Yesterday night I was getting the boys ready for bed and determined to tell them a story. I am trying to spend more time with them and make sure that they know how much I love them, so this was one way to accomplish that goal. They usually really like to hear stories before bed, but I often feign that I am too tired and head to bed instead of spending the extra ten minutes. Last night I determined to forge ahead and be a better dad.
Corban is mildly obsessed with dragon stories and sleeps in the same room as Trenton. They have a trundle bed and Trenton is on top and Corban is on the bottom. I told the boys that I would tell them a dragon story. Corban was of course elated, while Trenton replied that he didn't want to hear my story. I told him to plug his ears then, because I was going to tell it whether he liked it or not. I laid down next to Corban and started my story and Trenton plugged his ears. Three seconds later his fingers came out of his ears and he was listening intently to an intense, humorous and spiritual story about him and his three brothers hunting down and evil dragon that was destroying villages. I almost always try to throw in some spiritual lessons as I tell the stories, because it makes me feel even better about staying up late. This story was no exception, and the boys learned through a dragon story how to trust in The Lord with their prayers and to lean on Him when they need help with things.
As I finished the story, Trenton rolled over to the edge of his bed and let out a deep sigh. He then said, "I think I am going to pass out...that story was sooo good!"
Although it is apparent that I am an incredible story teller (at least according to a biased six year old), the main reason that I wanted to remember this is because I want to remember that even when kids claim they don't want your attention, they really do. I also write this down to be able to show Trenton when he is a teenager that he actually liked me at a one point in his life :-)
The other story comes from tonight. We do a date night with an individual child once a week. Amber and I switch off, so each kid usually gets to go with us each of us about once a month. We figure it is good for them to get some alone time regularly since we have several kids and it can be a bit crazy around our house sometimes.
Tonight was my date with Taft. After a dinner at McDonald's (we had a coupon), we went to trafalga and played a little mini golf. Taft only hit it in the pond once, so I considered my golf coaching a rousing success and penciled him in for the PGA tour 13 years from today. After golf we went to get a smoothie (buy one get one free coupon, thank you very much). Then we went to walmart and picked up some groceries for Amber. Then we went to pick up Trey from scouts.
As we sat in the church parking lot sipping on some smoothies and waiting for Trey to get done, I determined that I would do a quick Facebook check. Turns out my friend Norma had posted a fantastic video that Taft and I watched in the parking lot (watch it here: http://sfglobe.com/?id=2539&src=fbfan_2539 ).
When it was done, I turned to Taft and said, "that was pretty cool, huh!" He responded with the most obvious tone he could muster and said, "uhhh, yea dad!" It was without question that he thought it was the coolest thing ever.
It is just so fun to see how the simplest things that you do with your kids turn out to be so meaningful. Neither one of these things was fantastic parenting on my part, but I made an effort and I saw the benefits from it. I love being a dad and seeing these little sons and daughters of God learn and grow. It is truly remarkable... Even when I come home and find Amber wiping up the bathroom floor because Audrey and Corban stuffed one of Audrey's dresses down our toilet and started flushing it and flooded the bathroom... Just another day in paradise!
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