Steve and I have known each other since I was a skinny 16 year old "flower child." (He was a VERY handsome hippy, I might add!) Approaching our 34th wedding anniversary, nobody believed it would last, but we knew better. Soul mates from the beginning, we committed ourselves to each other and decided that nothing we faced in our lifetimes would tear us apart. That is not to say that there haven't been some struggles.... oh yes! But we have approached our challenges with a "divorce is no option" mentality and we are so glad that we have stuck out the hard times together.
On Valentine's Day of 1977, we learned that we were going to be parents. That was the beginning of Steve's calling as "Dad." Our beautiful daughter, April was born that year, followed only 15 months later by her sister, Natalie. Steve was a dependable, but fun-loving Daddy for our two girls. He never missed a chance to support them in their endeavors, to tell them that he loved them, and to make them laugh. The years of raising our daughters flew by too quickly, My free-spirit hubby took his adult role very seriously and worked hard to provide for me and for our girls. The years have passed and the beard and pony tale look has transformed from salt-and-pepper gray to the most beautiful silver hair you ever saw.
Still, my Steve lives his life for his family. Our daughters are professional single moms who have blessed us with five amazing grandchildren. Witnessing the births of 4 of the 5, Steve and I made a covenant with God, with each other, and with our daughters, to always be there for them and for their precious children. Steve has attended Donuts for Daddy events at schools, he has been the recipient of numerous "Daddy" gifts made at school under the direction of well meaning teachers who forget that our kids don't actually have a "dad", and unfortunately, he has answered the calls from the school office when disciplinary actions were necessary. When there is a need for "Dad," everyone knows that Grandpa Steve is the go-to guy.
