In the beginning...

This is the quick and dirty version of the major events of the recent past.

In January of 2005 I received orders to be stationed in Hawaii. In March of 2005, after getting our car and all of our things packed and shipped, Katie and I set off for the much sought after destination of Oahu. Not long after arriving we found out Katie was pregnant and the baby would be due on 24 December 2005. Along the way Katie developed gestational diabetes which required a fairly substantial change in our lives. The doctors decided to schedule Katie for an induced labor on the 22nd of December which worked out well since Katie's parents and brother were arriving on the 21st.

Just after midnight on the morning of the 22nd (just hours before the scheduled induction) Katie went into labor. After 13 rather painful hours (the baby decided to come out face up) Liam was born. I had heard all the usual things, "It will change your life," and "It is the miracle of Birth," but I was not prepared for how amazing I was going to feel after seeing my son for the first time.

His collar bone was broken during the birth, but he healed quickly and as I write this he is perfectly healthy and eating his body weight in breast milk everyday. Katie's dad and brother stayed for one week while her mom stayed for two. We had a week to ourselves before my mom, step dad, and newly back from Iraq brother arrived for a week. It was hectic having so many people around at the beginning, but I am not sure we could have made it through with out all the help.

Liam turns one month old tomorrow and so far we seem to be doing fine. We just keeping doing the best we can to keep him happy. Common sense and Murphy's Law tell us that it is not always going to be peaches and cream, so stick around and watch the adventure unfold with us.