Joseph is the best at giving gifts. I can never really get him good presents, though, because if he wants something, he just goes out and buys it right then. Well, except for a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, but knowing him, I’ll pull up in the driveway one day and there it’ll be.
However, THIS year for his Father’s Day present, I thought I had the perfect idea. Right before I had the chance to order it, he informed me that he had already bought something and that all I had to do was put it in an envelope. He then proceeded to tell me that WWE Smackdown was coming to Greenville in August, and there was nothing he wanted more than to be able to go as a family and see a show that would delight Caroline. He assured me that was all he wanted, and that it was the perfect gift.
So, it’s settled. Smackdown it is. The other gift will be kept figuratively in my back pocket until his birthday in a few months which leaves me with nothing special to give him for Father’s Day, except for this blog post in honor of him. He deserves all the shout-outs and praise for the wonderful Daddy he is to our children. There really aren’t words to adequately express how awesome he is, but I’ll do my best.
Fun fact… I discovered I was pregnant with Carter on Father’s Day of 2004. I woke up early that morning and took a pregnancy test but couldn’t see a line after a few minutes, so I discarded it and went back to bed. When I woke up a few hours later, I returned to take a peek at the test but this time, there was a line! I could barely see it, but it was there…the first sign of our boy. My, how our lives would be forever changed for the good!
Years ago before the kids started school, I made them digital scrapbooks that were then printed into hardcover books. The title of each one was “The ABC’s of Carter/Caroline.” Each page represented a letter of the alphabet, a childhood photo to represent that letter, and a little story to remind them of fun pastimes. I’d like to take that idea and adapt it for Father’s Day on here today as my gift to my husband.
Dear Joseph,
You know that I loved you when we dated for nearly 6 years. You know that I loved you on our wedding day…I even did a little happy dance before we were pronounced husband and wife in my excitement. You know I loved you those first few years of being newlyweds. But did you know that my heart was capable of even MORE love seeing you be such an amazing father to our kids? Especially seeing you become the ideal father, the kind of father that I never had. My heart has expanded and filled to overflowing these past 13 years. Truly my cup runneth over. I am in awe of your patience, affection, and involvement. I marvel at your hard work, determination, and your capabilities. I admire your leadership, giving heart, and joy for life.
I know that this past year has nearly beaten you to the ground, but your faith has remained strong, which has helped sustain and strengthen mine. I’m so glad that God saw fit to bring us together and bless us with the gift of parenthood. It has been one of my greatest pleasures just to sit back and watch you shine like a rock star in your relationship with our kids. Oh, if only every child could have a Daddy like you, how lucky and blessed they would be! I hope you enjoy this “picture blog” for today. May you smile through the tears and always know that Carter and Caroline are two of the luckiest kids in the world, for they truly hit the jackpot with you.
So….without further ado, I present to you, my dear husband,…drumroll, please….
The ABC’s of What Makes You a Terrific Father
A is for Attending School Events
You always make it a priority to come to their programs and awards days. Work goes on the back burner…you never complain about the hassle that results from having to adjust your schedule just so you don’t miss what is happening at school. Our kids have always been able to count on you to be there to support them and cheer them on.
B is for Beach Trips
Taking young children on any vacation can be a challenge, but you knew that making memories was important, so you didn’t bat an eye when it came time to head on down to the Isle of Palms and deal with the mess that resulted from altered routines, crowds, heat, and sand. Although we never could actually afford those vacations most of the time, you still made sure we stayed in awesome hotels, ate fantastic food, and brought back cool souvenirs.
C is for Cuddles
Thank you for never hesitating to show physical affection to our children. Not a day went by that they weren’t hugged, kissed, and told “I love you.”
D is for Dallas
The idea to take a road trip to Dallas for Spring Break 2014 was all you, babe. And you did it for Carter, because he was obsessed with all things John F. Kennedy. You thought it would be neat for him to see Dealy Plaza, the JFK Museum, and the tombstone of Lee Harvey Oswald for himself so that all the documentaries he had seen and articles he had read would become REAL to him. What an amazing trip! You fanned the flame of whatever interests our children had and gave them opportunities to see and experience so much.
E is for Emphasizing Church
We never have to wake up on Sunday and ask you if we are going to church. You lead our family to the house of God by example.
F is for Face-Painting
You were hands-on many times with Halloween costumes. You did a wonderful job painting clown and scarecrow faces for Carter, and Caroline’s green witch face was legendary!
