Funny Guy Friday... Two big events this week...

     Funny Guy Friday is written each week by my husband Mark. So, I married a funny guy...
     Two big events in our home this week.
     First, our daughter Gracie just completed her freshman year of college. Can you believe that Cheryl is old enough to have a daughter in college?
     Unfortunately, because I had to work, I was unable to make the trip up to her school to pack her up and bring her home. On a side note, you would think that after twenty-three years of being married to a lawyer, my wife would know that court dates get set months in advance. She cannot ask me three days before the big pick-up day if I can take off work.
     Grace's freshman year was tough.
     There were countless nights of tears... of consoling... and of reassuring that it would all work out. Of course I was the one doing the crying... with Cheryl doing the consoling and the reassuring.
     I missed Grace a bunch, but that was not the problem. She had been away many times before without me. The problem wasn't that I missed her, the problem was that I could not control her. Mapping out somebody's every move is much easier when she is nestled under your wing. Things tend to get dicier when she's hours away.
     When Grace was home, I could ask her every day if she had completed whatever task I asked that she complete. When she is at college, all I can muster are threats via text message. I am not a good texter, so it was impossible for me to express my displeasure in a tone that she had come to recognize. I tried to throw up one of those angry faced emoji thingamajigs, but that just increased my frustration.
     To make matters worse, she met a boy.
     I am guessing that she met lots of boys, but one in particular tends to stand out. The scouting report is that he is Catholic, attends Mass regularly... if not daily... is one of eight kids, and was homeschooled. Smart kid. Freshman in the ROTC program.
     Seems pretty nice... Cheryl loves him! I hate him!
     Cheryl insists that I can't say that I hate him, so I will say that the jury is still out. I mean on the surface, he seems topnotch, but I take great displeasure in his seeing my daughter every day when I cannot. This was driven home when Gracie, after suffering a blow to the head during her lacrosse practice, called me to see what she should do:
     Go see the nurse at the school! I advised.
     But Brian says that that will be a waste of time and that I should just go over to the hospital.
     Grace, the nurse can make the decision to send you to the hospital if she thinks it is necessary. 
     But Brian is an EMT and he knows about this stuff.
     Honey, I have had about seven concussions, I know what I am talking about. By the way... who am I talking to?
     Dad, that's not funny! Brian thinks I should go to the hospital.
     Do what you think is best.
     I'm going to the hospital... is that okay? 
     Of course... I mean who am I to question an EMT!

     Now you understand why the jury is still out on this kid. It turns out that Brian was right, but that's not the point! She listened to him and not me.
     I guess Grace and Cheryl like him, so who am I to judge?  
     Oh well, I have all summer to de-program her!

     The other big event of the week is that Matthew turned fifteen today.
     Makes me think back to the days when I was fifteen. Let's see... I was the point guard on the championship Junior High School basketball team... and the shortstop on the baseball team. I was voted Most Likely to Succeed and was the Superintendent's Award winner. Not even sure what that award was, but I think it meant that I was the greatest kid in the history of the school!
     Matthew has great hair.   
     Okay, there is more to him than great hair.
     He's a great kid who does well in school, played ultimate frisbee, basketball, and baseball this year, and is well-liked by his teachers and friends. He is no Superintendent's Award winner (whatever that is), but he is doing okay.   
     I have often thought about my winning Most Likely to Succeed, and I wonder if I were worthy.
     I know that there are other people that I went to school with that have done better with their jobs and have made more money. But every day, I try to be an example for my kids. Nothing special, just an honest guy who treats people with respect and tries to live a holy life. I'm doing okay, so when I think about my life with Cheryl the kids... I'd like to think that I rank near the top of the success ladder.
     So, I guess when all is said and done, whether or not I am worthy of the superlative comes down to how you measure success.
     I will take my family... even with my daughter's silly ol' boyfriend... and stack that up against anyone.