Happy Father's Day to the two men I adore the most!
My Dad is one of the greatest gifts of my life. God gave me an amazing Dad who has loved me every single day of my life and who continues to show me how much he adores me too. Even as I've grown up and become a Mom myself, I know that I still hold the same place in his heart and he goes to great lengths still to make sure I know that he is always in my corner, he's proud of me and he's always praying for me. I have no doubt that the Lord has stepped in to intervene in my life many times, because of the faithful intercession of my Dad. Several times when I've called to tell him something incredible that the Lord did or a way He provided for us, my Dad has listened with great excitement and then told me that's exactly what he's been praying about. There is no greater gift than that, except that I am spoiled and not only can I count on his prayers but I can also just count on him. He makes me laugh, me encourages me, he listens, he sacrifices for his family, he gives wise and Godly counsel, he loves my Mom more and more with every year, he loves my husband and of course, he adores my kids.
I know it's a great reward for parents to enjoy their grandchildren but I'd also add that it's a great blessing for adult kids to watch their parents enjoy their grandchildren too!
My kids think their Grampy hung the moon and I have to agree with them! He is one of a kind and we love him so. Happy Father's Day Dad! You are the first man I loved and the one I am so thankful to still love today. You've been a great Dad and continue to be. We love you so much!!
Thanks for loving all of us so well!
The other man I adore is my own husband. Although he's not MY Dad, he is my children's Daddy and I am SO VERY GRATEFUL that they have him. When we were dating and I was head over heels in love with him, one of the many things I loved about him was watching him interact with little kids and seeing so many things that were similar to my own Dad. I always knew he would be an incredible Father and in many ways, he has exceeded my expectations! He works very, very hard to provide for us and makes every effort to create memories with our kids and to make time for them before he makes time for his job or his personal preferences. He's not missed a thing in their growing up years and I know that will be something they will cherish as they get older. He's so intentional about building spiritual things into them, about teaching God's Word to them and modeling a lifestyle that honors Jesus. He also loves me well and they've picked up on so many ways that he cherishes me too. Carter loves to call me "Babe" and then burst into a fit of giggles and Ava likes it when "Daddy kisses Mommy" which Travis is always happy to thrill her with! They watch his every move these days and they both live for the minute his car pulls in and he walks through the front door. "Daddy's home!!!" is a familiar refrain everyday that I enjoy so much. I just love to see the look on his face too when his welcoming committee greets him and squeezes him tight. It's a reward he's earned for all of the time and love he pours out on them. I know what it's like to have an amazing Dad and my heart swells to see my own kids experience that too!
I thought it would be fun to ask the kids a few questions about their Daddy, because their answers are so entertaining these days!! I'm giving you exactly what they said, although some are hilariously far from the truth! Ha ha! Enjoy these, Travis...
How Old is your Dad?
Ava- 16
Carter- 2
(Stephanie- Old enough to start becoming my silver fox!)
What is your Dad's Favorite Meal?
Ava- Basghetti
Carter- Macaroni
(Stephanie- Texas Style BBQ)
What Does Daddy Love to Do?
Ava- He loves to play with me
Carter- He loves to snuggle up wif me and wrestle me
(Stephanie- see Carter's answer! Ha ha!)
What is Daddy Really Good at?
Ava- Whistling
Carter- Talking
(Stephanie- Anything athletic or sports related)
What is Daddy Afraid of?
Ava- Us scaring him (when playing hide n seek)
Carter- Us finding him (when playing hide n seek)
(Stephanie- When I go to the mall alone!)
What Does Daddy do All day?
Ava- Goes to work
Carter- Works
(Stephanie- Enjoys some peace and quiet while dining out for lunch all over the metro everyday! Ha ha! )
What Does Daddy Do at Work?
Ava- Has a Bible Study, a meeting with the kids and with Raschelle (his JH associate)
Carter- Just plays
(Stephanie- Answers a lot of requests, spends a lot of time studying God's Word, shoulders many burdens with hurting people, and lots of other things I wouldn't want to do, truth be told!)
Where Does Daddy Love to Go?
Ava- The place with the climbing wall and military clothes and stuff (???-REI is my best guess)
Carter- The ice-cream place (DQ or Freeziac)
(Stephanie- On a dinner date with me, discovering new restaurants!)
What is Daddy's Favorite Movie?
Ava- The Croods
Carter- The Croods
(Stephanie- Impossible to answer, he loves movies!)
What Does Daddy Do for You That You Love?
Ava- He buys us donuts
Carter- He takes us to the jumpin place
(Stephanie- He makes me laugh, forgives me quickly, and loves Jesus with everything in him, which affects everything about the way he loves and treats us.)
What Do You Want to Tell Daddy on Father's Day?
Ava- I love him, I like him and I want him to be here! (home from Church)
Carter- Thank you for playing with me Dad.
(Stephanie- You are an amazing Dad and I'm so proud of the man you are!)
What Do You Hope Daddy Gets to Do This Year?
Ava- Take us to the park
Carter- Play!
(Stephanie- Conquer a personal goal or see a dream fulfilled)
What's One Word That Describes Daddy?
Ava- I LOVE him so much! (not easy for them to pick one word!)
Carter- Love! I LOVE him!!
(Stephanie- Faithful.)
I loved their little hearts and it's no secret how they feel about you Trav! I can't thank you enough for the way that you love them and treat all of us with such kindness and tenderness and selflessness. You love so well and you make it very easy to love you in return. Raising kids with you is an adventure I'm so grateful to be on! I love our life together so much and I'm very thankful for the ways you make me want to parent better and model Jesus more.
I also can't thank you enough for your ability to make us all laugh and to keep things silly and lighthearted around here! You bring JOY into our home and give us that gift every day. I'm certain your easy going personality has disarmed many a meltdown by me (!!) and certainly provides so much grace for all of us to be who we are without criticism or sharp judgement.
You shine the love of Jesus into our lives and give of yourself daily. I know that everything you give us comes from what Jesus gives you as you spend time with Him each day. We love you!!
It's a joy to celebrate you today and everyday!
Happy Father's Day, Travy!!
No comments:
Post a Comment