Just over ten years ago Sheri and I were college students living in Moscow Idaho. We were in our second year of marriage when we were blessed with our first child. Callie Jo Cluff (Callie for her Grandpa Cal, and Jo for her proud papa) was born on the evening of November 1st, 1997.
After the delivery Sheri was moved to her recovery room, and I went with Callie so the nurses could get her cleaned up and cared for. When the nurses were finished, they wrapped Callie in warm blankets and placed her in my arms. It was late at night, and the hospital hallways were empty and the lights were dimmed. I remember as if it were yesterday the feelings I felt being a first time father holding my newborn daughter in my arms walking the hospital hallways on my way to the recovery room. The Father/Daughter bond was immediate, and eternal. From that moment until this, Callie Jo Cluff has been my 'Little Princess'.
On Thursday Callie turned ten. It was a great day! I got off early and we drove into Tucson for her Birthday Dinner. While the boys and I waited for a table at the Olive Garden (Callie's favorite restaurant) Sheri and Callie walked over to the Mexican Supermarket next door and bought her Pinata for her Birthday party on Saturday. I took advantage of their absence to let our server know that it was Callie's Birthday. After our meal she ordered a slice of 'Blacktie Mouse Cake' that they brought out with a candle in it, and all the servers gathered around and sang the famous Olive Garden Birthday Song. Callie was super surprised, and visibly touched.
After the delivery Sheri was moved to her recovery room, and I went with Callie so the nurses could get her cleaned up and cared for. When the nurses were finished, they wrapped Callie in warm blankets and placed her in my arms. It was late at night, and the hospital hallways were empty and the lights were dimmed. I remember as if it were yesterday the feelings I felt being a first time father holding my newborn daughter in my arms walking the hospital hallways on my way to the recovery room. The Father/Daughter bond was immediate, and eternal. From that moment until this, Callie Jo Cluff has been my 'Little Princess'.
On Thursday Callie turned ten. It was a great day! I got off early and we drove into Tucson for her Birthday Dinner. While the boys and I waited for a table at the Olive Garden (Callie's favorite restaurant) Sheri and Callie walked over to the Mexican Supermarket next door and bought her Pinata for her Birthday party on Saturday. I took advantage of their absence to let our server know that it was Callie's Birthday. After our meal she ordered a slice of 'Blacktie Mouse Cake' that they brought out with a candle in it, and all the servers gathered around and sang the famous Olive Garden Birthday Song. Callie was super surprised, and visibly touched.
What happened next should go down in Callie's Birthday history as one of those"My Best Birthday Ever" events. The Olive Garden is in the same shopping complex as a bunch of other stores, Target, Office Max, Ross, PetSmart, Mervyn's etc... Under the impression that we had other shopping to do, Callie and the boys accompanied us towards the 'boring' stores, but at the last minute we made a sharp turn towards PetSmart. Callie got to pick out a fishtank, and look at the fish we would get to buy and put in it a few days later. I wish we could have captured the moment on camera, because the excitement and emotion that pored out of her were priceless! She absolutely loves her new aquarium and three little friends Gloria, Margaret, and Stripe!
Saturday was a very busy day at the Cluff house. We had two Parties to plan and put on. My CTR 7 class came over to practice our parts for the upcoming primary program. We had hotdogs and hamburgers, and went swimming from 11am - 1pm, then Callie's passel of friends showed up at 2pm to start her Birthday Party. Sheri put together quite the party for the girls. They swam, made bead bracelets and necklaces, hit the Pinata, ate pizza, opened gifts, ate cake, and had just over three hours of pure pre-teen party mayhem!
Our first ten years with Callie have been wonderful! Its hard to beleive that in another ten she will be off on her own and all grown up. Hopefully we'll make it through without too much drama.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS! ALL MY LOVE!
Dad
5 comments:
Happy Birthday Callie Jo! We love you. You're a good papa bro. No doubt about your love...
Happy Birthday Callie. I loved reading about your special day. You are such a sweetheart! -Aunt Camille
Happy BDay Callie we were thinking of you. Seems like just last year we were at your baptism but now you are 10!!!! How did that happen? We love you.
Well... easy come easy go. We lost Gloria and Margaret already. Lots of tears and prayers, and a nice little funeral in the back yard. We think they were both sick when we baught them. They were both Albino Tiger Barbs from the same tank. Her other fish Stripe is a regular Tiger Barb, and he is still doing great. The store has a two week guarantee, so today we went back and got two new fish. Another regular but smaller Tiger Barb, and a Rasbora. They seem to be doing much better than the two we lost. They are very active, and are swimming together, where the others stayed separate. So now Callie's fish are Stripe, Little Lady, and Dorothy.
Happy Birthday Callie... We loved spending time with you this summer!
Joe.. your birthday tribute was so sweet!
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