Happy Birthday, Son

There was never a dull moment that year. I was a student at Northwest University, worked full time swing shift in a hotel 20 miles away, and my ex was due any minute with our first child. The load in school was brutal, money was tighter than a drum skin, and Christmas had just passed. I am sure every college student who has gone through similar things can certainly relate. Life was stressful, but it was also pregnant with promise and hope for a bright future.

It was snowing that night, January 4th, and it was cold. I was working in Tacoma and living in Kirkland,usually a very easy freeway drive at night, but with it snowing, well, let's just say it made the journey an adventure.

I finished my shift at midnight in Tacoma, went out to my car, unburied it, and headed through town to the freeway. Let's just say that that it was a wild, slick, spinning, adventure, but eventfully, I pulled safely into the parking lot of our apartment in Kirkland. I entered our little place, and to my surprise, my ex was pacing back and forth in the living room. I asked her what was wrong, and she said that she had eaten a large piece of pecan pie and was having indigestion. OK, we were a little naive. OK, we were a lot naive! I was so tired from school and work that I figured I would just go to bed and everything would be all right. Well,  about two hours later she woke me up and said" I don't think that it is indigestion."

Off to Overlake Hospital we went, and sure enough, about  6 hours later, I was a father, and my son, who is named after me, was born.

How time does fly. That was 40 years ago today. I was 20. That makes me 39 year old now, Wow, my son is older than I am.

Happy birthday, Son I love you.