Every year I have put little flags up around our yard on the Fourth of July. Over the winter, the box must have fallen off a shelf in the garage. While cleaning the garage I found that box with my flags in it and it must have gotten wet. Those darn squirrels probably got in there and knocked it over.
I may have to run out late tonight or early tomorrow to grab a couple. If I don’t, a tradition will be broken. We’ve always gotten pictures of the kids with an American flag in their hands walking down the sidewalk. Ella was just about four months old in 2020, so we didn’t get one that year. Every year since, we have.
In 2023, I put together a collage…
We continued that tradition last year, too.
I love seeing all the pictures progress from year to year. The time just keeps flying …
I mean, it seems like we just celebrated America’s bicentennial, doesn’t it? LOL
Update: They finally came and picked up the dryer we’ve been trying to send back. Now we have to wait for them to refund the money so we can purchase the correct dryer. In the meantime, there have been a lot of laundromat trips.
Andrew came to the laundromat with me one day this week. He wanted a candy bar from the vending machine. I bought him a Hershey bar. As he sat on the bench with me, the older gentleman who worked there said, “Oh boy, that looks good. Can I have a piece?” Without thinking twice, Andrew held up a piece for him. He politely declined and said he was joking, and thanked him.
5 minutes later, he came back and said “I have something for you. You are such a kind boy, I want to give you something special. He pulled out a brand new and uncirculated $2 bill. He said he gets them for his grandkids for Christmas. Andrew was thrilled.
The craziest thing that happened this week? I preached a funeral. For a bird.
Andrew kept talking about a bird. I told him I didn’t see a bird. So he walked me over to this bird that was, as Monty Python says, “no more.” I told them not to touch it and that I would take care of it. I found my shovel in the garage, returned to the yard and scooped it up. They asked if we could take it to the “bird doctor” like on Bluey. I said that it was a little late for the bird, because it had passed away.
I had never seen this particular kind of bird before. I searched the internet and it appeared to me a “Michigan Bluebird.”
I made the mistake of trying to dispose of it in the trash. I didn’t really think about it. They were visibly upset at the thought of this bird going in the garbage. Thinking quickly, I told them to both follow me. They asked what we were doing. I told them we were going to a have bird funeral. So I took the bird to the back of the yard, prepared a “grave,” and placed the bird in it.
So the three of us are all standing around this hole with the bird in it looking down at it. Ella said that we should pray for the bird. I asked her if she wanted to pray but she said that I should. So, I looked around at the back yards around me. I took a deep breath and while the neighbors to the left and right of me were out in their yards, I sent up prayers for the poor little black/brown and blue bird.
An “amen” followed afterward. I scooped up and replaced the dirt, covering the bird and we walked away. Ella said, “That was very nice, Daddy.”
As ridiculous as I felt, after she said that, I knew I had done the right thing.
18 years ago today, I became a father for a second time, when my son, Dimitri, was born. It is truly amazing to watch them grow from this…..
….to this….
“Don’t Blink” they say. True words.
He was always a bit more athletic than my oldest son. He loved to play T-ball, and I got to be his coach.
In high school, he took an interest in golf, and I loved being able to get out and shoot 18 holes with him.
There was never a dull moment when he was around. I was DJing an event one time, and had some music programmed ahead of time. I had left the stage for a minute to give out prizes and when I returned he had donned my headphones, put on some gold shades, and was acting like he was spinning tunes!
After my wife and I got back from Florida (and getting married), the first day back and went and watched him in his first play. He was actually very good and even sang on stage.
18 years have flown by, son. I know that life hasn’t always been easy, but I want you to know that no matter what, I love you. I am behind you 100%. If you need to talk about anything, you can come to me and I will listen without judgement. I can promise you that I will always be here for you.
You are officially an adult today. As you begin this new phase of your life, remember that the world is good at throwing you curveballs. Keep your eyes forward. Get up when you are knocked down. Never let emotions influence a decision. Forgive. Love. Be YOU.
Happy Father’s Day to my “Dad” friends! I hope you are being celebrated today.
Andrew and Ella couldn’t wait for today, so they gave me my gifts yesterday. When they got up today and Sam reminded them that it was Father’s Day, Ella said, “That was yesterday.” Ever since, she has referred to yesterday as “pretend Father’s Day” and today is the “real” one.
I was presented with some books to read:
Ella read one of them to me! That made it even more special. Then, they presented me with a pretty cool Father’s Day Gift Set.
