From a Father to a Father

This week, my brother-in-law is staying with my father-in-law and step-mother-in-law (that's a lot of inlaws!) in an attempt by the family to help him get his life back on track. I will, out of respect for him and my husband's family's privacy, not divulge details.

However, my husband and his father spoke the other night about possible plans of action to assist my brother-in-law. My husband and his father share a very unique closeness built of some tough life experiences but also, I believe, in part because of something as simple as their birthdays being just 3 days apart.

So other night, when we sent my father-in-law a link to some information for Jeff's brother, it was only natural for his father to reply back not only with thanks, but with a heartfelt belated birthday wish and an apology because he forgot to mention the birthday when they spoke the other evening.

This is how it read:

I thought about it in the middle of the night last night but thought better of calling you to apologize. I know we were thinking about you on the 1st and very much hope the next year is filled with rewards which you so richly deserve. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON. LOVE YOU.

Even more special is that I can see how proud my father-in-law is of his son as a father. And that is a true gift this birthday!