8 years ago I worried... I waited... I stood in wonder.

I worried as all sorts of things delayed the arrival of my little one. jewelp had gone late, and had to be induced - and all of that was just going nowhere. It was maddening and everything that seemed to be going "off plan" just raised my anxiety levels.

I waited all day - it seemed to last forever.I knew that it would all be alright. I knew it. I felt certain that the day would end well, and I could feel the last few moments of my previous priorities and perspectives were slipping away. I waited to take the next step, and then I waited some more. I waited next to jewelp while the C-section happened, staring into her eyes and feeling the warmth of hope that we both clung to. I waited as they told me that the baby was out, and that it was a boy. I waited for what seemed like an eternity to hear that first cry. I waited and waited - and then it was there. The most perfect little cry, it filled the room and it filled my heart. I'll never forget that feeling. Never.

I held him. I took him out of the room, and introduced him to his family. I watched as people looked on him with love. I watched as the emotions washed over them, elation, adoration, pride, and curiosity... There were so many questions - there still are. He has never stopped giving me a sense of wonder. He is a marvel of intricacies and riddles - He is a full time education in who I am, and who I want to be.

There's a line in the movie, Excalibur... It's perfect:

"I did not know how empty was my soul, until it was filled."

I'm the luckiest man alive.

Happy birthday, little man. Thank you for coming into my world and making it so much brighter.

You are my Son. You are my Sun.