oh fer cute: Dear Mike-

Friday, June 19, 2009

Dear Mike-

We are celebrating Father's Day early this year, as on Sunday you will be riding the rocky trails of Stone Lake, Wisconsin, competing in an enduro. It is one of your true passions, and we are so glad that you will get to spend Father's Day doing something that you love. (I still don't understand the part that is 'fun'...but I am glad you enjoy it!)

I was going through pictures the other day, and it struck me how many things you and Charlie have loved doing together through the years. (and you will see that you also have a wonderful wardrobe, especially when it comes to jackets, and headwear, but you already knew that....)

Even though we had worked to have a baby for a really long time, that first year was still pretty tough. You are the youngest in your family, and had not had any experience with a newborn baby who didn't want to sleep, or a hormonal wife who didn't want to go back to work. While I was infatuated with our new life (most of the time), I think you may have been wondering what you got yourself into. And on top of that, you had just opened a new business, and were figuring out how to make it fly. (pun intended)

But once Charlie could communicate with you (if you will recall, his first word was DADDY)-it quickly became a different relationship. You shared a love of construction vehicles, anything with wheels,

and anything with wings.

You would take Charlie to construction sites, or on trips downtown

to watch the giant cranes in action. You went to see the Holiday Train every December,

you taught Charlie how to drive a boat,

and enjoy the wonders of a trip down the Missippi River. You helped him appreciate our home town,

and took him fossil hunting (when that was his latest obsession).

You went ice-fishing,

and worked together to shovel us out after a big snow.

You took Charlie trick or treating through the neighborhood every year, along with other dads.

We have enjoyed so many great trips together: from the local apple orchard and corn maze,

to the 4th of July carnival in Bemidji,

to Key West,

San Diego,

touring the USS Midway,

Duluth,

Grand Marais,

Pepin,

ferry rides,

Santa Fe,

Albuquerque,

or just a day trip to Stillwater.

You have helped Charlie build with Lego's, and create models,

craft Pinewood Derby cars and Raingutter sailboats,

and helped him figure out his math homework.

You have such fun together:

swimming,

Cub Scout camp,

drive-in movies,

skiing,

and your newest shared sport, dirt biking.

We look forward to going to the State Fair every August,

it is one of our favorite family days!

I love to see the two of you interact, and spend so much time together.

You are teaching him perserverance, and the value of honesty and hard work. You have taught him to be respectful, of both people and things, and the value of a really good war movie. He got his fun sense of humor from you, and it is developing daily.

As Charlie reaches his teenage years, things may get tense, and you will wonder what happened to that chubby cheeked little boy who used to look at you so adoringly.

He is still there, and loves his dad so much. Teenagers just don't want to show it.

Remember all of the mornings, when you would hug a sleepy boy good morning. The times his eyes shown with excitement watching a bulldozer work, or his belly laugh when you showed him one of your favorite Looney Tunes episodes. You will always have these wonderful memories to hold on to, and there will be many more to come, to fill our disc drive and our hearts to overflowing.