I plan on taking the tumbler to work to keep water in. I have already hung the dish towel in the kitchen and I will wear my “dad” socks to work this week!!
Later today, my son’s and I will be meeting for dinner. I’m excited as I love getting ally kids together.
I have written many times about my dad and his instruction and influence. Along with him, I have had many men who have proven to also be mentors and “father figures” to me. Their wisdom has proven to be invaluable. I pray that I do the same for my children.
In thinking about what to write today, I stumbled on some great quotes about Fathers. Some of these I may have shared in the past, but they are worth repeating.
If you are a Father – you are so important to your children. If you doubt that, read on.
“The power of a dad in a child’s life is unmatched.” —Justin Ricklefs
“Dad: A son’s first hero, a daughter’s first love.” —Unknown
“No music is so pleasant to my ears as that word―father.” —Lydia Maria Child
“A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.” —Unknown
“Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, storytellers and singers of song.” —Unknown
“A dad is someone who wants to catch you when you fall. Instead he picks you up, brushes you off and lets you try again.” —Unknown
“My father didn’t do anything unusual. He only did what dads are supposed to do—be there.” —Max Lucado
“She did not stand alone, but what stood behind her, the most potent moral force in her life, was the love of her father.” —Harper Lee
“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.” —Unknown
“A father is the one friend upon whom we can always rely. In the hour of need, when all else fails, we remember him upon whose knees we sat when children, and who soothed our sorrows; and even though he may be unable to assist us, his mere presence serves to comfort and strengthen us.” —Émile Gaboriau
“When you need real understanding, when you need someone to care, when you need someone to guide you … A father’s always there.” —Thomas J. Langley
“Every son quotes his father, in words and in deeds.” —Terri Guillemets
“A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.” —Gabriel Garcia Marquez
“A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he meant to be.” —Frank A. Clark
“By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.” —Charles Wadworth
“When you’re young, you think your dad is Superman. Then you grow up, and you realize he’s just a regular guy who wears a cape.” —Dave Attell
“[Fatherhood is] the greatest thing that could ever happen. You can’t explain it until it happens; it’s like telling somebody what water feels like before they’ve ever swam in it.” —Michael Bublé
“My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.” —Clarence Budington Kelland
“The thrill of being a great father is not seeing your children go on to become successful adults. The thrill of a great father is the journey, experiencing your child’s successes along the pathway to their greatness.” —Reed Markham
“A man’s worth is measured by how he parents his children. What he gives them, what he keeps away from them, the lessons he teaches and the lessons he allows them to learn on their own.” —Lisa Rogers
“Grandpas bring a little wisdom, happiness, warmth and love to every life they touch.” —Unknown
“We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves.” —Henry Ward Beecher
“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me.” —Jim Valvano
“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” —Billy Graham
“It is admirable for a man to take his son fishing, but there is a special place in heaven for the father who takes his daughter shopping.” —John Sinor
“Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” — Anne Geddes
“Becoming a dad is one thing; being a dad is many things.” — Steve Chapman
“The imprint of a father remains forever on the life of the child.” —Roy Lessin
I have mentioned how messes raise my anxiety levels. When the kids are playing in slime, or with play dough, or painting I am anxiously awaiting the mess.
They have a sandbox that they love to play in. Naturally, the sand winds up on the side porch, in their shoes, on the driveway, in the road, and in their hair. My wife, Sam, decided that they needed a “Mud Kitchen.” The idea is that they can make mud pies, etc…
Andrew and my father-in-law built the frame out of scrap wood. I ran up to the store to get bags of top soil to fill the frame. My wife went to the dollar store and bought containers, bowls, spoons and such so they could play in it. At first it wasn’t so bad. They the added some water.
They had mud all over themselves. I had to spray them down with the hose before I could even let them inside the house. I know that someday soon I will put on a shoe that will be filled with topsoil – or mud!
Mother’s Day was full of surprises, even if my wife had to sleep through it, because she worked the night before. Ella brought her home a flower from preschool for her. She was so happy to give it to mommy.
The kids and I had to run out to Home Depot on Saturday (more on why in a paragraph or two). While we were there we walked through the garden area. Andrew saw a hanging flower/plant that he though mom would like, so we bought it and actually got to hang it from the shepherd’s hook in the yard.
Sam has always loved gnomes. For her birthday one year I bought her a birdbath with a gnome sitting in front of a mushroom. The mushroom stem goes up to hold the mushroom top, which is the actual bath for the birds. There was a cute gnome that had mushrooms rising up around him that light up at night. So we bought that to put by the birdbath.
