Fatherhood is a delicate balance of gentleness and strength.  The old saying “anyone can be a father but it takes someone special to be a daddy” could not be truer.  This wonderful picture of my dad when he was young has always been one of my favorites.  He actually went to a photographer which was very unusual for the hard working middle class aircraft mechanic.  Mom must have made him, and I’m so glad she did.  He was a handsome man, a gentle father and a good provider for his family of all women.  The poor man never had a chance.

I looked through pictures for one of my husband and the father of my children but couldn’t find any of them together.  He was always behind the camera since he was the better photographer and any pictures I found were of me and the kids.  So I used this picture of us on our wedding day.  We are leaving the church embarking on an adventure together.  So young and full of hope, the world had not yet beat us down and the only thing we owned was the car. He would be a new father in the next year and our tiny family of two was about to grow. He was ecstatic. He had no idea he would be a baseball coach, Boy Scout Leader and motorcycle mechanic in addition to his regular job.

Both men were wonderful fathers.  They put their families first and themselves second.  Maybe that was the reason they sometimes lost their tempers at childhood antics, but it didn’t take long for them to recover and realize what they had in life.  Not everyone was lucky enough to be a daddy.

Happy Father’s day to everyone reading this blog today and whether you are a father or have one, remember to enjoy what life has given you.  You are blessed.