Base Camp - Day 1000

Each morning during my commute to my Seattle job I glance at least once to my Southeast and revel in the majestic glory that is Washington's Mount Rainier. Imposing and impressive, it dominates the southern skyline. Its peaks have been especially glorious on recent spring mornings with the rising sun framing this enormous snow-capped mountain in all of its natural beauty and wonder.

On many such mornings, I find myself daydreaming. Daydreaming of how amazing it would be to someday climb that imposing, wondrous mountain. To once and for all stand on it's summit and take in the breathtaking scenery that such an accomplishment would undoubtedly sear into the deepest reaches of my memory.

How would I accomplish this feat? One step at a time, of course.


If the whole of raising children from infancy to adulthood can be considered an equally imposing Mountain, then today, after climbing one step at a time since my son Lukas' birth, I have finally made it to...base camp.

1000 days. 1000 steps.

Not unlike climbing a literal mountain, climbing the figurative mountain of parenthood for me, as well as for Mrs. LIAYF, has been accomplished by putting one foot in front of the other.

At times the climbing has been easy and invigorating, while others it has been slowed by obstacles in our path. Obstacles, the likes of which have at times made us feel like turning back, or at the very least sitting and telling ourselves that we've reached our limit and can't possibly go further.

But arriving here at base camp, at day 1000 with my amazing little guy, the view is already so unbelievably incredible that it understandably challenges my meager ability to describe its natural and emotional wonder.

My son is a truly amazing little person. His daily accomplishments, goofy antics, revelations, and acts of compassion fill my heart with a love the likes of which I had no idea I had the capacity to possess before his birth. Each of these days is its own amazing gift to me.

I know that to reach that summit and gaze back at the incredible path that led me there - to plant my personal flag on the peak which constitutes Lukas' childhood with his mother and I - that there will be uncountable steps yet to be taken.

Steps that will be some of the most difficult that I will have ever taken. That I will likely encounter storms along the way which will test my endurance to its limits.

I will deal with those steps with the same approach my lovely wife and I have used to deal with the previous 1000. Taking them one at a time.

Taking immense pleasure in putting one foot in front of the last and appreciating the spectacular beauty that each one affords along the way.

Happy 1000th day in this world son.