Athena Petersen became my granddaughter when she married my grandson Josh Petersen on June 24, 2023, but she won our hearts when we first met her on February 8, 2021. It was their first date, and they decided to go bowling. It happened to be our league night, and when Josh saw us, he introduced us to his girl. The rest, as they say, is history. We liked her immediately, and somehow, I knew that Josh had lost his heart to her. That fact was easy to see, and I could totally see why. I loved her immediately too. Since that time, Athena has never given me any reason to think that she was anything but genuine, sweet, and loving. In her we have been very blessed.
Athena is a boy mom, with four sons, but she would love to have a daughter someday. Time will tell, I guess. Athena and Josh’s boys, Justin, Axel, Cristian, and Graham keep 
their parents running. Having been the mom of two girls, I had no idea what having boys would mean. Boys are very different than girls, that’s for sure. Boys are a big job, and the mom of those boys had better keep herself in good shape. Athena does just that, getting up early in the morning (and she is not a morning person) to work out before Josh leaves for work. It’s hard work, and I’m very proud of the strong woman she is.
Athena is strong, but even more important, in my opinion, is the fact that she is a strong Christian woman. Athena has been attending her church for more that ten years, and she is very dedicated both to her Lord, Jesus Christ, to her family and extended family. I love the fact that Athena and Josh are raising their family to love the Lord too. They have raised good little boys, and they are so proud of them. The children are growing up fast. 
I love to see how Josh and Athena continue to cultivate their love every day. It’s as if they are still dating, and that is a great way to keep a marriage young and strong. Today is Athena’s birthday. Happy birthday Athena!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
