Birthdays (43 Worth)

Thankful for mom and dad for the first hugs and holds. You poured a foundation of love 43 years ago. I am adding stories to that foundation each year and it is holding strong.

Thankful for Hank and Helen, Larry and Kate. I don’t remember the waiting room at the hospital but you were as steadfast for me through my years and you were for mom and dad that night.

Thankful for whomever gave me my first bite of cake. Still hooked.

Thankful for cousins and candles, aunts and uncles, spring time fun and and lifetime of Irish color in my birthday season. Thanks for coolers full of root beer and big wheels at every house.

Thankful for mom taking me to Shoney’s breakfast buffet I don’t even know how many times. I loved those runny eggs. Mom you were the best.

Thankful for I don’t even know how many lemon cakes. My birthday favorite. Mom you were the best.

Thankful for lord knows how much plastic, GI Joe, Transformer, D & D, Nintendo, capital spent by too many, too often and too much.

Thankful for sharing a March birthday with lifelong friends. Joe, Matt, Craig, Nick to name a few. (If I forgot someone, sorry. I am getting old)

Thankful for the bowling party where I cried cause I was awful. (No. That was not last year. Yes, I am still awful)

Thankful mom for driving to west county for the brand new board, trucks, wheels, etc. You had a hard time saying no. You were incredible. I have that problem now with Kate and Chloe so, you know. Karma.

SUPER Thankful for the rent-the-splash-skate-park-with-all-my-friends-it-was-SO-AWESOME-BIRTHDAY!!!

Thankful for the notes in my locker birthdays.

Thankful my parents owned a ’89 cavalier on my 16th birthday. Even 5 more horsepower would have been ill-advised

Thankful for all those that were there for my 18th birthday. That one was tough. Mom you were missed.

Thankful for those closest, dearest, most compassionate friends who 22 years ago felt compelled to mix Tabasco + tequila for shot #(REDACTED). Third person anecdotes say that was a fun night.

Thankful for dad answering the phone when I was a wistful, melancholy mess at age 25. Sipping a pint of Guinness wondering: “25?!?!? Where has my life gone”. He said he felt the same way when he was 25 but he learned the best was yet to come. He was right. Dad, you are the best.

NOTE: I don’t feel half as old today as I felt that night. #Perspective

Thankful for the restaurant shift birthdays.

Thankful for the golden tee with co-workers birthdays

Thankful for the pool league birthdays. Good times and great peeps.

Thankful for the vat of Kahlua-coffee, 30th birthday round of golf. Featuring a birdie by yours truly that the golf gods have yet to forgive. ITS BEEN 13 YEARS. LET IT GO!

Thankful for the cake Sarah made for me when we were dating. She knew her man then. She knows him still (Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake today!!)

Thankful for Koolio not letting a birthday slip through unnoticed on more than a few out of town trips with the crew. Also thanks Koolio for being a part of most if not all the above and below birthdays. And more than a few best of 55 high-level 9-ball birthdays. Good times.

Thankful for the Columbia Crew and of course Big Sis. I simply cannot imagine any sub section of my 43 years without them. Too many diners, too much cake, soooooo many laughs.

Thankful for my incredible little brother. I am cool not remembering the first few birthdays. They only started to count once you were there with me. Your the best.

Thankful for the new family I have picked up along the way. The “step”/ “in-law” notation is for lawyers. Two new moms, a bonus dad, two new brothers, three new sisters, and some pretty incredible nieces and nephews.

Thankful for Debbie, Bonus Mom One. She has settled dads soul, embraced Brian and I as her own sons and is an amazing MaMa to Kate, Chloe and all her grand kids. Debbie, you are the best.

Thankful for Kathy and Ron. Bonus Mom Two and Bonus Dad. Think Kathy stitched a quit of destiny for Sarah and I from the jump. Ron has provided and protected Sarah and does so now for our entire family. Your love radiates through the entire family. You two are the absolute best.

Thankful for Sarah, Kate and Chloe. Every birthday with them is a reminder of the 365 days I got to be a husband and father and a reminder I get to start another 365 day lap anew.

Thankful for all the love. The texts, the voice mails, the social media shout-outs.

It is no small thing that 43 years + 1 day ago I was not.

43 years ago I was.

43 years later I am awash in gratitude.

43 years + 1 day a new lap begins…

Thanks for reading.

Photo by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash