A Quote to Start Things Off

""I'd love to go to Santa Fe at some point, Emmett said, but for the time being, I need to go to New York. The panhandler stopped laughing and adopted a more serious expression. Well. that's life in a nutshell, aint it. Lovin' to go to one place and havin' to go to another. Amor Towles in the Lincoln Highway.

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Pictures of Memories I

Pictures of Memories I
Snow kidding! These "kids" now range from 17 to 23

Saturday, June 13, 2020

My Son the Graduate

My Son Charlie graduates from high school today.  Charlie was home schooled from birth to fifth grade. He was the 2nd born in our family.  When he was born my wife was already "playing" school with our 2 year old  and Big Dude (one of a multitude of nick names we saddled the poor kid with over the years)  was incorporated into their home school routine right along.  He went to public school in 6th grade, we were fortunate to home school him again for 7th grade and did his last 5 years of school in public school.



 


Cubist 

Charlie excelled in high school and we are very proud of his accomplishments.  But this is my blog not his, so let's talk about me.

I have had many roles in Charlie's life.  I was the principal of our home school.  I stayed at home when he was in first to fifth grade and was his main teacher.  I helped him learn to read.  I taught him how to ride a bike.  I've been his coach, his youth group leader for 6 years.  We have gone on two mission trips together and he has even been my co-worker at a local movie theatre.  





 
Athlete

Historian


Cannon Fodder

Our relationship has changed quite a bit over the years.  I've gone from his hero to the embarrassing guy with the bad puns.  This year has been a transition year as he prepares for whatever the next chapter of his life is going to be and I get use to the notion that he will be penning these chapters almost entirely on his own.  I've been trying to step back from a leadership role in his life to an advisory one.  Something I've been getting a little better at lately, mainly because I was doing it so very badly to begin with. 

Roller 



Before I end this post with some uncaptioned glimpses from over the  years, I will share  a hopeful anecdote. Over the past few years Charlie has taken up walking, running and cycling: 3 activities I've really enjoyed in my life.  Last Sunday, he went cycling with a friend from the youth group and they dropped by the house on a way to a local park to toss a frisbee around.  Frisbee is another thing I really enjoy, I walked out to the front yard to say hi and bye when Charlie invited me to come and play frisbee with them.  I'm crying even now as I recall how overwhelmed I was by the invitation.  I went and I had a great time and I think they did as well.  I hope this is just one of many activities that Charlie and I will enjoy together in the years to come.  Not only as father and son but as adults, and as friends.  






 






1 comment:

Sandee said...

Congratulations to the graduate and congratulations to his parents for all their hard work. A wonderful milestone.

Have a fabulous weekend. 😎

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