Road Trip for Texas Topaz Leads to a Nerf War

Recently,  I went with my family on a road trip to Mason Texas. It's a small town in the Texas Hill Country. It sits north of San Antonio and just east of Koockville. You may ask what's in Mason Texas that you would drive seven hours to see? The short answer is topaz.

Don't get the wrong idea I don't know anything about geology. Nothing, nada, zip, zilch. I haven't identified a rock correctly since the eighth grade. Even then I probably got a C on the assignment. Rockhounds my family and I are not.

While driving out there we worried that it would be hot. It was. There might be rattlesnakes. We each signed a release and I carried a shovel with me everywhere we went. We found lizards but no rattlesnakes. I thought we might get to try kayaking on the lazy Guadalupe river. We didn't.

Mason's claim to fame is it's the topaz capital of Texas. We trekked into town and found a delightful throw back community. Complete with broad streets, presumably so a horse drawn wagon can turn around, and the courthouse located in the middle of the town square.

A lot of the town's architecture has original tin covered ceilings. Neat! There's the Odeon Theater of Mason. It was built in 1928 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Cool!

We went into the general store and found Brent Hinckley the proprietor and mayor. He was a big fan of Mason. He told us everything we wanted to know about Mason including that it was the birthplace of Fred Gipson who wrote the Newbery Honor winning novel Old Yeller and Savage Sam among others.

I spied Nerf swords while talking to the mayor. I bought all he had and thanked the good mayor for the conversation. Then I armed my kids and my nephews and quickly attacked them. The melee spilled onto the broad streets and the town square.

We fought our way to PJ's Ice Cream and Soda Fountain. Once inside the Battle of Mason ended. PJ's had a shiney 1940's era soda fountain! Wow! Drinks for everyone! We saw the mayor again he waved and said he was glad to see we enjoyed his town. We really did.

In the end we didn't find topaz. We didn't see rattlesnakes. We didn't kayak. We found a friendly community with a unique history. The road trip helped us bond as a family, which was the real goal anyway. By the way we saw Pirates of the Caribbean at the packed out Odeon Theater. So, kudos to Mason Texas  a pretty great place were everyone has fun.

Fathers Day...Whew!

Since this blog is about my adventures as a dad and this is Father's Day here's what happened today. This morning before breakfast was finished my girls invited me into the living room for my Father's Day present. It was the coolest present experience since my fortieth birthday.

They sat me in front of the computer. With the click of a mouse a slick slide show came up. It was our story from 2004-present complete with appropriate teen music I had never heard before. But the girls liked their song selections and I have to say I was humming them the rest of the day.

Next we all piled into my truck and off to church we went. Sarah and I took care of preschool story time during Sunday School without a hitch. I went to "Big" church and helped usher and listened to Pastor David and Toby Rowland share about fatherhood and finding career satisfaction.

Afterward I was inspired to have my fifteen and a half year old drive home. She was startled, hesitant and let me know under no uncertain terms that in the future she would require at least a twenty-four hour warning before driving. I guess she needs to pluck up her courage. I told her I would take it under advisement but there were no guarantees. She did okay and we agreed she could use more practice.

Once safely parked in the drive, we started the great Father's Day feast. I grilled steaks. Yummy was the verdict! The rest of the day was uneventful and relaxing. It was a great day! I realized how simple it was for us to connect which in our busy lives  can be challenging. We just spent time together sharing our talents, laughing, stressing, eating (at the table!) and praying.

Whew! What a great idea Father's Day is. I hope I can regularly string more days together like this one. Thanks ladies. I think I got a renewed perspective on our family adventure through your demonstration of affection for your ol' dad.

It's A Man's Game!

Caution: Unauthorized Biography Alert!

"Football is a man's game," so says Ray Lewis of the NFL Baltimore Ravens. He's a hard hitting Super Bowl MVP linebacker. He was selected All-Pro twelve times in his fourteen year career. Few would argue against his analysis. You could say he's an expert on the subject.

He's also the prototype of someone who has faced tragedy and overcame devastation. One year before his MVP game on the NFL's biggest stage he faced double murder charges. He's a father who had to explain to his son why he was in jail. That's a gut check.

He was only twenty-six. Lewis had to overcome the firestorm, endure the constant criticism, and survive the fallout. He was acquitted of the charges, but plead guilty to obstructing justice. Ray Lewis has put that terrible time behind him. He grew.

Today, Ray Lewis is still number 52. He still plays Hall of Fame caliber football for the Ravens, the same team that drafted him fourteen seasons ago. He's a Christian, a businessman, a philanthropist, an activist, a leader and a dad.

I don't know him except what I see on game day. But, I suspect even though he's exulted as a player with the heart of a lion and as much passion for the game as anyone who ever buckled a chinstrap his greatest moments are the ones he spends being a dad. I admire him for that most.

Wow! My 16th Father's Day Is Coming Up... Already!

Most of you know Father's Day is coming up. It's my 16th one as a Dad I have two beautiful daughters. One is fifteen; the other is eleven. I like them most of the time. I love them all the time.

It seems like I just blinked a couple times during my oldest daughter's first year. Now all of a sudden she's smack dab in the middle of her teen years, driving my truck! Granted she's only got a learners permit, but another milestone goes speeding by.

My eleven year old is fearlessly creating American Girl stop motion videos with her Mac. They really are kinda cool. And she started band this summer. She'll play a clarinet, really! A clarinet! I've been informed it's not a horn, as in get your horn so we won't be late to band camp. It's a woodwind. Okay, but horn is shorter to say when we are in a rush!

Father's Day... It's good to be Daddy! It's good to be loved and admired even if it's just one day of the year. Smile at the kids, laugh at yourself, eat something good, kiss your wife, then go fix something that's on the "It's broken can you fix it Daddy?" list.