There goes my life.

“He smiles.....

There goes my life.

There goes my future, my everything.

I love you, daddy good-night.

There goes my life.”

Being a parent is the most rewarding aspect of life. Even bigger than going to a Bull’s game, drinking with the guys, or better yet sitting around watching whatever you feel like on the tube. Yep, kids change your life and it’s mainly for the better. (There are times when they drive you crazy, but then again, I am sure my parents would say the same about me.)

Before kids, which was a long time ago, time was mine. I had responsibilities, but if I wanted to come and go, I came and went. Now I go to movies and see Disney flicks, am completely up-to-date on shows like iCarly, Phineas and Ferb and the latest apps for our iphones, ipads, and ieverything. (Whether it’s Breakfast Maker, Temple Run, and/or Cut the Rope—all apps on my phone---they are there when they are in the car and want nothing to do with me.)

But, then there are the times you would not trade parenthood for anything. (Even a good tee off time.) Almost every night, my daughter Audrey will call me when I am on my way home and ask, “Daddy, when will you be home?” I am not always sure of the exact time I’ll be walking through the door, but I have a pretty standard response…”really soon.” Now that she is learning how to tell time, she wants more specifics. I now give her a specific number---“I will be home in 7 minutes.”

When I was in college, I would jokingly say, “I want 6 kids one day.” Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would be the case. I mean, “Who has 6 kids?” Umm…I do. Yes we have blended two families, but in the end, they are kids and one way or another---they are ours. What’s really hard for me to believe is my oldest is getting married in 23 days. Married…whoa.

Throughout the years of parenthood, like most parents, I have lost a lot of sleep (not too often anymore) with sick, scared and excited kids. But with every one of them, the scratching of backs, getting water with ice, and telling of “Daddy Stories,” it’s something that makes being “Dad, Pops, or whatever they want to call me,” why I am here on this Earth doing what I am doing.

The photo above is of my daughter Audrey and my Dad---she wanted to make her “Composition book” special; she took a bunch of photos and created that special moment with her grandfather. It’s one where he is holding a chicken, she a guitar, and for both of them a very special place in one another’s hearts.

Thanks for stopping by.