Father's Day!

fa·ther


ˈfäT͟Hər/
noun
noun: father; plural noun: fathers; noun: Father; noun: Father of the Church; plural noun: Fathers of the Church; plural noun: Fathers; plural noun: the Fathers; plural noun: the Church Fathers


1. 1.


a man in relation to his natural child or children.

synonyms:

dad; More daddy, pop, pa, dada, papa; old man, patriarch, paterfamilias "his mother and father"

a male animal in relation to its offspring.

There you have it, the definition of "father". What's more important about this word is all of the underwriting that is attached, and not acknowledged. A father is simply someone who is related to their offspring. We do not celebrate "father's" on father's day, but instead, we celebrate DAD's.


Google does not have a definition of what a dad really is. That is probably because a dad is so many different things. They wear so many hats, they have too many purposes. On this day I celebrate all of those hats.


We celebrate the things that make us similar to our dad's, to the things that make us different. We celebrate the things that make us angry, and the things that make us laugh from our belly. We celebrate who they are as a person, and who they have helped shape us into being. From the moment we come into the world, they are the strong pair of hands, that rough, comforting palm that will guide you through life.


Dad's will bake cookies,  go to the toy store, take you to fun places, swim with you, wash the car with you, win all of your marbles back for you, buy you the stuff to make cheap bracelets to sell in front of your house, drive you to birthday parties, and put all of your needs above his own.


A dad will listen to you cry when you are struggling or heart broken, and feel like giving up. They will laugh at your stupid jokes you made up on the spot. They will teach you important things (how to ride a bike, how to drive, how to dribble a basketball). They will approve of friends and boys (and probably disapprove of some as well). They will be honest with you, and they will ALWAYS have your back, because that's what a dad does.


A dad will walk you down the aisle, but not without asking "Are you ready?" first. Because even after all of this time, all of that money spent, what's most important is if you feel ready to put one foot in front of the other.


I imagine growing up as a boy, your relationship with your father might be much different than my experience, but the foundation of what a dad is remains the same. It is a universal understanding. They offer guidance, support, tough love, and a friend. Throughout your entire journey in life. And as I became a mother, you certainly learn to appreciate the true gift it is to watch your child grow. To watch them blossom into their own person. To know that you had a hand in how they turn out is such a blessing.


Father's day has also taken a turn in celebration when we welcomed little Garett to the world. Not only did my own dad take on a new role as "Pa", but Tyler joined the "dad" club. It is so fun to watch him grow into his new role. I'm sure Garett will one day be just as proud of his daddy as I am :) I certainly do love all the men/daddy figures in my life :)


Happy early Father's Day everyone! Please be sure to celebrate your dad's, but also let them celebrate you a little, since you are the reason they are being celebrated!