Happy Father's Day

While Father's Day certainly isn't the only time I stop to think about the great fathers I know in my life, it is certainly a fitting time to stop and write my thoughts down and think about them a little more. 

First of all I have to think on my own Dad.  He's taught me much about working hard, but having fun while doing it.  I suppose my exuberance... a nice way of putting it... comes straight from Dad.  Of course, growing up Dad's exuberance bordered on annoying in my book.  I'm pretty sure my kids will be saying the same about me, and I'll feel nothing but proud to know it exactly where those traits came from.  I love to point out things while we're driving, giving history lessons and quizzing the kids, just like my Dad.  I'm grateful for the life lessons he's passed on to me, and I'm sure my kids will benefit from them too.  Thanks Dad for keeping my childhood entertaining, but hard so that I could appreciate all the goodness there is to life in the simple ways.

Of course the other special father in my life is the father of my children.  I certainly never knew what kind of dad Matt would be, but he has turned out to be nothing less than amazing.  He amazes me that he can work all day and come home smiling with hugs and kisses for every one of us, every single day.  I'd never know if he had a bad day until I asked him about his day.  His love for his children and me really is more than I have words to tell.  It is obvious he is loved much in return.  Owen and Chloie adore their Daddy, and it melts my heart to watch them all together.  Raising kids is tough work, but I am tremendously blessed to get to do it alongside Matt.

And now some pictures of our special day with Dad.

Mom and Chloie are ready for the game!  Ok, so this picture doesn't have much to do with Father's Day except I thought Chloie's outfit was cute, and I was actually in a picture....

Owen kept telling everyone when to clap.  Chloie wasn't clapping enough for Owen at the beginning so he "taught" her when to clap.  Soon she was a clapping machine.  One hint of a clap from the stands, and she was right there with them.

The kids did great.  We sat in the stands for two hours, which went by so quickly.  Either the kids were super good or the giant Blue Moon made everyone seem super good.

Dad and kids look for the play area.

Owen and Dad got to run the bases after the game.  Chloie would have loved to do it too, but she was sacked out in my arms by this time.  We had to wait awhile to go, and the kids were getting restless.  I kept insisting we needed to just leave, but the boys really wanted to run the bases.  We stayed, and they were both glad we did.  Owen and Dad played baseball in the backyard all evening when we got home.  A fun family to trip!