I really must observe the traditions and celebration of Fathers Day today. This blog, after all, is dedicated to Dads everywhere, and it only makes sense. There's plenty to report, certainly. June is one of those extremely busy months for the Woody Clan, and this weekend has been no exception.
We actually start with Flag Day in this household. I'm not sure very many families even know we have a Flag Day every year, based on the number of actual flags I (don't) see flying. That may just be because Flag Day doesn't trigger a halt to federal workers and their hangers-on everywhere. Especially when it's in the middle of the week. I know I didn't get to hang our flag that day because it was still 0-dark-hundred in the morning when I went to work. Nevertheless, Flag Day is significant to this family because it also happens to be Jelly Woodyette's birthday.
Three days later is my son's birthday. This is fortunate for him because any longer than three days and I would be certain to forget. He long ago passed that stage where we could send thoughtful gifts to wherever-the-heck he's living now (Brainfreeze, Minnesota, last I heard), so for the last several years we've just sent money. This year he turned 18. 18 is a milestone year for a young person. This is not so much because he or she has reached that legal status of "adult," as it is that he or she was actually allowed to reach 18 before Mom and Dad had him or her committed to military school/boarding school. Take your pick. So my son survived all of my muttered threats and is now legally capable of voting. Heaven help us in 2008.
In my note to my son I informed him that this latest cash contribution to his whims and fancies won't be anywhere near that significant in years to come. Next year I'll send him a tie. I seem to remember my post-18 birthdays being that way, but that may be a false memory. Certainly my 20th and 21st birthdays were marked with larger infusions of cash, but that's mostly because I was a starving missionary in a third world country and Mom and Dad felt kind of sorry for me. That, and I'd bounced checks in that third world country and they wanted to make sure I didn't end up in a third world prison. So my son gets ties beginning with his 19th birthday. It'll be good training for that corporate job I'm sure he's looking for.
The very next day was a special day for the Woody family. Our Jelly Woodyette was baptized, with family and friends in attendance. It was a wonderful day, and Jelly worked hard to overcome her natural stage fright. On one level, it was a day of conquering fears for her. It started with the filling of the font. The water was "loud," in her words, and that scared her just a bit. So getting her in the water nearly required Daddy coming up out of the font to run her down. She only faltered a bit, though, and finally waded in. I think the water was a bit cooler than she was hoping for, but she went down like a champ and only had to go under once.
It always amazes me (even though it shouldn't) that I can pre-think a blessing I'm about to give all I want. But the minute I lay hands on that individual, I a) have no idea what just came out of my mouth, but b) I'm absolutely certain that it wasn't what I'd planned to say. Yesterday was no different. I have long been impressed that this little girl has a huge mission ahead of her. I was impressed with that the day I gave her a name and blessing, and it was repeated to me yesterday. I believe I made mention of that in her blessing. The blessing itself was relatively short for me. I'm generally a lot more long-winded than that, but there simply was no need to elaborate further. It's wonderful how that works.
So this week has been busy for the family. Now we get to prepare for vacation. We badly need this vacation. It's been a long year. We're short-handed at work, so I've been putting in tons of extra hours at work. Mrs. Woody has had to bear the brunt of keeping the Woodyettes occupied and excited. We're ready for this one. Mentally, that is. Physically we still have about a month's worth of preparation that needs to be accomplished in a week. So what else is new?
Maybe I'll blog a little on vacation, or perhaps I'll just allow myself to lapse into what Dave Barry calls "the Lethargy Zone."
So this is a good Father's Day. I have wonderful kids and the best wife. And no, I'm not interested in debating that point.
And, for the record, I did not get a tie. Thank goodness.
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