It's a Beautiful, Yet Sort of Sad, Countdown. The Kid is Moving on...to Des Moines, Iowa. I Couldn't Be More Proud of the Man He's Become.

Chitunga brought Lys back through town and we met at the Bridge House with Pam so she'd have the opportunity to congratulate him on his relocation to Iowa and his next steps...following the path of his vision and the road to find out (as we've both allowed Cat Stevens to sing to us). Father and son. Father and son and Papi Butch. 

Our time together in Connecticut is growing smaller, but we had practice when he went to LeMoyne for his undergraduate and graduate degrees. I've been blessed to have him nearby in Stamford as his career launched and his hard work has paid off. It's next steps, and I get that. I've always followed the road where it has left me, two roads diverging and all. His choice to walk the path less traveled is exactly how I've always rolled. 

What I will miss most are the talks by the fire pit, the complicated conversations of making this or that decision, and simply knowing he's a short road trip away. Even Syracuse was a short road trip. Now, he'll be 18.5 hours away, but this is okay. He's doing exactly what his destiny calls for, leaping so the net will appear. I can't help but be proud. I love this kid for the integrity that resides in his brain, heart, and soul. 

We only have a few more weeks to celebrate him close by, but he'll be celebrated forever and always. This is what family is all about.

Shoes and elephants. Elephants and shoes. That is the core of who we are.