"You're my best friend"

Earlier today as I was helping my son put together the frayed-edged puzzle depicting Ernie bathing and Elmo brushing his teeth—for the fortieth time— when he turned to me with loving smile and said, "You are my Best friend."

He knocked the wind right out of me. I had to ask him what he said just so I could soak up every bit of love possible.

"You're my best friend Dadder."

Of course this was followed by big hugs and "I love you's". It was one of the sweetest moments of my life.

My son is growing up so fast. He is growing up an outstanding young man.

I am so proud to be his father. It thrills me to my very soul when he out of the blue turns to me and proclaims me to be his number one pal. I know it won't last long before he realizes that Dadders are not always going to be friends. We have to make the tough decisions. Dadders need to be able to show their sons how to distinguish from what is convenient and what is right. What is fun and what is responsible. That we may not always get what we want, but what we need and in the end we are better people because of it. The kind of choices that a friend, no matter how good, cannot make. And I can almost gaurantee he will not like some of the decisions I will make. They might not all be good I am learning too—just trying to stay a few steps ahead of him. It will be these times that Dadders need to have skin like a 'Rhinosaurus' so the trivial hate that he may feel towards me cannot hurt. And memories like an 'Elphint' to remember that he may not like me at that moment in time but he still loves me. Unconditionally. Forever.

So for now as he slumbers throught his afternoon nap, I am going to bathe myself in the glory of that memory. Re-enforce it by sharing my thoughts on this old blog so that I will hold on to it for the rest of my life.

I know that we will forever be best friends.