dreaming of the future...

I keep thinking of the future and what it holds for Christine and me and our growing family.  I keep thinking of all the things that I can teach and share with my children.  One of the things that I really remember as a child was going fishing with my dad.  Fishing by itself takes a GREAT deal of patience and fishing with a child takes the patience of a saint.  (Therefore I think my father may be a saint because he took up to 4 kids fishing at a time).  I learned the level of patience this takes when spending a weekend at the lakehouse with my family and my nephew.  If you don't know me, I love fishing its one of the destressors I use to get through crazy times because I find the solidarity soothing. 

My experience with teaching Nicolas (not his 1st time fishing)  was actually very rewarding, albeit stressful at first.  When fishing alongside a young child you have to get in the habit of not fishing much.  You put some bait on a hook for them (most likely a worm) and you show them how to cast the bait into the water.  Of course the first 10 or 12 casts either go into the weeds, behind them, or send the worm FLAILING out into the water and off the hook.  Frustration will mount a bit no doubt because in my head it seems like such a simple concept of casting this little piece of bait into the water.  After rebaiting, recasting, and Nicolas beginning to lose interest we got a worm into the water.  The first time that bobber disappeared under the water was exhilarating, Nicholas set the hook properly and reeled in a nice sized bluegill.  He was hooked!  Now everytime I am at the lakehouse with Nicolas he wants to fish...or swim across the inlet with his grandmother (my mom) but that is a story for a different time!

Something I know I will need to have plenty of with raising children is patience and self sacrifice.  I will have to give up or take a break from many of the things I love so that I can spend the time teaching my children to love the same things.  I really am looking forward to being able to shape this young child into a strong individual and respectful person!