On Facebook Saturday I posted this:

As a young dad, it is a win every day the next morning shines and the baby boy is smiling and you haven’t broken him.Those small victories continue to build until suddenly the Manchild is no longer a child, he is a man walking across the stage for his high school graduation.Eric Valente did that walk today and did himself proud. Sadly he has to go home and study for his finals at Highline community college tonight, but that makes us even more proud of him! Good job dude,  Michelle and I love you!

Yep Saturday night, our youngest graduated…

There is a legendary curse given to men when they are young, Legend says their mom looks at them and says, “I hope you have a sone JUST like you!”

Truthfully, I do not remember my mom ever saying this, but lord knows, The Manchild is VERY much like me. We share many of the same views, we find the same things funny, we say out loud what crosses our brains, and we love the same movies.

Poor Michelle has had to deal with the 2 of us for years… but as you can see, on the first night they met, it was love at first sight

This man has never lacked for personality or character.

He loves to make people smile, hates when people are sad, and most importantly, never asks for anything unless it is 100% needed. He beats the hell out of computers, has lost some of my favorite coats

and can stick a joke with the best of them! The day he told me his maternal grandma was like Raymond’d mom on Everyone Loves Raymond, I about peed my pants as I drove him home.  The kid is truly amazing!

Looking back through pictures for this post, though, I was reminded of something I have known for a long time. This kid has been my adventure partner for as long as I can remember. Yes, we enjoy the same movies and TV shows. But more than that, we have done quite a few things together.

We’ve ridden the 25 mile loop of the Flying Wheels (Note that is my coat as well but the did NOT lose that one!)

We climbed the Columbia Tower in Seattle

We’ve gone to the Oregon Coast and braved the waves

Battled the undead in the Zombie run

Gone Zip lining

Gone to the Mariners

Enjoyed the hell out of Silverwood

and conquered Seattle landmarks

Most importantly, I hope I have instilled in him a love of life, a love of nature

and the ability to think for himself! The last thing the wold need is more lambs, and he will blaze his own path

I honestly don’t know if it was divine intervention

or a Christmas miracle.

But the kid and I (and Michelle) genuinely love and more importantly like each other. We are so damn proud of him for graduating High School, and after a couple more finals, he will be getting his AA from Highline Community College as well.

He is one helluva great kid and will me an amazing man,  I just hope I had a little to do with it! I am very glad I didn’t break or drop him as a baby!

Love you dude!