16 years ago, God gave me the greatest blessing of my life.
He gifted me with a son.
Every morning when I wake up, for the last 16 years, the first thing I am thankful for is another day with this boy. I still, after all this time, am in absolute awe over this miracle, over the fact that God entrusted me with such an important task, raising a child.
A child? Yes….a child. Just one.
Being a parent of an only child is actually more challenging than it sounds.  An only child doesn’t have a sibling to occupy his time, or play games with or pretend with, so YOU, as the parent need to fill that roll.  Not that I minded at all!  16 years of everything from watching “blues clues” and “elmo” to playing with play dough, to having slot car races and hot wheels car washes, to nerf gun wars and then playing call of duty.
I”ve been the right hand man (I mean, right hand MOM) all along the way. I have never regretted a second of it. From the time that beautiful boy came barging into my life via an emergency c-section with a placenta abruption 12 1/2 weeks early (he was just plain in a hurry to get started on life) he has been the most precious thing that has ever EVER happened to me.  He will always be the most joyous thing in my life, he will always be my greatest accomplishment and my most treasured gift.
I will never be able to be thankful enough for this item on my list.
He is my number one, forever.

I love you Jake.