My Golden Boy

Today is my husband's 50th birthday. We have been together for 25 years now. You learn a lot about a person in 25 years. You learn a lot about a person when you have gone to college while dating, gotten married, moved 500 miles from home, had children, raised children, then teenagers, sent them off to college, buried your parents, ran a business, survived a tornado, frantically dealt with health issues with your children, left your underware in the floor, left the lid up on the toilet......you get the picture.

The first time I ever saw my husband he was 6'3" tall, about 155 lbs, had a toboggan pulled down over his beet red face and ears, coveralls on which were too short because he's so tall, manure on his boots and he was terribly, painfully shy. My cousin had been telling me and my Dad what a great guy this man was and how I just had to meet him. I took one look and thought, "you have got to be kidding." Fast forward a year or so. My cousin is still talking about this vet student who worked at the clinic where she worked. This time he hadn't just arrived from pulling a calf. He may have had a few more lbs on his very long legs and arms and well maybe he was kind of nice.

By this time, he had decided that I was far too young for him. We talked over the summer but by fall, I realized that this wasn't going to happen, so in the fall I went off to school. In true horsedoc fashion, he waited until I moved 2 hrs away until he decided to ask me out. It was Oct. 13, 1984, and we have been together since then. Last week, he called me into our office and told me that I needed to look at something on my desk. It was a bag from a jeweler with one of those Pandora's box bracelets. It had a charm for faith, hope and love, one for each child, a horse, representing our business, and a charm that represents the jouney, with hills and valley's. He had remembered that our first date was on Oct. 13, 25 years ago and had bought this for me. I didn't remember. It was one of the sweetest things he has ever done. It certainly is better than the car mats that I got for Christmas during one of our much earlier years. Like fine wine, he is improving with age, even though the thought of aging is a little unsettling to him.

On this day, October 18, 2009, I celebrate the birth of a wonderful man, my husband, the father of my children, the son of Joe and Loretta, a passionate horseman, a caring veterinarian amd a faithful catholic christian man. I am so proud of this boy who came from a terribly small coal mining town, who was the second generation of coal miners, who had a dream to be a horse vet since age4, who does what he sets out to do no matter the challenge.

He truly loves his job. It is his vocation. I watch as he deals with each horse and he really really cares. It isn't merely a paycheck. When he is treating horse that isn't doing as well as he'd like, he worries, checks on them, even though there is no appointment, he studies, constantly, he consults with the necessary specialist to be sure he is headed in the right direction.

He is a good father. He does a better job with teenagers than I do. He is becoming very sentimental with the kids. While this is a little uncomfortable with them, they will be so glad to have it as time goes on. He is a great son. He is a warrior for his mother. He was a thoughtful grandson. My parents were so proud of him. I am so proud of him.

So on this day of his 50th birthday, I am so grateful for this man and all that he is becoming. I am thankful to God for a man who tries to follow God's will first. I am thankful to his mom for the gift of her son. I am thankful to my children who are daily reminders of their Dad. So, have a happy happy birthday and know that you are loved!!