Another day with the Pod. I could get used to this.

Who says lightning can’t strike twice? Yesterday was a great day with Brianna and today it happened again. Even though our lives take us to different areas there are times when the paths do cross and it is at that moment I remember how lucky I am to have Brianna in my life. She rolls with the flow so well and her diversification to enjoy so many different things continually astounds me. Early this morning, about 6:15, we were out at the barn taking care of the things we needed to take care of. The three of us breezed through our tasks and then it was time to disperse. Michelle headed to work and Brianna and I loaded up the trailer with Yonka to head to her back to back lessons. By 7:30 the two of us were sitting at a different barn preparing the horse for the next couple hours of work. Okay, she was preparing the horse I was just sitting in the shade anticipating the next part of the day. By 11:30 we were back at H&W Stables unloading the horse and heading off to the house to quickly change clothes. Brianna was introduced to golf a couple of years ago and has sporadically played when she can. I can’t figure out what the draw to it is for her but it is cool that she and I can go out and do something together and be “competitive” with one another. With her enjoying a round of golf occasionally, usually 9 holes for her, it happened last summer that we were looking online at the virtual view of Southern Dunes and she became transfixed with playing the course. Well, summer went by and we never got the opportunity to hit the tough links the course has to offer. In a weird twist, at another golf tournament early this summer I won a foursome at, yes you guessed it, Southern Dunes. When I told her she was so excited and couldn’t wait to pull out the clubs. Summer swept by and with other things taking precedence it couldn’t happen until today. She rushed into the house, put on her best outfit for golfing and even wanted to wear her brand new shoes to play at this special course she had only seen on the internet. Our tee time was for 2:12 but by 2:00 we were getting ready to bomb drives off the first tee. Southern Dunes is a beautiful course and really seems quite manageable if you stay out of the bunkers. We finished the front nine and her only comment was that she wasn’t going to stop until she hit a drive she liked. On the eleventh hole she burned a drive and I said “you nailed that one, is that going to be all for you?” Her response was simply, “no, this is too much fun and I just don’t want to quit.” Some shots were good and there were moments of very slow play but man I wouldn’t have traded it for much of anything. We finished the last hole and I asked her if she was tired and she looked at me and said that she was sad. “Why,” I asked and she said as serious as possible, “I am a little tired but do you think they would let us play again?” I told her that we would try to come back but what she actually meant was that she wanted to know if they would let us play again today. I guess she really did enjoy her round of golf. Tomorrow ends my two day run of hanging with the Pod but I will play pictures of the days in my mind as I get set to delve deeply into my new season. We will have special moments throughout the next 8 months but these past two days are just what I needed. I’m sure she knows I love her but with these last couple of days I really got to show her because it was just us doing the things we needed to and wanted to and just enjoying the moments we got to share. I’m not always around or the best parent but I always try to let her know I love her every day. Whether it’s your children, spouse, or family members make sure they know you love them every day. Just telling them doesn’t always cut it. Sometimes the simplest of gestures make the largest impressions. Thanks Brianna, I love you and thoroughly enjoy spending my free time and not so free time with you.

A special day with the Pod just doing normal things

The littlest things sometimes create the greatest joy. Today was one of those days. It is on a very rare occasion, yes that is a sad statement, which I get the opportunity to spend a day with Brianna where we are not at one of our events or busy with just day to day experiences. We started early at the barn and with her help we finished up 15 minutes quicker than normal. She hurriedly got changed so we could go to a kid’s favorite place; the dentist. After a quick cleaning and two already loose teeth pulled she actually left with a smile on her face although she had two gauzes implanted firmly to her gums to soak up the leftover blood. Once the business end of her day was completed we headed to FSC to start my business. How do you get a kid to handle office situations like a champ? You promise to take her to her favorite sub shop after the work is over. Taking Brianna to work is always like show and tell. Since we live so far away the family rarely gets over to FSC to meet and greet. After filling out paperwork, twice since I messed up the first time, we headed off to lunch. It is great seeing the excitement of a little girl and when we pulled into the parking lot next to Jimmy John’s Brianna was smiling from ear to ear, with two less teeth, almost drooling in anticipation for her Slim 2. It’s not that the sandwiches are special it’s that they are a treat and sometimes that is all that matters. We talked about life, bread choices, and salt and vinegar potato chips. After enjoying our freaky fast subs we decided that we would head to Orlando and hit the adidas outlet for our school shoes. Yes, I need school shoes as well and since we are under contract with adidas at FSC it makes sense that the family also wear the brand. Brianna is at that odd stage where kids’ shoes and women’s’ shoes merge. Although her choices were limited she found two snazzy pair and was so excited when I told her she could get both pair. I found two pair as well and got some fresh new coaching shorts along with 4 pairs of socks. We were both amazed at how crowded the outlets were and how many international people were shopping there. I joked that since we were out shoe shopping we should go get a mani/pedi and she said that she would pass because that just wasn’t for her. After we extricated ourselves from the parking garage we hit the hwy towards Babson Park to end the day where we started. Both of us were hoping we could beat the weather so that she could ride her horse but the weather got the best of us. With her positive attitude she simply stated that it was okay because the rain would be good for the rain and the soil. It’s funny; before we owned the barn we looked at rain in a completely different way. It is now deemed a money saver versus an inconvenience. Today was a great day with my Pea Pod. I am lucky that I get to have these every so often. In a weird phenomenon I get to do it again tomorrow. We have horseback lessons early then we are hitting up Southern Dunes for a little golf. Having a child that rolls with the flow is such a cool experience.