The Single Life

Court and Avery have been visiting her family since last Thursday, so for a time I am a single guy. Timber is still around, a loyal friend, but he isn't much of a conversationalist.

Over the last week I have tried to stay busy working on church stuff, subbing at a few local schools, doing a few things around the house, etc...For about 24 hours having the house to myself was nice.

However, the silence of it all begins to creep in. Avery not being here is obvious, she is so filled with energy. Each day she fills our home with joy in so many ways. Court, I miss her. I miss our quiet conversation. I miss her condescending nature toward my immature sense of humor. I even vacuumed today, 2 days before their return because I miss her complaining about Timber's hair being around our house. Most of all I miss her laugh, I love watching a TV show or movie with her knowing something is going to make her laugh.

I am not sure exactly when it happened, but I am less full when Court and Avery aren't around. We are each designed differently, but I could never work a job that kept me away from Court or Avery for any length of time. I can only imagine those who do such things and how difficult it is, but other than absolute necessity I could never work such a job.

I still have roughly 48 hours to go before they return. I spend most moments of the day thinking about them. I can't wait to see them at the airport.

Being a husband and a dad isn't easy. I often wonder if I am very good at either. I do believe I work hard at it, but I fear I do not work smart. It is hard work, without a doubt it is a labor of love. One thing rings true, anything worth anything is worth working for...

The single life, I'll be glad when I am not single anymore.

Riding Home w/ Avery

This is an excerpt from the conversation Avery and I had on the way home from preschool today.

Avery: What is that?

Ryan: That is a boat being pulled by a truck.

Avery: That is not a boat, daddy!

Ryan: It is a boat. See the motor.

Avery: That is not a boat.

Ryan: Avery, it is a boat. Watch as it turns right at this red light, from the side so you will see it better.

Avery: You were right daddy. It is a boat.

Ryan: Being the daughter of your mother it must have been hard to udder those difficult but often true words.

Avery: Huh!

Ryan: You were right.

Avery: (giggles) Daddy!

Dad's Day Trip through the Beartooth Mountains

Mom and Dad came out to spend a few days with the granddaughter, one might mistake the dates and surmise their visit to be due to my birthday. In actuality they came on these dates because of the price of the tickets. :)

Dad and I spent the day driving through the Beartooth Mountains. My love of the outdoors was a gift passed on to me by my father, most of the memories that I have with my father growing up include outdoor related activities. The top 10 list of these memories are all related to the wilderness aspect of the outdoors. A few memories that stick out are: the first morning sitting in a deer stand with dad before daylight asking him what every single noise I heard was, a winter camping trip in the Daniel Boone National Forest sleeping on 10 inches of snow and waking up to dad half in the tent and half out of the tent with the fire blazing, countless days sitting by his side as the haze of night gave way to the clarity of the morning, watching five silly jakes run back down the road giving dad a 2nd chance...the list goes on.

Dad is aging. He isn't ready for a pine box just yet, but his days of strapping on a backpack and heading up a mountain trail (especially trails that go as vertical as the trails around here do) are over. A case of vertigo that he developed in the late 80's doesn't help matters either.

Despite some limitations we pulled out of Billings around 8:40 a.m. this morning and began the drive Southwest to the Beartooth Mountains. Our drive would take us along the Beartooth Scenic Highway with a summit of 10,497 feet and we returned via the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway back to Billings around 4:30 p.m. this afternoon. I wish pictures did justice to the scope of the landscape out here, but they don't. The drive was awesome. Perfect weather with fantastic visibility! We saw fresh snow on August 17, it was way cool. Simply, a great day!

Check out this Youtube of our day...