Earlier in the week, our dryer stopped spinning. It made noise when you turned it on like it wanted to spin, but it didn’t. After Googling, all the sites pointed to a broken belt broken pulley or a bad roller. I ordered a kit online and after watching YouTube, decided I could do this job myself.
The first thing I had to do was shut off the gas. So I went downstairs and found the only shut off valve I could find.
After I turned that off, I went upstairs to disconnect the hose from the dryer. As soon as the nut was loosened, I could hear the gas pouring out of the hose. It took me a bit to get it back on, and now the entire house smelled like gas.
It took me almost an hour of following pipes around looking for another shut off valve. There is a space right above the furnace that is like a dark hole. There is no light up there, and it is such an odd place for a valve, but it was the only place I hadn’t checked. After getting up and in a position where I could shine the flashlight, sure enough, there it was!
I watched step by step and did exactly what the video showed me to do. I kid you not, I almost had the dryer completely taken apart for this job. I pulled the drum and checked the belt, which looked ok. I looked at all four rollers and they looked ok, too. The pulley for the belt looked like it might be going bad, so I thought maybe that was the culprit.
After replacing the belt, the rollers and the pulley, I watched the video on how to put it back together. Once it was together, it was time for the moment of truth. I turned on the power and selected a cycle. I hit start and ….. it was still making the noise and still not spinning. I was devastated. I truly thought that I could fix it.
The aftermath of a wasted afternoon
Monday after we dropped Ella off at school, Andrew asked if I wanted to take a walk. I was thrilled that he wanted to do that! We walked the entire neighborhood and he talked almost the entire way. He asked questions, pointed out dogs, talked about which cars were the same colors as ours, and watched squirrels run around.
It was a highlight of the day.
Tuesday, Ella had her first T-Ball game. I’m going to have to find days to take off so I can watch her play. Sam says she is like a different player this year. She is hitting pitches that the coaches pitch and catching/fielding balls like crazy. I’m thankful for mommy taking pictures for me.
Yesterday was one long list of things to do. My wife and kids were out almost all day doing something. When they got home they all went to bed.
This morning, Andrew had an early doctor appointment. It was close to where I work. So Sam suggested that before this work training meeting I had to be at meeting at a park. There is one about 2-3 miles from work. Ella and I met Andrew and mom there. The kids got to run and play with new friends and Sam and I got a little time to sit and enjoy each other’s company.
Being stuck at work is not the way I wanted to spend my birthday, but at least this morning I got to be with some of the most important people in my life!
On Friday of last week, we had temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s. On Saturday, they were in the upper 30’s and low 40’s. There was also a lot of wind, so it felt colder than that. This was the first day of soccer for Andrew and me.
He was so excited that I was going to be coaching his team. There was another dad who volunteered, too. Neither of us know what we’re doing but we tried to keep it fun. We played red light green light (they kick the ball around fast/slow/stop), Simon says (Put your knee on the ball, kick a goal, etc…), soccer bowling (the have to knock down the cones with the ball), and “Ouch” (The kids job was to kick the ball at the coaches and when we got hit, we had to say “Ouch”).
It was so cold out, but the kids did a good job. We held their attention for almost the entire hour. Some kids were too cold and left, but that’s ok. Completely understandable.
Ella was there with us and she played all the games, too. She actually played more games than Andrew. Why? Because at some point he decided he was done.
When we got home, we had hot chocolate and relaxed. I made myself some coffee and Ella came up behind me and said, “Dad, look.”
She is such a sweetheart.
Saturday night was the Senior Prom for my second oldest. At one point he wasn’t going to go, but later decided to go. I asked him to send me a picture of him all dressed up. He looked great!
The first thing I noticed was the watch chain. He confirmed that it was indeed a pocket watch. I always wanted one to wear when I dressed up, but never got one.
Hard to believe he is in the final weeks of high school.
Sunday morning, I made some muffins for breakfast. I mixed up the muffins and placed them in the muffin tin to bake. After the timer went off, I pulled them out of the oven. When I looked in the oven, there was something melted on the rack.
It took me a second, but I realized what it was. My kids love playing with these magnatiles. If you look at the photo, you can see the magnets. They use them to build things.
Thank goodness the magnets, when it melted, stuck to the rack of the oven. Apparently, Andrew put the tiles in the drawer and when we put the tin away, didn’t see them. They were stuck to the bottom of the tin.
