Happy Birthday, Dad!
Today is my father-in-law’s natal anniversary. Though I’ve no doubt he sometimes feels his age and then some, as all of us do, he remains marvelously youthful in his wit and charm in general, and like a certain favorite toy car of a somewhat similar production date (one passed around by kids in our family for many happy years), has all the more appeal, truth be told, because of all the stories behind the few dents and scratches.
Not only am I most fortunate among persons in having found life partnership with a best friend who suits me in ways I could never even have imagined, I got a fantastic package deal, his parents being from the beginning the best sort possible. I knew before I met them that they must be rather extraordinary to have produced such a dandy son who really liked, loved, and respected them, so I wasn’t all that nervous about the meeting, a fact all the more remarkable when you consider that I still struggled with a fairly extreme level of persistent anxiety at the time. I was more afraid of meeting my beloved’s then part-time housekeeper, an old-school German lady who clearly thought anyone hanging around with her adopted charge had better meet her rigorous standards. Maybe Irma paved the way to make Mom and Dad Sparks seem that much less intimidating. In any event, from that first time I met them I was quickly falling in love with them, too. In any case, it turned out that I had attached my heart not only to a great life partner but to a great life partner with great parents, who immediately became my parents along with the ones who gave me my birth.
Our Dad S is a thoughtful, gentle, good-humored, positive person who served honorably in the Army, who with Mom S raised a pair of superb sons, who worked with computers from those early days when a single one still filled a massive, refrigerated room to when they became ever so much smaller yet far more powerful, and even trained for and had a post-“retirement” career as a Myotherapist. He continues to be curious and dedicated enough to keep taking classes, traveling, and beginning new adventures as a seasoned but lively octogenarian. He is indeed a man of a ‘certain vintage’ by now, having had many adventures and being the repository of myriad stories as a result, but never fails to have new tales to add to the inventory because his spirit is so lively.
Most of all, he has as loving and generous a heart as he always did, and makes me hope that he will have not only a lovely and fulfilling birthday celebration (or ten) for his birthday but as many more as possible. He is, after all, a classic.
Art-Colored Glasses 
Such a nice tribute to father-in-law. He is also so fortunate to have you in the family.
Thank you, Pavinee. I’m still amazed at how wonderfully gifted I got in the marriage department! 🙂 Lots of love to you and Mike. 🙂
xoxo
Yes, a lovely tribute….it’s wonderful when we marry someone we love and at the same time receive the bonus of lovely in laws:)xx
Isn’t it, though! I am very glad to be so spoiled. 🙂
xoxo
Love the cars (I’m a bit of a great head!)
What a great tribute to your dad in law! I hope he enjoys his day 🎂
You *should* be a gear head when you can work around those ‘Tonka toys’ as you call them. I’ve long thought that if my dyslexia wouldn’t make me too dangerous at the controls of heavy machinery it’d’ve been fun to try my hand at it. In another life, perhaps.
Dad did say he had a dandy day, thank you!
🙂
Your entire family should print this one out and save it for generations to come.-Lovely:)
That’s sweet of you, Elena. I’ll just be happy that we can keep ‘the original’ around for as long as he can stand us! 😉
xoxo
I hope he gets to read your words of love and respect. They are to be cherished.
Thank you, my dear; he and Mom do keep an eye on my blog. 🙂 And *they* are to be cherished!!!
xoxo
Afraid of the HoUsEkeePeR?? But you’ll run out and bop some criminal on the head, esp if he’s taking advantage of the weak.
Wonderful knowing you better in the context of your amazing family. Sounds like a whole lotta luv goin’ round there.
It’s true! Both the whole lotta luv thing and the fear-of-Irma thing. German war bride, divorced single parent, years as a public school janitor and self-employed. ‘Nuf said. 😉
xoxo
Woah.
🙂
What a lovely post and tribute Kathryn. I hope he reads your words. They are blessed to have you too.
I too have been blessed with a lovely in-law family. Oh, and my husband too of course! 😊 xx
Isn’t it wonderful how we find love and *love* finds *us*!!! 😀
❤
Kathryn