Sunday, January 4, 2009

Happy New Year

I just returned from my--sort of--annual sojourn back to Wichita, Kansas for my dad's 77th birthday. Yes, my oldest daughter was born on Christmas Eve, and my father was born on New Year's Day. As a family, we work very hard to keep their birthdays separate and special from the holiday madness, because they are special.

My dad still lives in the same house in which I grew up, which is also strange. At my website, you'll find family photos dating back to my childhood--one taken of the family in 1964 when he first bought that house. We're all leaning against his Corvair, with me clutching a doll. I think it's Chatty Cathy. Talk about a time capsule....

At any rate, my dad is a real-life hero. My late husband was one as well. I always said it was no wonder I married one, since I was raised by one. I've listened to some friends who have happy marriages, as did I. We seem to have this in common--respect and admiration for our fathers. That doesn't mean every girl had to grow up with a perfect childhood to have a good marriage--far from it. However, that respect and admiration for our fathers seems to offer a good base from which to choose a husband. At least it did in my case.

Heroes are important to romance novelists and readers. They're important in real life, too. I hope our New Year is filled with real-life heroes for all of us, starting with our President-Elect, who has a gargantuan task ahead of him.

May 2009 offer each and every one of us peace, prosperity, love, good health, and many good books to read (including THE GIFT, which is almost finished and scheduled for November 2009).

Love,
Deb Stover

2 comments:

  1. Love the trip through time in your photos. Thanks for sharing.

    I was also blessed with a real life hero as a dad, and married a man just like dear old dad. But, in later years, the traits Mom and I would compare, that our husbands share, weren’t exactly what we enjoyed the most about our spouses. LOL!

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