Father’s Day 2011

My first Father’s Day in Denver did not start out well. The children awoke at an ungodly hour and Diana began weeping uncontrollably, knowing it was her duty to let me sleep.

After a guilty and fitful sleep, I wolfed down my special Dad’s day eggs and suggested Diana go back to sleep for the good of all mankind.

I received some awesome Father’s Day gifts including a Dillon Panthers t-shirt (those of you who get the reference will know how awesome that gift is) and some Vans tennis shoes that were far too youthful for my rapidly graying self.

I also got a great multicolored scribble drawing from Elijah.

“It’s a Star Wars ship.”

“Of course it is.”

But the best present came much later in the day, when Diana transported us all to Illinois for dinner.

I’ve been really missing my hometown lately. Maybe it’s the picture perfect weather here. I’m beginning to wonder if I need 99 degrees and 100% humidity to be happy. But by some stroke of luck, Diana found a chain restaurant in Denver whose only other chain is located in Central Illinois.

It was called “White Fence Farm.” And it was awesome. It’s as if someone transported Pekin Illinois brick by brick to the mountains. There was a petting zoo. There were hundreds of lacy doilies on the table. There were 80 year old women everywhere. There were piles of deep fried chicken everywhere. All of the employees were forced to wear outfits that would make the strictest Mormon bored to tears.

I was positively giddy when we sat down to dinner. And then it dawned on me. We never go to dinner with Eli and Luca. They had no idea how to behave. Elijah wondered loudly why his food was not on the table when we sat down. Luca immediately began an hour long effort to cover the walls of White Fence Farm with food. Eli then announced he would be visiting every one of the 1,000 tables in search of friends.

We decided to have wine.

I sat back and watched it happen. The flying food. The vain attempts by Diana to keep things together. The sideways glances of the Mormon servers. And I realized I could not physically be happier if they were loading the mashed potatoes with Vicodin.

I love being a dad. I love it more than I ever thought possible. It’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Thank you, Eli, Luca and Diana. I love you guys.