January 11 is a big day in the Korducki family. Not one, not two, but three of the men have birthdays! My godfather, Uncle Bob, my cousin Jake (who also happens to be Bob’s son) and none other than the fantastic Papa Bender, who is Jake’s godfather.

I’m not certain on the odds of having three people (two of whom are brothers, the other two father and son) with the same birthday in one family, but it’s a very fun coincidence. That said, the first January 11th birthday was waaaay back in 1952. Now that math, I can handle. It means that a certain special someone is having an extra special celebration. Papa Bender turns the big 6-0 today!

PB has lived a very full and exciting life, from his days playing trombone at Bay View High School in Milwaukee to graduating from Marquette University and pursuing a job at an accounting firm, where he would eventually meet a certain foxy female named Joyce.

I feel very fortunate that a few years after that meeting, I came into the picture.

We’ve had a lot of great memories and experiences together, both with a moustache…

…and without. From Girl Scout sock hops to Father Daughter dances, he’s been there for every step.

One of the best lessons he’s instilled in me is to approach every endeavor by “starting fast” and “finishing strong.” It’s why I jump into a new project full of passion and excitement, and why I make sure to keep the enthusiasm going until the end. I did this with every new semester in high school, every new quarter in college and now, every new business client and campaign.

It’s a handy piece of advice to have in the kitchen, too. 😉

I truly wish that I could be celebrating the big 6-0 with PB in person, but I am there in spirit and looking forward to seeing what the next 60 years will bring. It has been an amazing journey, and I am the luckiest girl in the world to call him Dad.

Happy 60th Birthday, Papa Bender! Your family loves you very, very much.

Abrazos,