Who Am I (part 8)?

"Well, you've gone and done it again. You're about to have another one, huh" I thought to myself. "Way to wrap up the ol' Disney vacation there."

Yep...my beloved was having another one of my spawn (a term used affectionately, of course) and we were naturally excited. Even Kaitlyn seemed excited about the idea of us bringing another life into the home. In fact, it was Kaitlyn who helped share the message we were having another baby. I'd just come home from work and she & Jennifer were home together. They said they had a surprise for me (I'm thinking a chocolate cake would be nice) but they go upstairs to Kaitlyn's room.

"Unless they've hidden a cake in her room, I'm not getting anything edible" I began to realize.

20 seconds later, they both came bounding down the stairs with a big ol' NOTHING in their hands. Ummmm...OK. The surprise is in the kitchen, right?

"Look at Kaitlyn, Daddy" Jennifer said.

I did...and didn't see anything. I looked at her hair (did they color it? No...) I looked at her face (did they put on a bunch of makeup? No...) and looked at her feet (maybe they did her nails...nope).

"I don't see anything" I said.

"Look at her shirt" Jennifer said as Kaitlyn began to giggle and stretch it out for me to read.

It said:

"I'm going to be a BIG SISTER!!"

1....2....3....4....5.

5 seconds is all it took this time yet I still had to ask in typical dumb-husband fashion.

"Wait...a big sister? Does this mea---you mean you're having a baby" I asked as I turned toward Jennifer. "How did this happen??"

Now for the sake of anyone under the age of 12 who may be reading this, I won't go into the details here on this blog. Go ask Mommy & Daddy when you're 12 "how it happens". I don't want a bunch of angry parents calling me complaining about my sage advice and straight talk. And by the way...I DO know how it happens. haha!

So, another child on the way and we're growing about as much as my belt size. Another notch.

During this time, my faith and reliance upon God started really deepening as my radio career started to take a different road. I'd been on KPLA for about 6 months when I was called into the operation manager's office for a little sitdown. He told me of the classic rock station in Jefferson City (about 25 miles away) that they'd like me to go be the program director of.

"Ummm, I like it here in Columbia, on KPLA" I replied. "Do I have to be promoted?"

"Well, we know it's kind of a drive and the facilities aren't as nice as the ones here but we'd like for you to do it" he said. "Plus, let's be honest...you're more of a classic rock guy instead of a Michael Bolton DJ, right" he asked, trying to sway me on how KJMO was going to be 'cooler' than KPLA.

"Well...kind of. But I thought-"

"OK then. It's settled" he interrupted. "You'll be the new KJMO guy, starting in a couple weeks. Congratulations!"

"Thanks...I think. Hey, not to sound too disrespectful and all, since I appreciate you all thinking enough of me to be the PD down in Jeff City but what if I'd rather stay here" I asked.

He got this sly, chesshire cat grin on his face, squinted his eyes ever so slightly and said in a lowered voice "It sure is nice having you be a part of this radio group..."

Message received. Do it or begone with yourself, thou foulest of peons!!!

Hellooooo Jefferson City!! I love ya!!

(groans)

So, I started like on KJMO soon after New Year's 2002 and the new 30 minute commute....which for me, was a new thing altogether. I know other people did it everyday and some people did it for an hour or more, but it didn't mean I wanted to. Regardless, I went to work at KJMO, one of the lowest rated stations there in the Columba-Jeff City market.

Time marches on and as I got used to the commute, I began listening to a few radio ministers: Dr. Adrian Rogers (Love Worth Finding) and Dr. David Jeremiah (Turning Point). I can't begin to tell you how much these 2 gentlemen helped guide me through my new found faith, helping to reinforce what I already knew PLUS teach me things I didn't. In fact, I got so involved with some of their radio shows and so attracted to the content of these programs, I strongly considered going to work for the Christian station that aired them daily. However, that station was almost 100% simulcast/syndicated and all I'd probably have been was a board op.

Not to mention that it was also in Jeff City. So, I stayed at KJMO and tried to make it sound better, tweaking the music and trying to, in the words of several radio gurus, make chicken salad out of chicken guts. That's putting it mildly...most radio people talk pretty "frankly".

As the miles racked up on my car and the months ticked by toward the birth of baby #2, a weird thought began to bounce around in my mind. It was one that I tried to dismiss but it kept coming back...and it really started to make sense. So I posed it to my wife one night.

"Honey, after we have the baby, what would you think about an idea I have" I asked.

"What's that?" she said.

"Now hear me out on this one. It's an idea that keeps bouncing around and I think it just might work."

"What is it" she asked again.

"What if...I quit radio and became a 'stay-at-home dad'" I said in a rapid fire manner.

Silence. More silence. A little more silence.

"Wouldn't you miss radio" was her response.

Whoa. That was WAY too easy. Did I just volunteer to go clean latrines at Faurot Field, I wondered. She was only concerned for if I'd miss radio?? Wow. Maybe I won't have to give her my 5 page dissertation on the benefits of me staying home.

"Well, maybe a little bit. But you know, since I've been saved, rock music isn't where my heart is anymore. It's being here with you guys and I'm willing to put my career on hold if it'll make things easier for us, from a homefront standpoint" I said.

We kicked it around a few more weeks and finally decided that's what I'd do. After the boy was born, I was going to give up my dreams of being a big time DJ in St. Louis interviewing famous musicians and instead, I'd be at home changing diapers and tending to the kiddies.

And, as planned, on July 11th, 2002, Jacob Turner Ragsdale came into the world...and also as planned, about 3 weeks later, after Jennifer had healed up from the birth and C-section, I went to the radio station (who had been AWESOME about giving me time off to be with both Jake and Jennifer) and resigned.

"Jim Hunter" was gone and I was starting the journey of staying home with Jake.

As you can see, I was off to a rousing start.