A Bridge

It's happened.  Overnight, all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye.

I've become the third wheel. And honestly, I couldn't be more thrilled.

Isaac has gone into an all out Daddy frenzy--"I want to sit with Daddy."  "I want Daddy to take me upstairs."  "I want Daddy to come with me."  "Where is Daddy, Mommy?"  "Daddy wants to play with me..."  Daddy, daddy, daddy...

Dan is a phenomenal dad.  When we were first dating, I remember the thought popped into my head while we were at dinner one night when he visited me down at college..."This man is going to be a great father."  He has proved me right time and time again--from changing diapers after 3 am feedings, to taking both of our sons out when I needed some alone time without a complaint, to making homemade cards with them for me and breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, to working hard so I can be home with our children.  My husband has patience, honesty, and an easy-going attitude that brings peace to our house.  Isaac gets that.

Dan has always been supportive and loving...it's just taken a while reach Isaac.  Mother's have the ability to connect while their child is growing within them.  We feel the kicks, hiccups, jerks into our bladders even before Dad has a chance to hold his child.  It's a bit harder for a father to connect with the fact that he's going to be just that until there is some kind of relational bond later on. Add to this Isaac's delay and inability to communicate.  It left the both of them on either side of a chasm of silence. 

Still, you don't need words to have love.  Bridges take time to build.  Thankfully, Dan is patient.  Thankfully, Isaac is dedicated.  I watched a relationship blossom as both son and father met in the middle.

I watch as Isaac plucks the strings on Dan's guitar as he's practicing, both of them smiling.

I watch Dan come in the door from work and Isaac run, full force, into his father's arms shouting, "DADDY!  YOU'RE HOME!" 

I listen to Dan tell Isaac he'll be big like Daddy someday.  Then, I hear Isaac ask me for another cheese stick so he can be big like Daddy.

I watch both of them snuggle on the couch.

I watch as Dan disciplines in love...and how Isaac keeps some of the longest eye-contact he can manage when Daddy is instructing him.  He knows Daddy's voice.

I snicker as I watch my 6'2" husband lay next to his son in his toddler bed, legs sprawling and looking uncomfortable--but still reading at least 10 books before tucking him in for bed.

I hear him praying softly over this son that he finally can connect with.  It's miraculous.

Thank you, Dan, for never giving up, and hoping along side of me.  Thank you for loving only as a father could.