Thoughts for Father's Day 2016

What is a dad/father?

This is for All the poor dads out there. The ones that don't get any credit. The players behind the scenes. I'm not sure why society still believes that fathers are hands off, not the nurturing ones, not the confidants. I feel like perhaps the rest of the world has had a different experience of what fatherhood is/ consists of than I have had. 

Let's see. One of my earliest memories in life is running backwards in a parking lot, probably much too young to have been running backwards, since I likely hadn't mastered the art of running forward yet. I fell and skinned my knee, and before a tear could even fall from my eye, I was in my dads arms. 

My experience of a father growing up is a lot of quality time. I was my dads side kick, I loved to be around him. To stare at him. To imagine if I would be anything like him as I grew up. I involved myself in many things he did--working on the lawn, running errands, played on sports teams he coached, went into the schools in the summer to help him get ready for the coming year or take inventory of gym stuff. I went to his classroom everyday before and after school, and was a student in his class for 4th and 6th grade. 

I learned a lot of hard lessons under his watchful eye. I never thought of my dad as a very sentimental man. It never occurred to me for many years that all the lectures, all the essays after getting into some kind of trouble , all of the "no you may not date him's" and "come and sit in here for a minute's" were coming from a place of unconditional love. I mean, it obviously donned on me maybe edging near the end of high school. But until then, I hadn't a clue what it all meant. 

A dad is someone who teaches you. Even when their profession is not actually being a teacher/principal. They give you the skills and lessons you need in life to be able to be a good human being. 

A dad is someone who listens. You may think he's cross. And he will have something to say back to everything you say. You will think he's playing the devils advocate--and he probably is--but it's to show you he's listening and assessing the situation to give you the advice you need (not the advice you want). No one in this life will love you as much as your parents do. Listen to the words they speak in the moments you turn to them. 

A dad is someone who has a good game face. A tough exterior. But when his little girl (or boy ) is hurting, it's not unlikely to see a tear fall. 

A dad is someone who wins all your marbles back for you when you get cocky enough to think you can beat your older sister in game after game. 

A dad is someone who uses one of his very few personal days off to take you shopping for Barbies, because he knows that's what you like to do. 

A dad is someone who tries to shield you from sad things in life for as long as he can. The night of my first sleepover ever at my house, my old babysitter (I called her Mommy2) died. So he took me to Mcdonalds and bought me the movie the Mask before I had to go home and deal with the saddest moment I had ever had to face in my 7 years on earth. 

A dad is someone who drives you to your first job and comes to pick you up and asks you how your night was, even though you were just serving up ice cream. 

A dad is someone who knows when to be strong , when to be soft, when to be hard on you and when to cut you some slack. 

I was born into a family with the best example of a dad. I never felt unloved. Never felt like anything I did would ever take that love away.  

Now It's Garett's turn. A lot of the time Tyler reminds me a lot of my father. He might dish out lessons to a three year old more often than I do, but these will help shape Garett into a bright, caring and inquisitive man. Raising boys is a bit different than girls. I want him to be strong and independent and successful and funny and happy/well rounded. Tyler is the best person I could ever imagine to help shape a child into all of these things. I am so lucky to call him my partner and Garett is so lucky to call him daddy. He might be in for a rude awakening with a girl on the way (haha) but excited to see him grow into that role also :) 

I have been truly blessed to have two of the strongest, like-minded men in my life. I love them both so much. I hope you have a father /father figure in your life that you love, respect and appreciate !! 

Happy Father's Day, daddy's !!! :)