"Of all religions, Christianity is without a doubt the one that should inspire tolerance most, although, up to now, the Christians have been the most intolerant of all men"

Voltaire

Our First Kiss - September 4, 1980

Twenty seven years ago, my lips had never touched yours; I had never tasted your kiss, held your body tightly against mine, or been caught in the spell of those deep, magickal eyes.

Though I didn't know it then, I began to be me the moment I saw you, and that night's first kiss was the spark that began my life. Everything I am became yours forever, and "yours" is all I ever want to be.

I love you, Kelly. Happy 27th 1st Kiss Anniversary!

My hubby posted this on his blog the other day at http://seekerthoughts.blogspot.com/

"Daddy, I want a kitty," Stephanie announced as I was buckling her into the car seat this morning.

"Who put you up to asking?" The kids routinely have Stephanie ask for things they want, since they intuitively know that a 3-year old asking for a kitty is more adorable than a 13-year old asking for a cat.

"Nobody, I just asked because I want one."

"Well, honey...kitties make Daddy sneeze." This has been my watertight excuse for not getting a cat over the last 15 years of adorable little girls and teenagers asking for kitties and cats.

She sat there a few moments while I buckled myself into the front seat. As we were pulling out of the drive way, she counseled, "Well Daddy, don't get you a kitty if they make you sneeze. Just get me one."

Wiping away the tears (from suppressed laughter), I used my watertight backup answer, which has long been used to divert conversations with children from all distasteful subjects such as cats: "Okay, honey. I'll think about it."

She continued, "I don't want two dogs anymore. I just want one dog and one kitty." So I strategically fell back from "I'll think about it" into the impenetrable fortress of "Okay, we'll see," foolishly hoping the matter would be forgotten by the time she got home from day-care.

Not convinced that the objective had been reached, she pressed her advantage; "I want one dog and two kitties." That was just unreasonable. I have no intention of getting one cat, much less two!

"Honey, two cats is out of the question." I was rather proud of myself for taking such a hard, clear stand.

"Okay Daddy! Just one dog and one kitty," she cheerfully countered, fully confident that we had each ceded enough to ensure all parties were satisfied.

My wife gave me that sideways glance and grin that seems to say, "Answer that, smart guy!" My own smug expression slowly faded as the realization hit me that I hadn't actually won that round.

Now I'm sitting at my desk wondering how I was negotiated into a corner by a 3-year old...and how I'm going to find a kitty before Stephanie gets home.