There were so many great moments this year. We had additions to the family with a niece (congrats Adam & Rachel) and a nephew (congrats Adam & Kayla), we took the kids to their first Penn State football game (even though we only made it for a little bit due to rain), enjoyed some baseball games, zoo trips, random excursions, and a fun vacation to the beach. We also had some fun parties: Payton and Logan’s birthdays, summer t-ball, and a Halloween party. I got to see Dispatch/O.A.R, try snow tubing, and finish my basement (again). It is impossible to decide which of those was my favorite…
But when I think back on this year, the thing I enjoyed the most has been the kids growing up. One of my favorite things about the beach this year was putting the kids to bed and sitting out on the porch, enjoying a few drinks while talking with Adam, Kayla, and Lindsey. Same with the parties we had. They were kids parties, but adults could have fun. It was not just drinking, but the fact that we could just be adults for an extended period of time without having to entertain children.
Even days at home, when it is just me and the kids, there are times when I love playing with them, but there are other times when it is nice to have them go play. “Hey guys, I am trying to get dinner ready, please go outside for a bit.” And you know what? They did. They went outside and had fun with each other. Yeah, I still check on them periodically, but it is not like a year ago when it felt weird to leave them in the backyard alone for more than a few minutes.
So yeah, my favorite moment this year was the opportunities to feel more like an adult. I suppose that makes me somewhat selfish, but whatever. I am being honest, and something tells me many other parents would agree.
I do have to tell a funny story about Payton giving me a huge scare again…this is like my post-credit scene last year.
One summer day, the kids and I were outside playing. We came in, they ate lunch, and I told them to go play while I cleaned up. After a bit, Logan comes to me and says “where is Payton?” I was confused and said what do you mean? He said they were playing hide and seek, and she is hiding. So we looked all around the house. We could not find her. We checked in her usual spots, but she was not there. I was walking around the house saying “Payton, where are you???” I figured eventually she would giggle and we would find her…
Then I started thinking that she pulled a trick I had used before: hide in the attic/basement. So I checked there. Nope, nothing. Then I started to get scared. What if she was being funny and went out in the backyard, but decided to go outside the gate (I do not think she can reach the latch, but…I was imagining scenarios where she could), then got abducted (I always make fun of people when they say about that being a big fear, and then it was the first thing I thought as well). I did a quick walk around the house and she was not there. I came back inside, and now I was yelling: “PAYTON, COME OUT NOW!”
I walk back to her room, and she is laughing. She is inside her close, inside her bin that holds her stuffed animals. She climbed in it, then put the animals back on top of herself. Logan and I checked the closet, and even opened the lid of that bin and said “nope, not in here.” She did not laugh or move at all! Impressive. And scary.
