Happy Father's Day

I haven't been in a blogging mood lately.  Not that I don't have tons to blog about, it just wasn't happening this past week.  Normally I don't blog on the weekends, but sometimes the spirit calls.  For today I thought I'd write a short tribute to the fathers in my life.

My father:

I love this man to pieces.  I don't always agree with him and we have different points of views on many things, but I can't ask for a better father.  He gets major props for putting up with me through out life.  Especially my teenage years.....oh, you have no idea what I put that man through.  He has loved me no matter what and continues to be the best dad I could ever want.

My father-in-law:

An old pic, I was 6 months pregnant with Andrew.

I'm painfully aware that this is the first father's day we will celebrate without Jim's dad.  We always called him on this day.  I'm sure I didn't give much thought to those phone calls when we made them, but now that we can't it deeply hurts my heart.  Jim's dad, ever so lovingly called Papa Jim, was not the idealistic father to Jim growing up.  There is a lot of history there I won't touch here on my blog, but I've always said that I don't care about what happened before I married Jim.  (Well, I care, but you know what I mean).  I've always focused on my father in law and how he has treated me, how he was personally, since I met & married Jim and to that I have nothing but good things to say.  Dad was always loving & supportive of me and I miss him terribly.  Not so much in the everyday stuff.  He lived far away & we didn't see him often.  It's the little things and simply just knowing he's not on this earth (in a better heavenly place for sure) that breaks my hearts.

I will note that I do have a step father in law.  I don't think I have a single picture of me with him.  I don't have many stories to tell about him either.  He is very polite, accepting & loving toward me.  I can't say anything bad about him.  We've just never had a close personable relationship.  I am thankful for the many years of Christmas holidays that we spend at his house.  It's all my kids know & remember about Christmas Day, spending it at Grandpa & Grandma Wilson's.  It's a tradition he's played a major part in giving my children and that means a lot to me.

The father of my children:

I couldn't have picked a better man to be the father of our children.  If it were up to him we'd have 100+ babies, we'd easily put the Duggars to shame.  And I have no doubt he'd love each and everyone with all his heart.  Let's face it, we make some pretty awesome kids!!  If I had to I could sit here and write hundreds and thousands of stories about Jim being a father.  Sure some of them might be less than stellar or perfect, he is human after all.  I don't think anyone doubts that, but all that is good in him as a father far out weighs any of that.  I am blessed...truly blessed!!