Day 1 (Monday, Dec. 5)

My wife left for Germany today, leaving me to be the sole care-giver for our child (save day care and, this weekend, my parents).

As we drove to the airport, she told me not to worry -- I'd find a rhythm to the schedule. But it is not getting my son to day care and myself to work that worries me. What worries me is being woefully unable to perform the duties of two parents for the better part of eight days.

The advantages of having two parents present are numerous. Most tangibly, at least for the parents, is the ability to break away when necessary. Mostly, my wife and I break away for menial tasks -- laundry, bills, cleaning, a Zen moment. When we're both home, it's easy.

It seems the most tangible benefit for our son, however, is the combination of parenting efforts we provide. While we each have our strengths, my wife is better at coming up with activities that entertain our son.

For the next eight days, when it's just me and my son, this is what I want:

I pray for patience. It is too easy to become frustrated when things don't move with military precision. While alone, I hope I can be patient enough to let things go as they may.

I pray for creativity. More precisely, I pray for the ability to come up with enough entertaining activities that I don't simply resort to the closest Elmo DVD.

I pray for energy. The days will be long, no doubt. What would be more boring for a toddler than to come home to a sluggish dad?

Finally, I pray for insight. The words sound clear to him. Hopefully they will to me, too.