Before this goes any further I have to make sure you understand this, I Love my kids!  I have enjoyed them at every stage of their growing up.  I really like having them around, and joining in the fun with them.  I wanted that to be clear, because what I have to say next might be construed in another way…..

Tonight, for the first time since 1981 there won’t be any children in my house,

Thank The Lord!

Some memories stand out, my eldest, at the age of 3 walking down the hall in nothing but a t-shirt and my cowboy boots (which covered his entire leg), singing a song.  The night my second son came home, he was a little earlier than we anticipated so, his first couple of nights his bed was a dresser drawer….the delivery of his crib had been delayed just long enough.   My youngest daughter trying to take the training wheels off her bike by herself.  My eldest daughter, leaving for a 1 year stay as an aupair in Holland 5 years ago….she’s still there married with two kids of her own now!  The last two boys came with the new wife, the eldest, a weekend spent making speaker boxes for his sub woofers; the youngest (the one leaving the nest) and all his BMX biking including busted bones and a rearranged smile.  Every second of every day I have enjoyed the challenges and chance to teach them.  Now it’s time to return to the way things started just my wife and I.  And the dogs, can’t forget the dogs.  The peace and quiet will be deafening for a while.  I can only hope it’s not the eye of the hurricane.