Stephen: (opening the refrigerator and looking for lunch)
I think I’ll have some of that turkey, some steak, and… a hot dog.

I am updating some of my links and would like suggestions for some good sites for Catholic dads and/or men. Any suggestions?

On Monday, we took the boat out on the lake. All nine of us. We packed a lunch, donned life vests, and headed onto the wide and wonderful water. It was quite an undertaking. By the time all of us were seated and the boat was actually moving, I was exhausted already.

But the fun was just beginning.

The sky was clear and sun was fiercely hot, just as it should be for the start of summer. The wind whipped through our hair and the cool spray splashed our faces as we sped across the lake. Raphael sat wide-eyed and motionless in my lap, either mesmerized or terrified. He wasn’t saying which.

Gabrielle, however, showed no fear. She repeatedly tried to lean over the side to touch the water, causing me chronic heart failure. Ultimately, she had to be relegated to sitting on the floor at my feet while I wondered aloud why on earth there would be no seatbelts in this fast-moving vehicle. Fortunately, no one laughed at my crazy-worried-mother ranting as no one heard it—the roar of the motor and the whistling of the wind filled our ears. It was a tense ride. I sat silently counting seven heads… over and over and over again.

After a short while, we stopped and anchored the boat in a quiet spot near the shore where the kids could dive and swim. Raphael doesn’t swim, though. He quickly grew tired of the close quarters and lack of entertainment and he began to cry. And then he screamed. He was hot and sweaty and miserable. I cooled him with the water and distracted him with lunch. That worked… kind of. Eventually, he fell asleep in my lap and stayed that way. All through the rest of the kids’ swim, their lunch, and then our packing up and heading out on a quiet tour of the lake.

As we glided under bridges, cruised past small islands, and visited other lake landmarks, I shifted Raphael’s heavy warm body in my arms and realized I was a great deal more relaxed than I had been a just a few hours earlier. Gabby sat close and rested her head against me. Gone was the anxiety about a potential overboard passenger. I wasn’t counting heads anymore. Okay, maybe just once or twice. But with my entire family close together in one spot just enjoying our time together, I could feel the warmth of our blessing, just as surely as we felt the sun upon our backs and shoulders.

“Where to?” Dan called out to me above the sound of the wind.

“Anywhere’s good,” I smiled back at him. And I meant it.