Stupidly Happy

gldobbs
Jul 20
4 min read

Updated: Jul 21

July 20, 2025

“Beside the river there are two things you never forget, that the moment you look at a river that moment has already passed, and that everything is on its way somewhere else.”

— Niall Williams

As parents, we often call our kids “youngsters.” Colleen and I often chat about what “the boys” are up to. But, they are not boys anymore. Far from it. Their lives are taking off, reaching new heights that we never imagined. They’re grown men now, each with their own families. Our influence in their lives has waned. We can only watch and cheer them on as best we can.

This is how it should be. The older I get, the more I realize that a parent’s job is to let their kids run. You worked hard to set them on their path, but they’re doing great now all on their own. I just need to stay out of their way.

Even so, I still make time to remember important events. Life moves so fast, and moments are gone in a flash. The river keeps moving on. I started this blog to mark milestones in our lives. So, I want to take a moment to share some exciting news from this incredible summer of 2025.

On July 2, 2025, at 7:04 pm, our son Chris and Emily welcomed their second child, Martin Henry Dobbs, into the world. He’s a healthy, vibrant baby with a lively cry and all his fingers and toes. And with complete objectivity, he’s absolutely gorgeous.

Marty joins his older brother Elliot, who was born three years ago. Together, they fill Chris and Emily’s home with the joyful chaos that only small children can bring. It’s a noisy, lively place, full of love and laughter.

Emily and Chris both work full-time. Even though Emily’s parents live nearby and help out, it’s still stressful and exhausting for both of them. Despite this stress they’ve become incredibly attentive, patient, and loving parents. Elliot has had a wonderful childhood so far, and I have no doubt that Martin will too.

As I became a dad almost 40 years ago, I was completely unprepared. I had only one goal: to do better for my sons than my father did for me.

It was a low bar. And if that was my only ambition, I succeeded. But in so many other ways I failed. I think that insecurity is probably common to a lot of parents.

I recount this story to illustrate why I am consistently astounded by Chris’ patience and exceptional parenting skills. As we drive home from visits, we both frequently comment on how well he and Emily are doing.

It fills us with pride and joy that is hard to describe. You just feel stupidly happy.

For both Chris and Stephen, our youngest son, the "American Dream" of owning a home is something increasingly out of reach for their generation. The American Dream isn’t necessarily dead, but for many, it’s become a myth—something that sounds good but doesn’t reflect modern reality. Hard work alone no longer guarantees success. Today, access to opportunity is shaped more by birth circumstances, social safety nets, and systemic factors than by individual effort.

Despite these barriers, Chris and Emily managed to successfully purchase a historic home on the north side of Cincinatti and added on to it to reflect their growing family.

It was now Stephen’s turn.

Stephen and his wife Alex are faculty members at Stanford University. The neighborhoods around the university have some of the highest prices for real estate in the world. The American Dream isn’t just out of reach, its in another galaxy.

This remarkable summer had still more to offer though. Through hard work, careful planning, deliberate savings, a thrifty lifestyle, and just plain good fortune, They purchased their first home!

And what a home! The house is a modest cottage style but is located in a redwood forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains. If you have never visited a redwood forest it is not like any other you may have seen. A redwood forest isn’t just beautiful. It’s a place where time bends, silence speaks, and nature feels bigger than you can comprehend. That’s what makes it magical.

Their is a reason George Lucas chose this setting to film “The forest moon of Endor” in Star Wars.

We spent the last few days at their home, along with Colleens’ brother Curtis and his partner Rusty helping with various projects around the house. Curtis, Rusty, and Colleen have prodigious skills in home improvement and landscaping. Stephen has grown in his handyman skills.