Bonus!)

Missing You

I've been working 3 days a week out of town now for about 4 months. I talk to Sarah and the girls several times a day while I'm gone though. Always great fun to talk to Ashy and Emer, they make me do the voice of the Old Tree and such. This week though every time Ashy gets on the phone, she is wimpering and demanding that I come home now and play with her, not in two days. She said today, "I really miss my boy."

Heartbreaking, Anyone who knows me knows that I'm just crazy about my girls, all 3.5 of them at this point. So you know how hard it is to have Ashtyn missing me so much. It's hard to explain that daddy's have to work, and some daddy's have to travel a bit. She doesn't get that I'm keeping a food on the table and all that, she just knows that every evening that I'm away is an evening without playing dodgeball or christmas in the basement, and that makes her sad.

I'm excited to be working from home most all of July though. (That is when the baby is due.) That will give everyone a break from me being gone in the middle of the week.

Sarah, tell the girls how much I miss you all!

4 Year Old

My first born baby turns 4 tomorrow and for some reason this milestone is tugging my emotional strings pretty hard. It seems silly to say, but I really do remember Sarah and I laying in bed at our little house on Spring Arbor Rd., staying up late and trying to figure out if it was the right time to start having kids...does Sarah fill her BC prescription the next day. We had been married about 4 years and Sarah was ready. I was too, except like most guys, I had financial concerns, and worried about stability.

That next day though I had a strange clarity and peace. As soon as I got to work, I ordered flowers to be delivered to Sarah with a simple message that went something like this, "Don't pick up the pills, were ready!" Almost exactly 9 months later Ashtyn Greer Ansel came screaming into the world, and life has never been the same.

You never really know how deeply your parents love you until you are blessed with a child. Seriously, every day, I am in awe of the bond that is there between us and our kids. Through good times and temper tantrums, it is constant and never changes. It is a powerful force that words really can't even come close to describing...so I'm not even going to try.

Anyways, I'm so thankful for this love and the way that it changes and expands with time and with the addition of siblings. I wonder if God feels the same way about us through the ages? It sure gives me hope to think that God does.

Trip to Oklahoma

I'm working in Cleveland until Wednesday. I spent a ton of time today looking over legal documents and joint venture agreements. My eyes are seriously sore tonight. I'm getting to put together some really significant deals with my partners and our network. It is crazy though the amount of care and detail that goes into each deal. I commented to one of my colleagues last week that it's amazing that any deal ever gets done. There are just so many moving parts. I'm getting an education in finance and private equity that would probably cost $200K at Harvard or Brown.

I'm excited to see the ladies in my life tomorrow. I can tell that Ashtyn has missed me more than usual because she didn't want to hang up the phone when I had to get back to work today. I promised her that we will do nothing but play fun games over the holiday weekend. I'm going to be home alone with the girls while Sarah flies to Oklahoma to be with her family for her cousin's wedding. We decided last night to just fly her out instead of us all making the 18 hour drive. I'm sad to miss Tamara and Zack's wedding, but with Sarah being 7 months pregnant and the girls being so restless on car rides, it was the right decision.

Good Friends

Me and Sarah's very best friends from our college days decided to make the 4 hour drive from Alpena, MI to Jackson to spend the weekend with us. We've been hanging out with these guy and enjoying their company for almost 8 years now.

Steve and I became close friends when we spend a month in India together. It was my first real cross-cultural experience. Having Steve there experiencing all that crazy stuff with me caused me to have a ton of trust and respect in this guy. We just got lucky when we introduced our wives to each other and they were instant friends.

Steve is one of the smartest and hardest working guys that I know. Steve did his bachelors degree in 2.5 years. Quickest in SAU history as far as I know. When their 4th child (a boy) is born in July, they will have 4 kids under 5 years old. Just another day in paradise, I guess.

Anyways, I'll never stop being thankful for friends like Steve. In this crazy world of 6+billion people, it is a true gift to have even a few close friends who stand the test of time, and you know will stick with you thru anything.

Weekend GetAway

Things have been crazy. It is amazing what can be packet into 24 hours each day. I haven't had a moment to breath deeply and remember that I'm just one person and that everything is going to be alright.

In the midst of all the travel and work related stuff that has consumed the last two weeks, I was able to sneak in a weekend camping trip with two of our closet couples friends. We stayed local and camped at a nice spot on the fringes of Jackson County called Twin Pines Campground. Weather was cool but beautiful. The only rain we get was light, and didn't hit until we were packing up Sunday. It was practically the perfect little weekend get-a-way. Between us and the other two couples from church, there were 8 little girls running around our campsites. It was a site to behold. And amazingly the 9th little girl in this group is due to be born around July 22nd.
Tom, one of the other dad's, commented that in 10 years we are going to be, by far, the most popular campsite in the park with the young boys. Hopefully the girls crazy uncles will still be camping with us and can scare them all away. That will be fun to watch.

Seriously, it is a sight to behold...8 beautiful little girls running, playing, laughing, and riding bikes. Days like that you sure know that God loves ya.

Pictures in my Pocket

So Sarah gave me these new pictures of the girls last week. She took them in Monroe on a cool day at a historic park by the River Raisin. Her gifts with a camera are profound; these photos evidence this artistic gift that God has given her.

Being away from home is hard, there is no doubt. Your heart is in two places. (The main upside that I’ve found though is that it has caused me to pray more.) My days away though are filled with little shots of love whenever I open my briefcase. I’m greeted by the most beautiful photos of my daughters that have been taken to date.

Emersyn is smiling so big I’d swear her cheeks could pop. This caused her perfect little dimple to be exaggerated in a way that melts me. She is wearing a multi-colored, zip up sweater that is dominated by blues that seem to really match the color of her eyes. Her face is perfectly round, (shows the Ansel in her) but her nose is soft and shaped like her mothers. The way her hair crosses her forehead is the perfect frame for her beautiful features. I just love it.

Ashtyn looks like something from heaven. The light from the sun is adding a glow to her wind blown hair. She has a peaceful, soft, and thoughtful look on her face. Her arms are crossed to let you know that she takes life seriously, but her eyes are sparkling so you know that she is full of joy. It’s actually like I’m looking at a young Sarah. She looks a lot like Sarah’s mom too. They all have the same sculpted chin. Beautiful!

Southern Sudan Health Care

I had an unexpected call tonight from my friend, Jacob Atem, while visiting with my friends in Cleveland. You have to follow this link and read Jacob's life story. It is truly amazing. He has started a not-for-profit organization with the goal of bringing health care, economic development, and stability to his childhood community in Southern Sudan.

On Jacob's character alone I am excited about his plans and vision and I know he is going to be instrumental in doing God's work in his home country. I'm getting together next week with him to see how I serve him and help him in this journey.

The wildest thing about this call from Jacob though is that we have not spoken in nearly six months, but just last week I had met a man from the Sudan while on business in Atlanta. I shared some of Jacob's story with him, and commented that is was about time that I give my friend a call. Cool timing!

Doughnut Dates with my ladies

Working hard lately. Lots of travel and late nights. Oh the power of e-mail access on your cell phone. I could probably work 24 hours a day if I charged my phone near my bed at night.
I'm heading to Cleveland Monday afternoon, then flying out to Phoenix from there on Wednesday. It is exciting to see this project progressing steadily.

I'm so excited to spend the day with my girls tomorrow. We're going on a Doughnut Date in the morning. Tim Horton's, and then Biggby for coffee and chocolate milk. Doughnut Dates are becoming a Saturday standard for us. The girls love it, and I just love being with them. It is amazing how strongly we parents feel about our kids.