I once heard it said that the real ride or die is your first born who got the unhealed, inexperienced version of you. The one who stuck with you through it all. The one who saved you in more ways then they’ll ever understand. Nothing could be further from the truth! Then you look back at pictures of them when they were younger and just cry your effing eyes out because you didn’t really get to enjoy their childhood the way you wish you could have because you were in survival mode.

Been there! DONE THAT!

But guess what, folks? Our kiddos are more forgiving then we think. Dare I say that more often than not they forgive our many trespasses against them, whether or not they were intentional, much too quickly. Yes, they saw our tempers. Yes, they experienced our frustrations and lack of patience. Yes, for all the things we were trying to hard to teach them, they were sent here to teach us, too. After all, this parenting gig didn’t really come with an instruction manual, now, did it?

I love you, Christian Peter! Thank you for riding this storm out with me while I was waiting for the sky to change.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!