Son Dan will be 50 on Friday the 13th of December. He was also born on a Friday the 13th, in 1974.
“What did we have?” I kept asking after being sedated for a C-section.
“I told you, a boy.”
“What do boys play with?” I’d grown up with one sister and several girl cousins.
A baby son, in Colorado. He was the only grandchild on either side, so there were soon heart tugs to return to Iowa, when we did when he was two years old.


The next couple of decades were filled with “adventures,” answering his notes to the Tooth Fairy, homemade Halloween costumes (Bilbo, Gandalf, Darth) volunteering for whatever he was involved in: school, AWANA at church, Cub Scouts (yes, a Den Mom), driving him to piano lessons and Boy Scouts, the first Star Wars movies and taekwondo, and to work at Target (until he got his license).
We hadn’t figured on parenting an only child, but I lost the next two pregnancies, so we are especially thankful for Dan! He and his wife Renee have a seven-year-old daughter, Kate. He works as a CPA (with a law degree) in the Twin Cities.

What did boys play with, at least before Pac-Man? Dan’s favorite was Crossbows and Catapults.

Dan looks like a fine gentleman – smart too with a law degree!
He decided he liked accounting better! (He was in a class with the UnitedHealth CEO who was gunned down last week.)
Whoa! I hope he doesn’t do accounting for them!
So glad they caught that guy!
Same here!
Happy Birthday, Dan! And Joy…where DOES the time go? 🥰
Thanks, Vicki! It’s fun to watch him as a “girl dad” these days!
I bet! Thanks for sharing, Joy! xoxox! 🥰
Happy birthday, Dan.
I think his wife has something planned for this weekend!
My daughter will be 50 on December 15th. Hard to know how that happened. She is still my baby. Happy Birthday to your clever son.
Will your daughter have a party? I think Dan’s wife has something planned for this weened.
Happy birthday to Dan, who works in the Twin Cities.
Thanks, Don!
What sweet memories! Congratulations to you and Dan. I have a lot of family who live in the Twin Cities. My favorite part of being a grandparent is watching my son as a parent. It sure is a wonderful feeling to see him being such a great dad.
Thanks, Pete! It is fun to watch Dan as a “girl dad.”
Happy birthday to your son, Joy! And a huge thanks for your review. Glad you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays 🙂
Thank you, Denise! To you as well.
Dan is the nicest person I have ever known! A fine Irishman and a great friend! Happy 50th!
I guess he is mostly Irish, but there’s a big dollop of German in there as well, and five ancestors who came over on THE Mayflower. Thank you, Muthu!
Congratulations, Joy – to you and Dan. Our daughter was 50 a month ago!
Congratulations to you and your daughter as well!
There’s something about boys and battles. My sons and husband, and any visiting boys young and adult, would play Risk where each player had an army. Happy Birthday to Dan! He appears to be a gentle soul and was wise to follow his heart. I love that he has the word “BLESSINGS” over his window. 🙂
Thank you, Nancy! I think his wife has something planned for this weekend!
Happy birthday Dan. You must feel very blessed.
Thanks, Andrew. Especially since his wife has something planned for him this weekend.
Wishing every blessing upon his head!
Thank you, Annette!
Thank you for sharing your son’s special day with us, Joy! It’s obvious that you and Guy gave him a very good start in life.
Thank you, Liz!
You’re welcome, Joy!
Happy 50th birthday to Dan and happy birth day to you, Joy! I like his Blessing sign. He’s blessed.
Thank you, Miriam!
Happy birthday, Dan!
Thanks, Craig! I’m hoping for photos from whatever Renee had planned for him!
Happy 50th Momday, Joy! Here’s to 50 more!
Hey, I’d be 130 years old by then!