Sam came out dressed all by himself and my first thought was that he’s either got my bad fashion sense or color blind… hoping he’s just color blind.

I want some moral support from my extended family the day this happens.  Just a warning.

I got to pick up Sam and his friend Alex from pre-school today.  As I coralled the two overactive pre-schoolers into the truck, I asked them about what they did in school today.  Nothing… no answer, no response, no indication that anything had happened at all.  I pull out of the parking lot and look in the rear view mirror and ask again.  Blank stares while they drink their juice boxes.  I finally begin to hear the slurping noises of empty juice boxes and ask again.  I get a response, in unison no less, of… 'Nothing'. 

I asked again, 'C'mon, you guys were at school for over two hours, you must have done something?'  And as if it were rehearsed, I got the same response, 'Nothing'.  In unison again, just to poke the stick at the grown-up a little harder.

So I asked again, 'You mean you got to school and just sat there for 2 hours at the table with your hands folded nicely?'  Less rehearsed this time, I get a staggered 'Yep' and 'Yep' out of both of them.  Evan then has to chime in and say 'Yep' too.

So by the age 4, I've been able to experience a complete communication breakdown with Sam on what he did in school.  At least I got to take a nap today. 

I think it’s official, both Sam and Evan are in love with the same neighbor – Hillary. Sam goes gaga each she’s out and asks if she can come over to play. Evan keeps repeating her name each time someone even approaches the patio door during the day.

This could be a lot more interesting in about 13-14 more years.

Sam has been sliding back into the mode of getting up a little too early… like 5:45am too early. His alarm clock is backlit and can turn green for a specified period before the official alarm goes off. As of now, the alarm clock will turn green about 6:20am and go off at 6:35am.

Well this morning Sam’s light was on when I rolled over at 5:50am and still on when I got out of the shower at 6:15am. I walked into his room at 6:15am and he looked up at me and knew what I was going to say.

His immediate reply? A shrug of his shoulders and said, ‘What? At least I already got dressed.’ Sure hope his pre-school teacher finds that as consoling as I do at 2:00pm this afternoon.

I ran to Kwik Trip before the Vikings game to get some game time snacks. Sam and Evan came with too. As I filled my truck up with gas, the overfill valve on the gas pump got stuck and spilled gas on my truck. Kwik Trip comp’d me a free carwash for my troubles.

As we washed the truck, Sam and I talked about football and what we’d do today. As the soap was applied Sam shouted, ‘Hey, the soap smells just like popsicles.’ and that’s exactly what it smelled like.

So what was my first thought after Sam said this? What do they really put in popsicles?

There are experiences in life that I think help define the person you turn out to be.  Most people will say that those experiences have come from their parents, and to larger extent I would have to agree with that.  But a part of the person I am, and values I have, are from the summers I spent on the farm with Grandma and Grandpa Verly. 

I look back at those weeks I spent on the farm and realize that there are things about me, and my interests, that I would not have picked up any other place.  Here's a few examples:

• My Work: Maybe it was fate, chance, or some other power that landed me my first job out of college at Minnesota Corn Processors, but my entire career has been tied to agriculture to some extent.  My first 8 years were in corn processing and the last 9 have been in milk processing.  I don't think my desire to stay in this type of engineering would have been as great if I hadn't been exposed to what happens at the foundations of these industries – the farm. 
• My Values: When I look at the core things in what I believe in, I'll admit some of them have changed over the years.  But the important things in what I believe have not – especially the value of hard work.  Dad always pushed this value, but I could see how his appreciation of doing your best was passed onto him from watching Grandpa interact with Ed, Pat and Don those summers on the farm.  A lot of the arguments (ok… emotionally charged discussions) were really at the core of the message, that you always try to do the right thing.  Knowing that at the end of the day, that you did your best, means that every day was in some small form a success (even if it doesn't feel like it).
• My Future: Now when I look at my children, I see the things I want to make sure are passed down onto them.  From the value of hard work to knowing there is nothing better than apple sauce from the farm.  There will be little things that Grandma and Grandpa taught me that I will make sure get passed onto the next generation.

Thank you Grandma (and Grandpa) for taking the time those summers to teach me things that I use and value to this day.  I love you very much.