In July of 1989, I started anticipating the arrival of my oldest son. Jan was due on July 6th, so I scheduled my vacation to begin that very day. I was under the assumption that babies arrive right on schedule. Why would my male brain think anything differently? The 6th of July came and went. There was no hint of labor pains. There was a dad to be in the house who was on the verge of becoming a pain, but that was all. So…I cleaned windows. I mowed the yard three times a day. I disinfected the baby’s room hourly. I made Jan hearty protein milkshakes to ensure good health for the baby and her. Labor was looking awful good to her by the time he finally decided to enter this world on July 15th.

The waiting does not cease once they are born. I remember our lives revolving around nap times. “Let’s go to the mall.” The standard response? “We can go when he wakes up from his nap.” It always seemed like an eternity until he stopped taking naps. At that point, you can’t wait for bedtime at night, because a nap less 3 or 4 year old gets really grouchy before bedtime.

A couple of weeks passed in our lives, and he was driving a car. 16 years went by in a flash. Once again the waiting does not cease. I remember waiting up until I heard the music in my ears that I longed for…the sound of a car pulling in the driveway. I whispered many prayers of thanks for safety.

And then it is time for college. The waiting game begins anew. I wait for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I wait for some random excuse to encourage him to come home. I generally go the meat market and buy a really nice steak to cook outside. It is a special occasion. An honored guest will be at the dinner table.
We have all waited patiently for such a time and such a meal.

This week at camp a counselor became very ill, and was forced to go home.
I contacted Randall. Could he flight out to Oklahoma City the next morning, and fill that slot? He agreed to do just that. I got up the next morning and drove to the airport. I could not hide my excitement. You would have thought I was going to meet a dignitary traveling in from a foreign country. As I approached Will Rogers International Airport, it occurred to me that I was nearly as excited as I was the day he came into this world. I guess dads are just funny creatures.

I often say to young fathers that every stage of parenting a child is a great joy.
The infant and toddler stages are great. The pre-school years are too. The years in the lower grades are fun, and even middle school has its positive moments.
I would issue a word of warning: Get ready to do a lot of waiting, because that never stops.

I am still waiting after all of these years. I stood near baggage claim Monday morning waiting patiently for the arrival of my firstborn, and I realized that life does not get better.