A note to my FRIENDS here...if you will, let me opine...It was only yesturday.

[MallardWacker]

Thow it seems it was only yesterday that this young guy was born into this world and given to me and his mother to raise.  A person that is not only my son but my best friend...


The times we spent just driving and talking, going to ball games, teaching him how to drive or just sitting on the jetties of the Arkansas River duck hunting.  They all have seemed to come so quickly.


Where just the other day he graduated from High School with honors and one week ago I sent him off to college.


All this has come and gone way to fast for me, I know people warned me, but who listens.  The business of this life and many of my pursuits have been achieved but this right here is what it's all about.  It's awful easy to have regrets but for right now I'm not looking at them, to see your son get launched into this world is at times numbing but there is nothing greater or more humbling then to see this day.

Thanks to my wife, I cashed in all my miles and credit card points and rousted up a couple tickets to Colorado and took my son on a surprise trip before he headed off to college.  I had it planned where we would go rafting down the Arkansas River near Canon City.  Just a side note here, the water flow is normally at 800cfs, the night before we went the river had a flash flood, it was now up to a flow of 1800cfs, those class four rapids had now become class five.


The next day we drove up to the top of Pikes Peak, this by itself was freek'n scary, totally white knuckled.  If you never done this you owe yourself this trip.


I know this is all a bunch of rambling, it's hard to put in words what goes through you at this point in your life.  I am so happy but I don't think I have been as sad as I am now.  Dang I will miss every week day morning in the bathroom, me and him getting ready for the day, the times where we ate our favorite meatball sandwiches...there are a thousand things like this I will miss.  But I can see the future a little...he will do fine and better than I probably could imagine.

It's been nearly two weeks..man I miss my friend.

If you you are not bored yet, my son went to college here CLICK HERE>>>www.lyon.edu, there he did recieve a Lyon Fellowship Scholarship, where this guarantees him two internships in his field of study by the time he graduates. He is either going to have a double major in Chemistry & Computer Science or Mathematics & Computer Science, either one I won't complain.

To those who know me here, thanks for the time.  Some of you I know here I would never recognize on the street but we have been around a while.  For those who DON'T know me, please forgive me and just move on to the next thread if you haven't already.

May I close by saying.

I am the most blessed man in the world.  Shoot I am richer than Gates, you can't buy this from me.

Michael, thanks for making a dad so proud.

[iceman]

Your right MW. You are a VERY rich man indeed. I too would be damn proud.

[Smudge]

Flogger of Feathered Fowl,

Very nice tribute.

[Habanero Smoker]

Dam! I had to go get some Kleenex. :-[

[whitetailfan]

That was very nice Mike, thanks for sharing!  (I mean that sincerely by the way)
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Ok now back to having fun with the MW we all know and love ;)
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Pic 1 - Please take your thumb off the missile release button
Pic 2 - Hey Dad, the third one on the left keeps quacking...you sure all of these are decoys
Pic 4 - Considering you made class 5 rapids, I'm going to assume you got that life jacket done up...kinda looks like the straps weren't going to snap together

and finally

Pics 3 and 4 - You got a nice looking kid there Mike, I'm so glad we have a picture, I started to get scared that was your boy in your avatar signature.

Take care of yourself, and all the best to you, your wife, and kids.

Wise arse WTF.

[manxman]

Lovely post MW, you and yours are indeed blessed. :)

[MWS]

MW,

Your kids are very lucky to have a caring and devoted father. Cheers and thanks for sharing.

[icerat4]

I am with habs on this one  :'(. I have 2 kids and time fly way too fast.

[Chez Bubba]

Aw Hell Mallard,

Why don't you just set this to Cat's in the Cradle and get us all really worked up!

Kirk

[Oldman]

Man of Duck who still has not removed the bird shot from his ares I can only say I'm Proud Of You, Your Wife And The Wonderful Job You Both Have Done...

Raye

[coyote]

MW, A calculater isn't need for this obsevation........It's easy to see ...
you are a very wealthy man !   Congratulations

                                                                     Coyote

[asa]

You got a nice looking kid there Mike, I'm so glad we have a picture, I started to get scared that was your boy in your avatar signature.

[And I'm relieved that's not MW himself in the photo.]

MW: Thanks for the nice post and the photos. You're right - they grow up faster than you ever expected they would. Here's to great memories, and times to come.

[Kummok]

Aw Hell Mallard,

Why don't you just set this to Cat's in the Cradle and get us all really worked up!

Kirk

I'll offer the same suggestion as Kirk's, MW, but I've used 'Turn Around Slowly' by David Kaufman at two daughter/best friend weddings and the tears flowed faster than did the expensive champagne (and cheap beer...oldest daughter's was a cowboy wedding...horses, Winchesters, Colt SAAs, coach guns and the whole shabang!). Ya got to my heart on this one MW!! Watching our youngest daughter drive away (4 states!) to college just about did us in. I can really relate to the emptiness. Have faith though...before you know it, you'll be....

Hooking your grandkids into their first fish,



Teaching them to drive your boat,


or Showing them how to dance on the table,


or.....?!?!

Grandkids are TRULY God's reward for raising your own to succesfully leave the nest. Looks to me like ya done that first part real good, you're entitled to be dang proud....now start bugging him for the grandkids! (or at least as soon as college is completed!) ;)

[IKnowWood]

Man!!!

i am just sent my son to First Grade.   And hearing from him how its hard work Daddy.  That was enough to make me think how its going to be from here out. 

He wants to be a Paleontologist and help dig up bones in the Desert. 

I of course try to convice him by then we will be ready for some Paleontologists on MARS.  So lets broaden the scope of academics.  And follow the family adventure.  Who knows, its just First Grade.

MW, Congrats, that a fine direction and great job.  PM if you want to know of some possible internships. 
I Got my BS in Computer Science w/ Math second.  Masters in Computer Science - Computer Graphics Prime, Multimedia Second. My job uses some basics of what I learned, but of course I have been at it for over 15 years and the application has changed a lot in that time.

[MallardWacker]

Thanks folks for the words...they were ALL very nice.

Why don't you just set this to Cat's in the Cradle and get us all really worked up!

Kirk, you couldn't of described any better.  just a side note, I did see him play that in concert, hummm I believe in 78

...You got a nice looking kid there Mike, I'm so glad we have a picture, I started to get scared that was your boy in your avatar signature.

MAN I'm glad I got that cleared up too....shewwww

Grandkids are TRULY God's reward for raising your own to successfully leave the nest.....I can really relate to the emptiness. Have faith though...before you know it, you'll be....

Hooking your grandkids into their first fish,

Kummok...thanks!...that is nice.

Your Wife And The Wonderful Job You Both Have Done..

The wife will probably have the heavier side of the balance sheet on that.


I will put the tones of a proud, and sometime bragging father back in the closet.  I do appreciate the time you folks allotted me to share and I do realize that that a little bit of this can go a long way, again thanks for all the kinds words.