i’m sitting here at our old city park, trying to stay out of site/mind while my friend takes H’s senior pictures on the old basketball court.
the weather is beautiful. squirrels (!!) everywhere. laughter and squeals of happy children are being carried in the breeze, mixing with the melodies of birds in the tempo of the rustling leaves.
no sadness exists in this place where the memories–and a bit of melancholy–abound.
I remember the boys playing on the playground. chasing each other. pretending to be in some mock war.
countless T-ball and coach pitch games.
birthday parties with the whole family. picnics.
basketball games with all the boys and their friends on these old netless rims.
the scene is perfect:
sitting here, watching him in this place where he spent so much time as a child, now a young man of 18, about to embark on a new phase of his life.
and then I’m jarred out of my memories by
“Dad, come rebound.”
and I smile.
uhm... 
Thanks for taking me down a well painted image of days gone by….
I hope you got out of your head and rebounded! What an awesome & deep request that seems to be now after all you boys have gone thru together!
🙂 … so glad that i had to write that post while i was waiting…because as i was editing it, he hollered out to me… and i was like–wow here’s the perfect ending. so glad i was there to kinda watch it from the sidelines (and that the photog’s friend was there sending me some snaps now and then)… … which you’ll later see posted, i didn’t really ever put my phone down… 😉
Its awesome to hear you speak about your boys, you obviously love them more than life. I sure hope H knows how amazing you are and how lucky he is to have you as his father! Now go shoot some hoops!!! lol
🙂 i’ve probably been guilty of loving them too much; quite simply: they have been my life for so long. no regrets
and when one of them calls or i get to sit down and talk to one of them–including my 2 “extra” sons I gained in 1999–it just reminds me how very blessed i am to have had such an amazing life so far.
What a great memory and so beautifully put. I felt as if I was there and so wish I was. Love you,brother!
🙂 thanks, sissy. love you too.
They grow up entirelly too quickly. Mines a freshman at Ohio University and it seems like yesterday that I carried him out of the delivery room and showed him to my Mom. Part of me is glad that he’s off and experiencing a new world and the other part of me misses him like crazy.
it’s amazed me how fast the time has flown….
thanks for commenting….
my older “extra” son (bcz i hate the word “step”) is 24 and working and making a living out on his own. his mother and i chose to make them part of a family but we could not ever force him to accept it or even choose it. i am fortunate that to this day, he still chooses to belong to our family and it thrills me when he calls to check in or continues to maintain his role as the oldest brother by reaching out to the “little boys” and checking on them.
although i missed that birth moment with him and his little brother, i’m fortunate to still be a part of his life.
and while we miss him bcz he’s so far away (FL), i’m more proud to see how well he’s taking care of himself and succeeding.
ah the joys of being a parent! 🙂
thanks for commenting!
Love this…makes me smile to hear your happiness shine through. xxoo
thanks little sister! i look forward to seeing you and H go through this marvelous process and hearing all about it! 🙂
Loved reading this…and I loved the love that shined through it. Time does pass quickly (how did I become the mother of a 32-yr-old son who was just toddling around in diapers??)
One comment you made ” i’ve probably been guilty of loving them too much”. Dear one, you know that one can never love their children too much! {{smile}}
Once again, Todd, you have touched my heart. I wish you more happiness and love in the all-too quickly passing years ahead.
aww thanks Debby….i’m glad your heart was touched….you certainly touched mine back! 🙂 huggs