18 Years Ago

Has it really been 18 years ago that we were sitting at dinner with good friends of ours (about 7 folks we were pretty close to) when Sondra excused herself from the table and hollered for me and then quietly instructed me "to bring me some towels, I think my water broke." Me being the calm, cool collected individual that I am, and this was our 2nd child, mildly panicked and got some towels from our friend, Barry (we were at his house) and thus began the late night out for the birth of our Morgan.

Sondra and I farmed Shelbi out to some other friends and made our way to Baptist Hospital where we settled in for a night of rest. WRONG! I flopped around on the floor like a fish out of water while Sondra laid in the warm bed hooked up to a monitor and other stuff they hook delivering moms to. After the nurses kept coming in to check on the progress and to really just keep us from resting, Sondra progressed rapidly and the nurse called our #1 doctor, Richard Presley (always joked w/ him about being Elvis' brother) who was not on call but came to deliver Morgan because he is just a great dr. and good friend.

Early that morning (January 11, 1992) at 309-312a.m (somewhere in there, I can't remember exactly) Morgan came into the world crying like . . . well, a newborn baby. What a beautiful child and one who has brought us much joy. Eighteen years ago. How crazy is that and how quickly time flies. I know it sounds cliche', but it really does go all too quickly.

Here is a quick open letter to Morgan -
I just want to tell you how much I love you and how proud I am of you. I apologize for giving you my bushy eyebrows, my nose and chin, but you also got some of my better qualities. You and I are scary together at times, reading one another's minds and not saying anything but communicating by just looking at each other.

I love your sense of humor; your easy going demeanor; your desire to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do and it honors God; the way you lead and influence others without having to have a position of leadership to do that in. Of course, your memory is like mine too in that we know there are things we need to get done but are easily distracted and forget. You are happy in a crowd and are good to go if you are by yourself. I am thankful that you are who you are and choose to not let others influence you when you know that it does not lead you to a good place.

Thanks for bringing your mom, sister and I so much fun and laughter. You might be the "baby" of the family, but you have taught us much.

I love you. I am proud of you. I am most honored when someone knows me because I am your dad. You and Shelbi are great blessings from God. Thanks for letting me be your dad. I know you did not have a choice initially (of course you didn't) but you gladly accept me as your dad now. I am honored.

Happy Birthday Morgan. I love you.

Dad