Around Thanksgiving through Christmas you see lists made by people describing what they are thankful for. In the past I have not really done much inner reflecting on what I am or should be thankful for. But I have found myself thinking about what all has happened this past year and realized that I have a lot to be thankful for this year. Not just during the holidays, but things that I need to be thankful for each and every day. So today I am going to talk about one of the things that I am thankful for.

Ice cream, yes ice cream; I am thankful for ice cream. You are probably thinking: What the hell Kevin, you started off with what seemed to be a serious topic and now you want to talk about ice cream. Bear with me. There is more.

Most kids like ice cream, right? I spent a lot of time with my kids eating ice cream at home, at the Dairy Queen, Braum’s, Jimmy’s Diner, Wendy’s, Baskin Robbins etc.

I remember being at a restaurant and they had put us in an area off by ourselves (smart people) except for one older couple we had the area all to ourselves.

We were having shakes and the kids decided that it would be fun to blow into the straws and watch the shake explode. We were having a good messy time. We laughed and laughed and were very loud. I noticed the couple watching us. I walked over to them and apologized for being so loud. The man said that they were not concerned about the noise. He and his wife said that they were just enjoying watching us have so much fun with the kids. I am thankful for ice cream.

My girls danced on their high school dance teams and after most football and basketball games we would end up at an ice cream store. No matter if I was with Erin or Amy we always had at least a couple of their friends. Their friends learned to love, no I should say like, no I should say tolerate, yes tolerate sports talk radio on our drives to the ice cream store. When I see McKenzie, one of Amy’s high school friends, we still talk about listening to sports talk radio.

Once at the store we would have our ice cream often with what I called victory sprinkles. You know the little candies you put on top of ice cream after a win or even after a loss. No matter the outcome we deserved victory sprinkles. We would talk and laugh. I learned a lot about what was going on in my girls’ lives while at the ice cream store. I am thankful for ice cream.

Erin and I enjoying some victory sprinkles

I coached or helped coach many of Justin’s sports teams. We too spent a lot of time in ice cream stores. Frosty’s at Wendy’s were normally our first choice. There we would talk about the game, and at times I was able to crack his armor and we would discuss life. The ice cream helped break the ice so to speak. I am thankful for ice cream.

When they moved away and started attending that school that shall not be named I eventually got over it. I started enjoying going to Lawrence for visits and exploring Mass Street. There we go to Free State Brewery and have a meal and of course a beer or two. We then head to Sylas & Maddy’s for some great ice cream.

This year the kids have been coming home maybe a little more than in the past. They have been coming home to spend more time with me. Things have not gone as hoped in my cancer treatments.

When they are home they normally find a well stocked freezer of ice cream. A lot of fun conversations as well as serious conversations started this year while having a bowl of ice cream.

Amy and I on an ice cream run. Shoutout to Chance for helping us pick out the best ones! — Harps in Bentonville, AR, 2012

This Thanksgiving we were at Erin’s house. They bought their first home this year and moved from Overland Park to Olathe. I do not know the Olathe area as well yet, but while driving around exploring I found a Dairy Queen in the neighborhood. That is all Cammy and I need.

The family will all be together in Wichita the weekend of December 16^th. I am sure the topic of my heath will come up and I will update them on how things have been going and what are my next options. I will be reporting on the conversation I had with my oncologist during my appointment on the 14^th. Once again not the best news, but could be worse. I am going to need some ice cream. Maybe even a few beers.

It will go something like this. The kids will go to their mom first to talk about how I am doing, and what kind of mood they should expect when they corner me. They will formulate a plan on when and how to approach me. Or Erin will just come out and say, “Well dad WTF is going on?”

I taught her well.

When they come to me I better have the same report as mom or I will be in trouble. I will be accused of holding back information. They have ways of making me talk. It usually involves ice cream.

So sometime during our visit I am sure that I will be taking them to an ice cream store.   I am thinking Cold Stone. I will order my two scoops in a bowl, and with the HOPE for a better future I will ask the server to add a few victory sprinkles.

Take… that… cancer.

Yes I am thankful for ice cream.

Kevin
Optimist
Pessimist
Trying to live in reality
MIZ