A Man Like This

Today as we mark the twenty eighth anniversary of his birth I am thankful for the kind, compassionate, hard working, dedicated, funny and sweet man that is my husband. In thinking this however I can't forget another anniversary. Twenty eight years ago today his mother became just that. Were it not for her, he would not be. Not only would he not be, he would not be quite him. Behind a man like this is a woman like her.

In my gratitude for Jonathan I am simultaneously grateful for all the sleepless nights, diaper changes, hugs, cuddles and adoration that went into him. For the love, effort, baseball games and kissed knees. It takes a lot of commitment in a mother's role to tirelessly dole out the support, compassion, kindness and perseverance to raise a man like this. It takes bubble baths, matching socks, birthday parties, homemade cupcakes and Halloween costumes. It takes muffins and mud
puddles, race cars and puppies. It takes small moments and big events. It takes selflessness and sacrifice. Everyday. It takes prayerful pleas, hope and worry. It takes runny noses, fevers, pride and many thankless days to raise a man like this.

To raise a man like this, a Mother must know that one day she will pass him on to another woman; who won't iron his pants quite the same, or remember he doesn't like orange juice with syrup but maybe she could love him almost as much as she. This mother knows that though she will never cradle him in her arms again, kiss a skinned elbow or hurt feeling she knows that no matter how far away he is, how busy he gets or how big he grows, no one can replace in the special part of a little boy's heart the love he has for a mother like this.

I am so grateful to be married to a man like this. I am so grateful to a mother like her.