A Quarter Century Later...

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A quarter century ago our first child was enjoying her first day of life on this beautiful and interesting planet we call Earth.

Celebrating on the day of her birthday at Olive Garden

A year ago at this time she was hanging out in London and contemplating a permanent move there. This birthday she is living at home with us and going to school full time.

Jordan & Poe, out for a walk this spring

She came home last night and happily informed us that she got the top score in her science class. She is also President of the Environmental club and is doing a great job getting events and trips planned. She has already received job offers to do a bat study.

(I always hoped she would learn to enjoy baseball as much as I do. But then she burst my bubble yet again by informing me that it was the flying, nocturnal mammals referred to as bats; not the tools used by athletes to drive in runs.)

One of the things that makes me smile is that when she turned 18, she couldn't wait to move out and constantly clarified to us that high school grades were not that big a deal because she "was never going to do school again!" or something along those lines.

Now she is enjoying school (well, most of her classes) and is thinking that a post-graduate degree may be in her future someday. Especially since she would prefer to teach adults rather than children.

And another twist... now she thinks she might be living with us for several more birthdays. Oh how time has a way of changing many things about a person. Funny how that happens. Life and circumstances change many people, I just hope you learn how to make those changes enjoyable and like the person they change you into. That is one of the awesome things about our lives. We love what we're doing and the people we are getting to do it with and most importantly - we are still on the journey of becoming all we can be!

E. H. Chapin wrote in the mid-1800's that "home is the seminary of all other institutions." 

Jordan Arp ...serving our country

When my daughter was very little I came across this poem by Michael Douglas called, "The Men in My Little Girl's Life." It really struck me as profound when I first read it and realized that my little girl would have a lot of other influencers in her life, friends and romances, but how privileged I was -and still am- to be able to be her father and at least for a while longer longer, to be a big part of her life.

I used to work this poem into my sermon every Sunday that was closest to Jordan's birthday. It's not really that spiritual, but as I watched my daughter grow up it always reminded me that she may always be "my little girl" but she wouldn't always be little.

I will be speaking this Sunday at a Teen Challenge service in Mt. Ayr. I think I might work it into my message one more time... But since most of you probably won't be in southern Iowa to hear it, I will share it here:



The Men in My Little Girls’ Life                by Michael Douglas
The men in my little girls’ life;The men in my little girls’ life.
It seems like only yesterday when I heard my little girlsay,“Daddy, there’s a boy outside. His name is Rod.He wants to play in our backyard.Can he daddy? Can he daddy? Oh, please Daddy?”
Is it really so long ago she’d come to me and wanted toknow,“Dad, there’s a boy outside, his name is Lee.He wants to carry my books for me.Can he Daddy? Is it all right, Dad? He’s got freckles, Dad.”
The men in my little girls’ life,The men in my little girls’ life.
Then came pony tails and jeans and my little girl is in herteens.
“Popsy, there’s a boy outside, his name is Tom.He wants to take me to the prom.Okay, Popsie? He’s cute, Popsy. We’ll be home early, Pops.
Before I’d known it, time had flown and how my little girlhad grown.
Now it was, “Father, there’s a boy outside, his name isEddy.He wants to know if we can go steady.Can we, Father? Yes, Father. Oh, can we borrow the car, Pop?
Yes, it seems like only yesterday I heard my lovely daughtersay,“Dad, there’s a boy outside, his name is Jim.He asked me if I’d marry him. I said ‘yes,’ Dad.Got something in your eye, dad? I love him dad.
The men in my little girls’ life;The men in my little girls’ life.
A child, an adolescent, a young lady, a wife.And, oh yes, there’s another man in my little girls’ life.“Hi Dad, there’s a boy outside, his name is Tim.I told him grandpa was going to baby sit him.
Thanks, dad. Bless you, dad. Good night, Dad.”
The men in my little girls’ life. The men in my littlegirls’ life.  




 Happy Birthday Jordan! I love you Daughter! You'll always be my little girl!

With all my love,
Dad