So Papa.....Do you ever put down the camera or is it permanently attached to the right side of your face?

Noah Bennett Hardin

Birth Date: 6/5/2006

Weight: 7 lbs. 4 oz.

Length: 20"

Potential: Unlimited

Letter to the Bean

Dear Bean,

Your grandmother and I were going through some boxes today and ran across this photo of your Dad taken when he was just a couple of days old. The memories and emotions of that late October day came rushing back as we choked back tears of joy. Something amazing happens when you meet your child for the first time and you are forever changed by it. It is the fulfillment of all your hopes and dreams and you know that nothing will ever be able to separate you from the love you feel at that moment. We felt the same way when your Aunt Rachel came along a couple of years later. Our hearts overflowed with joy and we still feel the same way today. I'm sharing this with you in hopes of preparing you for the outpouring of love you'll be receiving when you make your appearance in a few months. It could be a little overwhelming at first. Not only will you be welcomed by your Mom and Dad but also by two sets of grandparents (both quite special I might add) as well as great-grandparents, your Aunt Rachel and too many other doting "aunts", "uncles", and cousins to name here. To be sure, you will not want for love or attention. In fact, after a while you may begin to take it for granted and assume that everybody is blessed the way you are. In time you'll begin to realize how very unique you are and how special it is to be surrounded by so much love. So take it all in little Bean. Soak up all the love your Mom and Dad and grandparents and great-grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins can heap upon your tiny shoulders. It will always be here for you and will be a source of strength throughout your amazing life.

The Measure of a Man

Like Dan, I've been thinking about the passage of time and how quickly it all seems to go. Now, with the "blessed event" just around the corner, I been doing a lot of reflecting on this little life that's begun, and how much it matters to be born into a family who loves you almost from the moment you are conceived. To be surrounded from the very beginning with unconditional love is such a blessing in this confusing, complicated world. How wonderful it is to have a whole gaggle of people clammering just to love you!

In my world, I've always been blessed that very same way. My parents, to this day, love me no matter what, and I have known my whole life that they are standing right behind me. I've never known a day where I haven't felt loved.

I've gone through all these thoughts to get to one place. My greatest blessing in life (and my cup has always been overflowing with blesings) is my precious husband Dan. He is the solid rock I have loved and counted on since I was just a girl of 16. He always seemed so much more mature than I was, and I now know that he was just wise beyond his years. He knew that if he could just hold on until I grew up a little, together we would be a force to be reckoned with!

From the very beginning, he always had my best interests at heart. Once the children came, he was the image of what a Father should be. I know that sometimes he wishes he could go back and do some things differently, but all you have to do is watch and listen to the way Patrick and Rachel talk about him to see how much they respect and adore him. He is, simply, a wonderful man.

When we speak about success, we often talk about how much money someone has, or how much fear his name can evoke. I don't think about it in those terms. I consider the lives he has touched and the people he has loved. Was he trustworthy? Was he loyal? Did he always put his family ahead of his desires or needs? Will he love you no matter what? These things are the true measure of a man. Placed on the true scale of life, my Dan is the very essence of success! I have loved him since I was a little girl, and I pray that I get to love and appreciate him until I'm a very old, old woman!!! He is my boy!!!