A Moment of Thanks for Nick.

 My son-in law Nick, leaves September 3rd. to travel to the middle east for his second tour of duty with the Air Force. His first tour was in Iraq during combat operations. This one is in Saudi Arabia, so we are confident that there will not be any real danger or threat. He leaves my daughter, his wife to continue on with her education and the daily day to day grind while he serves his country. His level of commitment and passion for my daughter, his job and his family is far beyond any expectation that I could have possibly set.
  My daughter Samantha met Nick when they were both in High School. I knew Nick had to be special because my daughter didn't have the patience or the time to spend on dating because she doesn't do "drama" very well. She was generally pretty happy in doing her own thing without the high school boy flavored arm candy attachment. Nick turned out to be what we fathers call in the Biz as a "keeper". He was respectful of my daughter, sober, a non-smoker and a musician. I must admit that there was a time when I was expecting him to crash into my house 3 hours past my daughter's curfew with Sam passed out on the front seat while he vomited outside the driver's side window yelling "Ha Ha...Sucker!!" This of course did not happen. They married right out of high school. Nick went into the Air Force, Sam went to college, they got a really nice apartment, they met a great group of friends and have been happy and in love ever since.
  I must admit that I do carry some guilt, because they made the transition into adulthood so effortlessly that I forget that I have this fantastic young man in my family. I never worry about them or for them because I know that without Nick, Sam would be 2000 miles away from home. I never think of her being 2000 miles away from me, I think of her being with her husband and that she's safe. And for that I thank him. Thank you for loving my daughter. Thank you for your service to our country and most of all. Thank you for coming into our lives.
  I read in some books that women use their fathers as a measuring stick against the men that they date and eventually marry. If that is indeed true than I am the one who should be honored as Nick is twice the man that I think that I am. Maybe when I grow up someday, I will be just like him.