Equal Time, Valentine

*Late note: the comments only serve to prove several points: 1. They did feel slighted. The vote was unanimous. 2. They really are as much family as the women they married. :) Love ya guys!

This is the addendum to my lists of reasons why I love my husband and children. It seems the sons-in-law (or two of them, anyway) felt slighted. Or so the Sunday dinner table discussion would lead me to believe. So without further ado I will now submit 10 reasons why I love each one of my sons-in-law.

Anyone read Ephesians 1:6 lately? Well, yes, if you go to our church you did. Anyway, it wasn't until boys started asking permission to marry my girls that I received a greater understanding of what it means to be "accepted in the beloved." With that in mind, let's begin.

Ten Reasons Why I Love Prince Charming

1. He has been around my family for so long that I sometimes forget that I am not the one that gave birth to him. However, I know his mother well and am not trying to steal her thunder or labor pain stories. But I have known this kid well for 24 of his 32 years.
2. He picked Pastor Dad to be his mentor. If that doesn't show good judgment I don't know what does.
3. He picked Karen to be his wife. Ditto.
4. He is a great daddy to my granddaughters. He has a lot of patience. (He needs it now, and the need is only going to get greater as time goes on. Trust me.)
5. He has a heart for children. Not many could do the kind of ministry to children that he does.
6. He doesn't mind being teased by his in-laws.
7. He has been a great example for the Bear to follow. He began courting Karen when the Bear was less than 2 years old so the fact that they are not related by blood hasn't occurred to either of them, I don't think.
8. He's good at board games. Too good. I've grown weary of trying to win. sigh
9. Hugging him works the knots out of my back. He's a good foot taller than I am.
10. He has this endearing way of saying my name. (Family joke. I don't think he's ever said my name except one time when Pastor Dad asked him to pray before I cut my birthday cake and he spluttered and stuttered a bit. Most of the time his conversations with me begin, "Hey, would it be okay if...." :)

Ten Reasons Why I Love Staff Sergeant Dan

1. I've only known Dan for 10 years and 5 of those he has been my son-in-law so I haven't had as much time with him, but like Prince Charming, SSgt. Dan is like a son to me. I love him for letting me write newsy letters from home while he was going through boot camp 6 years ago.
2. He has the endurance to be married to the Energizer Bunny. Which he is.
3. He enjoys the things we do when we take vacations together. Being out somewhere with Dan and seeing things through his eyes is like seeing something the first time again yourself.
4. He has the ability to sleep through anything. Even loud ceramic tile-cutting saws that sound like they are killing cats on his driveway right outside his bedroom window when he's trying to sleep after night shift duty.
5. He's willing to serve our country. And he volunteered to go overseas. And he was willing to come back home to Lulu. Thanks Dan!
6. He's an athlete who doesn't mind sharing his knowledge with his young brother-in-law.
7. In Pastor Dad's words, "He's so patient with all of us." 'Nuff said.
8. He has the same "likes" as Lulu. He seems to like dogs, home remodeling, and traveling.
9. He loves the Lord and his wife. (Perhaps that should have been #1 but I'm not renumbering now.) That means he's keeping the promises that he made to us when he asked for her hand in marriage. Keep it up!
10. He doesn't talk badly about his mother-in-law coming to visit, at least not in front of her. :)

Ten Reasons Why I Love Prince Valiant*

1. Even though this young man has been my son-in-law only since last year he has been "a regular" around the house since he was 11, either with his now-wife, the Princess, or hanging around with teens who came in and out when Lulu, Dan, he, and the Princess were teenagers.
2. He's a hard worker who knows it is his job to provide for his little growing family.
3. He has the ability to comfort the Princess when she is upset, which can happen easily in her current pregnant state.
4. He is a great uncle. Karen's girls don't remember a time when he wasn't part of their lives. Marrying the Princess just made the relationship with the girls official. (Much like the Bear can't remember life before Prince Charming being "official.")
5. He has a very tender heart that not many people see. (I saw you affectionately patting your father-in-law on the back at church a few weeks ago. Nice touch!)
6. Hugging him straightens my posture. I think he might be even taller than Prince Charming. (Hugging those two is cheaper than paying a chiropractor. I shouldn't tell them that. They'll start sending me bills.)
7. He made me some promises when he married the Princess last year. I expect he'll keep those promises.
8. He's an honor student working full time at completing his college degree.
9. He's really talented at making Wii Mii characters to look like "the real thing." Even Fergie. Or so I've been told. (Pepper is jealous.)
10. He's the daddy of our Little Beanie Baby. I can't wait!

They laughed when I didn't make lists for my grandchildren because it was "obvious" but felt the need to do so for my children. Well, duh! They are my grandchildren!

1-10.They are perfect! Either that, or I don't have to raise them. Same thing.

Any one else feel like I need to make a list of why I love you?