The Birthday Boy.

Today is David's birthday.  It's not every day that I get a chance to brag about him publicly. So, today, I will brag.

Thirty years ago, a bouncing baby boy was born.  Baby of five, the youngest of three brothers and two sisters.  Much like the mighty King David, he was a shepherd boy herding his sheep growing up.  They might not have been real sheep, but you get the picture.  He was small but mighty.  Young but wise (he started his own business at five and sold life insurance to his neighbors for a quarter).  He attacked Goliath with a slingshot and killed him (or maybe that was just his teacher's plant that he peed on and withered up). He was anointed to become King (Homecoming King, that is!)...and also is an amazing psalmist (he makes up some doozies for Ella June).  And man can that boy dance.

He is today's Birthday Boy, and what a great day to celebrate him!  He's been preparing his five smooth stones for awhile now; he's engaged and ready for battle.  He's ready to defend honor and justice as well as his family and friends.  He's learned the ways of royalty and is very well suited to be King; he takes joy in standing when a lady comes to sit at the table, and he always has me walk on the inside of the sidewalk so he'll get hit by a car first--if needed)...

And he can do the best butt dance around (those who've seen it KNOW what I'm talkin' about!).  This is the party dance; ready to be pulled out for any special occasion...especially weddings.  He used to strut his stuff as our college mascot.  He'd shake his tailfeather at every football game and campus event, and when I saw him dance, it was crush central.  Who is this mystery falcon boy?

Little did I know this falcon had his eye on me, too.  I was in his computer class and didn't even know it.  In his psalmist ways, he would later tell me the story of how he waited for me to walk into the doorway.  His heart would sing and my hair would blow in the wind to Etta James' "At last....my love has come along." I don't know that it was really quite so dramatic--except we did live in the windiest city in Ohio.  So, the hair blowin' in the wind, that could have definitely been true.

We finally met, across the table of a Miracle Child.  She was beautiful and her name was Jody; a paraplegic and a sweetheart in this universe.  Something about her was attractive, and before we knew it, we were both sitting there talking to her, looking up to meet one another.

Months went by, and we hung out at football games and philanthropies and Greek date parties.  And, then one day, it happened.  It was official.  David walked with me in a cold and wet parking lot outside of the Education building.  It was just a few days after September 11th, and this handsome falcon would turn to me and tell me how his life had changed.  In this instant, I was so overwhelmed with joy, I passed out. It was like hands-raised-in-the-air, passed-out-in-a-puddle happy-- because it was this day, that I knew he would be mine.  It was an act from the Divine.

And since then, our love has blossomed.  Today's birthday boy has changed my life.  He's the kind of gentlemen you want to raise lots of babies with.  A man's man.  A family man.  The best dad around. He is brilliant and smart, gifted and generous.  His middle name is compassion, and he is looked up to by many.

So, on December 13th, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for my huh-knee, the birthday boy!

Happy Birthday, babe!

(corresponding song: I've Gotta Feeling by The Black-Eyed Peas)