Flashback Friday...Happy Father's Day!

In honor of Father's Day, and also the most wonderful father in the world, we are flashing back to Christmas 1991, when he first learned he was going to become a father...

When we got married, we knew we wanted to have children soon...but decided to wait a year before we got started. Well, as the weeks and months went on, that time was reduced little by little until we decided, to heck with it, let's have a baby now! Our first pregnancy sadly ended in miscarriage and surgery to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. We were devastated...but confident that we would yet have a family.

I found out I was expecting Troy about a week before Christmas...and believe it or not, held on to that information until Christmas Eve. The only thing that kept me from shouting it from the rooftops, was imagining the look on Cliff's face when he figured out the riddle. I wanted him to remember the moment forever.

He didn't suspect anything when I suggested we each open a present on Christmas Eve. Since there were so few, I was a little worried he'd want to save them all for the morning, and I didn't want to wait another day. I had packaged up a "Daddy Care Kit" with baby items, along with a card from our future child, explaining the times they would share with each object. I wrapped it in Christmas paper and put it under the tree. When Cliff opened it, he still didn't get it, and had to read the first few sentences in the card over and over until it registered, and then he looked at me with a huge grin and said, "Seriously?!" We hugged and I cried (surprise) and it was the best Christmas, ever.

I LOVE this hair...and the shirt, too...he was straight home from the gunsmith shop. Oh, how our lives have changed!

In case you are wondering, I have MANY pictures of Cliff with his eyes closed. It's actually a problem. Before our wedding, I actually had to threaten him, "I don't care what you have to do to work through it, you WILL keep your eyes open!" It must have worked, because most of the pictures were great.

He poured through the box with as much care as I put into compiling it. Either he really liked it, or he was in shock and didn't know what else to do!

I knew Cliff would be a great father, but really I had NO idea. Those first years were rough...with preterm labor and bedrest at 23 weeks, my hospitalization for mastitis when Troy was 6 weeks, to my departure for Field Medical Service School when Troy was 8 months old (for 10 weeks...and I only got to come home on weekends). Cliff had to rise to the occasion again and again. I can't tell you how many times I thought, "I'm way more of a liability than an asset here, and he's going to figure it out any minute." But he never flinched.

A huge "Aha" moment for me came when I was in the hospital. My fever was consistently over 105, and they had to administer IV antibiotics...but due to a variety of reasons, I had 13 different IV sticks in that week. Cliff was still going to work each day, and was coming back to the hospital to care for Troy and me through the night. Late one night, he brought Troy to me to feed, and Troy's little fist clasped tight around the IV in my hand and he yanked it out. I reached for the call button and it dropped...blood was dripping everywhere, and I just started shaking with sobs. Cliff whispered, "What's wrong?" and all I could think to say was, "I'm just afraid you're going to get sick of me!" He didn't say anything for a few seconds...just listened to me cry, and then said, "Of course I'm not going to get sick of you...I'm your husband, and this is what husbands do." They were simple words, but I knew he meant them...and I can't tell you how wonderful it has felt through the years to know that he is on my team, in marriage and in parenthood.

Happy Father's Day, Sweetie...you've earned it! Hope you enjoy your iPod and other treats. We'll also celebrate when you return, as the kids are eager for you to cash in on the breakfast in bed you have coming. You just name it and it's yours!