Letters From Tim

Thank goodness I am not one to easily develop a complex. I ran across this whopper in Briggs’ desk tonight as I was putting him to bed. I actually wanted to laugh aloud because I found it pretty humorous. I am confident I will be called much worse someday. Instead, I put on my ’shocked’ face. He saw my reaction and sheepishly said, “I did that when I was angry. I don’t really mean it.” I replied, “I didn’t know you had seen the cartoon Fat Albert.”

I learned long ago NEVER to tell my kids anything in advance. I don’t even reveal our weekend plans (if there are any) until Fridays. They get too excited. They become little badgers barking at my feet!

So why did I think it would be possible to tell them their dad was coming home soon? It may have been wiser to spring it on them a few days beforehand. The countdown (or rather the badgering) has been on for three weeks.

They are over-the-top excited. I overheard the boys talking about Tim’s return in the van tonight. They cannot wait to wrestle. They cannot wait to have him sleep with them. They cannot wait to go to Great Wolfe Lodge.

But it isn’t the badgering that is unsettling. I can sense an agitation in Briggs. A few minutes after ‘the countdown’ discussion concludes, Briggs’ emotions are soaring. It is almost like I am getting blamed for his dad’s absence. I figure we have some work to do on him once Tim is settled back into the Stoner Six.

Fat Albert…signing out!