Any "How I Met Your Mother" addicts??? Every time Barney wants someone to join him on a new adventure, he says, "Suit up!" Well . . . this whole parenthood thing is a new adventure for me. So . . . SUIT UP!

Parenthood changes everything. Don't argue. Just believe me.

I never believed that - I thought it was a crutch that people used to get out of responsibilities . . . to not be involved as much as they were when they were single or just married. I thought I could handle a new baby and everything else that I did before . . . and more!

The last six weeks . . . wow - it's been six weeks already??? . . . have changed the way I see everything in life. From relationships to positions to my life's purpose. This has been an opportunity to re-evaluate everything that I do and stand for.

Now don't get me wrong - pre-September 16, I was just as purpose-driven as I am today. I knew that I should give up some good things to do God's best. I knew that my life had a purpose that was much greater than myself, and I wanted to fulfill that purpose with everything within me. Parenthood didn't change my approach - it just gave me another filter to see the world through.

I can't wait to get home every afternoon and hold my baby girl. I love rocking her to sleep; I love having her sleep on my chest; I love watching her look around the room in amazement. I don't love when she cries and I can tell that she's in pain . . . but that will go away eventually. The time I spend with her is invaluable.

A few months ago, my wife and I decided that we were going to try everything possible to put us in a financial position that would allow her to quit her job and stay home to raise our children. When we set the goal, we knew that it would be important. We understood that being a stay-at-home mom was a very noble undertaking that would have lasting effects on our kids. We didn't know, however, how much that would mean to us once the babies started coming.

A week before she has to go back to work, my wife is now wishing she could stay home immediately. She doesn't want to leave our daughter during the day while she drives an hour each way to work and spends seven hours in a classroom. She loves teaching - but she loves mothering even more. I see the care in her eyes when she cries at night, wishing that she didn't have to work. I know how much that means to her, and I want nothing more than to make that dream happen . . . soon.

So we have worked on a budget. We've paid off a lot of debt. We traded in my 2000 Ford Expedition for a 2004 Dodge Caravan so we can have a longer-lasting vehicle that will be cheaper to maintain and that we can pay off in a year's time. We are devoting 66% of our gross income to paying off as much debt as we can so we can refinance our house and just have one payment next year. No one could imagine the sacrifices that she is making so we can do that. I am really proud of her for her dedication to making this dream a reality.

So now I've started thinking. Am I making the most of my time that I have for my family? Are they included in everything that I do? Is it worth the sacrifices that I make to be away from them in order to make money? Hmm . . . should I quit my job and do something where I could work from home? Ok - maybe that's pushing it a little. But my new goal is to maximize my potential to provide for my family in the best possible way while not robbing any more time from them than I absolutely have to. Will there be changes in the future? Probably. Do I know what they will be? Maybe. I'll definitely keep you posted. But for now, I am in a state of re-evaluation that may lead me down some paths that I may not have ever imagined traveling just a few months ago.

Parenthood changes everything. Don't argue. I'm living it right now. I am seeing why so many people give up jobs, positions, and dreams to take part in the greatest thing that God has to offer. My priorities are still the same: family, God, kids. My calling is still the same - make a difference in the lives of kids. In fact, knowing that I have a child who will be going through public schools in five years is even more of a reason for me to work for the improvement of education in Missouri. What I work to accomplish in life will never change. How I accomplish it may be changing soon. I'm ready for the journey. I'm strapping in for the ride. I'm excited that you will share the ride with me!