Not All Superheroes Are Giants

I've been pretty lucky as far as in-laws are concerned. Eric is part of a loving, supportive, hilarious family. No matter what, they are fiercely loyal and there's nothing they won't do for each other.

If the adage is true - looking to a spouse's parents to see what one will be married to in twenty years - I'm going to be very lucky. Eric's dad, Wally, is so important to all of us. He loves and adores us. We know, because he shows it.

The man is just always working. He doesn't come over to our house without tightening a loose railing or helping Eric load scrap wood into his truck. When our car breaks down, Wally loans us his car and takes ours to a guy he knows. We can't leave his house without a bag full of food from his freezer. On more than one occasion he's walked me out to my car, eyed my tires to make sure they were okay, and offered me $20.

There is nothing Wally can't do. I have now realized that Eric, too, is capable of doing anything. In the beginning I didn't know that. For years, as Eric installed an electrical outlet or fixed the toilet or changed my brake pads, I was standing behind him. Wringing my hands, I'd say the one thing that always drove him crazy: "Don't you think we should call your dad?" I should have remembered that Eric had learned from the best!

As much as I love and respect Wally, it doesn't come close to the complete adoration that Sam feels about him. Papa is Sam's best friend. As far as Sam is concerned, his Papa is the smartest, strongest, bravest person in the world. I think it's the way Papa has always treated Sam like a person, not a little kid. Papa holds Sam to the same standards as anyone else - and gives him the same amount of respect. For a man who has likely never read a child psychology book, he is unbelievably gifted at making my son feel loved. Sam always stands a little taller around Papa. Sam knows he's with someone who believes that he is very important.

If this isn't the face of a little boy looking up at his hero...I don't know what is.