Happy 29th Birthday to the Best Son and Rugby Teammate a Dad Could Ever Ask For...

At a rugby tournament in Saint Louis in 2007

Team Mates with Metropolis RFC, Minneapolis, fall  2006. 

It's hard to believe that 29 years ago today, my son Ian Thomas Adams was born weighing 9 pounds and one half oz at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.  Both my wife and I were in the United States Air Force at the time. My good French friend Bernard Masse`, had come to Texas for about a week and a half for his birth-the little guy did not want to come out while he was with us.

41+ weeks...Ian just did not want to leave his Womb with a view....

Ian waited until the day after Bernard left to make his entrance into this world on June 12th, 1987.

He was a really well-tempered baby and toddler. He walked at 9 months-and let me tell you, the early walking baby is not all it is cracked up to be. But he loved water and physical play.

When Ian was in Elementary school, I had a chance to coach him in soccer for a few seasons and I would also go to his and his sister's school and show the kids how to do touch rugby.

When Ian was 3 and a half, we had his sister Rachel. I know that brothers and sisters can fight sometimes, but when they were elementary school age, I was worried if they would ever get along-at all.

Ian and Rachel

When Ian was 15 and Rachel was 12, Ian went to Niigata, Japan for a year as an AFS exchange student. Rachel spent 5 months with my Aunt Kay and her Partner Wendy in Darwin, Australia. After a few months apart from each other, Ian reached out to his sister and wrote a letter saying to the effect that they should be friends. Both Ian and Rachel grew up a lot from that experience. In Ian's case, I sent a 15 year old kid to Japan and and got a young man when he came back-he had grown and changed his hair style. He changed so much that when he came back to Minnesota, I walked right past him in the airport-I did not recognize him until he saw us and gave us all a big hug.

While Ian was in High School, he played soccer, wrestled, swam and played lacrosse. When he graduated from Robbinsdale Cooper High School in 2005, his final two college choices were between  Rutgers University in New Jersey and Portland State University in Oregon.  He chose Rutgers. While  at Rutgers, His  South African born roommate was a player with the Rutgers University RFC -and also on the USA Under 19 Eagles. Ian had an excellent Freshman year at Rutgers, but the out of state tuition was really expensive. After his Freshman year, he came back to Minnesota. (Later graduating from the University of Minnesota)

At the time when Ian came back, I had my mid life crisis and started playing rugby with the Metropolis RFC in Minneapolis. We were able to play two seasons together with Metropolis. I cannot tell you how much of thrill it was to not just play rugby and be on the field at the same time as my son-but I grew to admire the young man he had become. When he became a father in his own right to my grandson, Duncan, I marveled at what a patient and good father he is. 

Ian and his son Duncan from 2011.

So on this day, I want to share with you, dear reader, just how proud his sister, his mom and I are of Ian. 29 years...I cannot believe I am old enough to have a son who is 29.  Not only has it been great being his dad and being his rugby team mate for a couple of seasons, but after this season, my daughter took the plunge and started playing rugby. I am so proud of both of my kids, that I could just bust my buttons. 

Ian, me, my wife and my daughter Rachel. April 2016.

Love you son. Have a very happy 29th Birthday.