A Year of Fatherhood

My little man is celebrating his first birthday today! It's hard to believe that an entire year has passed since his birth. They say parenthood has its ups and downs, but so far it's been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my life. For every minute of lost sleep, there's been an hour of laughter. For every pound of dirty diapers, a ton of joy. And for every tear drop, a deluge of smiles. I think I've always wanted to be a father, and when I used to daydream about it I always pictured having a son. I'm anxious to do all of those father-son things from teaching him to ride a bike to teaching him to drive a car. But, there will be plenty of time for those things some other day. For now, I'm content to savor every moment, live every day, and hope that this next year passes a little more slowly than the last. There might be a few things I'd change about my life if I could. It would be nice to have a bigger house, maybe a new car, and certainly a lot more free time. But, I am blessed to have a good job, a wonderful wife, and the best son a father could hope for. Indeed, I am truly blessed, filled with a great sense of hope and excitement for all the wonderful moments yet to come. Happy birthday, son!

Celebrity Sighting

On Saturday, we went to breakfast with Ben and family to Bob Evans, located just off of I-95 in Columbia, MD. As we were waiting for our table, a man walked by that looked familiar to me. I couldn't place where I knew him from, but I thought it must be through college or work. Then, a second, more familiar-looking man walked by who I knew right away was one of the cast members of the show Whose Line Is It Anyway? It turns out the first man was Brad Sherwood, and the second guy was Colin Mochrie.

As they waited for their table while we waited for ours, Colin kept looking over at us from time to time, as we were very obviously staring at Brad and him. It turns out the two comics are touring together and had just finished a show in Bethesda, MD the night before. They were scheduled to perform at the Meyerhoff in Baltimore the next day. We contemplated talking to them but realized that would just be silly. I'm sure our NYC friends see famous people of varying degree rather often, but it was pretty exciting to see a couple of celebrities having brunch at our local Bob Evans, just a few short blocks away from our home.

Mabel O. Weaver: 1910 - 2005

My great-grandmother passed away last week at the age of 95. She had been the last living relative who I'd always known my entire life as being "old." Even when I was a child, she and my great-grandfather were already living in a retirement community. Back then she already had white hair and always wore one of those clear plastic things on her head that old ladies where when it rains. I remember my father putting up a railing on the steps of our old front porch for when she came to visit--we moved out of that house in 1985! I never knew if she had ever had a job, and I never saw her drive a car. In my lifetime I knew her as a kind old lady who loved playing pinochle with my grandparents and parents for hours on end. Unlike my grandfather, who passed away after battling Alzheimer's disease, my great-grandmother's mind was still sharp until the end. It was her body that finally failed, but it is a wonderful blessing that she was able to enjoy her many years as a senior citizen for longer than I have been alive. Below is her obituary, as printed in the Chambersburg Public Opinion:

CHAMBERSBURG — Mabel O. Weaver, 95, of Chambersburg, died Wednesday, April 6, 2005, in The Shook Home, Chambersburg.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eber S. Weaver.

Surviving are two daughters, Patricia Finkenbinder of Fort Ashby, W.Va., and Deborah Haverstock of Chambersburg; and a son, E. Richard of Chambersburg.

Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday in Lincoln Cemetery, Chambersburg. The Rev. Lester F. Stine will officiate. Viewing will be private.

The family requests the omission of flowers. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 2700 Luther Drive, Chambersburg 17201.

Arrangements are by Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home Inc., Chambersburg.

Originally published April 7, 2005

[UPDATE: A second obituary was published in the Herald-Mail...]

Mabel O. Weaver, 95

JAN. 17, 1910-APRIL 6, 2005

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Mabel O. Weaver, 95, of Chambersburg died Wednesday, April 6, 2005, at the Shook Home.

Born Jan. 17, 1910, in Chambersburg, she was the daughter of the late John C. and Margaret Rockwell Mackling.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eber S. Weaver.

She was a seamstress at Stanley Clothing Co., and with her husband, managed the former Greyhound Bus Station on Third Street in Chambersburg.

She attended King Street United Brethren Church.

She is survived by two daughters, Patricia Finkenbinder of Fort Ashby, W.Va., and Deborah Haverstock of Chambersburg; one son, E. Richard Weaver of Chambersburg; one sister, Sophia Fowler of Pikesville, Md.; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Lincoln Cemetery. The Rev. Lester F. Stine will officiate.

The viewing will be private.

The family requests the omission of flowers.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 2700 Luther Drive, Chambersburg, PA 17201.

Arrangements are by Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home in Chambersburg.