Father's Day always brings so many thoughts and feelings into my head. I have so much to be thankful for when it comes to Fathers/Fatherhood. Anyone who knows me well can tell, I am far from perfect. One thing I believe I am very aware of is a knowledge that all good things come from a loving Heavenly Father. Some of the trials and things come from our Heavenly Father as well, but that is only to bring about the good inside of us. I am thankful that he knows me so well and knows what is best for me. He gives me everything I need and yet does not give me the things which are not for my good.
I have the most wonderful earthly Father in the world. If that seems like a bold statement, it is. It is also true. My Dad is my hero. He is a beacon of strength in every situation. I know he is not perfect, yet he is as close as anyone I know personally. Being around someone as a son is around their Dad would cause more and more imperfections to shine through. While he may have slight, tiny flaws, he is the most true man I know. He never seems to have to struggle with what is right or wrong, that almost pefect knowledge seems to have been embedded within him at birth. He is successful, wise, strong, talented, and gifted. However, more importantly, he is a spiritual giant among men. He is gentle and kind to all, even when someone has treated him poorly or taken advantage of him. He seems to have the attitude, that someone can only be taking advantage of you, if YOU let yourself think they're taking advantage of you. He has the patience of Job. He is soft-spoken, hilarious, and there for anyone. He has a way of seeing others needs before they do. He sees a need and fills it before anyone around him knows what is going on. He definitely has served in many public ways, yet I am constantly amazed with how much he serves and all he gives when he thinks no one is looking. There has not been a food drive that has ever gone by where my parents didn't load up the back of the car at Costco to donate to it. I have heard multiple people comment that he was their favorite home teacher. I have never heard anyone speak ill of him, and I cannot imagine anyone truthfully being able to. Truly, the more I am around him, the more perfect that I see he is. Most people's imperfections tend to show through the more someone is around them. He is just the opposite. He could never possibly know how much I love, respect, and revere him.
I love being a Daddy. The word Daddy (and Dadd-o) seems so childish in some ways, but it has become the sweetest word in the world to me over the last 5 1/2 years. I love my children more than I can express in words. Once again, what an incredible blessing given to me by my loving Father in Heaven. My kids mean the world to me. I want to be there for them in every way. I loved this Father's Day and the time I spent with them. While I loved all the shirts and gifts that my family helped the kids buy, nothing compared to a Father's Day hug and hearing my kids sweet voices sing songs to me at church. McQueen and Tinkerbell have changed my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. They continually make positive, everlasting, impacts upon me. I can easily recognize their imperfections, tantrums, etc. Although I seek to teach them correctly, I love them for who they are. I do not ever look at a beautiful glass sculpture, and think, "yeah, but it is only made of sand!" Likewise, with my kids, I see all that is beautiful, wonderful, and amazing within them. I love them completely for everything their little minds, spirits, and bodies possess. I want to strive to be better, to live better, and to act better because I am their Dad. I want them to know more than anything else of my love for them. I want them to learn, to enjoy life, and especially, to laugh. Not a day goes by where I don't express my thanks for the blessing of being a Father to these two sweet spirits, given to me by a loving Father above.
the first FIVE years
