Horrible Weekend

I can not believe the grip these dried up leaves have on me. I went all weekend without the Xbox since my daughter grounded me. Yes I know that is funny, picture a 33 year old man sitting at the kitchen table getting a lecture about how I have disappointed this poor 11 year old girl. I hung my head low and said, "I am sorry I will try better."
Friday night went pretty smooth I was able to continue on with my thrill of being able to play Madden 2008 if I didn't smoke the whole night. My daughter had a friend spend the night so I was able to go the whole night without smoking and she allowed me to play Tony Hawk with them to see if I can help them unlock some more area's in the game. We all got up on Saturday and had breakfast, I stayed away from the coffee and had some Soda instead since I have realized drinking coffee and having a cigarette go hand in hand with each other. Then we went to the Mall. Going though the mall with two girls almost in their teens and a 3 year old is always fun. I am lucky that my kids are used to hearing, "I can't buy that right now I need to wait until payday." They are to the point that they barley ask for anything anymore.
After lunch we decided to go into a movie, this is always safe because if I am going to pay that much money to go to a movie there is no way I am going to miss some of it so I can smoke. So by Dinner time I was feeling pretty proud of myself for not smoking at all. After dinner we went to my daughters friends house where neither of her parents smoke anymore so it was pretty easy to go without there also. Then the girls came up with this great plan, they were going to spend the night there Saturday night so they could get up in the morning and go to church together. So me and my youngest daughter packed our things and went home. We were home long enough to get our PJ's on and make some popcorn so we could sit down and watch a movie, when my girlfriend came over with her daughter. So we made a little camping environment turned the movie on and ate popcorn. About half way though the movie my neighbor came over, he was bored so he decided it was time to bring a beer over and hang out. The kids were watching the movie so the 3 adults sat at the kitchen table playing cards and the other two were drinking their beer. My neighbor decided to go for a smoke, That ended it. All day again and here we are, my oldest isn't around to see me. My girlfriend and neighbor got their jackets on and said, "We are going to go Smoke." My youngest daughter looked at me and said, "Daddy, you can have one"
I couldn't believe it... So I had one, then 2...
Needless to say I failed miserably again on Saturday...
Sunday was actually a very good day, nothing exciting happened after church so we all went home and hung out without any smoking.
Monday was okay, I ended up having 2 during the day at work, my smoking buddy at work was getting lonely so he begged me to go with him.
So far today I am doing really good, I haven't had one yet but I have eaten a lot of Pretzel's today.

The Stop Smoking Contract

I read this story in a blog and it brought tears to my eyes. It is sweet and kind of sad at the same time. I say sad because those of us that are parents who smoke, often don't realize how it affects our children.

This is the story I read. I am re-printing it with the author's permission. His blog is Dru's World and his post is entitled "The Smoking Challenge":

"Sometimes I am just amazed at my oldest daughter. One of the gifts I received this year might be the most thoughtful gift I have ever recieved. My daughter is now 11 and of course in school she has learned how bad smoking is to you and the dangers of smoking.

I am not sure how she came up with this stuff but when I was opening presents this year for Christmas she had wraped a package and what was inside made me feel a lot of emotions. All at once I felt happiness, love, pride, and most of all Fear.She had made this present from her heart that was for sure and the first thing I saw was a note,

Dad,

I love you but this present is for your daughters.

So I continued on though a small package. The next thing I saw in the package was a Contract already signed by my Oldest Daughter and a Scribble Mark from my youngest. There was a space on the contract for me to sign. This Contract said that I would try to quit smoking on Monday, January 7, 2008. On this day I will allow my daughter to throw away all my cigarettes, Lighters, Ashtrays and anything else she believes causes me to smoke.

After I read though it I noticed that there was a pen in this little package and some 3x5 cards. There were little things on the cards that my daughter wrote. "Dad, I want you to see me Graduate from High School." and "'Dad, I want you to see me go to my Prom.' 'Dad, I want you to see me get married.' 'Dad, I want my children to know you.' 'Dad, we Love you.'"
This brought the tears, I quickly grabbed the pen and signed the contract. I am looking forward to January 7th, 2008. I feel it is going to be a great year."