The birth of a child is a miraculous experience.  I have been fortunate enough to have been a party to more births than most people experience in their lives.  It never gets old for me.  The joy, the feeling of hope, the instant connection I feel with a new life.

It doesn't even come close to when it is your own though.

And so, today I just want to tell my wife what an amazing, strong, courageous, heroic, loving and powerful person she is.  She blows my mind, and the fact that she wants to be with me forever is even more incredible.

And to our first son, affectionately nicknamed Big Al by me (even though he is the smallest of our three at birth), I welcome you into our world, our family, and our lives.  There is already a spot in our hearts for you, and today you came to fill that.  Happy birthday son.