Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Christmas for us today

Son in law has to work tomorrow to keep that gold coming out of the ground.


My daughter, his wife, is not an easy keep. She’s a freakin warrior princess, has been since she hit the ground. Impervious to spankings, time outs etc. As an adult she’s more apt to slit your throat before either of her brothers would look for a knife.

During her teen years her fire & my hot temper clashed, disastrously.


I believe she quit loving me at all from 16-22 & even after it was begrudgingly. My heart grew hard over her poor choices, she left home at 16. Got knocked up by a loser at 18 & had my first grandchild at 19. We & his parents raised that child from about 18 mos. till she was around three. I’m grateful for that time w my grandchild, but as my love deepened for her, my heart grew even harder towards my child for abandoning her own. She was wild, partying, drugging etc. as I mentioned she’s always had a wildness & independent streak, much like one of her parents.


Tenuous at best our relationship, even though her & her mom got back on track as she grew older, but she changed & I changed I wanted her to love me again so desperately. I learned to hold my tongue more & I helped her when she needed help.

Today she gave me a photo album that covers most of my life, from baby pix of me, to my last grandchild, her almost 4 year old now, the one we raised for awhile when little is now 11.

She put immense effort into this album, contacting my 87 year old mom to my friends & other family to get all the pix together, but honestly my faves are the ones when she was little, especially the pix of her when we were thicker than thieves. Because when she was little despite her fire that I admired even then, she was my everything & I was her hero.

When I lost that, despite there being joy in my life w her mom & brothers there was a part of my heart that was bitter & had turned to stone over the loss of the love of my daughter. A love that at moments during that span I believed to be irretrievably lost forever.


But we found our way back, somehow, someway she remembered over the course of events of her adult life that I was the one man at the ready to slew a thousand on her behalf or gladly die trying.

We’ve come full circle me & my little girl. My heart is whole & happy. No one can tell her what to do, but she makes good decisions now & she won’t be swayed from them any more than we could sway her from the bad decisions she made. Bad decisions helped decided by my hot temper & my arrogance that I could control my world & the people in it.

I know most on here are my age or older & have already raised their kids, but we have some younger guys that might possibly be going through a similar time w a teenage or young adult kid.

Don’t give up hope fellas, miracles happen. God can do wondrous things. I’ve prayed so hard to have my little girl back.


My family is whole & healthy & happy. I’ve got everything I wanted for Christmas.

She remembers how much we loved each other, & we love like that again, my cup runneth over.

Life is short. Glad you two found your way back to each other. Merry Christmas!

That's beautiful.

Thanks for sharing it. Merry Christmas!

Awesome... just awesome. Merry Christmas!

Thanks for sharing.

Merry Christmas

That’s a wonderful and honest tribute to your relationship with your daughter. Our journey is not always “perfect” but with self-reflection, love and forgiveness in our hearts the destination is what matters.

You know how much I respect you and your post above illustrates why. Honesty, loyalty, love, forgiveness along with a good dose of stubbornness are attributes I can relate to and respect.

A gift like you were given is the best type of gift. It reflects not just your journey but the fact that despite your differences, when love seemed lost to you and you thought her gone she never forgot the lessons and dedication you taught her.

You’re a blessed man and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and healthy New Year!

Thanks for sharing as I currently have son about midway in that journey. Gives me hope.

Merry Christmas

I have a 3 1/2 year old girl who is extremely head-strong and stubborn. She has her way with my wife. It’s almost like watching siblings rather than mother and daughter. I am pretty tough on her and I’m the only one she will obey. Even though I’m definitely the disciplinarian, she’s closer to me than her mother.

She also has my parents and the inlaws wrapped around her finger. At first, everyone thought I was too tough on her, but they now realize there is no other way if you want her to behave. She’s an angel around me, but a hellion around them. They always comment about how drastically her behavior changes around me.

I fear that one day she will resent me for being the “mean” one. It will really be disappointing if our relationship suffers because she realizes I’m the only one who provides consequences.

Glad to hear!

That's the good stuff!

Good for you and her. Merry Christmas

It is always good to hear of people turning their life around.

Gooch, many children need, and want defined boundaries - some even before they realize it, mentally.
BTDT

2legit, you've given ME an excellent Christmas present. These days, tales of hope are damned scarce. I, too, deal with estrangement in the family, and it's so uplifting to hear of a reunion.

Thanks much for sharing the tale of your blessings.

Merry Christmas,

FC

Wow. Merry Christmas, 2.

Glad to hear there is light at the end of the tunnel. Divorced and my soon to be 16 year old daughter doesn't talk to me. I hope she comes around sooner than later. Thanks for sharing your story.

Congrats Randy. Thanks for sharing that story. I'm exceedingly glad y'all got back together. Have a Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas Randy! Heartwarming to hear, and you and your daughter showed a lot of guts to hang in there and not burn bridges forever. Peace and Joy to you and your family tonight and in the New Year!

Happy for ya bud.

Merry Christmas to you folks!

I'm happy for the both of you, Merry Christmas.

Thanks for the Merry Christmas wishes guys, and your celebrating w me my good fortune.

But for you men that believe in prayer, please pray for the guys going through a similar trial w their kids.

Other than losing a child through death, not much more painful than losing a child you loved so much & loved you just about as much as losing the love of said child.

For you men that don’t believe in prayer send good vibes or thoughts whatever you do for those men w the courage to admit they’re going through a similar hell w their child.

Ain’t much more of a lonely feeling to have a ruined or on the rocks marriage & children from that marriage to turn their heart away from you. For guys going through that my heart aches for you as btdt as I’ve outlined.

I realize I’m one of the lucky ones, got it all back thank God.

But for the men that need hope currently, they have my hopes & prayers for similar good fortune.

Damn but you’re some good men to celebrate my good fortune w me. God bless you each & everyone & Merry Christmas to you.