My Baby Daddy

I write a lot about my kids on this blog, and about my feelings and the things that go running through my head, and there is one person who has had a front row seat at that event for the past 19 years, my Joshua. You know that when you’re a young girl and you’re imagining what your knight in shining armor is gonna be like you have grand aspirations for that poor guy. He’s gonna write you poetry, buy you flowers, provide for your every need and want. Plus he’s got to be drop dead gorgeous and never, ever, ever be anything other than perfect. Well, my big thing growing up was I wanted my guy to be a good daddy. Daddies meet needs you don’t even know you have until you grow up.

 Joshua and I jumped into parenthood together at the exact same time we entered into adulthood. He went from living in his own dad’s house to being a daddy in a matter of seconds when we took our vows. The crazy thing is that this guy knew somewhat what he was doing, embarking on raising up another guy’s son and Rebecca came along quicker than we expected and that first year definitely held some culture shock. Two kids, a rented trailer in Raeford, and a wife that cried herself to sleep most nights because she wanted “to do something with her life.”

 Before we knew it we were expecting a third and then came Haiti and missionary life with three kids and a wife in a third world country. In 2000, Josh adopted my son and made him a Goodman.  A legal process that put on paper what we had known all along. A year later we were back home and things got really rough. We made it through in one piece and learned so much about each other and about God. Something we’re still doing by the way. Emari and Zion came along and now we are one big happy family.

In all of those years, Joshua has proven over and over again to be the daddy I dreamed of for my kids. He disciplines with tough love, encourages them to reach for the best that God has for them, and reminds them all that he believes in their dreams.  So today on this day to honor our fathers, I commend this guy, so much more than I could have ever asked for.