Blinky2004

Hey thanks Ranger, much appreciated it is. [honesty]

Anamacha

yupyup ... thanks Ranger Sounds lkiuke the voice of experience over there



Anam

ranger72

Hey Guys,

You bet and I am a proud Father and Grandfather

I spent 28 years in service of my country and during that time if it were not for the lovely and devoted Mrs. ranger who diligently kept a photojournal of our daughter while she was growing up I would not have had much to remember....

Thanks to the efforts of my wife,my daughter Cathy grew up to be a responsible and contributing member of the Human Race and now has a son (My Grandson) and his name is Ben..

I spend alot of time with Ben now because I can and my daughter is supportive of that because she remembers what it was like for her with her daddy always gone...God knows where....Very few others did!!

Now i sit with my wife Sylvia and we get out the old photo albums of Cathy she is very quick to point out to me the similarities and the differences between my daughter and my grandson....These are things which most people take for granted because they are lucky to be with their children while they are growing up! For me it had to be explained....because I was never there.

So you see what I mean by my previous post...You guys not only have your photo's but also the memories because you are fortunate enough to be able to take an active role in raising your children....

Now People who know me know me to be good man and honest man but because of what I did for 28 years I can be a major hardass, who led other major hardasses into very difficult and unpleasant situations...

But when my little Grandson sits on my lap and looks up at me with that beautiffully innocent little face and asks,"Gwampa,Do you rewe,rewe, wuv me?!! All I can manage is to hug him hard and tears are streaming down my face and I tell him; Little Fellow,someday if you are lucky enough to have a little child and Grandchild....then you will truly understand just how very,very much I really,really love you!!!

So Mark and Anam.....Cherish every living moment with your children as I see you are both very proud Daddies...Just like me!!! [righton]

ranger72

Ps Here is ben!

ranger72

Doh!!! ;\ ;\ ;\


I know you guys are going to give me Hell for not properly cropping Ben's pic....sorry but I couln't wait...After all; every ones getting out the old wallet for show and tell time..Heh!..Heh!

Ranger72

Anamacha

thanks for the story, info and picture, Ranger. Very cool, very touching. Thank you [righton]

Yeah, I was largely alone when I was being raised as well, and so was my wife (though in a different way, for different reasons). Neither of us want Ariann to grow up like that, so we both take an active role. and we plan on continuing that.

I said to my wife the other day -- "everyone needs time to themselves in order to remain sane. So sometimes I tell Ariann 'later.' But for every 'later' I make sure there's at least one, if not two 'okay, now is good'. "

Thank you.



Anam

ranger72

Hi There!


You guys are doing much better than I did the first time around but now I'm trying to make up for all the years for cathy by being there for ben...


Everyone is happy now including me!

You guys just keep on keeping on!

wbiss

Wonderful words of 'advice' to these young Dads ranger! [righton]

I read your post and not only did I get "shivers", it actually brought tears to my eyes!

It's only when you've "been there" that you realize how quickly these precious years and moments fly.

And, coiincidentally, it's when you're actually in the "here and now" that the days of diapers and such seem like they'll never end.

Continue to 'cherish' and 'record' all you proud Moms & Dads and Grandmas & Grandpas!

Touching story Ranger72 and thanks for sharing it with us.

Enjoy all the time with your grandson!

Blinky2004

Hey nice story ranger. Great looking grandson ya got there too. It's good to see you've found some resolve for yourself after all that. Resolution is good. [righton]

Even though i'm a lot older than most first-time dads, i'm going to make sure i'm there for Seth as much as possible. I grew up without a dad, who passed away when i was 13 (1976), so i'm quite familiar with how that can have a strong effect on one's "self" development... not having a father figure to talk to about thing's'n'stuff. I wanna do that stuff with Seth -- and with any other children we may have.
Hats off to my intrepid mother for raising 4 of the 5 of us by herself. And moving us all across the country by herself. :} And all when we were just entering our teens... aaagh!!! Oh mummy you're a strong person! hehe [confused] [honesty]

Anamacha

gee, and I thought *I* was old for a first time dad! Wow, you have me beat by ... about 6 years, Mark

So when's your big four-oh? 8} 8} 8}



Anam