I spent the afternoon today going through years of photos.  So many sweet memories.  For years I had wanted to put up a series of pics of the kidlets all at the same age, and today it finally got accomplished.  One pic per kiddo, each taken at their first birthday. It took longer than it should’ve; it was hard not to sit back and reminisce about all the little quirks and traits they used to have, things they used to say, and milestones they were meeting back then.  And of course, (unbiased Mama warning!) they were SO cute!!

One of the pictures showed the very first days of ComputerGuy being a Daddy.  I had managed to catch a precious moment of my boys crashed out in the recliner, tiny days-old Rocketboy fast asleep on his also-sleeping Daddy’s chest. (Ever wonder how sad Mamas would be back before cameras were invented to capture such sweet memories?  I have… Or maybe they’d just call it all sentimental nonsense! Who knows!)

You can read all the sociological and psychological research on the subject, but common sense says it best: Fathers are absolutely essential to a child’s physical and emotional development. Fathers are not replacements for mothers, they do not nurture, communicate or show affection in the same way that mothers do. These differences make fathers absolutely irreplaceable. Daddies are a boy’s first hero and a girl’s first love. Every boy wants to be just like his Daddy growing up, and every girl hopes to someday meet someone who would be at least half as great as her Daddy. Billy Graham has said, “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”

I have been so blessed to have some wonderful men in my life. My Daddy most of all, and my husband as a close second. I’ve always been a Daddy’s girl. I can remember riding on his shoulders when I was tiny, or “dancing” on his feet, and he’d always tell me I was his pride and joy. I can remember sitting on the floor looking up at my Daddy and marveling at how big and tall he was.

The impact that Dads make on their kiddos is amazingly significant. My Daddy has always been able to fix anything, and always seemed to have the patience required to do it. It didn’t matter whether it was bicycle chains falling off or fixing flat tires (for the 30th time!) or patching holes drilled in closet walls so that notes could be passed between bedrooms, (cough-cough, yes that happened…) Daddy could fix it, good as new.

I always knew I was safe with Daddy. Growing up in Southern California, we would have brush fires in the mountains surrounding our home nearly every summer.  I have a mental image of Daddy that’s humorous in a way;  I remember him standing up on the roof of our house, garden hose in hand, spraying down the roof to ensure any errant sparks wouldn’t harm our home. Thankfully, it was always unnecessary.

Daddy was generous and hardworking.  He worked for TWA Airlines for most of my childhood. We knew exactly where Daddy was when he wasn’t at home. We knew he was working for us. We even developed a certain loyalty to the company knowing that it was something that Daddy valued and that it enabled us to have the things that we did.  Even today, years after the company has gone away, whenever I see any old TWA memorabilia, it reminds me of my Daddy. It was always pretty cool to get to do so much flying as a kid too. When I was older, maybe college age, Daddy was always the one to surreptitiously pass over $20 bills when I was least expecting it, but would never accept them back when I tried. He took care of his family.

My Daddy is a wonderful example of a father and a husband.  My parents just celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary last month, and I look forward to following their example with ComputerGuy in another 30 years.

ComputerGuy is another example of SuperDad.  He doesn’t like the shirts and cups that say things like that, but I am so blessed to have this guy as my husband. He goes out of his way to think of things the kids would like to do, to make “rememberies” with them.  He intentionally works to be a good role model to the kiddos, knowing how much they look up to him. He is the backbone of our family. Even when he’s away at work, the kids know that he’s the one that makes our home, our schooling, everything possible. He brings a sense of humor to our family.  I have often told Rocketboy he’s ornery, and I know exactly where he got that from. 😉

Thank you Daddy, and ComputerGuy for being such wonderful Daddies.

How do you remember your Father? What impact did he have on you as a child?  What things does your husband do that makes him a good Daddy? How are you celebrating Father’s Day this year?