You're Gonna Miss This

Fonzy had to work late last night, so Elijah and I decided to go out for dinner, nothing fancy just a burger, chili cheese dog and fries. While we sat at our booth eating, a little boy about 3 sitting behind Elijah kept jumping up and looking over into our booth. Elijah pretty much ignored him, but I couldn't help but smile every time he popped his little head up to see what we were doing. His mom told him several times to sit down and stop looking over the bench, but being the curious 3yr old he was, he kept right at it. If he wasn't peeking over the booth, he was wrestling with his slightly older brother while his Mom and what I assumed to be his Grandfather looked on. I could tell the Mom was getting frustrated, so she asked the boys if they wanted ice cream, to which they gleefully yelled yes! So off the 3yr old and his Mom went to the counter to order ice cream. Once ordered they returned back to the booth, but before the Mom could get him seated, the little boy took off running! Mom yelled for him to come back and took off after him, but he was a shifty little bugger and off he ran BEHIND the counter! Elijah and I both sat watching the fiasco, along with everyone else in the restaurant. Elijah just shook his head, because he knew if that had been him as a little boy he probably would have gotten whooped! The Mom snatched up the little boy and tossed him in the booth. You could tell she had just about had it. I chuckled to myself and told her, one of these days, you are going to miss this time and wish you could have it back. It doesn't seem like it now, but take my word for it, you will. She looked at me as if I had 2 heads and said she had heard it before, but right now she couldn't see it. I pointed to Elijah and told her, this is my baby and I smiled as we gathered our things to go. As I walked to the door, she smiled at me and said thank you so much for understanding and sat next to her two little boys happily eating their ice cream.

Samuel

The other night sitting at Frankie’s Fun Park waiting for Fonzy, the boys and Sydney playing laser tag, my mind wanders to Samuel. Years ago he worked here, walking these very floors among the flashing lights and sounds of the video games. As I sit, I see the ghost of my lanky Samuel, khaki clad with a blue shirt on, smiling. Eerie music of an attraction plays behind me, tears fill my eyes, it all feels surreal. He was once here and in this moment I feel his presence.

Home

Sitting at my desk in the office, occasionally glancing out the windows the rain fell steadily as the temperatures dropped. Christmas music played softly in my earbuds and I longed for pjs and home.

As my work day came to end I hurriedly packed up and headed out. I picked up Elijah from school, stopped at the grocery store to grab a few things for dinner and home we went. There is nothing better on a cold, rainy day then coming home. Home to bright red leaves blanketing the lawn, an excited dog greeting you at the door and the promise of an evening cuddled by the fire.