T-Minus 38 Hours

Ok, so that's probably a bit too far out for a countdown, but I'm just getting really excited. Mason James Slovick will enter this world Friday morning at around 8:00 AM, and these last few hours are ones I hope to spend reflecting as well as wondering. I have had a tremendous last year and a half, with more life changes than I could have ever imagined. My time at home has allowed me to really explore not only the world around me, but also the person inside me. I feel like I've learned how to be a better husband and father, although it admittedly took quite a bit of shoving to get me over that precipice. I'm far from perfect, but at least I'm headed in the general direction.

I can't wait to meet my son on Friday.

You can count on continuous updates throughout the weekend, as I'll be armed with still and video cameras and the laptop at the hospital.

I decided to end this post with one last bird photo, since I am certain it'll be one of the last ones I take for a little while. It's a very cooperative Blackburnian Warbler I saw while birding at McGee Park in Concord on Tuesday.



EDIT: I'm going to leave the original post as it was and just add this note. That is NOT a Blackburnian Warbler. I struggled in the field to accept that ID, but I just didn't see anything else that made me say "Yes!". After posting the photo I picked up my Sibley Guide to The Birds, the larger copy that I keep at home. It's nearly identical to the Field version that I carry, but sometimes a fresh look at a different guide will open your eyes. This bird, upon further review, is a new life and Big Year bird for me. It is a Black-throated Green Warbler, and judging by the dull streaking on its breast I'd say it's a juvenile example of the species. Feel free to make fun of me for the mistaken ID, I know I've got it coming.