The Daddy Monologues (A Guest Post by the Hubs)

My husband has graciously agreed to write a guest post today (or three guest posts, apparently).  He works in the tax field as an enrolled agent (although he has a seminary degree) and we've been married for over 14 years (or, as I think of it, forever). Carl is a cool guy, a fabulous daddy, a great husband, plus very smart, and has great taste (Just look at who he married).  
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Sharon asked me to write an edition of her blog and since tax season is finally over, I now have time to do it.  You might be thinking that I will be writing about what it is like to be a father of autistic children.  I do not know if I can write something so grand and far reaching.  My experience is also probably not typical.  After all, I am not just an average father of average autistic and non-autistic children, I am Carl Peterson the husband of Sharon and the father of Daniel, Ben, Gideon, and Katherine.  So I have decided to write about my own experience, my own fears and joys through my own failures and victories.   

And that is what it is all about.  My little, okay not so little (in every way), family is unique.  All our families are unique.  God has designed it that way.  We are made up of different individuals with different likes and dislikes.   

Daniel has always loved the ABC’s.  One of my favorite memories of Daniel was writing the ABC’s and simple words (like hippopotamus) in chalk on the back of our first Houston house.  We loved to go through the whole alphabet, spelling a word for each letter.  Sharon and I had so much hope when we had Daniel that turned to fear when we learned he had autism.  Daniel has surpassed more than just our fears.  He has gone past what we knew to hope for.  

Benjamin is one caring dude.  He has a heart as big as Texas.  I do not know for sure if this was caused through his experiences with his brothers or it was just a God given gift.  I think it's a little of both.  I love his heart.  One of my favorite memories of Ben was the time we were driving somewhere and he asked me if we could have a conversation about trucks.  The next 30 minutes I told Ben all about the many different kinds of trucks, from pick-ups to semis, from dump trucks to cement mixers.  Ben wanted to know everything. He's very inquisitive.  He loves his siblings so much.  I believe if we asked each of them who their best friend was, the answer would be unanimous: Ben is their best friend.  

Gideon is the quiet one.  He is also a big surprise.  Sometimes I feel so depressed when I think about his possible future.  Then I sit with him and a book and I am amazed by what he really knows.  He just does not like to brag about it.  Gideon loves to be hugged.  Maybe because he is not so verbal, he loves physical connection.  Recently Gideon and I were playing on the trampoline while everyone else was watching TV inside.  It was so much fun playing the trampoline tackle game and trampoline tickle game (completely different game) with him.  Sometimes Gideon gets lost in the shuffle of our more boisterous children but God has gifted him with such a heart and love for life.   

Katherine is daddy’s girl.  She is the baby and she has this father wrapped around her finger.  She picks up on so much.  Being the baby, she experiences things much earlier than the other children.  For instance, I think Ben was at least four or five before he even knew about SpongeBob SquarePants.  Thank to her brother, she has seen the movie.  She loves Minnie Mouse and popcorn. This was a hard, busy season and one of the only things that got me through it was when I got home, I could expect Katherine’s hugs and kisses.  You have to hear her say her new favorite word “DEEEE- LICIOUS!” WE have a good time laughing, playing, and dancing.  One day she will be a great debater.  She has almost made me believe that I have brown and not blue eyes.  

My whole family is uniquely and wonderfully made and formed by God.  God has a wonderful plan for our lives which we can never fully understand or expect.  My plan was very different than God’s but I would not trade His plan for mine any day.  He knows better.  He is God.  Sometimes His blessings are disguised as other things.  But if we embrace our families uniqueness that come from our wonderfully unique God then we can experience more of his love and blessing in our lives.  Live and love in real life with those who God has placed in your life.  

You might not expect how blessed you will find you are.   

*This is the first of 3 blog posts that I will be writing over this weekend.  I hope some of you can be encouraged by my writing.