So, You're Going to Be a Dad...

See that up there? That's my boy! In fact, it's my first boy (first child too) and here he is in all his ultrasound glory. Feel free to bask in the coolness of it all.

Last week, my sister posted her fantastic news on her blog, so I thought that I would follow suit. After all, in this case, THREE is better than one.

So, I'm sure you are wondering what we're going to name the child (or maybe you're not--Angela has been pregnant for a while now) and yes, we've selected a name.

It's Colin Andrew Parker.

Now, the Andrew part should be painfully obvious. If it isn't, then I don't know what I can do for you. As for the Colin part, the name is actually of Gaelic origin. It means peace or dove. In addition, it was a Gaelic nickname for St. Nick so we've named our child after Santa Claus. As someone who loves all things Christmas, I like that happy coincidence.

In any case, I'm getting more and more excited to be a dad everyday. At first I was a little apprehensive (who isn't?) but the closer it comes to little Colin's birth the better I feel about this dad thingy. After all, I had a great dad and so did Angela. All we have to do is follow their example and we'll be fine. Plus, I'm STOKED that I finally get to have a permanent video game partner--one who loves the little boy games as much as I do.

So, happy child birthing to all and to all a good night!

Christmas with the Choir

Wow! Take a look at that picture! It's of the Conference Center at the conclusion of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's annual Christmas Concert. While, it's not the greatest picture in the world, it gives you some idea of the grandeur of the spectacle. This picture was taken shortly after we finished our final performance on Sunday morning.

This was my first Christmas with the choir (last year I was out sick and depressed) and let me tell you, this was the most exhausting thing I've done as a member. We've been rehearsing for three weeks for the show and of course I've been there every night this past week except Monday night. We even did a recording session on Saturday afternoon that took up nearly all of the day and then the Christmas concert at night! When it was all over, I took a deep breath and promptly fell asleep for hours.

However, there's nothing like a job well done. This year's concert (with special guests, the King's Singers) were wonderful. The music was phenomenal, the set design, as you can see with the picture above, was astounding and all the performers were splendid. The King's Singers especially were outstanding. I love A Cappella music anyway, so this was a treat for me. But, overall, the show was a resounding success. I was glad to be a part of it.

So, buy the DVD and CD when it comes out because you'll enjoy the show. I know I did!