David was one of those very rare kids who cried at Disney World but was given the balloons at the end of the parade by the “one and only” Snow White. He had a crush on her for months after.
He won a trip to Six Flags Over Georgia in a Go Bots contest.
He was nearly hit by a car.
Broke his foot on the seesaw.
Didn’t pick up his clothes and toys often enough.
.
Read books.
His kindergarten teacher said he was the most well-adjusted kid she’d ever seen.
His fourth-grade teacher said she’d be reading about him in the papers. Years later when David was in high school, I saw this same teacher at a workshop. I reminded her of her prediction, and she was correct. The Huntsville Times published an article on his rising star in track and quoted him on many occasions.
As a teenager David met Hindus and Hispanics, helping the way Christian teens do on mission trips.
In high school he suffered difficult physical problems from acne to scoliosis to multiple shoulder dislocations and corrective shoulder surgery. Consequently, he was rejected from his high school basketball team after a stellar show in middle school basketball.
And, yet, he still owns the Alabama High School Athletic Association 4A State Record in the 300-meter hurdles. That was in 1999.
He graduated Salutatorian from his high school. The Valedictorian never darkened the door of his high school.
His school counselor said he would never get a scholarship from Samford. He was awarded Samford's highest scholastic honor, a Presidential Scholarship, and kept it for four years.
Editor of his college newspaper and magna cum laude graduate.
He majored in journalism at Samford University. In his first journalism job after college he earned an Alabama Press Award which the Scottsboro Sentinel still houses.
All of this experience paved the road for fatherhood.
He walks in the essence of God, making his vocation in the Episcopal Priesthood.
He has never, ever spoken a harsh word to me or raised his voice in anger toward me. Though, on rare occasions, he has torn through my heart with a specific kind of glare in his eyes. And, probably, rightfully so.
The children who have him as a Dad are so beyond lucky, so beyond graced, I cannot even imagine what it must feel like to have a parent with that kind of heart.
Happy Father’s Day, David. I am honored to be the Mom of B’s and W's Dad.
