The Measure of a Man

I have always known I was going
to be a mommy.

I have loved children
since I was tiny myself.
On my thirteenth birthday,
I marched into the church nursery
and demanded a job watching
the children on Sundays.
I did this until I went to college.

I also babysat in high school,
during college and even post college.

The "babies" I watched are now grown
in college, completed college or even married
although none have children of their own yet.

So, long story short,
I never had any doubt that
the man I would one day marry
would have to love kids,
genuinely, from the heart.

Rob and I started dating when
I was only 19 years old.
At the time, I was volunteering very often
at the Susan Gray Lab school at Vanderbilt University.
(my degree is in Special Education.)
Rob would sometimes accompany me.

Unbeknownst to him,
I would sneak off.

I would tell him I had to go to the bathroom
and then, after I left the classroom,
I would walk around to the observation booth
and watch him through the two way mirror.

He couldn't see me but I could see him.

I would watch to see how he interacted
with the birth to three year old special needs kids
in that classroom when I wasn't there.

If he looked bored or disinterested in them
when I was not in the room,
then he was not going to be the man for me.

Instead what I saw was a loving,
tender and caring man.

This same man loves our children
with a full and giving heart,
with kindness and such warmth and pride.
He tells them he loves them
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
He is affectionate,
he is fun.

They will never know how lucky they were
to grow up in a house
with a man like their dad.

But I do.

Happy Father's Day
to Rob and all you other dads out there
who love your kids and teach them
how to be fantastic, loving people.