Today marks your second father's day since our beautiful girls came into the world and you are even more wonderful a father than I could have imagined.
When we were dating, there was a moment when I saw you playing with your nieces, laughing, and enjoying their company, that I knew you were the one I wanted to marry. I knew that if you were this interested in the lives of these children that you would one day be enamored with our own.
And I was right.
When our first baby girl came into the world, I watched you grow into both a softer and stronger man. Softer in that you could empathize with a crying baby, burp her, bathe her, and snuggle with her, helpless though she was, and completely needy. You've grown with her, kissing her ouchies, singing the "Wheels on the Bus" over and over again, sometimes with silly improvised lyrics, sharing your love of airplanes with her, and causing her to give off deep belly laughs almost on a daily basis.
Stronger you became as you sacrificed your complete happiness for mine by allowing me to stay home while you continued in a job that wasn't exactly your dream. You made sure that we were taken care of before you considered yourself. I watched you humble yourself while we moved in with my family, so that I could continue staying at home with Sofia, though it wasn't your ideal situation. I watched you quickly and decisively move to protect our daughter, in times of imminent danger. You've stood firm when it came to teaching our daughter skills or manners, knowing that though it may be difficult now, it would benefit she and our family long term. You never feared taking the initiative when it came to basic care of Sofia, even when it wasn't what you wanted to be doing. I've watched you relinquish your will for that of God's as we looked at the possibility of welcoming more children into the world, though it meant more weight on you to provide. With the birth of our second child, you continued in all these ways and then added to it, caring for me and my physical needs. When everyone around you was covered in tears, you rose to become a rock to us all, offering love and support when we could not care for ourselves.
I know you were uncertain about becoming a father. I know you saw the gravity of that role and how instrumental it is in either building up or tearing down children. I know you feared causing the latter in yours.
But the way I see it, you have nothing to fear. Certainly, frustrating situations arise and you may not respond the way you always want to, but this is just a part of being human. You are perfectly suited for fatherhood, not because you are perfect, but because you are teachable. You have the Holy Spirit within you guiding you. And God created you, unapologetically, for this role.
I know that your daughters will be better people because they have you as a father. They will know what a true man is, one who works hard, makes sacrifices, serves others, and loves well. When they are grown, they will know how they should be treated by other men, because they have watched you love and serve me so well. They will know what it means to submit one's life to God and enjoy the life one has been given. They will know what it means to follow through and act when things need to get done. They will know what it means to put others before oneself.
I believe in you, as a man, as a husband, and as a father. I believe that you will have an even greater legacy than those who came before you. I believe one day your children will say of you, "my father was a man of character. One who loved well. One who lived joyfully, and one who loved God."
You are the man I always wanted to father my children, but the one I didn't know could exist.
Happy Father's Day, Daniel.
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