#makememories

When I was 8ish, mom and dad were divorced. This was tough. I think the toughest part was the family meeting about a year earlier when they told us they had decided to separate. I did not understand what was going on. But from tragedy we often learn the most important lessons in life. We still had a lot of childhood left to live and there were also good times to be shared. It's funny the little things that we remember the most from childhood - the memories that become treasures as we grow up. Here are some of my best memories with my parents.

My dad would pick up his boys: Jesse, Randy, and Travis. We would first hit up the dollar store. When you're small, a dollar feels bigger than what it really is, so essentially we would go on a spending spree! Ninja Tortugas, Transformerings, cap guns, plastic-ish swords, wiffle-ball, and CANDY (your run of the mill knock-offs where the name is a description of the candy like sugar dots or chocolate-covered-cookie-and-caramel-bar-of-candy). We were kings I tell you: KINGS! And then off to the dollar movie. Not sure if there are any more dollar movie theaters. These theaters pretty much showed the movies that were recently released to video. Then it was off to Independence Park. We played catch, tag, monkey bars, slide (which should have been called, "melt your skin." Who's idea was it to make slides out of metal anyways?), tree climbing... all the best to-do's with a dad. Those were great memories that now stick to me like a shadow. (Did I mention that my dad owned a big foot truck?) 

And then there is mom. She taught me about working hard. She would work at night at K-Mart to support her three darling boys. While we were nestled in our beds under the care of grandma, she was working the blue-light specials. One of my favorite memories was how she tried to protect us from being made fun of because we weren't as well off as some of the other kids at school. We were on free/reduced lunches. In my day, that meant carrying around a punch card that had to be presented in line after they handed them out in front of the whole class. She understood that kids were mean and we might be mocked for it. She asked me one day how it made me feel and if I wanted her to stop signing us up for free lunches. I did. And so she worked a bit harder to spend $3.75 a day so that her boys would FEEL better. That to me is sacrifice like Jesus would have made or at least pointed out in a crowded room. (Oh, we also had a lot of fun together! She would load us up and head out for Tara Beach! Basically a pond with a water slide, but to three little boys it was the ocean to our pirate adventures!)

Dear Sweet Child of Mine,

Make memories, and also simply remember. I will tell you stories of my childhood long after it is gone and those that helped make the memories are passed. You will know them verbatim. And one day you will realize the importance of those memories. Together, we will create your memories. I hope your life is adventurous and full of abundant life. I want your life to be a story book entitled: "Not enough ink, paper, or words." I love you.

Love,

Arguably the Most Handsome Dad in the World