Holy Crap I am someone's Daddy!

I remember just a little less than 12 years ago when John-Michael was born. We brought him home and I bet you I was up at least 10 times checking his bassinet right, which was right by the bed. I remember thinking Holy Crap I am someones Daddy! I thought about the next 18 years and what it would be like to watch him grow and become a man. I knew it was my job to teach him life lessons, just as my dad did (and continues to do) for me.

This mornings ceremony and assembly was really a cool experience. John-Michael received his award. His mother, brothers, and myself were all in the crowd. We let him know how very proud we are of him and how this will stay with him the rest of his time in school. At the end of the day, we went back as the students, parents, and staff of Chapelfield clapped the 5th graders out of the building. JM is no a sixth grader, a middle schooler, and Tanner is no longer in kindergarten. Mr. Ben takes on 5th grade next year. All three of my guys are hitting milestones and it makes me beam with pride. Their mother and I, yes we are divorcing. But we are both focused on the boys. And no matter what anyone thinks or says, she is a very good mother and does a wonderful job with them when I am not there. I wouldn't want anyone else to be my partner in raising the boys.

After they got home I told them good bye and headed back to Tennessee. I had a conversation with the higher ups, and I may bail out of Tennessee a lot sooner than planned. Don't know if that means back home or off to another city. But for now, I will be here in Clarksville. Good Night All.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My son, the Bully

Last Friday, before I got home from work, there was a knock on my front door. My wife, Tiffany, answered the door and was confronted by an upset father. This man, clearly frustrated and at his wits end, informed her that our son Ben had taken part in the verbal bullying of his son Jordan. And while Ben was not the primary offender, nor had he been involved since the beginning, he was still a part of a group of kids who had been picking on Jordan for 2 years. When Tiffany called me I was floored. For those who do not know Ben, he is a great kid, the last person I had ever imagined would be involved with something like this. Sweet and always caring, Ben often will give up something he wants if someone else wants it more. He asks to help around the house and is a very even keeled kid. Still he is a little awkward, not feeling like he fits in. He is an artist while his older brother is the athlete, so Ben has always felt like his identity needed to be separate from John Michael's. Th
Read more

A Roller Coaster of a Christmas Miracle

Image
Well, I woke up Sunday Morning............... Hey that sounds like a great first line of a song But Tiffany and I got up extra early because she wanted to hit the grocery store before it was packed. So we did, then went to breakfast at Frisch's, all before 8 am. When we got home we woke Tanner up, and we all got ready for church. Right around 9, my phone rang. Ugh, work. Need to dispatch a team to Buckeye Lake. Took a few minutes and got them dispatched, hung up, and it rang again. Another job, in West Virginia. I wound up being on the phone until 9:30, and we needed to get out the door as Little Red was scheduled to work the Guest Services desk at Centerpoint for both Christmas Eve services. We headed to the car. And my phone rang again. Yet another, much bigger emergency job. I had to go. No church for me. I put Tiffany and Tanner in her car and sent them off, then I headed towards the flooded day care center. I decided to take Broad street to get there. As I was in front
Read more

The Finger of God

Image
Have you ever seen the movie Twister? Released in 1996 and starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, the movie followed a group of storm chasers as they got caught up in a harrowing day of following and escaping tornadoes. It was considered cutting edge for the way it depicted the funnel clouds and the scientists who do this everyday. Little did I know how, 24 years later, my work would bring me to a place in Middle Tennessee where real life imitated art, and my latest clients would be grateful to have escaped with their lives. Their story in just a moment. First, I would be remiss if I did not mention the passing of an old friend recently. Kent "WiFi Guy " Pingel worked with me at Belfor, a job he affectionately called "The Dirty Gig". We crossed paths many times at various disaster zones all over the country, and his blog  Ping WiFi  chronicled his journeys, always looking for a good story and a WiFi connection. He was a brilliant writer and better friend, who
Read more