Party On, Dudes!

"Be excellent to each other and PARTY ON DUDES!"
Abraham Lincoln

"Excellent!"
Bill S. Preston Esq. and Ted Theodore Logan

No matter how many times (three to be exact) that this happens, the joy doesn't grow stale. Yes, I am now a grandfather for the third time! A very special welcome to Theodore Lewis Brow. You are now part of a growing and loving family. Just by being you, you have given me great happiness.

It seems that life at this point is like an avalanche with so much going on and so many problems to face. The gift of a grandson really gives me time to pause and celebrate. Somehow God has been so generous to me and he has given me the most amazing a beautiful daughter. Through her, I have been blessed twice with grandchildren. When I take stock of my life I tend to dwell on the negatives and despite them, God continually blesses me. His love truly knows no bounds. Since grandchildren have entered into my life I realize just how content I am - what I long for is connection with them and others that mean so much to me. Within these tiny precious lives God has taught me great and deep lessons.

A few important events that happened on April 14th (clearly it was not a good day in history):
1828 – Noah Webster copyrights the first edition of his dictionary.
1846 – The Donner Party of pioneers departs Springfield, Illinois, for California (that didn't end well).
1860 – The first Pony Express rider reaches San Francisco.
1865 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth (died April 15th).
1912 – The British passenger liner RMS Titanic hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic at 23:40 (sinks morning of April 15th).
2015 - Percy Sledge American Singer passes away.

List of those who share Theodore's birthday:
1866 – Anne Sullivan, American educator (d. 1936)
1904 – John Gielgud, English actor, director, and producer (d. 2000)
1929 – Gerry Anderson, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2012)
1941 – Pete Rose, American baseball player and manager
1960 – Brad Garrett, American comedian and actor
1966 – David Justice, American baseball player and sportscaster
1966 – Greg Maddux, American baseball player, coach, and manager
1968 – Anthony Michael Hall, American actor, director, and producer
1973 – Adrien Brody, American actor and producer
1996 – Abigail Breslin, American actress

So now, what should I call him? Reserving the right as Ojiichan to call my grand kids whatever I feel, here's my options:

Theodore - Beaver Cleaver, Theodoric Of York (Steve Martin sketch from the early days of SNL). A lot of sylables to get out and a pretty formal name. There's a high nostalgia factor in Leave It To Beaver and I loved the SNL sketches.

Theo - Theo Huxtable. Kind of cool, but for some reason doesn't feel right.

Thor - Norse God Of Thunder (may apply to an active boy), Marvel Comic Book Hero. Ariel's choice. Seriously cool sounding and heroic.

Ted - Ted Theodore Logan (Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure), Ted Buckland (Scrubs, Sad Sack lawyer). Lot's of positives here. Ted from Scrubs is a pretty funny but the real positive is the Bill And Ted reference. It's one of my favorite comedies, I can teach Ted the air guitar celebration while yelling "Excellent!" and when things don't work out, we can yell "Bogus!" It also has a great guiding motto for life: "Be excellent to each other and party on dudes!" I think we have a winner here. So, Ted it is. I can also call him Teddy when he's really little.

Reflecting on this time in my life, I see Ted's life and all of the possibilities. I pray that God will touch his life in a deep way. I hope that he will dream big and live it out. To that, I will leave the final word to Ted Buckland and the Worthless Peons and hopes that Teddy will find the Paradise that is somewhere, over the rainbow...

Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

And the dreams that you dreamed of

Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow

Blue birds fly

And the dreams that you dreamed of

Dreams really do come true ooh oh

Someday I'll wish upon a star

Wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where trouble melts like lemon drops

High above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me

Oh, somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly

And the dream that you dare to,

Oh why, oh why can't I?

Someday I'll wish upon a star,

Wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where trouble melts like lemon drops

High above the chimney top

That's where you'll find me

Oh, somewhere over the rainbow way up high

And the dream that you dare to, why, oh why can't I? I?