This weekend I celebrate my wife Kate’s first Mother’s Day. Nine months ago, she gave birth to our beautiful daughter Erin Faith and has since blown me away with her maternal skills and natural intuition and instinct. When it comes to motherhood, she epitomizes the phrase “A natural.” Though our daughter is yet too young to appreciate her mama, I have no doubt that she will, one day, fully realize how fortunate she was to have been born to such a woman. Her patience and love are plain to see in everything she does.

Observing Kate, whom I met over 11 years ago in high school at the age of 16, cuddle, nurture, nurse, love, teach and kiss this little baby girl of ours is one of the most magnificent experiences of my life. Raising our daughter is anything but easy, but she makes it look easy. The sleepless nights alone would make another woman run for the hills – but another woman isn’t Kate and isn’t Erin’s mama.

I don’t know how many Mother’s Days we’re going to celebrate together. Hopefully more than I could ever count. A lot of people say that when they look at their babies, they can see God. I see God when I look at Kate. He gave her a gift, a talent for nurture that makes my own pale in comparision. I know that she knows how much I love her and how much I love Erin. I hope that she also knows how much I respect her as my wife and respect her as a mother – because as I watch her with our daughter, she makes me want to be a better father.

I love you Kate. Happy Mother’s Day. F-4.

If you’re feeling generous right now, leave a comment to wish Kate a Happy Mother’s Day. And then go call your own mother to say “I love you” – or better yet, go visit her!