Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday. I'm 32 and can safely say my life has been a joke up until four months ago. Four months ago is when my wife and I decided I quit and stay home with Ava. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, I have done in my life that has been more fulfilling or rewarding than what I'm doing now.

I think back to all the jobs I had and all the people I met and I am more than thankful for the learning experience, but what was I actually getting out of it? A feel for the corporate world? A sense of independence? A chance to become some big shot, where if you utter my name to colleagues below my rank they freeze up? Who cares! The toughest job I have ever had is right now. I am the company owner and my one employee doesn't care and for a lack of better words, will literally shit on me.

There are lots of people who have been fortunate enough to take on the same position as me and I hope they feel the same way as I do. I hope they feel not only grateful that they can share so many first times with their children but also grateful they have a spouse that has given them the opportunity to do so. As I write down silly little experiences I have with Ava I also need to acknowledge I have the best wife in the world that has allowed me to be in this spot today.

I am not a perfect man. You can say I'm not even entitled to be in this spot today. But I am and its all thanks to the only person who has ever been there for me, my wife, Sultana. She works her butt off on a daily basis and forfeits this opportunity not because she wants to but because she is the breadwinner of the household. If situations were reversed she would be in my spot without a second thought.

I have traveled up and down may roads with her and I cherish every memory I have of us together, more now than ever. She has been by my side through so much bullshit and I took so much of that for granted. She has accomplished so much in such a small amount of time that makes me not only envious but proud to know someone like her.

We would love to be rich so we could both stay home and raise our kids. We constantly banter around start up businesses that we could develop so we could be at home and share the child raising responsibilities. I mean how hard is to really think of and develop the Snuggie? We could have down that! Unfortunately we are not there yet. We do believe that if the opportunity exists that one of us at least should always be home. Her overwhelming dedication to seeing that our kids have all the best opportunities offered to them in life makes me not only want to be a better father but a better person.

I know in my heart that when she comes home from work she would rather have been the parent that got Ava to the point of walking or spoon feeding herself. The truth is she is that parent. Without her support to keep this family going financially or emotionally who knows at what life stage Ava would develop her skills. And thanks to that Ava was given the chance to show off her skills for the first time to her dad.

Above all else, Sultana is the best mother to our little girl and will be to our little gal or dude brewing in her tummy right now. I could not think of a better role model as a parent or working individual that our kids could look up to. She has sacrificed so much all for the sake of our family and we are all truly blessed. I thank you Sultana for all you do. You are a shining example of all things good in this world and deserve every bit of happiness and success you have and will keep accomplishing. I love you.

P.S. Sultana normally edits my blog posts. Since I did not want her to see this first, I apologize for all my grammar mistakes.