Logan

My brother-in-law Logan is wicked smart.  I mean, truly brilliant.  I would throw out his MCAT score to prove it, but he would be embarrassed.  (Let's just say it was higher than 40.)  He went to one of the top medical schools in the nation and is in training to become a surgeon.  He is quite possibly the smartest person I have ever known (and I have known some smart people).

But you know what I love about Logan?  He is so humble and down-to-earth.  You would never know that he is brilliant (unless someone like me bragged for him) because he is so approachable, kind, and unassuming.  Surgeons are known to be egomaniacs (which is obviously a gross stereotype, but I hear it's kind of true).  Not Logan.  I don't think there is a shred of ego in that sweet man.

And you know what I admire most about him?  It's not all of his intellectual prowess or his academic achievements.  It's the fact that he is an incredible father.  He is so hands-on, creative, and engaged.  He could play with his kids for hours and hours and hours--and he does, even after 24-hour rotations and 80-hour weeks at the hospital.  Pretty much every free moment he has goes toward playing with his kiddos.

I recently watched in awe as he put my nephew Callum to bed.  They have an entire play routine based on the children's book Where the Whild Things Are.  They roar their terrible roars, roll their terrible eyes, and gnash their terrible teeth.  They yell, "Let the wild rumpus start!" and act out all of the pictures from the book--dancing wildly, howling at the moon, and swinging from vines (Logan grabs Cal by the ankles and swings him).  Finally, Callum shouts, "BE STILL!" and tames Logan by staring deeply and menacingly into his eyes.  It was just about the cutest thing I have ever witnessed.

And as for Logan's interactions with his "Lady Girl," as he lovingly calls my niece Jade...well, I will let this photo speak for itself:

He is one sweet daddy!  (And when she gets a little bigger, I have no doubt she will be joining the wild rumpus as well!)

Happy birthday to a man whom I greatly admire for so many reasons.  Though I will never be as smart as Logan, I do aspire to be more like him as a parent--to be more creative, more fun, more engaged, and more energetic with my children, no matter how tired I am or how hard I am working.