When I asked him about whether he was going to go a few days back, he indicated he did not plan to. However, after speaking to several of his friends, he changed his mind and decided to go.
The invitation said "semi-formal" but also indicated that one could interpret that however one wanted. Nicholas opted to wear his suit with a pair of casual loafers and skipped the tie. I think he looked quite dashing!
Kids his age have missed out on so much this past year and a half due to the pandemic, so it was nice to see them have a night of frivolity where they might interact socially with their friends and perhaps meet new people and have fun. What a concept!
Nicholas does not talk about romantic feelings, but he commonly talks about the many injustices he believes women suffer. I would like to take some credit for his attitudes towards women, but I think the real credit goes to Kathleen for being such a great role model full of strength and character.
I hope Nicholas has a great time tonight and feels comfortable sharing how his night went in the days to come. He is a terrific young man who is slowly becoming more and more independent. We do not have much longer with him under our roof - and possibly in our state - but we will enjoy every minute while we can.
Though I spent many weekend days at work while he was growing up, I rarely work on a weekend anymore. I nearly always attend his soccer games and other activities, and I am grateful that my career in academics has given me the flexibility to spend as much time with him as I have.
Though I will miss Nicholas when he is gone, I won't look back and regret moment after moment that I missed out on because I prioritized spending time with him and Cate. I can't think of a better use of my time than that!
