I'm Gonna Do Some School Work With Daddy

It's becoming a near nightly thing. Daddy breaks out his homework. Zoey decides that she wants to help. It mostly involves drawing pictures of Lions, and usually means that Daddy is delayed getting down to the deed by fifteen minutes or so, but she gets excited about it. Over the past week I've been the worst Dad/husband ever, preparing for a presentation to approximately 200 educators, wrapping up a course, staggering through some all day workshops, and then finding myself glued to cell phones all night (once the text messages from kids in need start they tend not to stop)...I've had to excuse myself from baths three of four nights, and I've said my goodnights in the living room. June's been an expert in managing Daddyless evenings, and the whole thing leaves me baffled at our friend Jeff, back in Brooklyn, who is wrapping up med school, working away at whatever hospital shifts he's committed to, skipping across the country for residency interviews, and being a Dad and Husband at the same time. Jesus H. Jeter...that's one heavy dude, and I feel shame at my own pathetic version of stress and strain.

All is forgotten, however, when Zed climbs up into my lap, gets giggly for school work, and slaps a giant smooch on my cheek before slipping off to bed with Mom. Life is hard, but it's made soft in spots by some pretty awesome things. Write that down.