G is for Golf
You shared your love of golf with the kids by driving Carter to First Tee lessons and bringing them with you on the course at times. I think one of the reasons Carter was so good was because he wanted to make you proud and he knew you loved the sport. It was a shared interest with his hero.
H is for Having Shoulders to Lean On
You always make yourself available to us when we are sad, upset, or worried. We can trust you to listen and give good advice.
I is for Involvement
You make it a point to show up to Caroline’s sporting events and cheer her on. Even with a torn tendon, you hobbled across the soccer field on a Sat. morning to show support of our girl. You help with homework. You keep up with grades. You ask questions.
J is for Juggling
When life gets hectic and the schedule gets tight, you somehow manage to make it all happen. You sacrifice a lot of sleep to ensure that Caroline gets to school on time, gets picked up each afternoon, and makes it to her appointments across town while I’m at work. I know for a fact that she enjoys these times in the car with you.
K is for Keeping Us Laughing
You tell the best jokes and stories. Even on the hardest of days, you find a way to make us smile and lighten the mood with your silly antics and witty observations. Caroline has your sense of humor, too.
L is for Loving Their Mother
Our kids never had to worry about coming home to a cantankerous Daddy who fought with their Mama or who was rough and rowdy. They were secure in the knowledge that our marriage was strong, and that by taking care of me and my needs, you were helping create a stable home for them.
M is for Messy Memories
Whether it was letting them smash “pie” (whipped cream on a Styrofoam plate) in your face for giggles, or throwing a bucket of water over your head while outside washing the car, the kids knew that you were all in for the fun, regardless of the mess.
N is for Not Being Lazy
You’re like the Energizer Bunny who keeps going, and going, and going. You work a full-time job, manage the vehicles’ upkeep, do all of the yard work, and help with household chores. We are able to have and maintain nice things because of you.
O is for Outdoor Fun
Despite your busy workload, you can often be found outside whacking golf balls, playing in the snow, or shooting hoops with the kids. You spend time outside being actively engaged when I know there are days and nights you’d rather rest.
P is for Parties and Presents
Birthday parties for children sure can eat up a monthly budget, but you never scrimped on them. You recognized that each year was another year worthy of celebration, and you always went the extra mile to make their parties and gifts truly special.
Q is for Quality Time
You made the most of the time we had at home to interact with them and show them love and affection. Sometimes that meant rubbing their backs while watching TV. Other times it was getting on the floor and playing with them or helping them put together Legos.
R is for Reading to Carter’s Class
How many fathers can say that they took the time to visit their son’s first grade class to read a book to them? Carter was absolutely thrilled, and oh so very proud.
S is for Sharing Night-Time Duties
You always helped with the kids at night by taking turns getting up to feed them, change their diapers, and get them back to sleep. The nights sure were long, but looking back now, those years were short. Thank you for helping so much.
T is for Treating Them Fairly
Whatever you did for one child, you did for the other. Whether it was buying presents for Christmas or giving them special treats, each child was consistently shown equal love and generosity.
U is for Understanding Each Child’s Interests
Carter wasn’t interested in sports. You never pressured him to take part. Instead, you bought him all the art supplies he wanted, and you bought an upper-grade violin once he decided to stick with that instrument when most parents would have kept renting a cheaper version. Caroline didn’t care about soccer. You didn’t force her to keep playing a sport that she didn’t enjoy. Instead, you cheered her on in basketball, allowed her to join the cheer squad when you were at first adamantly opposed to it, and you continue to watch endless hours of WWE recordings on Mon. and Tues. nights with her simply because she enjoys it.
V is for Visiting Carter’s Resting Spot
Our boy was in the midst of reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” last year but never finished it. You went to his grave for weeks last summer to read the book to him, chapter by chapter with his beloved dog JoJo at your feet. If that’s not true love, then tell me what is.
W is for Working Hard
You go to work when you’re sick. You go when you are tired. You go when your heart hurts. You go when you don’t feel like it. You just go.
X is for being Xtra Cool
Who else has a Dad who can rock pizza pants on the golf course?
Y is for Yogurt Mountain
You hate frozen yogurt, but when Caroline decided that was where she wanted to go to celebrate her Terrific Kid nomination, you not only took her, but you dug right in and pretended to enjoy it because it made her happy.
Z is for Zany
You’re goofy and silly at times. Loud and obnoxious at other times. Eager for a laugh and quick to poke fun and aggravate…just to make us smile, roll our eyes, or squeal. We love you and thank you for being so good. Our hearts and lives are abundantly rich and full of goodness thanks to you.
Love, Loss, and Blue Butterflies 