Monday it was beautiful. On the way home from school, I took the kids to get ice cream. We were the only ones there at 12 noon. It was nice to just hang out with them enjoying a treat.
To wrap up the week, I was able to get out and mow the lawn for the first time. There is always something about that first cut that makes me feel good.
Today’s photos are not only a flashback, but they tie into a current situation as well.
You may remember that last fall, Andrew was playing soccer. I say “playing soccer,” but it is more of a game oriented introduction to the game. There were days that he loved playing and days that he hated playing. Some drills were fun and some were not.
What I didn’t remember was that when the fall session was over, there was a spring session that went along with it. That session will begin this weekend.
Parents are expected to be out on the field with the little ones. Last year, we ran up and down the field cheering them on and helping them do the drills/games. Ella wasn’t signed up to play, but she joined it and played, too.
My wife was the one who got all the text messages about soccer. Last weekend, she says to me, “I guess they need a few more volunteers to help coach this session.” (Read that “Keith, I think you should help coach soccer this session.”) I do not know the first thing about soccer. Kick the ball in the net and don’t use your hands. That’s really all I know.
I purposely waited a couple days before calling to see if they still needed help. I hoped that they would tell me that they had all the folks they needed. Instead, I was greeted with “We are SO glad that you have volunteered to coach! We’ll get you set up with all the equipment you need and a coaches shirt. You will love it!”
I found out that before I could coach, I had to watch about 2 hours of videos. Some were on the beliefs of the league while another was on what to do and not do. Then there was a series of videos about concussions, how to recognize them, and what to do if a player has one. Then there was a series of videos about kids in sports and cardiac arrest. These videos were really thorough!
So, this weekend, I will venture out and do what I can to help the little soccer players. I have to meet someone extra early this weekend to get all I need. They have paired me up with another late to the coaching game coach. Hopefully, we will be able to get the job done.
I may have to stroll over to Barnes and Noble to pick up a book before the game …
We’ve had a lot going on over the past week. I feel like I am just getting around to settling down.
Easter
I hope you had a good Easter, if you celebrate. My wife’s family did all the Easter stuff on the Friday before. I had to work, so I missed all the fun. They had an egg hunt for the kids, and Nana and Pa got each grandkid a little something. Andrew was in his glory!
He got his very own tool box! It is similar to Pa’s, and is better than mine! He told Andrew that he could come over and collect some tools to put in it later in the week.
My wife worked Saturday night, so Easter for us was Saturday Morning. The kids were excited to get their baskets.
They each got some cool loot this year, including special drinking cups – a princess one for Ella and a Paw Patrol one for Andrew. We spent the day playing and cleaning.
On Easter Sunday, I was told to cook the ham that was in the fridge. Honestly, I don’t know how many people my wife thought we were feeding. She bought a 13 pound ham! Andrew had some, my wife and I had some, but Ella is not a fan. Needless to say, there was a lot left over.
On Monday, I ran to the store with a crockpot recipe I found for ham and potato soup. I bought the ingredients we didn’t have and made it up. My goodness, it was delicious! It was so simple, too. I like simple. We’ll be doing that again.
Back to the Diamond
Last year, Ella said she really didn’t want to play T-ball again. Then she said she might. We signed her up and she’s already had her first practice. I was at work, but my wife said that this year, she is rocking it. Last year, she had trouble hitting the ball. I guess she nailed them all at practice.
Her games are all on days I work, so I’m going to have to figure out how to get to a couple of them.
Outdoor Play
With the weather warming up, the kids can finally go outside. They love riding their scooters and bikes. Ella, however, still wants to play with her Barbies. So this week, Sam told her she could bring out one of her Barbie houses and she could play with them outside. I think she liked the idea.
School Silliness
It is hard to believe that school is almost out for the summer. Ella has loved preschool. I have loved having mornings together. We all pile in the car and enjoy the drive to school. Sometimes she will talk about her classmates and sometimes she wants to listen to kids songs on the radio. When Andrew comes with us, it is always a hoot to listen to them talk about stuff in the backseat.
Ella mentioned while waiting in the car this week that we hadn’t taken a before school selfie in awhile. Usually, when we all try to get one, it comes out wonky because of movement or something. We had a magic moment this week …
Gee, Thanks, Dad
Andrew stayed at Nana and Pa’s house yesterday. Pa was putting in a new toilet. He was drilling a hole in the floor and that was all Andrew needed to see. He was going to stay and help Pa. At one point, they had to run up to Home Depot for something. Andrew LOVES tool stores! I can only imagine what that had to be like for my father-in-law.
