A Tip Top Day

When the Atlanta Braves won the World Series in 1995, my good friend Ed Grisamore wrote an amazing column for the Macon Telegraph. That column showed up in newspapers all around the country. The article began something like this: It’s hard to type with tears in your eyes.

I can relate to that statement tonight.

My middle son and his wonderful wife gave us an incredible gift today. My wife and I officially became grandparents at 1:57PM. And we will never be the same again.

Taylor Reese Goddard is more beautiful than we could ever even imagine. She has her mom’s nose and her dad’s mouth.

And she already has this Papa’s heart.

Taylor weighed in at 7lbs 8 oz. Her mom and dad, although a little nervous as events began to unfold, both came through like troopers.

Two scenes are forever seared in my memory.


The first scene took place after Taylor had arrived at the nursery. We were looking through the glass as the nurse was checking her temperature, changing diapers etc. John was in the nursery standing beside the nurse staring at his little girl.

Tears were literally dripping from his eyes.

And his tears caused tears to drip from my eyes. To think that this little guy who just yesterday was playing in mud puddles and playing T-ball is now a dad almost took my breath away.

It was like the torch was passed. And I am absolutely certain that John is ready to take that torch. My son with the big heart will make an absolutely incredible dad.


The second scene took place later in the hospital room right before we left the hospital. Little Taylor was lying on her back on her little blanket on Tami’s bed. Tami was staring at her little girl with her face in her hands.

Tears were literally dripping from her eyes.

And her tears caused tears to drip from my eyes. Although I understand the hormonal things that happen in a woman’s body after a baby is born, there was something else happening at that moment.

The bonding of a mother and a child is the most powerful bond on earth. And it was like I was watching it take place.

We have received God’s greatest blessing today. And from the bottom of our hearts we are thankful to God for the great thing He has done. He has lavished his grace on us. We didn’t earn it. We didn’t deserve it. But He did it anyway.

And Taylor has received an incredible blessing today. She didn’t choose her wonderful parents. She had absolutely nothing to do with it. God did it. And He has lavished His grace on her.

I got an email today from my old boss and friend who now lives in Denver Colorado. He was congratulating Kathy and me for becoming grandparents. As Bob usually does, he ended his email with these words, “It’s a Tip Top Day.”

It really is a Tip Top Day.

Man oh man it’s a Tip Top Day.