H,

Today you and I went on a Saturday lunch date.

Mom was out of town Thursday and Friday and got a stomach bug while she was gone.

Since she got sick, she came home early but is still very queasy.

Anyway, you insisted on going to Hayashi for lunch.

Truth be told, I am not even sure you like the food there that much – I think you just like watching them cook.

Since we ate at the grill, there were five others sitting around the table with us.

It took them forever to send out the cook, but early in the meal, someone asked if you were eating lunch with your dad.

You announced to the table:

“Yeah. My Dad takes care of me.”

Everyone nodded and smiled at you, but before they stopped you followed it up with:

“My Mom takes care of me too, but she was sick in the hotel throwing up all night.”

I quickly told you in front of everyone that: (A) she was last sick over 24 hours ago, (B) that we were both feeling just fine, and that, (C) we didn’t have to tell everything to people we were eating with.

The entire table was in stitches.

10 minutes later, in the way that you do, you leaned over to a young girl sitting beside us (she might have been in college) and said:

“I just love your shoes.”

She was taken back and smiled so big at you.

She responded:

“Oh thank you. I love your hair bow.”

I loved getting to spend time with you one on one today.

And I love that you are still mesmerized by the goldfish and the turtles in the little fish pond they have.

My girl.

I love you.

-Dad

H, I got to hold hands with you last night before we went to sleep.

And I got one of the best bedtime stories ever.

H, you said (in my voice, as I was saying it to you):

Dear H,

The day that you got born is the day that you hold hands with daddy.

And the day that you hold hands with him is the day that you fell in love with him.

My beautiful.

I love you.

-Dad

H,

You are hilarious.

Hilarious with just enough knowledge and sass to make yourself dangerous – and then, get us all in trouble.

This story happened, I don’t know – a year or so ago?

I forgot to write about it at the time and thought of it again this week.

It goes like this.

Grandpa and Grandma were in town.

And Grandpa was doing a little tinkering around the house like he always does.

I do not remember what he was working on, but he was in the master bedroom by the bed and was bent over on the floor, about to get up.

I was with him and you came hopping over with your boundless energy.

You paused in front of us, put your hand on your hip and asked:

“What in the Holy Spirit are you doing?”

Grandpa didn’t even say anything.

He just looked regretful.

In retrospect, I’m glad you didn’t give him a heart attack.

Of course, I quickly corrected you.

“No. That’s not nice. You can say ‘what in the world.’ But ‘what in the Holy Spirit‘ is not very nice.”

I was right, but I was trying not to laugh at the same time.

Mom was there to see all of it too.

If she had a drink she would have choked on it.

I love you.

-Dad