Happy Birthday to Our "Someone"

Happy  Birthday,  Papa!

Every year, when your birthday draws near, the boys and I get a little giddy with excitement thinking of what wonderfully creative and surprising joys we can craft for you.  Usually, this requires a trip to Sonic and some driving around with our fruity, frosty over-flowing "think-tanks."  Or, we might hold a truly official meeting at our local office (kitchen) with official snacks (chocolate chip cookies), and follow official procedure (dunk in milk and imbibe freely to keep good ideas flowing).  

Every idea is freely expressed, considered, and debated (these were our recent inspirations): a homing device for your sunglasses, cell phone and billfold? A scope for your guns? A dune buggy (I coughed up a cookie on that one)? A football signed by Colin Klein? 

How wonderful for us all, your little tribe, to have someone to throw our arms and our hearts around every day, someone we treasure so dearly, so deeply that we get to experience the delight of the yearning to speak with clearest thoughts and to show with most sincere affection just how much that someone is loved.  You are our someone.

The pace of our life seems to be quickening, doesn't it? The birthdays come around and we are first to ask, "Where has the time gone?"  I have a deep desire for time to slow down, for our footsteps to be firmly anchored in moments, every moment, really, be it ordinary or extraordinary, so that I can absorb all of the goodness of you, you with our children, you with me, you on your own, not noticing how terribly much I admire you, from the strength of your arms to the tenderness of your soul and the courage of your faith.

Sometimes you are very hard on yourself.  I think that this is because you understand with great clarity the enormity of the mission of raising a family, leading us and loving us all the way to heaven.  And, we follow you, placing our little trusting feet in your giant footsteps, happy to feel so secure and so loved along the way.

Today, we wish you everything we cannot give - sweet peace, abundant health and deep-down joy, and we give you the best of what we can - our love, affection, affirmation and gratitude for being our "someone".  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!