On our third date I took Richie to meet my "kids." In most cases this would be the death knell of a relationship. I might as well have said, "I want to have your babies." Thankfully, Richie seemed unfazed.
I had been volunteering at a Head Start center for over a year. My class consisted of ten 3-year-olds. The children had become a part of my life, and I loved watching them grow. It was just before Christmas so we went and bought presents for the kids.
On the ride over I talked a little about each child, telling funny anecdotes and sharing my favorite moments. I had a huge smile on my face as we walked in the building. The class had just gotten back from snack and knew that it was time for me to arrive. "I brought a special visitor today. This is my friend Richard, and he wanted to meet you," I told them.
My heart warmed as I watched Richie kneel down to talk to the kids. Within minutes he had them laughing. A little boy named Malcolm took one look at Richie and exclaimed, "Wow! You're really tall. Are you a basketball player?" Richie smiled and said, "I play for fun." Malcolm loved sports, and the rest of the morning he stuck to Richie like glue. We read stories to the class and put puzzles together.
As we gathered the class to pass out presents, Malcolm sat in Richie's lap. Everyone was excited, but no one was quite as excited as Malcolm. He finally received his gift and opened it quickly. "It's a basketball!"
It had been awhile since the scheduled bathroom break before snack, and Malcolm's excitement got the better of him. Can you guess what happened? Yep, he peed all over the floor and on Richie's leg.
There were several reactions I expected, but what actually took place surprised me. Malcolm started to cry. Richie looked shocked for a moment but said, "It's okay, buddy. Accidents happen." At that moment I knew that this was the man for me. He kept calm and was able to provide comfort to an upset child.
Over the years I have seen my husband interact with many children. My mom once told me, "Kids and animals love him. They can sense that he is kind." He builds card towers with our niece and nephew, hums to our oldest goddaughter until she falls asleep, and laughs when our youngest goddaughter spits up all over him. He is a man that was created to be a father, and I am lucky enough to call him my husband and best friend. I long for the day when he can rush home from work to the open arms of our beautiful child.
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