March 28, 1969
March 27, 2009 by Steve Elledge
** Where was I 40 years ago? Somewhere under the Pacific Ocean on a submarine patrol.
** Where was my wife? Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu, HI. What was she doing there? Giving birth to our second baby girl, Wendy Rae.
** When did I learn of this arrival? April 1, 1969. It took 3 days before I received radio notification of Wendy’s arrival. And when I finally did receive it I wasn’t sure if it was an April Fools gag or the real deal. We took pleasure at sea at teasing each other and trying to get each others goat. Heck, I wasn’t totally positive she was born, or whether she was male or female, until we surfaced a couple of weeks later and i could talk to Vic in person. We were really onery to one another – mind games were one of our major forms of entertainment when we were out there and out of contact for 65 – 70 days.
** Anyway, when I finally did get back to Oahu and met Wendy she wasn’t too fond of me. She had already been pretty spoiled and acclimated to her mother, grandmother, and sister. In fact, whenever I tried to hold her she would go ballistic!
** I remember one day shortly after my return we needed formula or diapers or something. We drove to the commissary, Wendy was content so Vic left her with me in the car while she ran into the store. As soon as she handed Wendy to me and went in Wendy got restless, then she got mad, then she began to scream. She turned purple! I’ll never forget the way a lady that pulled into the parking spot next to us looked at me. I know she thought i was mistreating her. If that would have happened in today’s world i would have likely been arrested for child abuse. I “think” Wendy is finally out of that phase and a little more tolerant of her old man.
** Wendy is an awesome daughter, a great mother who with her husband Tony have created one strong, vibrant family unit. I could not be more proud (tears in my eyes while I type, I am really getting emotional in my old age).
** And yes – there were moments during the years when I wondered if it would ever come together like it has but I think I always knew it could. Wendy is a strong minded individual, has always been kind of a nonconformist in a good kind of way, and has not always followed the norm. That’s what makes Wendy special – she brings a new perspective to things but blends that new slant with strong values and beliefs. Her children are a marked reflection of what Wendy brings to the world = personality, compassion, love, strength, joy, and occasionally a little bit of the unexpected. And Yah Tony – I know you had a part in it too! 
** Anyway – she’s 40 now in case you didn’t know! I’m betting she has another 40 – 50 ahead of her and I can’t wait to see the second half! If it’s anywhere near as good as the first 40 you don’t want to miss it! Stay tuned….
Happy Birthday Pooh Bear! I love you very much!
The Dad
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