An Ode To My Wife

Several years ago I wrote my wife a poem of sorts and and presented it to her for our aniversary.  She loved receiving it and I printed and framed it for all to see.  As we approach our 18th annivesary I wanted to remind her that I continue to appreciate her and love her with all my being.  So that being said through the power of technology I share with the whole world.

An Ode To My Wife

My wife, my lover, my friend, this will always be until the end.

You are to me as branches are to a tree.

As with the tree you shape me, make me look better to the rest of the world,

and without you I would not have a chance to grow.

You help guide our family and are a strong infuence in the life of our children

and you are constantly making our house a home.

To this end you are a wonderful wife.

The feel of your touch, the embrace of your hug and the warmth of your kisses

are why you will be my one and only true love.

But as a friend you are my "Best Friend".

You give me the strength to take on hurdles in our life

and you fill me with joy when we celebrate accomplishments.

Essentially without you I would not be me

and for this I would like to thank you.

Remember when I say "I love you" it is not idly said,

it is from my very core and with much conviction.

I truly love you and know that no matter what happens in the future,

we will handle it because we will do it together.

I Love You Kristen Ruddy

                                                                                                          Until next time....



How did I become a cheerleader and why do I like it so much?

I am truly amazed at the multitude of job titles that a parent takes on.  Through the course of their young lives you are a teacher, mentor, provider and protector.  My own internal drive pushes me to coach and manage more than anything else.  No matter if the kids have taken on Basketball, Football, Baseball or Tae Kwon Do I have assumed a role of manager or coach.  Watching the nuances of their skills compared to the best and worst of their peers and giving tips and pointers on how they can excel in any one of the sports.  Of course, like any dotting father I think that my children are the best at what they do and thankfully in my case I am right.
Recently, I have found fun in assuming a slightly different role, Cheerleader.  Don't get me wrong part of managing includes cheering on the results of hard work.  The best coaches bring out the best performance by acknowledging and cheering on that action.  Cheerleading on the other hand doesn't include coaching.  I have found that there is true joy in sitting on the sidelines cheering and yelling in support of the kids efforts.  Removing the element of coaching and spending less time critiquing the results has given me more time to enjoy the effort. 
As usual, my children continue to teach me more about myself and how to enjoy life and stop to smell the roses or in this case stop and enjoy the game.

Until next time..........