A Proud Father's Birthday Note to His Adult Son

You live 16 hours away so I don't get to see you as much as I would like to. To replace the physical presence, I instead think of you often and reflect on your life and who you have become. These feelings and thoughts become more prevalent and meaningful on the eve of your birthdays. For this, your 27th birthday, I think back to those moments that have been my proudest as your father, and those that are the most memorable.

At only nine days old, your mother and I traveled to Seattle to meet your loving birth-parents. Knowing that they were too young and without the resources to properly and lovingly raise a child, they bravely registered with the local adoption agency and, after a long and emotionally trying period, handed you, an infant of a child, into our arms, into our home, and into our hearts. There were a lot of tears, joy, and overflowing emotions as you moved from the arms of one set of parents into the arms of another. It is a day that I will never forget.

Life's twists and turns usually follow a path that one doesn’t expect nor anticipate, even with (or maybe in spite of), all the proper planning and preparation in the world. A particular sinuous course led your mother and me down a path toward divorce. Upon award of custody, I was proud of how you, at only 10 years of age, showed a certain  maturity as you became accepting of your new household and new family, and for taking full advantage of the stability and broader opportunities that were provided for you.

Your favorite past time activity

I sometimes think you can walk on water

Your career as a high school wrestler embodied the strength, perseverance, and tenacity you needed and exhibited to become the adult you now are. This was most notable and forever etched in my mind during one particular meet. You were just elevated into the varsity ranks. Your team was shutting out the opposition. All of the matches prior to yours resulted in wins for your teammates. The spotlight was now on you. A complete team shutout was dependent on your performance. You fell behind early. Your opponent gained points on you with a couple of takedowns and reversals. But you hung on. You fought back. You were strong and tenacious. You positioned yourself to take advantage of a moment where, if you acted swiftly and smartly, you could get the win. And that is exactly what you did. With a clever move, you had him on his back and got the pin to win the match, preserving the win streak and the shutout for your team. People stood up and cheered. Your coach praised you in the next day's newspaper. To me, it was a defining moment for you, giving you confidence and resolve on the cusp of adulthood.

You were off to Marine boot camp in California only days after graduation. I wouldn't see you for the next three months while you endured the toughest training and molding any organization, any military branch, anything or anyone, anywhere in the world, could expose a young man to. But you did it, and did so successfully. I almost didn't recognize you when I first saw you at boot camp graduation. Your physical change was obvious. Most memorable though was the change in you demeanor, a change in the way you carried yourself. A quiet strength and self-assurance had taken over you - you who I once knew as a kid only months before.

Enduring a grueling day in boot camp

Boot Camp graduation

After bouncing around the country from one base to another for skills training, you were stationed in the Carolina's from where you would soon be off to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Off to War!" It was a phrase that hadn't previously occurred to me even though I knew for months that's what you would be doing. You were lined up with your fellow soldiers, waiting to board the bus to the airfield. You glanced at me as your unit walked away. It was then that the full impact of what you were about to do struck me. I was filled with emotion, tears in my eyes. I was proud of you, and proud of what you were doing to keep our country safe. You would do this again two more times for a total of three tours overseas. To this day, like during your tours, my emotions well up inside whenever I hear the national anthem, thinking of what you did and

your selfless service to our country.

Getting your papers and orders

About to get on the bus to leaving for Iraq

In country, serving in Iraq

You have since settled in Texas, married a wonderful woman, and are raising three beautiful children, my grandchildren whom I cherish. Their births and watching you raise them are more of those defining moments in which you have made me proud. Raising children brings both joy and worry. You are doing so admirably and impressively, and in a manner to securely and responsibly provide for them financially.

Newly sworn police officer

You have done this by continuing in your quest to serve the public, this time as a sworn police officer. You are facing dangers on a daily basis, but doing so proudly and professionally because keeping your community safe from harm is what you do. Watching you at the police academy graduation was yet another memorable moment in my time as your father. As you were sworn in and as your wife pinned on your badge, I was once again filled with emotion and pride.

From the time you were first placed in my arms 27 years ago to the time you became an adult with a wife, family, and professional career 27 years later, you have continued to grow into a responsible adult, loving husband and father, and a man whom I am proud to call my son.