father’s day

Graduation Day, 2015

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“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own.
And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”

-Dr. Seuss

 

 

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Dads and Grads

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My Dad died twelve years ago in May. We miss him every day. He only got to meet my oldest son, and they had a wonderful relationship before he died. My son is graduating from high school this week, and with Father’s Day just yesterday and my son moving into a new chapter of his life, it’s hard not to think of my Dad and Dad-things.

Yesterday my husband took all of our kids to Six Flags. They went swimming and rode rides, and won prizes and had a great time together. (I’m not a ride, stuck outside in the heat person, so I stayed home, which was good for everyone!) At the park, there was this old fashioned photo thing that he wanted to do. He was thinking we would do it as a family, but I said I actually didn’t want to be in it.

But why?

When I went to college, they had one of those set-ups in the student center, and my Dad took an antique sepia photo with my siblings and me. I wanted my husband to do the same thing with our kids. Just Dad and the kids, pretending to be in the 1800s. I plan to frame them both and hang them together. I can’t wait to see it! I’ll try to scan them both later in the week, and post them for your amusement.

That is one of the ways my Dad is part of this week for us.

Another way is his blue stone ring. He wore it all the time. I don’t think he ever took it off.  It was a gift from his parents. I think he received it for his Bar Mitzvah, but it may have been when he turned 18. When he died, my mother gave it to me for my son, the first grandchild in our family.

We’re going to give it to him on Wednesday, after he graduates from high school.

All the greeting card stores and Target-Wal-Mart card sections always put the cards in one grouping: Dads and Grads – get all your presents and cards in one convenient stop. Plus toilet paper and candy. This year, our family is really celebrating Dads and Grads.

It’s going to be a very long, very tiring, very special week for us. Enjoy your own celebrations with your dads, grads and families.

School’s Out. Almost.

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The top picture is one that I took at my recent Diocesan enrichment. I love photos from different perspectives. I learned how during a workshop at the last writer’s conference I went to sponsored by the IWWG. It was given by author/photographer Carren Strock and she taught us about focusing our eyes, taking things from different angles, photos through things, etc. Personally, I love doors, and take several pictures of doors wherever I go.

The second photo was taken by my son. He recently visited the state capital and this was my favorite picture. He loved the architechture and the chandaliers and pillars, and I loved hearing him describing how he viewed it all and why he choose to take certain pictures from certain angles.

It’s kind of neat to see things that I do, but don’t talk about getting taken over by my kids. It’s that reminder that they are always hearing and learning whether we, as adults realize it or not. It’s good to remember.

Today is the big office clean up, and the beginning of my summer writing project of a vignette for each of the special things that I mentioned in my journal submission about my office. I will also finish my memoir homework for Tuesday’s class – the last until the Fall.

Monday, I’m going to the printing place and hope that they can get me a nice print of the cell phone photo of the tree sketch that is lost in the mail. I am also going to try to hunt down the photos from the Easter Vigil, so I can get some of those printed. I was going to do that yesterday, but things didn’t work out.

I will also attempt to phone two friends, possibly meet with one before the kids get out of school.

Monday also begins the last full week of school. Not horrified, but not ready for summer break.

I’m laying carrots down for the Fall. I can get there. Right? Right?

Saw Frozen last night. I really liked it although there were some parts that I thought less of. All in all a good movie and as I mentioned I had no idea of spoilers so it was kind of cool to see something that I had no idea at all of the storyline.

After seeing the gifset three times in the last two days, I want to see The Devil Wears Prada. I’m going to see if Redbox offers it (we don’t have Netflix anymore), and hopefully I can borrow it on Wednesday and watch it.

I’m trying to be more consistent. Any advice for that or any prompts, fiction or non-fiction, writing or photography, hit me up.

Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there: dads, stepdads, uncles, godfathers (*waves*), father figures. Have a beautiful weekend.