The most fantastic man I know...

When I met Ronnie, I had been told many things about him. He was quiet. He was nice. He was very involved with his church. He was previously married. He was thin. He was cute....

I had also been told that he was a dad...

In fact, on our first date, as soon as we left the restaurant, he asked if I minded if we ran by Wal-Mart so that he could pick up some stuff for an outing he had planned with his son the next day.

On our second date, he opened up to me about his son, and when he talked about Carter Lane, his eyes filled with tears - not tears of sorrow... he just loved that little boy so much.

 It was two weeks before we got to go on a third date because he was taking his son to Atlanta to go to a Braves game.

On our third date, I got to meet his son - who made a trampoline out of the booth at the Chinese restaurant that he picked out. Carter Lane bounced, and I nervously fidgeted with my napkin. Ronnie put everyone at ease with his jokes and his smile.

A little over two years later, we welcomed a new face into the world. I was nervous for so many reasons. Ronnie handled it all like a pro, soothing my fears, reassuring Carter Lane of his love for him, and calming even the worst of fits with Trent. He got up at night when I was just too tired. He took Carter Lane on boys nights out when he was feeling left out, and he gave Trent all the love and attention a baby could ever need - never making one of us feel less important than the other.

  

He's consistently been the rock upon which I lean, the role model by which I parent, and the shoulder upon which I cry when life has overwhelmed me. Each day, he makes time for God in the morning before work and time for his family in the evening after he has spent no less than 12 hours at his job.

He never asks for time to himself. He never denies any of us his attention, even at the most inopportune times. In fact, I have never once know Ronnie to put himself before anyone else.

God's love shines through his heart and through his eyes (and through his smile - but you have to be a magician to ever catch one of those in a picture).

So, to a true gentleman, family man, Godly man, and over all great man, I wish a Happy Father's Day! We not only celebrate you, but we thank God for blessing us with your love and your life.

Happy Father's Day, Ronnie!