Happy Father's Day

I'm sure bloggers around the world are posting incredible blogs with heartfelt tributes to their fathers.  I thought I'd be cliche and do the same thing, though this is more heartfelt than incredible!

I was blessed to grow up with a father.  He was always a constant.  While he may have worked a lot to make sure our family was WELL provided for, he was always there.  In the ways that counted.  I have memories of time spent with my dad that, to this day, make me smile.  Watching Matlock and the A-Team with him.  And Knight Rider.  And James Bond movies.  And the Rocky movies.  I have a love for Rocky movies, because of memories of watching them with my dad.  I don't care how cheesy some of them were, or how the later few weren't people's favorites...I love ALL 5 of them, because I remember watching them with my dad.  I remember sharing his almost burnt Red Baron's pizzas, minus the red pepper flakes.  Or WITH, on the rare occasion he would dare me to eat them and reward me with money if I actually did it!  ;-)  I have memories of him using pliers to remove toothpicks from my bare feet, which always seemed attracted to said toothpicks, that I'm pretty sure were unknowingly discarded onto the floor...by him.  I remember my dad constantly aggravating our dog Babe.  And this amuses me.  I don't know why.  Maybe it was the look of joy on his face, the sheer pleasure of annoying the dog.  It's the same look any father gets with any child they are trying to irritate, which is pretty much a dad thing.  One of my favorite memories, and I think my sister would agree, was when he was remodeling what used to be our back porch.  And Jenny and I were home and he would chant these silly cheers with our names in them, that always used to make us laugh.  We recorded him once.  On a tape recorder about the size of shoe box.  Do they still make those?  ;-)  Good thing for you dad that we don't still have those tapes because in this day of all things media...it could have been very embarrassing for you!  I love you dad, and I hope that you have a great Father's Day, and that you got the card that I actually remembered to send, probably for the first time in who knows how many years!

And then there is my husband.  The best model of a father for my children.  In all my ups and downs, Kris has been a constant for the kids.  When I couldn't be there, emotionally, he was.  He could have turned and run at the first onset of my crazy.  But he didn't.  He stayed, likely for the children!  So they didn't grow up scarred by BOTH parents.  I'm only kind of kidding.  I'm sure he will scold me upon reading that.  But that man...who grew up without a father that was consistently active in his life, turned out to be the world's greatest dad to our four children.  He loves those kids with such passion and fierceness and it is remarkable in this day and age for children to grow up with the love and protection that he provides.  My family is blessed to have him, as he attempts to lead us the way God has called him to.  He may stumble and fall sometimes, but there is not a single person who can say that he isn't the most generous and loving father to his children!!  Both with his affection and time.  Thank you Kris, for all that you do for this family.