Mothers Day

There is some debate as to how myself and Erin met but their is no debate on the results of that meeting. So here goes. I met the mother of my beautiful daughter Kalyn at a Brewton-Parker College, Kappa Delta Phi (now defunct) party for all the brothers and little sisters. Erin was in the front yard of the fraternity house yelling at another guy and I told a good friend of mine Josh Fuchs "I wanna meet her and little did I know it was Erin Aikens", whom I never thought about dating. Erin and I would end up dating after many attempts by me to convince her to do so.

Shortly after our marriage we would fnd out that we were going to have a child and this child would later be known as Kalyn Nicole Flanders. This child is a pistol and that is all their is to it. She was born after a long night of labor and surgery. Kalyns name means "one who overcomes". The fact that she is here is a wonderful thing and if she were not in my life as my daughter I do not know where I would be sometimes. It is funny that in my mind a seven year old knows me so well that she can put me in place just as quickly as my wife.

Kalyn is a carbon copy of her father. I learned recently that if I am going to raise her right I have to think about how I would have liked to be treaten given the situation that has arisen. Kalyn is a great kid and I have to thank her mother for the way that she is. Erin has helped raised a beautiful, smart and talented young girl.
Mothers Day in our home is a simple observation that is not all blown up with large gifts and jewelry. Erin is a simple girl who does not need a lot to be happy and she has showed me how to love when angry, sad and broken. Erin was a woman when I met her. I know this is hard to understand but I am still trying to catch up to her in her understanding of life. I have had my own trials in life but this woman understands me so well that all I need to do is ask a question and she is able to show which way I need to go in order to make it better.

To all mothers reading this I appreciate all the sacrifices that you have gone through while raising your children. We all have a somewhat different philosphy when raising our children but we all agree that we only want the best for them and we want them to be the best at what they are good at. None of us want our children to ever be hurt and we all want a close relationship with our children. Kalyn and I are becoming closer everyday and I am thankful for that. I have become closer to her because I have decided to listen to her. Gotta love this kid.

To Erin, Barbara, Becky, Grandma Veatrice, Granny Doris, Grandmama Virginia, and Granny Olivia thanks for being great moms and helping me become the man that I am. You all have had a profound influence in my life and I appreciate all the things you have done for me.

Flanders Out.