Still kind of feeling my way through this whole "Blog Thing" but I'm enjoying learning as I go. Haven't made a great deal of progress on some of the things I mentioned in earlier posts but I have on some others. Hence the title "Next Steps"... Everything in life is a process and you have to approach your goals step by step because if you try to make dramatic changes all at once, the "step" is likely too high to take if you know what I mean. That's why they say, "You have to walk before you can run". Then again I'm not really telling you anything you don't already know right. Pretty basic stuff here right....
Ok so I've been reading my friends blog and it's one of those things that acts like a compass to help keep you pointed in the right direction and helps you focus on the big picture. She recently lost her husband and both of them were good friends and I honestly believe that Steve and Melissa are helping more people than they know via her blog. She has a gift of seeing through the worst things imaginable and finding the silver lining and her blog appears to be a lighthouse when you stray off course. She really helps keep things in perspective.
So that brings me to my "Next Steps"... I think I've figured out what I intend to do with my blog. I named it "The Dad Blog" because I honestly couldn't think of anything else and it's the first thing that came to mind when I was trying to figure out how to get started. My friend Steve was a tremendous Dad and great family man so I think that's what my next steps will be. One of my goals was spend more time focusing on my family so that would seem to be the appropriate thing to focus on in the blog.
Being a Husband and a Dad are the two best things in the world! My wife and I have two wonderful kids but they grow up WAY TOO FAST! It feels like just yesterday that we were going to pick up our daughter at the grandparents house after my wife and I had come back from a trip and our daughter ran to me and jumped in my arms! That's the GREATEST feeling in the world! Those times don't last forever so cherish them and make time for them because in the blink of an eye, they grow up! That cute little girl who ran into my arms years ago just turned 13.... Do I even need to type anymore. Yes, 13! Tonight I drove her to the "Dance" and despite the fact that she's a wonderful little girl (young lady) she broke my heart tonight. I stopped and dropped her off and she instantly saw one of her friends so I wasn't the "Daddy" anymore I was merely the "Chauffeur". She was out of the car and off to see her friend. I'm not even sure I heard a "Thanks Dad" or "I Love you" or anything at all. I'm sure she said it but it was so fast I think I missed it. I was just replaced by some other little tween. Thankfully it was girlfriend of hers, had it been a BOY! Oh my gosh what would I have done then.
My best friend and I were visiting the other day and he said to me, "So she's 13 now huh." I replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Yes, she turned 13 and I joined the NRA". I haven't actually joined, yet. However, it's on my list of things to do. Years ago when I was in High School my best friend was at the house when my sister had come home from a date. My Mom and Dad, a friend of theirs, my best friend and I were all in the Family Room when my sister got home from her date, and he walked her to the door. She came home at the moment my Dad was showing his gun collection to his friend. Can you see where this is going..... I noticed my sister was coming up the stairs with this guy and I told my Dad, "Hey, here she comes....." Yes, we all picked up one of the guns and as soon as she walked in the door, with her date, and came into the family room she saw all of us and I said, "You got her home a little late didn't you?" It was PRICELESS!!! I don't think that guy asked her out again. Ahh Yes! Mission Accomplished! It reminds me of the song from Rodney Atkins called "Cleaning This Gun". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSDAf2q6SbQ It describes that event perfectly! He wasn't a bad guy but somewhere out there is a guy telling a story much like I'm telling you right now only he's likely saying, "I took this girl out and when I brought her home she invited me in to meet the family and it was like walking into a NRA meeting!
The point here is that time goes by far too quickly so as Melissa said in one of her blog posts... "Take lots of pictures, and cherish your time together" before you know it things could change unexpectedly and kids tend to grow up faster than we would like. What will your "Next Step" be?
