Happy Birthday...

When I woke up before dawn this morning I was in a soft bed, covered with a feather duvet. I was curled up, hugging the back of this man. I have hugged this man in my sleep almost every night for TWENTY SIX years. And every morning one of my first thoughts is that of gratitude that he is there beside me, radiating the heat of one whose inner furnace burns extra bright.

This morning I took time to send thoughts of thanks to his mother, Vernice, whom I loved, and his father, Wally, whom (sadly) I never met. Because today is the day of this mans birth. And without him my life... well, I don't even want to think about where my life would be if I were not yoked to to him. He is my sun rising and setting, he is my moon and stars. He is my tides, my storms, my sunny days. I am never more complete than when we are together, and I am never alone when I know he is alive and on the planet.

My joys are amplified when I share them, my sorrows are softened by his presence. I am the most blessed of women... I married a very good man.

Happy Birthday Chris. I am grateful every day that I am able to spend it with you. Thank you, thank you for allowing me to be by your side as we walk this walk. It is my prayer that we will be together forever. You complete me.

A fine father...

My father, David S. Waters, was a wonderful man. Known for his devotion to family and his country, his work ethic, his honesty, his penchant for driving convertible cars (and waving at every person he passed!) and his sometimes off-color sense of humor, I was always proud to be his daughter. He was a fine father-I loved him, and I know he loved me. But I never had the level of relationship with him that my daughter, Rachel, has had with her father.

When Rachel was new, Chris didn't know what to do with her. If she cried, he turned the TV up louder to drown out the sound. If I asked him to watch her infant self for a moment, he was liable to strap her to the changing table and go take a shower. More than once I despaired that the man I chose to marry would never make it as the wonderful father for our kid that I had hoped for.

Sometimes it is good to be wrong. Once she was past the brand-new infant phase, Chris blossomed into the most wonderful father ever. He is the kindest, gentlest, most supportive and giving man I have ever known. And he rained these qualities on our baby. Our daughter grew up with a daddy that adored her, took her on hundreds of memorable daddy-daughter dates, taught her how to ride a bike and drive a car, discussed things like politics and religion and war and you name it and gave her the following advice about the males of the species: "boys are icky." He has showered her with gifts over the last 21 years, and I think she would be the first to say she has been blessed with a father that loves her.

Not only is my sweet husband my soul mate and lover and best friend, he is a father to be admired. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am a lucky woman. And our daughter? She has been blessed by having Chris for a daddy. Happy Father's Day, Chris. Thank you for being my partner in parenting and in all things. Cheers!