Empty Nest at Rivers Household

You know that one day your kids are going to grow up an leave. It does not make it any easier when they do.

My daughter has been on her own for 12 years now. I am very proud of her. She graduated from McNeese and is doing great. She has always been independent and responsible. I still miss having her at the house though. This Saturday my son, my buddy is getting married and leaving our home. I'm very proud of him and am glad to welcome his future wife into our family. I told myself I would not be sad but last night it hit me hard.

It seems like yesterday I held him at the hospital for the first time. He was such a cute little guy with his blonde curls and big smile. People would just walk up and give him things. He's always had a magnetic effect on people. He's always had a soft heart and a strong connection with God. Sure he gets mad ... but he gets over it quick. That is one of the things about him that I am most proud of.

I remember him sleeping on my chest. There is no better feeling in the world. I remember taking him fishing, teaching him how to play baseball, how proud he was of his first pocket knife,  teaching him to respect his elders and women. I remember the Cub Scout father and son camp out when he fell and cut his chin, the time he jumped off the pier and broke his foot, the day he started school and bravely got on the bus, the time I hit a rock and fell out of the boat and he was all alone in the boat with it running wide open in circles,  his first guitar, the first time I took him on stage at Contraband Days, teaching him to drive in my old 5 speed truck, teaching him to tie a neck tie, pulling the old "pull my finger" bit on him, the first time he ate chicken with a bone and him saying "hey dad there's something hard in here", when our dog died and he found him, him dancing on our coffee table with his "dancing socks" on, watching him play guitar and sing on stage for the first time, listening to him play new songs that he wrote, hearing his song on the radio, his graduation and all the memories that are stored in my head.

To know that he won't be living with us anymore is really sad for us; but he is starting a new chapter and someday will have his own kids. He will be a great dad! The cycle goes on whether you are ready or not. I will proudly and sadly watch him promise his life to a wonderful girl this Saturday. I just hope that we have done a good job in preparing him for whatever life throws at him. I had a fairy tale childhood. My parents are still together to this day. My wife and I have raised our kids together and I pray that this cycle continues also. This is all hitting me kind of hard. I didn't expect to be emotional about it. Please excuse my absence from the radio tomorrow and if you have a minute... say a prayer for my son Dillon and his bride Chelsea. I wish them the same kind of happiness I have experienced for the last 26 years.