Father Knows (and loves) Best

Ahhh.... the long weekend. All the way home from work I was looking forward to an evening of relaxing, sitting and catching up on the week's happenings with Tony. Our two oldest daughters were on their way to Kamloops to visit their cousins and we had just one child at home.

Peace and quiet for three whole days.

We had just finished supper and sat down when the phone rang.

"Mom? We're at the snow shed. Can you believe it? We got a flat tire! I just laughed when it happened! Is dad there?"

Now I have to interrupt my story to say that Tony had for weeks before this expressed his concern over this 3 hour trip in her little Honda Civic loaded with 4 girls and significant luggage (as only girls can do) and a stupid little donut (his words) for a spare tire. He reminded her on more than one occasion to buy a proper spare tire. Did she choose to listen to his fatherly wisdom and buy that spare tire? Obviously not... hence the phone call from somewhere on the Coquihalla Highway. Trust me, she might have been laughing, her father was not.

After many phone calls back and forth, Karlee making a "Please Help" sign, Jenna standing on a sand pile to get reception to talk to her dad and him saying, "No, don't try to take the lugnuts off the ornamental hubcap," they got the tire changed and we came up with a plan where they could still get to Kamloops and enjoy their weekend away that they had been anticipating for so long. The plan, of course, consisted of me driving to Hope to give them my van and me driving back home with her car and the aforementioned stupid donut. And since Tony had to work that evening what did I do? I called my dad. I know... the irony is not lost on me. Because what do we do so naturally when we're in trouble...even when we've got a major "I told you so" coming? We turn to the one who has guided and cared for us all our lives....our father.

So my nice relaxing evening did not end up remotely close to what I planned (we even got pulled over by a policeman on the way home), but I did have a nice visit and a cup of coffee with my dad (in Hope), my girls know that, even when they don't heed the advice they should have, their parents (and grandparents) will do almost anything to make them happy and I learned a valuable lesson in the wisdom and love of a father.

Now if you'd like this story from the girls' point of view go here.