Yesterday I took my son, Jackson, to meet his fifth-grade teacher and today I took my daughter, Sierra, to freshmen orientation at Stevens High School. The last year of elementary school and the first year of high school for these Ellis kids.

As I stood at freshman orientation listening to the principal blather on about this, that, and another thing, I looked at my daughter sitting amongst her friends, amongst a sea of other kids, sitting amongst their friends and I thought, “How did this happen?…When did I get older…? How did my children grow up so fast?… I’m not mature enough to have kids this old.”

It seems like yesterday that I stood and watched them wave to me as they proceeded single file into their kindergarten classrooms like ducklings. Now I stand in amazement as they begin to stretch out their wings and edge closer and closer to testing the skies on their own. This stuff is hard on a sentimental old… ah older…fool such as I but it is a privilege to witness and an absolute joy to be a part of.

A favorite quote or lyric of mine from John Lennon seems to sum it up, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

Thankfully I don’t make a lot of plans, so I haven’t been too distracted from being a part of the two young lives that have been bestowed upon my wife and me. I always say if you don’t have plans, you’re never disappointed by plans that didn’t go how you planned and you’re generally left to be pleasantly surprised by the plan that develops unplanned.

I would hazard a guess more than a few of us have been surprised by the unplanned. Some result in running into old friends and enjoying a few unplanned laughs and some result in marriage. I guess if you played your unplanned cards right both could happen the same night but enough of the unplanned biology lesson.

Despite their father, I would have to say my kids have turned out quite well and I’m glad neither of them seems too embarrassed to be seen with me yet. Maybe when my belt line encroaches on my armpits and I have to reach over my shoulder to grab my wallet they’ll start minding the distance between us in public a little more.

They just grow up so fast… physically anyway…some of us lag behind a little in the mentality department. The day I don’t think a fart is funny better be the day I lay my last rosebud out on the breeze for the loved ones gathered around me to enjoy. I want to leave them gasping and clambering for an open window…. give ‘em something to cry about… it’s the simple things that make life worth living.

Becoming a father seemed simple enough…all the screaming and carrying on made it seem a little less simple for my wife, but it sure made for good watching. As I said… some of us lag behind a little mentally which brings about physical discomfort when we say stuff that should have remained unsaid…so I’ve heard and said.

Speaking of fatherhood and such, I would like to extend a Happy Birthday wish to the finest meat cutter in Burke County. Like a good ribeye, he just gets better with a little age. Love you, Dad.