Happy Father’s Day
Growing up I had a great model of a good father. My dad was patient, kind, adventurous, funny, affectionate- the list goes on… From the time I was very little I was described as a daddy’s girl, or in our family’s case, a “papa’s” girl. As most of you know, I lost my father almost 4 years ago and since then, father’s day has not been an easy day for me. I looked forward to father’s day every year with my dad- I would always get him some sort of goofy card, sometimes a little gift, but usually just some funny card or piece of art work. That’s the thing about a good dad- not much is asked of you in return. This post isn’t really about my dad, though. For two years after my dad passed I had no cards to buy for today- the sting of losing my dad was a little worse when the advertisements for king of the grill gift sets started up on tv. Then, two years ago, Hazel came into our lives. I found myself with a new dad to recognize- Hazel’s dad, or, as he’s called around here, papa.
and then came John…
What can I say about Jered that isn’t captured in the pictures above? When Hazel was born we were both in for a rude awakening- making the transition from our little comfy world of two, to life as a family of three wasn’t easy on us. But very quickly Jered gave me a new example of what a great dad looks like. Like my father, he is patient, kind, loving, affectionate, adventurous and funny. My kids don’t even realize how lucky they are to have such a creative papa. Around these parts he is the one who builds forts (known around here as houses) in the living room, dances with Hazel to her princess songs, does hair, has tea parties, and has recently become known as the breakfast king for his uncanny kitchen skills in the hours before noon.
Jered and I have been together a long time, and in that time I’ve always known him to be a cut above the rest of the guys I saw around me, but it wasn’t until we had kids that I really got to see just how deep his greatness runs. Sleepless nights, diaper changes, squealing toddlers, potty training- he’s up for all of it, and he does it with a smile.
So, here’s to you Jered- papa extraordinaire. You have it all- charm, wit, good looks, and a family that loves you more than you could know. Happy Father’s Day- to a dad that would have made my dad proud.
Leave a Reply