Happy Birthday to us!

Dear Chicken Nugget,

On February 8th, your mom and I celebrated our birthday.  She and I share the same birthday, a year apart.

When your mom and I met, it was in passing. She was a coworker of two of my roommates and I was a one of four bachelor guys sharing an apartment that boasted a four foot poster of Snoop Dogg on the wall.

She would occasionally drop by for a school planning session or I would see her at a friendly poker game.  We interacted briefly, I thought she was cute and I liked that she could play poker and beat the guys, but we never really had much of a conversation.

Then, one day, at a friend's surprise birthday party she and I sat across from each other at the bar.  We were talking birthdays and she said hers was in February.  I said, "Oh yeah?  Me too.  When?"

"February 8th."

I smiled. "That's my birthday too."

As I remember it, we stared at each other for a second or two in disbelief and I made some comment about how Aquarians are the best.  And that was that.

A couple of years later I was having dinner on February 8th with her and your Grandma Betty celebrating our birthday.  A couple of years after that we were celebrating our birthday, getting ready to fly to Negril, Jamaica for our wedding.  And, three years after that... you joined us for our birthday.

Birthday dinner with Grandma Betty

The absolute best birthday gift we could ever ask for is you.


Eternally yours,

Tu papa

good things come with the rain

Dear Chicken Nugget,

This week we've had a lot of rain in New York City and I want to share with you my thoughts on rain.  Rain is good, despite everyone's complaining.

Rain brings things back to life; it makes things green.  Rain will bring the trees, flowers, and plants back to life in the Spring after a cold, snowy Winter.  Rain brings fresh water to the farmers for their crops.  Rain fills up the wells for those who rely on them for drinking water.
 

But, there are also other examples of rain bringing good things.  In fact, not only do I think the rain is good, I think it's grand!
 

On Sunday, May 1, 2009 I ran the NJ Marathon.  It was my second marathon and I was hoping to beat my old time.  The problem was, it was raining.  At first it was an easy drizzle.  But, as the marathon progressed, around Mile 20-22, the rain got stronger and the wind got harder.  It wasn't easy and I was soaked and very cold at the end, but I finished thiry minutes faster than my old time...in the rain.

Another great example is the day that your mom and I got married, Monday, February 18, 2008.  As we were getting dressed for the ceremony, it started to rain.  Your mom and I had decided to get married at the beach in Negril, Jamaica, your mom had a beautiful white dress to wear, and the rain didn't look like it was going to stop.

I was standing in the balcony of my friend Bill's hotel room staring out at the beach hoping and praying that the rain would stop.  They say that rain is good luck on your wedding day and I was hoping the good luck would come quick.  It did.  With five minutes left until the ceremony began, the rain stopped and the sun came out.  Your mom couldn't look more beautiful as she walked down the sandy aisle.  It was a great ceremony and afterwards we danced on the beach...in the sun.  The rain did bring us good luck that day.

So, if we ever end up living in the Pacific Northwest, you'll understand why.  We like the green.  We like the life.  We like the luck.  We love the rain.

Chicken Nugget, may the rain bring you as much life and luck as it has brought us.

Eternally yours,

Your papa