My Children

How precious are moments we treasure and spend with them? A memory, a video, a snap shot of these moments becomes more priceless as time pushes its way into our reality. Remember the smiles of our babies? The sounds and smells they make as infants. The infamous poop faces and spit up that spin our emotions into action. Innocent laughter becomes so powerful that it could pierce the hardest heart and melt the ice caps of a frigid soul. The joys of listening to them breathe as they cuddle in your arms fast asleep. Remember those yucky diapers that some how became no big deal? That is the definition of peace to me. Something so stinky, painfully testing your senses and stimulating you flee its fowl stench. You are halted by a willingness to care for this little one. An eager crawl across the room to capture your attention they reach for you to pick them up. Crying to just be in your arms one more time. The tumbling falls and struggles to walk. Digging in the dirt, throwing rocks in the river excuses to just being together. Watching their hair grow and their teeth painfully pushing through, slowly but surely realize they are now 2. Up late you sacrifice rest to heal sickness, tame scary dreams and chase ghosts away at night. Riding a bike and learning to swim. Learning how to become what interests them. Reading stories and telling tall tails. Campfires and outdoor fun, trails offering chances to run. Games created just to have something new to do. Coaching, parenting discipline and praise too. The nagging adolescent requests to go “hangout with friends”.
You forcefully remind yourself I am so in love with my children and the many joys they have brought into my life.
So quickly they become independent and time renders us older. Off they go out on their own.
I long for the days when I came home. Hugs and kisses and the need to be near, I miss the hugs and the conversations. I miss those days when I was superman. Now, I am glad that they now know that I am a mere man.
Gone are the anticipations of the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and Birthday friends and fun. Now I watch and guide and direct when I am allowed. I am so proud of them, these children of mine. I see their mommy and me in all that they do. How they have grown and their faces still hold the Character traits of the babies they once where not so long ago. Our reminiscent journeys of these days of old become our personal treasures. Shape our hope and aspirations of things to come. Keep us moving forward until time is done. Until then I dream of being a grandpa and the best Dad I can be. I wonder is this what my dad thought about me. When did I become so wrapped up in this? Seems to me just yesterday I was running in the halls of my school days. My school friends fade in to the geographic maze of life’s twists and turns. Now I am a parent, a husband and not just a friend. I am Businessman and trust partner. Wow it happened, I am all grown up…soon this question will belong to our children and they to will know what is to love effortlessly and without reservation as the become an adult captured by the reality life brings. Work, Mortgage, Taxes and payments galore have riddled my days with things I must do. I hope and pray they will here what I say when I guide and direct them by the path they will choose. Hmmm this life this time we are lent passes through our fingers like sand on a beach. I never want to leave them but inevitably it will be. So while I am here Lord Help show them to path you would choose for them. Oh how I love them and miss them when they are not with me.