When I think about my time in Tyler as I get ready to leave, the biggest thing is how much more time I was able to spend with the kids (read:boys as Stephanie only lived here one summer). I suspect in Billings, I was able to spend more time than I remember, but my memory is being gone so much during the day and then being gone a week at a time at the drop of too many hats.
In Tyler, I never had to travel for work until the last few months when I was gone for a few days. Four days out of seven years is okay. Most days, I was home by 4:45 instead of the 6:00 or 6:30 as in years gone by. For years, I took Geoff to school most days after sharing breakfast, at least until he got old enough to drive himself to school. Being on a scooter let him start before he was 16. When the school changed starting time to 8:50, I missed breakfast more than anything. The weeks we were all packed into the apartment waiting to find a house and other people to hang with lead us to walks in the park to find some space, but time together was the result. I remember long walks with Chris in the neighborhood and the same with Stephanie the summer she was here.
I never missed a play the boys were in. I was even able to share the stage with them all at various times. So far, I have been part of all Chris' directing projects. I missed a few of Geoff's concerts when they were out of town. I lost track of all the orchestra's he has been part of. Summer campus have taken me 300 miles to the West and 700 miles to the East, and I was able to go!
I can't count the number of times I was able to have lunch with every permutation of the kids at all times of the year. While at Gateway, it may have happened once or twice when they drove the 70 mile round trip to see me for lunch. Yeah, Denton is a ways off, but everyone will be gone from here before too long any way.
I know that every family changes over time. To say that the kids living in Tyler had a different Dad than the ones living in Billings goes without saying. I am very glad that the ones living in Tyler had their Dad around more than the ones in Billings. I am glad I came.
In Tyler, I never had to travel for work until the last few months when I was gone for a few days. Four days out of seven years is okay. Most days, I was home by 4:45 instead of the 6:00 or 6:30 as in years gone by. For years, I took Geoff to school most days after sharing breakfast, at least until he got old enough to drive himself to school. Being on a scooter let him start before he was 16. When the school changed starting time to 8:50, I missed breakfast more than anything. The weeks we were all packed into the apartment waiting to find a house and other people to hang with lead us to walks in the park to find some space, but time together was the result. I remember long walks with Chris in the neighborhood and the same with Stephanie the summer she was here.
I never missed a play the boys were in. I was even able to share the stage with them all at various times. So far, I have been part of all Chris' directing projects. I missed a few of Geoff's concerts when they were out of town. I lost track of all the orchestra's he has been part of. Summer campus have taken me 300 miles to the West and 700 miles to the East, and I was able to go!
I can't count the number of times I was able to have lunch with every permutation of the kids at all times of the year. While at Gateway, it may have happened once or twice when they drove the 70 mile round trip to see me for lunch. Yeah, Denton is a ways off, but everyone will be gone from here before too long any way.
I know that every family changes over time. To say that the kids living in Tyler had a different Dad than the ones living in Billings goes without saying. I am very glad that the ones living in Tyler had their Dad around more than the ones in Billings. I am glad I came.
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