26 December 2007: A new "Grandpa Haaser" in the house
Please forgive me for post-dating this nearly a month-and-half after the fact, but Dave and I wanted to wait until all members of our immediate families were properly notified before stories started cropping up in open forums such as this.
11/11/07
One Sunday afternoon I took a drive to visit "The Dad" down in Cincinnati. I had a conference to attend the following day so I don't think he was suspicious of any hidden agenda behind my visit. Meanwhile the whole drive between Angola and Cinci, I'm thinking, how do I tell him he's gonna be a Grandpa soon. Do I jump right in and say 'Hey Gramps!' when I greet him at the door? Do I turn it into an elaborate riddle (we all know how fond of riddles that brain of his is)? As it happens, he gave me a perfect entrance. As I was walking in, I commented on the wine rack he and Bonnie have in their living room (it really is very cool looking). Dad asked me to pick out a bottle for us to share with dinner. Naturally, I responded back with a polite refusal, 'I don't think it's a good idea for me to be drinking right now'. It took him a minute to process the remark. He first assumed that I was abstaining because I was planning to drive to Columbus after dinner (which I actually wound up postponing until the next morning). I simply pointed out that if that were the case, I would merely have one glass of wine instead of two or three. He thought for a second or two more and "DING" the light went on. He gasped, I vigorously nodded and all three of us (Bonnie was also a participant in the conversation) shared a misty-eyed flurry of excitement followed by the usual questions (how long, when is the due date, how are you feeling, etc.) In that moment Dad started to say "stuff like this is what makes..." got a little choked and never finished the sentence. I have a feeling I know what the end of that sentence was, and I couldn't agree more.
12/26/07
It seems a little inappropriate in some way to say thank you, not just for surviving, but for all the effort, the fight and the patience it has taken for you to do so much more than simply survive. Unfortunately I don't know quite how else to put it. This experience would be miraculous no matter what, but it is infinitely better with the memory I just shared of telling my Papa Bear he's about be Grand-Papa Bear. So, thanks. - The Oops
11/11/07
One Sunday afternoon I took a drive to visit "The Dad" down in Cincinnati. I had a conference to attend the following day so I don't think he was suspicious of any hidden agenda behind my visit. Meanwhile the whole drive between Angola and Cinci, I'm thinking, how do I tell him he's gonna be a Grandpa soon. Do I jump right in and say 'Hey Gramps!' when I greet him at the door? Do I turn it into an elaborate riddle (we all know how fond of riddles that brain of his is)? As it happens, he gave me a perfect entrance. As I was walking in, I commented on the wine rack he and Bonnie have in their living room (it really is very cool looking). Dad asked me to pick out a bottle for us to share with dinner. Naturally, I responded back with a polite refusal, 'I don't think it's a good idea for me to be drinking right now'. It took him a minute to process the remark. He first assumed that I was abstaining because I was planning to drive to Columbus after dinner (which I actually wound up postponing until the next morning). I simply pointed out that if that were the case, I would merely have one glass of wine instead of two or three. He thought for a second or two more and "DING" the light went on. He gasped, I vigorously nodded and all three of us (Bonnie was also a participant in the conversation) shared a misty-eyed flurry of excitement followed by the usual questions (how long, when is the due date, how are you feeling, etc.) In that moment Dad started to say "stuff like this is what makes..." got a little choked and never finished the sentence. I have a feeling I know what the end of that sentence was, and I couldn't agree more.
12/26/07
It seems a little inappropriate in some way to say thank you, not just for surviving, but for all the effort, the fight and the patience it has taken for you to do so much more than simply survive. Unfortunately I don't know quite how else to put it. This experience would be miraculous no matter what, but it is infinitely better with the memory I just shared of telling my Papa Bear he's about be Grand-Papa Bear. So, thanks. - The Oops
bonniehoward wrote: