My first semester as a college dad (Or, my life as a freight train)

 

Like the slow but inevitable plodding of a freight train, my life continues to move down the tracks…whether I like it or not. Yeah, that’s me, back there on the caboose, just trying to hang on.

 

This fall, the train that is my life passed through another major crossing gate as my eldest son, Andrew, headed off to college. It was mostly a smooth transition, moving from college visits last year to offer letters, high school graduation and the eventual selection of a school. I knew it was coming.

 

And we liked his choice. It’s far enough away (about 100 miles) to give my son some freedom, while giving my wife and I some solace in knowing we can get there relatively quickly if we need to and/or frequently if we want to. All was good, right?

 

Well, as good as can be expected when 20% of your life packs up and moves away.

Believe me, I’ve tried at times to apply the brakes to my life’s train, but it doesn’t seem to matter.  At this point, I can’t even get them to make that annoying, metal-on-metal squealing noise any more. My life has crested and the train is doing what trains will do downhill — it’s picking up speed.

 

Funny how most of us can’t wait to get things moving when we’re young, only to find ourselves begging for them to slow down later in life.

 

The really cool part, though, is that I can now see my son’s train gathering steam. Not only is it out of the station, it’s surging forward and leaving those huge, black cylindrical smoke patterns behind it as it heads up the first big hill.

 

He’s doing well in his classes, has joined a fraternity and just signed a lease for a house he and his frat brothers will rent next fall. He’s well on his way and we know the work he’s putting in now means his train will have many tracks from which to choose in the future.

 

We hope we’ve prepared him well enough for life’s twists and turns; he’s a responsible young man and we’re proud to tell people he’s our son. But there’s only one way to find out if we’ve done our job well and that's to wait and see.

 

I’ve come to terms with the fact that I can’t control what’s down the track for Andrew. My natural instinct is to protect him — to head down that track and clear the way for him. But I can’t do that. Not now.

 

He’s a big train and he can handle it. Right?

Welcome to my world

And welcome to Food Land.

Today, Allie was taking orders and made Jody a "Helthey Salade." And, while the "Stake" and "Mac and Chies" sounded good, I had the burger with chips and prune juice.

Then, when we were done (for plastic food, it was delicious) Allie went on a break and posted this sign on the pantry door. Guess we'll have to wait to get back in.

We're never quite sure what store or restaurant we're likely to find ourselves in when Allie gets her imagination going. But it's always fun.

Seven

According to Wiki, seven is a natural number following six and preceding eight (it actually says that). To us, seven took on new meaning as Allie, our youngest, became seven years old.

And, although seven is the sum of any two sides of a standard die, Allie is anything but standard.

As anyone who has met her knows, she very articulate, sometimes to a fault, and is a very thoughtful girl. Many times, I've wished that I'd captured what she said because it was so poignant, but I usually forget.

And perhaps that's the lesson here...we can't possibly remember every thing our children say or record every second of their lives. So soak it in, people. Because the day before yesterday, my daughter was three.

Which, by the way, is the only number besides seven in which a vector cross product ca be defined; but you knew that.

Happy birthday Allie!

Thanks for the trees.

Countless times, I've witnessed one of our kids saying their prayers. Well, maybe countless is a stretch, but it's safe to say I've heard quite a few nighttime prayers.

That's why Allie's prayer last night stuck with me. She thanked God for the usual things: her parents, her friends, her aunts and uncles, her Mema and Pepa, her Nana, you get the idea. She even thanked him for sending Jesus and, in a timely move that I'm sure was designed to improve her take on Christmas Day, she even thanked him for sending Santa.

But then, she surprised me.

In a very natural way, like she'd said it a hundred times, Allie thanked God for photosynthesis. She did! Okay, she didn't actually say that, but it's what she meant. Here's what she said:

"...and thanks, God, for making the trees, so we can live."

That's the same as photosynthesis, right? Anyway, it was pretty accurate and very sweet.

Take your time.

It was a beautiful day; ironically one that Susan had tried to avoid for a long time. As they walked along the sun-kissed fields they visited every week, this time was different.

The cool breeze reminded her that Fall was coming, and with the change of season, other things would certainly change, too. They looked for birds and laughed.

Emily loved taking walks with her Mom in the woods. She got to see all kinds of different animals and her mom always taught her something new. Pretty flowers, funny stories.

"Look, Em," called Susan, "That bird is making a nest."

Emily's eyes opened wide as she watched how nature takes care of itself. It was almost like magic to her and she soaked in every minute of it.

Susan did, too. But she wasn't watching the birds. She was watching her little girl grow up, a job she knew all along would end someday...but she now realized a part of it would end today.

It's not like she and Emily wouldn't take Mother-Daughter walks again. Of course they would. But things would be different.

Soon, there would be school buses and new friends. Sports and homework. Emily's life was about to change and there was nothing Susan could do about it.

Except on this walk.

For today, there was still time. The breeze was still blowing, still bringing in the fresh smells of the woods. And Susan was talking it all in...one last time.

"C'mon, Mom," Emily yelled, "Hurry up!"

"Slow down, honey," she said.

"Take your time."

Princesses unite

When we were in Disney World in '07, Allie was in her element. Since she knows she's a princess (she's been told that for years, after all) it was only natural for her to hang out with 'her people'.

Here, she's posing with Belle and, if you look closely, you can also see evidence that the Fairy Godmother was wearing pink lipstick on this special day.

We had breakfast at Cinderella's Castle, which is where all cool princesses hang out. We got to see Belle, Jasmine, The Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty and, of course, our hostess Cinderella.

We can't wait to go back so Allie can gather again with her peeps.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Just one day before Valentine's Day this year is...Friday the 13th. Anyone who can say the word for fear of Friday the 13th (above) gets extra credit.

Some believe that our fear of this date has its roots in Christian faith -- Judas was the 13th (and certainly unlucky) apostle at the Last Supper and Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Some also believe that Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit on Friday (the first happy hour?) and the great flood happened on Friday, as well.

Me? I think it's just another day. In fact, we've had good luck on that controversial day. Jacob had successful surgery on Friday the 13th when he was three and Allie was born on the 13th (okay that was a Monday).

But, you might want to go shopping for your Valentine early this year...just in case.