like father like son

We are learning that there are some things here in Portland that you just do- rain or shine.  The fathers and sons camp out is one of them.  

Gray clouds were looming overhead all day, and the forecast called for rain throughout the night.  I was grateful I was not a father.

McKay could have died, he was so excited.  For him it was the very best day because he got to go to Jaxon's house in the morning, and Tallan came over after school to play, and then camping with dad.  

There is a lesson I keep learning over and over as a parent: sometimes it's better to keep things a surprise, for my own sanity.  This day would be a good example.  He was so excited about having his friends over and going camping that it was all just too much for him.  He drove me crazy right up until they pulled out of the driveway.  It was just too much for a little boy to be excited about!

The rain came about an hour after they left.  It rained.  It rained the whole evening.  It rained while they ate cobbler.  It rained while McKay ran around with his friends and while Brian and the other dads pretended they weren't as miserable as they were.  It rained the whole night.  

Brian was proud that his baby, um, I mean his tent, held up and they were warm and dry in the morning.  We also learned that when it's raining at a fathers and sons camp out most everyone will be gone by 6:30am the next morning.  

Even though it was kind of miserable, at times even for McKay, it was still fun.  It was kind of a big deal for me to see Brian take our boy to his first ward camp out.  

I imagined him as a little boy going with his dad and brothers and it was another one of those moments that I felt really old and oddly responsible for these children we have.  We are the ones making their memories.  We are the ones taking them on camp outs that they'll look back on as adults.  Well, Brian is, thank goodness.  

But it's a weird feeling to sit back and think of how much you are influencing another's life as a parent.  I was proud that Brian would sacrifice a nice, dry bed to make that memory.  And as Brian's dad says, the ones you remember are the ones that are less than perfect.  

As for me, I got to spend my night with this little thing.  We had pink ice cream with sprinkles.

  It was a good night.