#itsaboy

It's a boy!

Ellen is going to be so tired of potty humor that she just might just explode. And I will be loving it! 

May we introduce: Adam Armour Olive. He will carry a name that holds three generations of family history. Adam which is his maternal great-grandparents' roots (Ellen's mom's maiden name), Armour which is his grandparents' roots (Ellen's maiden name), and Olive which is his own roots and the long list of Olive sprouts that have come before him. 

I am getting pretty pumped about a few things:

1. Teaching him (by example) to love

2. Teaching him (by example) to respect - especially his mother

3. Boy trips: camping, fishing, sporting games (Ellen just asked if she could be invited.)

4. Showing him God is most important in our family

5. Being his hero (and living up to it)

6. Sweet little prayers from his heart

7. Tears and triumphs (both are super important)

8. Helping him develop skills: perfect spiral, building things, painting & drawing, music (Come on Ellen! We need your genes for this!!)

9. First beer together (many moons from now, don't worry!)

10. ETC...

Things I am not pumped about:

1. Poop everywhere

2. Nose picking (and eating the boogers)

3. Puberty (cause boys are gross)

4. High School Graduation (I already miss him so much)

5. A little more etc... (shorter list)

What I am most looking forward to is the faith legacy that is being born into my family tree. I grew up and could not tell you the difference between Jesus and Santa Clause. I actually liked Santa WAY better because he brought me presents. (I believed until I was like 13 because I refused to not believe in Santa. Christmas is just the best!) And now I have a little boy who will carry the Olive name into the future with the banner of Grace and Love that his dad found as a 14 year old boy. That is a cool statement for me. That is a legacy piece that I am looking forward to. He will know and see how important God's love is in our household. It is truly what has held me and Ellen together. He will hear his mother sing songs of praise. He will be involved in conversation with me and my buddy Matt about the struggles of faith. He will understand that everyone deserves love and grace and mercy. He will know that our measure of goodness is only in our ability to take care of the widows and orphans. He will know God. 

I hope he rests in the safety of being in his daddy's arms. I will teach him everything I know about Jesus because this family tree, this branch, it is grafted into the kingdom.

And he will have awesome friends like Annabelle and Claire that will help him memorize his Bible verses, friends like Zoë and Preston that have parents with the same desires, "big kid" friends like Neely and Little Bonte and Carlee that will watch out for them, the fullness of the Finn crew that will love him like a brother, and life-long memories and continued traditions with his three adopted McBeth aunties!

He will have cousins like Cooper and Addie for all family functions to just romp around with, J. Crockett who will be his protector (and possibly the person who gets him into the most mischief. I can just hear him: Hey Adam. Do _________! It'll be hilarious. And he will do it because the Olive blood never backs down, unfortunately), he will have Jaxon and Lily that will inspire creativity and wonder (because they are choc-full of it), and then there is Brook who will be the best big cousin because somehow she has already learned how to love unconditionally, and finally Bailey who will inspire him that faith is real as you learn of her battle with cancer (AS SHE KICKS ITS ASS!!!!). 

Dear Adam,

I am excited to meet you. I want to show you everything I know - which scares your mother. But I truly hope you carry all the best of us in your being. The creativity of your father, the love of your mother, the discipline of your mother, the beauty of your mother (okay really I hope you get most of your mother's genes and a few of my really good ones). But most of all, what I want you to see in us is that Jesus is alive in our household. Faith is real. Life is fun. People need you, and you will be an example of faith and love for them. So I commit to you that we will be the example of faith and love for you to follow.

Love,

Arguably the Manliest Dad on Earth!