Seeing The Boy - Best Weekend Ever

TJ and spent the last weekend in April at Camp Seafarer for Y Guides Spring Outing.  I'm not sure who's reading this - but it was the best weekend ever - I left Camp feeling rejuvenated instead of spent and beat down.  

Of course TJ was familiar with Camp - I mean he spends every summer there - but spending time with him in a place where he wanted to spend time with me was great.  Even though we were with the rest of the Yodeling Squirrels Tribe, for the most part TJ wanted to be with his dad.

I love Lisa - she is an amazing mom.  However, the boys are little too attached to the apron strings.  Not having mom at his beck and call, TJ dropped any "momma's boy" pretense and wanted to hang around with me.  

In a matter of two short days we cooked out, rowed a canoe, fished, rode down the zip line, shot BB guns, swung on the yard arm, watched fireworks, rode bikes, held hands, chatted, and farted, belched, laughed like guys.  


TJ and I took part in the first ever Y Guides 5k.  TJ biked and I ran and both looked hot and sweaty at the finish.
 
There were moments, there were several, where I stood back and watched this sweet boy engage in challenges that would have scared me to death at 6 (almost 7).  I saw the start of the young man he is going to be; it's just barely starting to show.  He is confident, easy to make friends, easy to play, easy to laugh, goofy through and through.  I see some of me in there but I also see something else I never saw in my childhood or even adolescence.  I can't quite put my finger on it yet.  I was so damned proud to be his dad that weekend.


It was a different time but my dad never spent time like this with me.  Not many dads did.  We tossed the ball back and forth in the back yard, but he had no idea how to spend quality time with his kids.  He's gone now.  We both lost out.  I am thankful for my wife for pushing me into this.  Best.  Idea.  Ever.  

TJ and took a trip to Orlando in 2010.  A month before Grant was born we did our first father-son trip and went to the Magic Kingdom while mom prepped the last few free days before sleep became a scare commodity.  TJ and I had a blast riding down on a train, going to the Magic Kingdom, sharing the love or Disney, and connecting with him for the first time since I returned from Iraq the previous year. 


I am reminded that my children are fun to be with.  I learned that if you remove "mommy, Mommmy, MOMMMYYY!" and TV, and other distractions that you can have a great time.  I still need to learn how to talk to my boys.  That's a hurdle I need to overcome from going from Dad to a buddy.   But the foundation is there.