The birthday of my daughter Amy

Today is your birthday. Wow! So love you being my daughter!

When my first wife let me know that she was pregnant, I was ecstatic. When she was born I was no less excited. My first child. Simply amazing.

Amy was my first child. She was born in a tiny country hospital in Townshend Vermont. I will never forget. My wife and I headed to the hospital as the contractions increased. The nurse on duty did her examination, and said “go home.” A quick call by me to her doctor changed things. A few short hours later, she was brought into the world.

Nothing changes your world like a baby does. How can you so quickly fall in love with someone? But I did as I did all the rest of my children. One second I am focused on business and work and overnight I am focused on a little girl.

Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. James 1:17

Nothing prepares you for the first one(or actually any of them!) and so to suggest  “life as usual” would be an untruth.

I watched my daughter go through life and reflect on it this morning. So here are some highlights.

• You running around a 5 bedroom apartment dressed like an elf.
• Playing with Zephyr, your protector.
• Going to Miss Tucci’s and your day care
• Taking you and your friends to the Friendly Farm.
• Going to St. Michaels
• Leaving St. Michaels J
• Leaving Brownies after a downpour
• Days in the pool at my dads
• Baton Twirling and costumes
• You and Max running around the house and the fields
• Fishing at Silver Lake
• Entering high school
• Our first real argument! OK-that was not so hot.
• Teaching you to drive
• High School graduation-
• Entering college and dropping the caravan of stuff off with your mom!
• Taking you and Tyler camping at Indian Lake. (What? My pager doesn’t work here! No TV?!?!?)
• Our drives back and forth to college.
• Teaching you to drive and your first car!
• The call from the EMT after your accident. L
• College graduation!
• Our trip to Indiana.
• Your first job out of college.
• Moving back to Vermont
• Interning at Gateway
• Moving to Connecticut
• Getting your job after all that time temping with a $400 resume and 2 calls
• Father – Daughter Motorcycle trips-(Lake George was fun!)
• Engaged
• Married-how sweet has this all been for you, Manley, everyone!
• Is there a chapter we can put here?

I am proud of who you have grown up to be.
Love you! Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dad