Father's Day

Since tomorrow is Father's Day I thought I would share something I wrote a few years ago:

The presence of a father's love is something not everyone has the pleasure of experiencing, so it's important not to take it for granted. I have countless memories of time spent with my Daddy. As I grew older I didn't see him in person as often but hardly a day went by that we didn't share a phone conversation. The talk was usually quite simple; we'd laugh over something we had read in the newspaper, I'd tell him something funny one of my girls had done that day, I'd ask him how to fix something, or sometimes we just talked about the weather. But as simple as those conversations were, they meant just as much to me as all the time we had together when I was a child. The longer I knew my dad, and even since he has passed, the more I am aware of how very wise and loving he was. I loved watching him with my girls, and I can only wish he could have met my son. He made as good of a Pawpaw as he did as a Dad :) Words can't express how much I miss him on a daily basis.

My daughters have a wonderful dad as well. I know they will have so many good memories to look back on as the years go by, and I trust that they will feel for him what I feel for my dad: an ever-growing respect for his hard work, his dedication and consistency as a parent, and for his ability to make them laugh and feel comforted and special. I will always be grateful for his presence in their lives. 

My son also has a remarkable father. There is nothing dearer to my heart than watching them together. They make each other so happy. Jacen runs to the door the minute he hears his dad wake up in the evenings calling "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" And then they enjoy their nightly ritual of sharing a bowl of cereal. In the mornings when Douglas gets home from work, even though he's tired, and even though he has school work to do, he ALWAYS makes time for his son. He even makes time for me, when Jacen allows it ;) We are both so blessed to have such a great man in our lives.

Happy Father's Day to all of you Dads out there! Your presence means everything to your children. They grow up so fast, and you may not always be around for them, so make your time with them count. I know mine did, and I will forever be grateful for that.