Peanut, you turned 14 today.
I sit here, maybe 20 feet from you.
Sleeping, you are.
I can still hear your breath.
Its late and its been a busy day. Up at 6 and off to school by 7. You looked cute with your cheer jacket on. Thanks for giving me a kiss before you left. My day always goes better when you do. I feel like that is one thing I can hang onto that makes me feel important in your life. You haven't forgotten me.
School, study, cheer practice and home at 7:30.
Some days my heart aches for you. As much as I want to protect you, I can't. I don't want you to hurt. I don't want you to feel rejection or disappointment or loss.
Never the less, I send you off to school each day to learn and experience life.
I hope I have done you well, thus far. I've tried. I love for all that you are. You are my ray of sunshine.
Mac & cheese, broccoli, srawberry soda and red velvet cake. Its what you wanted for dinner. Obviously I've failed you on the nutrition front. I'm sorry.
I love you little one. I hope 15 is even better.
All my love, Dad
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Call me "Sucker"
This being a dad is deal is really alot of fun. When my beautiful wife and I got married, we had insta- family. She had a 9yr old son from her previous marriage. We did all the things families do and then some. Sports, vacations, family stuff, etc. It was all great.
I was never the perfect Dad, but I tried.
I did do one good thing as the "Evil Step Dad". I taught Little Man and all his buddies how to drive a stick shift. Sunday mornings we would go to breakfast and then have driving lessons in some empty parking lot. Most of these kids were WAY younger than the legal limit. Driving permits were at least a year away for all of them. I was so cool,I got to wear my underwear on the outside of my pants and an "S" on my chest.
Jump 10 years.
Peanut is now 13, she'll be 14 next month. An only child. Daddys little girl.
We live on a small farm, WAY out in the weeds. The mailbox and Sunday paper are about a quarter mile from the seat I'm sitting in. My dilemma is how to retrieve the paper and mail with the least amount of effort. I know! Teach my 12 year old to drive my little truck to the end of the driveway and back. Its an automatic and a private road, what could go wrong? I did, she did, life was fabulous!
Two months the truck was totalled in an accident.
Once again laziness makes an appearance. Time for Peanut to learn to drive a stick.
So thats what I did this weekend. No screaming, no yelling, no tears. My little girl looks at me with stars in her eyes. Can you believe, I actually got to spend some quality time with a teenagerand she liked it.
I'm thinkin' the red underpants are back.
By the way, she did it on the first try.
I was never the perfect Dad, but I tried.
I did do one good thing as the "Evil Step Dad". I taught Little Man and all his buddies how to drive a stick shift. Sunday mornings we would go to breakfast and then have driving lessons in some empty parking lot. Most of these kids were WAY younger than the legal limit. Driving permits were at least a year away for all of them. I was so cool,I got to wear my underwear on the outside of my pants and an "S" on my chest.
Jump 10 years.
Peanut is now 13, she'll be 14 next month. An only child. Daddys little girl.
We live on a small farm, WAY out in the weeds. The mailbox and Sunday paper are about a quarter mile from the seat I'm sitting in. My dilemma is how to retrieve the paper and mail with the least amount of effort. I know! Teach my 12 year old to drive my little truck to the end of the driveway and back. Its an automatic and a private road, what could go wrong? I did, she did, life was fabulous!
Two months the truck was totalled in an accident.
Once again laziness makes an appearance. Time for Peanut to learn to drive a stick.
So thats what I did this weekend. No screaming, no yelling, no tears. My little girl looks at me with stars in her eyes. Can you believe, I actually got to spend some quality time with a teenagerand she liked it.
I'm thinkin' the red underpants are back.
By the way, she did it on the first try.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Tricks of the trade?
My little girl is a freshman in high school.
I got to help her with homework tonite and I pulled out a serious Daddy trick.
I must preface my "trick" by saying that I was born and raised in California. Learning to drive the crowded freeways and back alleys of Los Angeles seems like a hundred years ago. But, I got used to smog, traffic and knowing the best way around an accident at rush hour. I can run a pic on anyone, at anytime. There is much satisfaction from doing so.
In California cars are required to have license plate on the front and back bumper.
Peanut needed to come up with a personalized license plate that related to or described her in some way. In comes Dad. I have a nack for understanding what people are trying to say through their plates. It started as a young child and there is rarely a plate I can't figure out.
When she first brought it up, we thought of a bunch normal stuff. Cheerleader (CHRLDR) Swim girl (SWIMGRL) Fast swimmer (FSTSWMR) Cheernut (CHERNUT) etc. But, alas, Daddy Dearest is not so pedestrian.
When I was about 18 years old I was driving through a shopping center parking lot. There was a small sports car with a strange plate. When I saw it I was immediately intrigued. I was stumped. It made absolutely no sense. As I drove away, it hit me what that guy was trying to say.
We finally decided on......3NPAXAS
The guys in the parking was......VA3BTA3
DIT
I got to help her with homework tonite and I pulled out a serious Daddy trick.
I must preface my "trick" by saying that I was born and raised in California. Learning to drive the crowded freeways and back alleys of Los Angeles seems like a hundred years ago. But, I got used to smog, traffic and knowing the best way around an accident at rush hour. I can run a pic on anyone, at anytime. There is much satisfaction from doing so.
In California cars are required to have license plate on the front and back bumper.
Peanut needed to come up with a personalized license plate that related to or described her in some way. In comes Dad. I have a nack for understanding what people are trying to say through their plates. It started as a young child and there is rarely a plate I can't figure out.
When she first brought it up, we thought of a bunch normal stuff. Cheerleader (CHRLDR) Swim girl (SWIMGRL) Fast swimmer (FSTSWMR) Cheernut (CHERNUT) etc. But, alas, Daddy Dearest is not so pedestrian.
When I was about 18 years old I was driving through a shopping center parking lot. There was a small sports car with a strange plate. When I saw it I was immediately intrigued. I was stumped. It made absolutely no sense. As I drove away, it hit me what that guy was trying to say.
We finally decided on......3NPAXAS
The guys in the parking was......VA3BTA3
DIT
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Now what?
I am always amazed at how fast my daughter is growing up.
When I was a kid, time ticked by at a snails pace. Days were long and school would never end. Birthdays never seemed to come fast enough. Christmas was out in the fog somewhere.
How come as a middle aged has been, time is picking up speed? Its not fair, dammit. I'm tired and sore almost all the time. I was in a car accident a month ago and I still feel like the car that hit me, backed up and ran over me again just for spite. My daughter was with me at the time and is back to all her normal activities. Recently she was looking at a picture of me in my early 20's. She asked me why I didn't let my hair grow longer " like in the picture". I would if I could , Honey, I would if I could.
When I was a kid, time ticked by at a snails pace. Days were long and school would never end. Birthdays never seemed to come fast enough. Christmas was out in the fog somewhere.
How come as a middle aged has been, time is picking up speed? Its not fair, dammit. I'm tired and sore almost all the time. I was in a car accident a month ago and I still feel like the car that hit me, backed up and ran over me again just for spite. My daughter was with me at the time and is back to all her normal activities. Recently she was looking at a picture of me in my early 20's. She asked me why I didn't let my hair grow longer " like in the picture". I would if I could , Honey, I would if I could.
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