When my wife first told me she wanted to do scrapbooking, I didn't fully understand just what that meant, but I remember thinking "Great! She found a hobby, and maybe now she'll let me pursue one of mine... like a motorcycle!" Didn't work that way! Not only that, I quickly figured out that scrapbooking is probably a more expensive hobby than owning a motorcycle. But as she put's it, it's a lot less dangerous, and after a few years together I'm well trained now so I know better than to argue with the wife as she's always right :).
Honestly, I love that she took up scrapbooking. It's an opportunity for preserving memories that the the kids will enjoy many years from now and that's something I never would have thought much of on my own outside of occasional videos and photos. It also means whenever the kids get certain projects for homework that involve anything arts and crafty they will likely ask mom waaaaay before they come to dad. Don't get me wrong I do have artistic sense but I'm more of a math and science guy... I'm an engineer after all. And yes I know all the horrible things they say about engineers but I digress.
The most challenging part about supporting her hobby is also the most rewarding for me. That's when she and her girlfriends occasionally get together for one of their scrapbooking parties and they don't want to be bothered by anyone or anything else. For me, that means spending time with the kids and taking care of everything they need. I love it because of all the time I get to spend with the kids alone. That to me is the best part. I need to know what the kids really like from an early age so I can practice bribing them. After all, I don't want to be the one quickly shipped off to a nursing home in my older years. I like to think I'm a good dad and I do try my best to be there as much as possible for my kids and her. But the truth is whenever I have the kids all to myself and have to do it all on my own, I am reminded of just how amazing she is for making it look so easy, and I appreciate all that she does for us even more.
You know, maybe I can show my appreciation by buying us his and her motorcycles?... Yeah, I didn't really think that would work either :). I better sleep on it...
-Konscious Vybz
