Observartions at a Party

Justin and Isaiah 

Today is Josiah's birthday however, I am on my way to Isaiah's party and Josiah will celebrate his birthday tomorrow.  Got it?  These are my great-nephews who are celebrating their third and second birthdays this weekend.  It's going to be a rough weekend for me because my knees and neck are killing me.

As I walk into the party the first thing I notice is my nephew, Justin, is dressed as Superman.  I'm taken aback at first thinking, that it's not Halloween, then remembering how much his son, Isaiah, loves superheroes it dawns on me ahh, yes I look around it's a superhero party!  But as I look at Justin throughout the party and his interactions with his son I think, he most certainly is a special young man, thoughtful, caring, a wonderful father and husband.  But my thirty year old nephew with the tough guy exterior is a father now to two boys that he loves with all of his heart and he is willing to do anything to make his son happy--even be silly and dress as his son's hero--and that knowledge means the world to me.  How many men can say they are their children's hero both literally and figuratively?  Not many.

As with most birthdays there is lots of delicious food and balloons and happy children.  Catching all

Isaiah (Left) with his hero guarding him 

the action with his new digital recorder is my brother-in-law, Robert, the grandpa.  He is another person for whom I have the upmost respect.  In life we don't get many second chances but it seems that it happened for my brother and I'm glad it did.  He and my sister were high school sweethearts, married young and had three beautiful children, Justin, Nathan, and Veronica.  Unfortunately, with many, there were struggles and the marriage broke up due to a combination of factors including alcohol abuse.  Fast forward years later and my sister and he reconnected, and remarried.  Robert's in recovery and they are deeply in love and the happiest grandparents ever.  I, from the bottom of my soul, could not be happier for a family!

I look around the room and I also see my brother, Michael, the most loving, giving man who is a
force among men.   He has raised four young women, along with sister Carolyn, as his own daughters and has done an amazing job of it.  Oh, there is so much more to say about Michael but that will be for another time.

I can't stay too long much longer because my body is about to implode upon itself but I'm glad I came.  I made some important observations about fatherhood and the men not only in my life but those in my family as well.  I'm thankful that my sweet great-nephews have such role models in their lives and I pray these men will always strive to be honorable men.  I wonder what I will observe tomorrow at Josiah's party?