This has been the best birthday of my life. No, I didn't get some expensive gift. No, no surprise party. Nope, not even a run in with someone I missed. Actually I got into a screaming match with my mother, I threatened to move out, we spent two hours not speaking to each other lol Now HOW did this turn out to be an amazing day?

My father gave me the best gift in the world. The most precious thing he could have given me.

His life.


"To My Daughter, On Her 18th Birthday

You have given you mother and I more joy than you will ever realize. From the time your mom told me she was with child to today, when you turned 18, you have given me a world of firsts
First baby
First toddler
First teenager
First woman daughter
and everything to go in between all of these.
Today I have made a decision to be here as long as possible to see you thru your life and help you along.
My solemn promise for one year is to quit smoking for you and me. This is the best birthday present I could think of. I know it means alot to you and your mother, so today is the day.
So you're going to have to put up with me a little while longer.

Love you, Respect you
Your Father"


So as you can guess, when I read that, I started sobbing.

My mother's reaction to my father (before reading the letter): "What did you do?!"

Then she read it. And started to sob.

Then dad said to look in the bottom of the gift bag dad had the letter in. I pulled out the tissue paper and there in the bottom was a fresh unopened pack of cigarettes.... sliced and torn in two. I started crying more lol

This is a HUGE deal to me. I've had more fights with dad about this than I care to count. The same goes for my mother. This means the WORLD to me. I want my dad around to be a grandpa. That's where my biggest fear is. That he won't have enough time with my babies. That they won't know him. And that'd be a shame. My father is a wonderful, kind, funny man, and I want them to know that. This is just wonderful to me.

Oh and by the way, mom and I were cuddled up on the couch together watching TV lol So everything with us is fine, in case anyone was worried. We were both just having a bad day and snapped at each other.

::sigh:: What a good day...