20 Years

February 9th, 1990 at 10:52pm, my life changed forever. I had just given birth to a beautiful baby boy. We were estatic with this new addition to our family. We were just very naive as to what this would mean to the rest of our lives, as are all new parents.

I remember Paul saying to me soon after Paul, Jr. was born. "Can you believe he's going to live with us for the next 18 or 20 years?" I remember replying, "Can you believe there is going to be a time that he will NOT live with us?"

We didn't realize the love we would have for that baby, and for all the ones that followed (and are still following). We didn't realize the amount of work involved in taking care of a baby, then a toddler, then a little boy. We didn't realize that parenting was the most tiring, most heart wrenching job that either of us would hold. We sure didn't realize the cost involved in raising a child, especially when said child reaches the teenage years and eats seemingly non stop.

We didn't realize either, how a child can take your life and enrich it; how they can add life and joy to the home. Or how with one look, your heart can melt. We didn't realize as we had more children, how our love would multiply and expand to include each child with unconditional love. We sure didn't realize how unconditional love from a child can change your life.

On that night, 20 years ago, on a warm Florida evening, we knew none of this. All we knew was that the baby we held was ours and that we loved him with a fierce love, even though we had just met.

Paul John, Happy Birthday. You have been a joy to your parents hearts since the day we met. How proud we are of you and of the man you are becoming. Stay true to God. We love you son.