Mother Ashley

Ashley is the best mother in the whole wide world for the same reason she is the best wife in the world. She is loving, thoughtful and selfless. But to understand the loving and selfless person Ashley is you have to see her in action.

Saturday morning at 6:30 am when Charlie cried and she jumped out of bed saying to me "It's your day, you go back to sleep." This was after getting up multiple times with Charlie the night before.

You see, yesterday was my Saturday. That's our plan. Tennis, the gym, golf...whatever I wanted to do. Next week Ashley gets hers. Every other week we trade Saturday's with one of us responsible for Charlie and the other free to do whatever they please.

When I finally rolled out of bed at 8:30 she had already been up for a couple of hours with Charlie. She smiled and said, "What are you going to do with your day?" She was excited for me in a Carpe Dium sort of way. Ashley takes little thought for herself, and truly enjoys knowing that others are happy.

After a game of tennis and a trip to the gym, I came back home to find Ashley building our emergency kits for when the bird flu strikes. She had Charlie in one hand and waterproof matches in the other. When I tried to lighten her load by taking Charlie, she said, "Today is your day, I'll take care of Charlie."

And last night when my family came over after dinner in downtown Sunnyvale Ashley offered to bathe Charlie (normally my job) so I could spend time with my family. Then she dressed him for bed and rocked him to sleep (not an easy chore).


Yes, Saturday was my day. But the truth is, every day is my day. That's the way she makes me feel. I think that's the way she makes everone feel.

Ashley believes in making people happy, especially me and Charlie. She says nice things and does nice things, because that's the way humans should be.

She also gives good gifts. Thoughtful ones with a gift receipt. She never pays less than her fair share of the tab (in fact she'll pay for all of it if you're not careful). She believes in gushing and complimenting people whenever she can. She also believes in charity.

This week alone she has made dinner for a neighbor with a newborn baby, sent another dinner to a nearby family who has fallen on hard times, given $20 to a man who needed money for gas, spent an afternoon with a wayward young girl, fed the missionaries twice and if I had let her she would have given them all my double fudge brownie ice cream too (I had to draw the line).

As a mother, Ashley is second to none. None I say! Straight up, Charlie is the luckiest child on the entire planet. Charlie is a sweet kid, but he can be downright ornery, loud, stubborn, temperamental and just plain difficult. It's not his fault, what with all the teething, the growth spurts and poopy diapers. Regardless, his demanding lifestyle is enough to drive any parent insane (seriously). Yet, all Ashley can do is love him more each day. She never complains. As a matter of fact she tells me almost daily that she loves her life and loves spending time with Charlie. She can't wait to have another baby. She also can't wait to be a grandmother.



In a world with many selfish people (me included) Ashley is one of those rare ones who lives for others. She would deny this, but its true. I am so glad she is my wife and Charlie's mother. Yep, Charlie and me are pretty darn lucky.