"Dad, what do you want to do today?" I'll be honest I don't know.
I'm not sure if other dads have felt this way but this past weekend, I found myself struggling with celebrating and getting all the attention. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to avoid it because being a dad is awesome.
I've never been good at being the center of attention, and as a father I have always believed it is my responsibility and privilege, not something I do to get something in return. That said, I have enjoyed the heck out of being a father, so it got me thinking about the different stages of fatherhood that I experienced.
While I don't remember what I did on previous Father's Days, I do recall how I was feeling during different periods of time in my journey as a father. As a first-time dad, I wanted to tell everyone I was a dad, I wanted to share pictures, I couldn't hold my oldest (McKenna - Oct 1997) enough, and I definitely celebrated the fact that my wife and I were blessed with a child.
Enter the stage of having two children (Grace - Halloween 2000). Career was in full swing for both my wife and I, so the times we had to spend with our two girls was priceless. I specifically remember accepting myself as a girl dad when playing "Pretty, Pretty Princess". The girls were so excited to put on jewelry and even more excited to put it on dad!
Just over four years later we become outnumbered when #3 joins the mix (Isabelle - 2005). McKenna and Grace were thrilled to be big sisters, but mom and dad were a little apprehensive. We had to switch to "zone defense", began to rely on our support system in a bigger way, and needed more space. New home, three kids, a dog, and a partridge in a pear tree! Although life seemed a little hectic, we embraced it, wanted to start our own traditions, and became more conscious about creating family memories. We hosted our first Thanksgiving (we will celebrate 20 yrs this year), started family vacations, and ice cream on the first and last day of school to name a few.
In 2007, we were blessed with our fourth daughter (Faith). That's right, Faith. We knew God had a plan for us and so our new addition became a symbolic transformation in our individual & family faith. How do you show God you trust his plan? Well, we chose to move over 1,100 miles from home, family, friends, support network and more. The Woodlands, TX, was our home for the next three years. Looking back now my wife and I see this as a great turning point for our family. We grew our relationships, we expanded our friendships, and we created a ton of memories through the good and bad experiences.
Each time I was blessed with another child I was at a different phase in my life, so naturally my perspective was a little different each time. I had more experience as dad and more life experiences each time. But no matter the perspective, what didn't change was the love for being a dad. From the first time each of the kids called me dad to the first time we had a disagreement, my unconditional love took center stage.
So, while I appreciate the wishes for a happy Father's Day, sometimes the greatest reward is simply cherishing the role and the relationships that come with it. I am so thankful for my daughters and have loved the opportunity to be their dad over the past 26+ yrs.
My job isn't done but damn I've enjoyed this ride!
This is my purpose. This is my passion. Grateful!
Thank you first and foremost to my Lord and Savior, for blessing me and trusting me as a father.
Thank you to my wife, DiAnna, for being my partner in crime as we figured out life together. Thank you to each of my daughters for the memories, the experiences and the love.
Love Dad
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