I had dinner plans with my oldest last night. He asked me last week if, one night, he and I could go to the diner together.... just the two of us.
I got home from work at 7:25pm. My son sprinted over to me and said: "Are you ready? are you ready? This is going to be so awesome!" For a minute, there, I thought that he was confused about what we were doing... then I realized he was just thrilled to be hanging out with me.
So, God: I don't know what I did to deserve this, but: Thanks.
We were out the door by 7:35.
Dinner in our house normally takes 15 minutes at best. And it usually involves my daughter rejecting whatever Maggie made, and my youngest wanting to be finished quickly so he can have desert.
My oldest and I chilled out over omelettes toast for an hour. We had a really wide-ranging conversation about school, friends, my father, smoking, alcoholism (he does NOT know that I'm a recovered alcoholic... he actually brought it up in a completely different context)... it was, as he said later, "awesome."
He said some amazing things. He said he's glad Maggie told him about my father (and my trying to contact him recently) because it makes him understand that my father is sick... and instead of getting angry at him, he just feels bad for him. "It's sad for you and me, Dad, but it's REALLY sad for him."
My goodness.
He said: "We have a lot of traits in common, Dad."
He said: "I can tell you've worried about work, because you've been a little irritable."
He said: "I love spending time with you just you and me."
He explained the intricacies of the 5th-grade school day. He did a fabulous imitation of one of his teachers when she gets mad. He told me about his new hockey and baseball teams.
We decided to have dinner together once a month from now on. Frequent enough to be a really good thing, but infrequent enough to keep it special. Again, his idea.
So, the only way I can wrap this post is to say it again: Thanks, God. Seriously.
Love to all: even you, the commuter guy who repeatedly coughed jelly doughnut onto the train floor.
10 comments:
Amazing! What an awesome young man you have! And what an awesome Dad he has! =)
TOTALLY awesome. Rock on little dude (and Dad, too)
I know you already know this, but it warrants being said over and over again.
Your kids are freaking amazing. Truly.
(it's all about me)
So you mean when I see you today, it will be the last time for more than a week (sniff) I don't know if I can handle that.
one truly remarkable individual (your son). And you must be also, to lay claim to the little fellow. Keep being a wonderful dad - the payoff is wonderful.
Wow! Wow! Wow! How cool is that? He sounds like a very mature and amazing kid! You and Maggie are obviously doing a fabulous job raising your kids. I hope I can have that kind of relationship with my boys, but even more than that, I hope their dad can have that kind of relationship with them.
Good work!
You are one lucky guy! You have an amazing relationship with your son. Keep it up! I am in awe.
That reminds me SO much of my childhood. I hope you'll forgive me a longish comment.
I'm the oldest of four girls. The youngest is 5.5 years younger than me. When we were growing up my mum was a SAHM, and my dad worked long hours in order for her to be able to do that. I've always been grateful to him for that, as it's been wonderful not to have to be a 'latch-key kid', but obviously it meant that we didn't get to spend as much time with him as he and we would like.
So once in awhile - probably every month or so - dad would take one of us out for dinner at the restaurant of OUR choice for some one-on-one time.
Those evenings still stand for me as some of the best memories of my childhood. I got to hang out with my dad (whom I find really cool, and definitely look up to), we got to talk just the two of us, and he didn't 'talk down' to me, but as if I were an adult too.
It makes me smile to hear you bonding with your son in the same way. You're both really lucky to have such an amazing relationship.
Lucky, lucky, lucky. It's totally true. When I wonder WHY I'm so lucky, I realize it's because HE should have a good life and a good dad.
You know?
I love those quiet times, just you and one kid. It helps to be out, because no one thinks about cleaning a room, or doing the dishes. None of the bullshit that keeps us from really talking.
Daughter and I got a bunch of those times during ski season. The ski lift rocks for that kind of thing.
Good for both of you!
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