I’ve had many Thanksgivings come and go and I always have so many things to be thankful for, but this year is different. This year I’m a Daddy and that brings an entirely new meaning to being “thankful” that I’ve never known. From the moment Harper was born, there has literally been something new every day that I thank God for. Each day with Harper seems to be better than the last. He’s just an amazing blessing. On top of that, I have a wonderful wife who is even a more incredible mother. She keeps Harper fed, happy, and clean (and me too). I can’t thank her enough for all that she does without me ever asking. I know she thinks that I believe there is a “magical” laundry, grocery, and house-cleaning fairy that appears while I’m at work and takes care of everything and makes sure there is milk in the fridge, but I’m starting to believe that she’s the one who actually does all of that. So, yes, I’m extremely grateful for all that she does and all that she is to me. God has blessed me with an amazing family.

So Harper…thank you for being the most incredible child a daddy could ask for. Thank you for making sure I wake up in the morning. Thank you for making me more grateful for indoor plumbing…I look forward to the day you learn to use the toilet. Thank you for your adventurous, curious, mischievous and resilient personality…don’t ever lose that. Thank you for laughing at the silly faces and noises I make. Thank you for laughing at the silly faces and noises you make. Thank you for making every single day of my life even more enjoyable. Thank you for being a great baby…you play well, sleep great, and eat like a champ. Thank you for making me smile…even when you do something that shouldn’t make me smile. Thank you for greeting me with a huge smile when I come home from work. Thank you, son, for being more than I ever imagined what having a child would be like. Thank you for making me a “daddy”. I love you.

Crystal, thank you for saying, “yes”. Thank you for saying, “I do”. Thank you for supporting me, encouraging me, and standing beside me through all that we’ve been through. Thank you for your faith, prayers, and your love for God and sharing that with our son. Thank you for keeping me alive with crazy amazing food. Thank you for mastering the washer & dryer. Thank you for keeping the floors clean enough to eat off of (Harper tries to sometimes). Thank you for tolerating college football. Thank you for having better fashion sense than I do. Thank you for remembering birthdays and holidays and when cards need to be sent…and sending them. Thank you for everything you do…I don’t say that enough, but thank you for making me a husband…the most grateful husband in the world. I love you.