You have to decide what your priorities are...

This weekend has not been nearly as productive as it could have been, but I am OK with that.  When Helen and I got married, we chose not to make our work our priority. 

I remember some trainer years ago telling us that if our life is an empty bottle, we must put our rocks, or what is most important to us, in their first.  Then we fill it up with sand (that which is less important) and finally add water (all the "stuff" that makes up the rest of our lives).

It is so easy to fill the bottle with water first and have no room for our "rocks".

Alec, my son, will turn seven next month. He, and my wife Helen are my "rocks".  I have others, but they come first.  I reserve two weekend days a month for family activities, in this business, that is not easy, but it is the choice we have made.  We enjoy the various things we do, the activities and the places we see.  But we can have fun, just doing nothing...

I try to commit to watching as many of his soccer games on Wednesday evenings as I can.  And to take him to the play park in Alliston or Beeton two or three times a week (to give Helen some peace and quiet).

Alec woke up at 5:30 am this morning ... groan ... and I wanted to let Helen sleep in a little, so I took the early shift.  Alec and I can play the silliest games, games we make up, like: "The Big Toe Game" and "Don't wake Daddy", any of the many games he has such as Rock'em Sock'em Robots, Connect Four, Children's Yahtzee, Chutes and Ladders, or the latest game... Chess.

I had to show a young couple who are here for the weekend some options for them near the GTA, so I left about 3 pm, and Helen and Alec started the process of opening our pool.

To my surprise, Alec made me a present while I was out.

... and I just had to capture it since I felt this might not last...

I cannot put into words how appreciative I was of his spaceship, and the accompanying story, how it was built to hold mommy and daddy and Alec was the driver and that it had weapons to protect us and how maneuverable it was...

Funny how a gift like this can put your life into perspective.  Alec doesn't realize how much he has helped me grow as a person.

I will be out all day tomorrow with this couple (they drove in from Montreal to find a home), which should have been our family day, but have promised him that we will spend a day next weekend doing our thing and perhaps seeing Kung Fu Panda 2.  He was disappointed, but understood.  I have moved our day to accommodate business, but will keep my rocks in my bottle.