At any rate, while they were there Andrew asked for something. Pa, naturally bought it for him. When my wife went to pick him up, she gasped when she saw him.
Pa bought him a REAL STAPLE GUN! Thankfully, there are no staples. The first thing my father-in-law said was, “Don’t worry. I made sure it was safe for him!”
When Sam did our nightly video call, she said, “Show daddy what Pa got you.” She turned the phone to show me him and he had it plugged in and he was pulling the trigger on the hardwood floor! I started to freak out until she told me that there were no staples! It just makes noise. He is in utter heaven!! He told me to wake him up when I got home so he could “show me how to use it!”
I suppose every state (or country for that matter) has their own weather quirks. Here in Michigan, the weather is a subject of humor almost daily. There is a plethora of funny cartoons/memes about that very subject. Here are a few of my favorites:
Alas, Spring is trying to get here. We had a few nice days this week, but it was still a bit chilly. All the kids had to see was that it was sunny and they wanted outside.
Before they went out, they had been playing in the “dress-up” bin. Ella was in her Skye from Paw Patrol outfit, while Andrew was Cat Boy from PJ Masks. They wanted to go out and ride their bikes, scooters and electric car. They didn’t even take off their outfits. Instead, they played out in the front of the house in them. One can only imagine what folks thought as they drove by.
Ella as Skye
The Cat Boy mask has a see through blue plastic window. I am almost positive that Andrew had it twisted upside down because the mask didn’t look like it fit him properly.
Andrew as Cat Boy
Another sign that spring and summer are coming is that the baseball teams are practicing out on the field behind our house. I love when they practice. The kids usually play on the swings or in the sandbox while I watch the practice.
I don’t remember seeing it last year, but they actually have a pitching machine this year. It’s kind of funny to watch because the coach acts like he is going to throw the ball and when his arm comes down, he drops the ball in the machine. I thought this was weird until I heard him tell the batter “When my arm get’s up here, that’s when you gear up to swing.” Ok, makes sense now.
In all the years I have watched the practices, the batters have always used the aluminum bats. Summer is full of the “Tink” sounds of the ball hitting the bat. At this particular practice, I was surprised to hear the sound of the ball hitting a wooden bat. Oh, how I know that sound!
When we would play ball every day in the summer as kids, we never used aluminum bats. We’d have 10-12 wooden bats of different lengths and with different players autographs etched into the bat. When the ball would hit the sweet spot, it made such a glorious sound!
Detroit Tiger legend and announcer George Kell
There were about 4-5 kids out of 15-16 on the field that used a wooden bat to hit with. When they connected, that ball would launch over the fielder’s heads. I am anxious to see just how many use them in games this spring/summer.
Whether we decide to take a trip out of town or just sit in lawn chairs watching high school baseball, I am SO looking forward to nice weather.
I got a call this week from my oldest son. He was so excited to tell me that he is getting his own place. He is ready to move into his own apartment. I’m very proud of him. He has been working a lot and getting himself in a place where he can do this.
As a parent, you truly hope that they have learned how to budget and keep all the bills in mind. He has always been pretty good with his earnings, so I think he will be fine. I hope that this means we’ll be able to get together for lunch or dinner more.
We’ve had some very special father/son moments. The one that stick out the most is our trip to Louisville Kentucky. He got onto the robotics team at his high school. That year they won their division and also went on to the state competition. While there, us parents cheered them on and they qualified to go to the national competition in Kentucky.
On our trip down, we stopped at a place for an amazing breakfast. On the way down, we hit a spot where there was a huge traffic jam. While we waited in traffic, I decided to see what we could do on the evenings after each round of competition. I found out that there was a minor league baseball team and their park was about 10 minutes from where we were staying.
I hoped that there was a home game during our stretch, and there was! I ordered tickets in the traffic jam and planned our outing. We had great seats and enjoyed all the things you enjoy at the ball park – hot dogs, pop (beer for me), nachos, etc.
We got their early enough to be able to swing into the team store. We were sure to get something (a bat I think) for his brother. We each got team baseball hats. That night at Louisville Slugger Field was a a fantastic father and son trip. We got the see the Louisville Bats win the game and walked away with memory neither of us will forget.
The robotics team did pretty good for their first time at the national competition, but there were other teams that had been there many times. I guess this is where you say, “It is not about winning or losing. It’s about the experience.” It certainly was a great experience.!
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 