Signing Off

Sorry I haven’t written in a while I have been overwhelmed with work and with Wyatt. We’ve been traveling as I told you about in my previous post and now I’m behind at work and at home. My lawn is out of control! I have saved all my blogs in hopes that Wyatt may read them some day and see how much his father has cared for him and if you have the time I encourage you to write down your feelings and thoughts about your children. I have to be honest, each time I sit here and write I’m nearly in tears before I’m finished. Not because I’m sad, but for the overwhelming affection I have for my son. Thank you for reading my ramblings. God bless you and yours.

Priceless

Wyatt retuned home from a week long vacation with his Mother last Friday and as I hoped he was more than thrilled to be home again. He received a small blue stuffed puppy while he was gone and was quite insistent it needed a puppy doghouse to live in. Wyatt didn’t know it but I would have built him just about whatever he asked for as I was just as thrilled to have him back home again as he was to be here. So we made a trip to the local hardware store to purchase the necessary materials to build a small puppy doghouse…for a small blue stuffed puppy dog.

We worked all day Saturday Wyatt and I, well mostly me as Wyatt explored every tool in the garage. It was a perfect day, Father and Son side by side laughing and talking about anything that interested a four year old boy. A trip to the snow cone stand capped off the day as we celebrated our achievement. A small puppy doghouse painted yellow with a red door…for a small blue stuffed puppy.

It’s a cliché I know, $10 for hardware store materials, $.75 for a snow cone, an afternoon spent building something, anything, with your child, Priceless. But it’s the truth, I would gladly pay ten times that amount to have those moments and make those memories with Wyatt. Thank you Lord for that priceless opportunity.

I was asked a question last night, a question I’m sure I’ve been asked before but as I labored under the hot afternoon sun today mowing my lawn I had time to reflect on the question, and my answer. The question proposed to me by a man I respect and admire, my boss, yes my boss, a good Lutheran himself.
“When was the happiest time in your life?”…………………
Well, I have been blessed for sure. I had a lot of fun in my teenage years and probably too much fun in my early twenties! Then there was this girl, as there always is, the one before my ex-wife. Gorgeous, fun, caring, with a smile that would light up the world. I’ve had a lot of nice things, nice cars and trucks, a motorcycle, a house and once a beautiful family with a wife and two kids. I’ve been a lot places seen a lot of nice things but when was I the happiest? It didn’t take long, not as long as it took me to write this paragraph. The time when I was the happiest was just a few days ago, just before Wyatt went back to his mother’s. Wyatt and I traveled for several days, saw Thomas the Tank Engine stopped at an amusement park on a whim, visited my parents, Sister and my nephew. We must of drove 1,200 miles in 6 days and the time Wyatt and I shared, the long miles across corn field states, rain and blistering sun were times I’ll remember for ever and I know Wyatt will too! And I bet when Wyatt comes home in a few days, the happiest times will begin again. The bond between my son and I is priceless and to see that big grin on his face for whatever reason makes me happy. The happiest I have ever been.

Denied

Somehow along the way of life I have become a minority. Not because of my race or religion, but because I’m a single Dad who cares for his kid. I’m not sure why it is assumed that the majority of fathers either don’t care or don’t think they have what it takes to be a full time dad but, it’s sad, it’s ridiculous and it irritates me. I don’t like being treated like an anomaly. “Oh, you’re a weekend Dad?” No I’m a full time Dad and no, I’m not gay I just happen to care more for my child than anything else in the world.

A friend from Church asked if I had taken Wyatt to a new Pizza place that just opened made just for kids. I said I hadn’t heard of it have you been? “Yes, some of the mothers from day care and I took our kids last week.” When asked why someone didn’t tell me I was given the excuse, “Well it was a girl’s thing.” My son missed an opportunity to play with his friends outside of day care because his Dad doesn’t always fit in? It’s not that big of a deal but it gives an example how a single Dad is something the world still has a hard time adjusting to and accepting. The way I see it, God wouldn’t have given me this opportunity if he didn’t think I was cut out for it and I intend not to let him down.

Gone Fishing

Last weekend I took Wyatt on his first fishing trip. What an adventure for the both of us. You would have thought the poor boy had never been out of the house! He was so excited he couldn’t stand in one place for more than 5 seconds. Which means his fishing line didn’t stay in the water for more than 5 seconds either. Not too many fish caught like that but it seemed the number of fish caught was not the point of the day, but rather everything that went with fishing was the highlight.

But with every great adventure there is always a bit of trouble. I was very afraid Wyatt or I would need a trip to the hospital to have a fish hook removed as he was learning to cast his reel. Fortunately no one was hooked except a few fish. After 20 times of telling Wyatt to be careful not to fall into the water I saw he would be learning this lesson on his own. It happened, right at the bank. I was a short distance away as he fell face first into a shallow area. He was out before I could take a step toward him with eyes as big as half dollars. He looked himself over then at me, then came the tears. As I dried him off I explained I had told him to be careful and with sobbing tears running down his muddy little cheeks he said’ “But I didn’t hear you tell me be careful!”

The tears dried away and he was off throwing rocks and chasing ducks. As we drove home Wyatt grinned ear to ear and asked, “Can we come back tomorrow?”

What to Wear

As I was searching through my closet Wyatt asked, “What are you doing Daddy?” I said, “I’m trying to find something to wear to work tomorrow.” And with that my 4 year old fashion guru had the perfect ensemble in mind. “How about a train shirt?” Why didn’t I think of that? That would be perfect if I was four years old, or worked at a train store I thought to myself and laughed out loud.

Wyatt likes to help out and lending his fashion advice is just one of the ways. He loves to cook, or at least help mix the ingredients. He sometimes asks if we need to mow the grass, “I can use my mower to help you!” he says. Wyatt’s mower churns out bubbles as you push it. Or, “Let’s wash the car today with the hose!” Wyatt hates the automated car wash it scares him something fierce.

In a world where kids would rather sit around and play video games or ride skateboards, it’s nice to know my son wants to spend time with me and be helpful, even if his help sometimes turns out to be a little extra work for me.

People Prayer

Wyatt and I pray together at dinner and before bed every day. It’s taken two years for him to join in on our praying. When he was two or so, prayer was something he didn’t have time for and wasn’t interested in, but now he usually says the dinner prayer on his own - one he learned from day care. It’s always cute to hear a child pray, something about the innocence of it I guess.

Our bed time prayer usually starts with a traditional child’s prayer like “now I lay me down to sleep” and follows with praying for family members and thankfulness for what God has given us. Last night as we finished his child’s prayer I gave him a kiss, said good night and started to leave the room when Wyatt stopped me and asked “What about the people prayer?” I turned quickly and knelt beside Wyatt’s bed and we gave thanks for the day God had given us and asked that he smile upon Grandma and Popo and Sissy.

And with one last kiss good night, I turned the lights down low, and then I heard the words every parent longs to hear at the end of the day, “I love you Dad!”
Thank you Lord.