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Tuesday, September 09, 2008

From a grateful Dad and former home owner

I have to make a choice. I can write about two things tonight. Both are very important to me. Four days ago my house sold after a year on the market. Today my daughter turns a lovely 28 years old. I have to write about the one that means the most to me.

She was all pink and slimy. Her eyes were like saucers except that they pierced deeply into my soul. In ninety seconds I went from being a man who never wanted children to a man who would die for one. It took her a heartbeat to win my soul. That was 10,220 days (you may adjust for leap years yourself) ago and absolutely nothing has changed. I have gone through the observation phase of the birth process three times. And three times I have fallen to unfathomable depths of love that I never thought possible.

Kelli was the first and today, from a distance of nearly 600 miles, I have silently celebrated every hour. How do you say "thank you" to God for someone so life improving, so heart changing, so soul inspiring, as any of my three kids? How do you wrap your mind around the truth that God allows us ... mortal human beings ... to participate with Him in the process of creation? God created my kids through love. The love of my wife and I for each other. And now we see the reflection of that love in each of them as they have chosen their mates very well.

And so to my kids on this night I say a grateful thank you. Thanks for being who you are. Thanks for loving your parents. Thanks for the unmitigated joy of watching you grow up. Thanks for making our houses into homes. Tomorrow I will fly back to St. Louis to that newly sold house. I'll fix the minor things that need repairing before inspectors descend upon it. But my mind won't be on wiring or termites. My mind will be on memories. Laughter. Games of "HORSE" in the driveway. Dates making their way through the front door and out again. Some rejected. Some accepted into the family. Christmas mornings. Pizza dinners. An occasional disagreement. Some of them louder than others. But I will remember that it's just a house. Houses all come down eventually. Memories? They last forever when you make them treasures and not anchors.

Kelli. Scott. Chris. Here's to the treasures. And Debbie? Nice job...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep, I'd say the slump is over. Way to hit one out of the park!

Anonymous said...

Woohoo! I'm so glad your house sold!!!

Earth Muffin said...

Congratulations on selling your house! That's great news that I know you guys have been waiting a long time for. Say hi to Debbie!

johnsonfamilyof6 said...

Awwww..... you made me all teary eyed! I wish all fathers were as descriptive as you are about their love for their children. Well said. And saying it is the most important part.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the house sale!

Also, this is why your story is in Gregory Lang's book.

Seriously, you're an amazing writer.

Anonymous said...

Hey, way to sell a house! It was good seeing you again, I'll send you the video of Scott when we're done editing it!

Anonymous said...

Nice job, again, Ron.

Congrats on selling the house, too.

Guess what? We just bought one and are moving in about 6 weeks - again! Are we nuts?

Teva said...

I have to agree with Gregg when he says that you are a wonderful writer. You've got wisdom because I think that you've listened not only with your ears, but with your heart and soul all of these years. I'm thankful there are wonderful dads out there like you, and that you've got children who know that you love them beyond the depths of imagination. Thank you for your writing, I think it is a gift to all of us in the blog world.