Father's Day Ice Cream Social

Lisa asked me (Damien) to be to be the guest blogger today:

Lisa recently had the chance to have a Mother's Day brunch with Michael. Last week, Michael gave me a very cute invitation to a Father's Day ice cream social at his school. He wanted to make sure that I put it on my calendar and could make it (I got a heads up a couple weeks earlier so that I could clear my calendar). When I arrived I was surprised to see so many dads there. It seemed as though all 60 dads were able to take time off in the middle of the afternoon, which was great. We were called in to the classroom and saw some of the kids' work displayed on the wall outside the classroom. The pages were all about the things the kids' dads were best at doing. I was looking for Michael's and saw that he made several nice sentences saying I was the best at playing basketball, cooking chicken, and finally saying I was the best at "wearing a chicken suit," which I have never done. I can only imagine Michael writing that several days earlier, thinking it would be hilarious knowing I was going to read that and it was going to be on the hallway where all the other kids could read it. When I got in to the classroom, with raised eyebrow said "Sooo, I'm the best at wearing a chicken suit, huh?" and Michael threw his head back and cackled like he does when he's trying to over-exaggerate his laugh. I loved it and gave him a hug and a kiss.

Michael then gave me another worksheet that had some more very flattering sentences about me (I'm a "great kicker" at soccer and I was "patient" when I took him to "get a haircut"). He also gave me a Father's Day card that had the signature line Love, Michael . . . your first son.

We both had ice cream sundaes (Michael had seconds) and had a great time talking with him and acting a little silly in his classroom, which apparently they aren't able to do very often. Since I'm not able to be in his classroom very often, it was very special for me as well. Not only was it special just to be in his classroom, but special because I was celebrated for being a dad. I was telling Lisa several months ago that Father's Day was my second favorite day, after Christmas, but more than even my birthday, only because I have to work at being a father. Birthdays come and go, and all you have to do is get through another year. Father's Day, on the other hand, is a celebration of everything I do every day, the quality I most pride myself on, and simultaneously the most difficult and satisfying job I could ever have. That's why I really enjoy these moments with my kids and especially enjoy celebrating Father's Day, because I know there's nothing I'd ever want to do more than be a father to these 3. . .and now 4 kids.