If you don't want to read a totally sappy, non-sports related, personal post you'd probably be wise to stop reading now 
I want to tell you all a little bit about somebody who, like you, spends a lot of time on this site: @Natalee Hall.
I've started to share this story a little bit more. It's never something we've been embarrassed of, quite the opposite, but it can be awkward to bring up sometimes.
I think, on Mother's Day, is a good time to share it with you all.
Our son, Redd, is biologically my son, but not Natalee's.
When Redd was about seven months old, his birth mother decided it was best for her to move on. I spent a little bit of time as a single dad while working as an assistant manager at Target, and I was not very good at it
About a month after this situation took place, Natalee started working at Target, too, as the softlines manager. I was the hardlines manager, at the time.
I hadn't told anybody at work about my situation, aside from the store manager, so nobody was aware I was single. At one point I was catching some good-hearted joking in the offices from some employees, asking when I'd finally go ahead and get married. At that point I realized I needed to tell some people what was going on, so I did. They felt really bad, but they had no reason to. They meant well. Natalee was in that room, and she heard.
Well, long story short, she was interested and I turned out to be luckier than I ever imagined. I totally had accepted the fact I'd be a single dad forever. It really didn't bother me, it was what it was.
I sure didn't expect I'd end up with the greatest woman I'd ever meet, but that's what happened.
Natalee and I started dating, and she came to Redd's 1st birthday party. Almost immediately beyond that point she started helping take care of Redd, even watching him alone multiple nights when work schedules didn't match up.
We were engaged exactly one year after the day we met, and not long after we were married. Natalee worked to get permission from Redd's birth mother to adopt Redd, which she got.
We went to a lawyer & judge to start working on the adoption. The rule was we had to be married a full year before it was considered, but then the judge noted how unique the situation was (he always sees men working to apply for the adoption in this situation, not the woman) and granted it on the spot.
Natalee was, officially, Redd's mother.
Natalee has been the one to explain to Redd the situation of his adoption, never hiding it any from him. He's had an understanding of it since he was probably about 4, and she still talks with him about it on a regular basis.
Redd is 8 now, and Natalee has done roughly 97% of the work raising him. She's his mother, and he loves her more than any other person in the world.
This story doesn't make Natalee any more special than any other mother on this day, or any day. She'd tell you that, too. But, it sure as hell makes me appreciate her and believe she does happen to be the best mom in the world.
I love and appreciate Nats, and wish her a happy Mother's Day!!!!
(And maybe sharing this story gets me out of a handbag...)
I want to tell you all a little bit about somebody who, like you, spends a lot of time on this site: @Natalee Hall.
I've started to share this story a little bit more. It's never something we've been embarrassed of, quite the opposite, but it can be awkward to bring up sometimes.
I think, on Mother's Day, is a good time to share it with you all.
Our son, Redd, is biologically my son, but not Natalee's.
When Redd was about seven months old, his birth mother decided it was best for her to move on. I spent a little bit of time as a single dad while working as an assistant manager at Target, and I was not very good at it
About a month after this situation took place, Natalee started working at Target, too, as the softlines manager. I was the hardlines manager, at the time.
I hadn't told anybody at work about my situation, aside from the store manager, so nobody was aware I was single. At one point I was catching some good-hearted joking in the offices from some employees, asking when I'd finally go ahead and get married. At that point I realized I needed to tell some people what was going on, so I did. They felt really bad, but they had no reason to. They meant well. Natalee was in that room, and she heard.
Well, long story short, she was interested and I turned out to be luckier than I ever imagined. I totally had accepted the fact I'd be a single dad forever. It really didn't bother me, it was what it was.
I sure didn't expect I'd end up with the greatest woman I'd ever meet, but that's what happened.
Natalee and I started dating, and she came to Redd's 1st birthday party. Almost immediately beyond that point she started helping take care of Redd, even watching him alone multiple nights when work schedules didn't match up.
We were engaged exactly one year after the day we met, and not long after we were married. Natalee worked to get permission from Redd's birth mother to adopt Redd, which she got.
We went to a lawyer & judge to start working on the adoption. The rule was we had to be married a full year before it was considered, but then the judge noted how unique the situation was (he always sees men working to apply for the adoption in this situation, not the woman) and granted it on the spot.
Natalee was, officially, Redd's mother.
Natalee has been the one to explain to Redd the situation of his adoption, never hiding it any from him. He's had an understanding of it since he was probably about 4, and she still talks with him about it on a regular basis.
Redd is 8 now, and Natalee has done roughly 97% of the work raising him. She's his mother, and he loves her more than any other person in the world.
This story doesn't make Natalee any more special than any other mother on this day, or any day. She'd tell you that, too. But, it sure as hell makes me appreciate her and believe she does happen to be the best mom in the world.
I love and appreciate Nats, and wish her a happy Mother's Day!!!!
(And maybe sharing this story gets me out of a handbag...)
