From cutting his umbilical cord to signing my son's marriage license
May 20, 2011
My son Justin gets married next weekend and I'm really happy for him and his fiance Lauren Morris. I feel that he is opening the first pages on the most important chapter of his life. Finding the right person and living life together is a gift from God.
And my soon-to-be daughter in-law seems to be handmade for my son. They are a fit and I'm excited to be part of their life and to watch them face the vagaries of life together.
But today I'm working on my piece of the upcoming ceremony where I'll be Justin's "best man." Yeah, it's a real honor to have my son ask me to be the groomsman standing right next to him as he ties the knot. We've had a special relationship where in addition to being his dad, we are close friends. The list of things we've done together is long and expansive. We've drank countless cups of coffee made into everything from mochas to cappucino. We talked about everything from computers to politics to all the variables of life.
We've been to 10 Promise Keepers rallies around the country, gone door-to-door for countless politicians around the state, applied to be contestants on Amazing Race, been to a state prison together as volunteers and shared our passion for the whole area of communication.
So I'm working on my best man speech. YouTube includes countless examples some good and many less good. I've thought about stories that illustrate his character and what his soon-to-be wife can expect. These run the gamut from falling off the couch when he was a toddler and breaking his collar bone and the issue of whether he got a nudge from his sister to tricking his mom and my wife about him coming home to celebrate a family occasion. And, there might be a Ninja Turtle involved too.
This will be in my personal Hall of Fame for memories, right along with walking my daughter Krista down the aisle and the birth of our grandson.
Justin, you have always been a winner and you continue to be one. I am one proud dad, best man and friend.
I've cut your umbilical cord and now I'm ready to sign your marriage license.