A Tribute to My First Born

Today is the day...the day I get to publically embarrass my oldest daughter. Not that I haven't done that before. Many have been the times I have told people of my daughter's birth in Colorado a little over 18 years ago. It was the worst snowstorm of the year (I draw out the word worst for effect). Actually, my wife was admitted to the hospital the night before on a rather pleasant, dry day. The doctor wanted to induce labor because of dangerously high blood preasure (pre-e, which stands for a condition I can pronounce but not spell), so my beloved spent the night in the hospital and I spent the night at a relative's house.
The next morning: POW. There is an saying that if you don't like the weather in Colorado, wait a minute. From dry and sunny to a major snowstorm that shut down the schools, airport, most businesses, and roads all in less than twelve hours. My car would not make it that morning to the hospital, so I called my sister's husband, who arrived in his four-wheel drive, souped up sports car. We spun, we sailed, we glided (I'm not sure, but I think we might have cut across a pond or two. Hard to tell with my eyes closed and my hands tightly wrapped around the seat cushion!), but I was delivered to the front door of the hospital.
The next several hours were a blur. I remember that the heating system was out of order, so the room was incredibly hot and stuffy. This required me to open a window during the worst snowstorm of the year. I also remember coaching my wife on breathing, only to have my coaching contradicted by the nurse on duty. But after a long process of induced labor, my wife finally gave birth to my daughter.
And now, 18 years later, my daughter is graduating from high school tonight. She would no doubt be embarrassed and object to my posting of this, but it is a father's duty to "crow" about his children once or twice or several times during their lifetime. Sooooo.....
Christy, I love you and I'm very proud of you. Congratulations on your big day and may the Lord richly bless you as you enter the rigors of college life. Signed, your dad.