Rich Dad

“Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad.”
                                                                                    ~ Unknown

How true.

I can state that I never wanted to have children (uh-huh!) until I met Mark. I was the oldest and only sister to three obnoxiously rambunctious “boys-will-be-boys” brothers. They tested my parents and me beyond anything imaginable. The idea of having children that might act like my brothers, well…I found it unappetizing.

Time, maturity and love changed my perspective on children. When I fell in love with and pegged Mark for my future, I realized that I also wanted children with him. A minimum of four or five, maybe a dozen. In this man I saw someone who valued me as an equal partner. I loved this guy who was funny, sensitive, compassionate, ethical, brilliant, and entrepreneurial, a man who understood women, having grown up as the only and middle brother of three wonderful, zany, spirited sisters. I was touched by how he embraced his inner child and encouraged me to embrace mine. The importance of family was deeply ingrained in him and I discovered that it was in me as well. He was crazy about kids and vice-versa. What a package!

We wasted no time in building our family. Despite occasional and normal “hiccups,” our kids are doing well, growing confident and independent in leaps and bounds. Mark is a major part of all of the kids’ successful growth and self-esteem, embracing fatherhood and all of the “everything” it entails. Sure I’m biased, but he is an amazing father.

Aubry told me earlier, “You know Mama. I get it. What you said. Dad is the richest man in the whole wide world because he has us and our love!”

That’s right, baby.