Semper Ag: A Belated Father's Day Post

I love Father's Day. I feel like dads don't get nearly as much credit as they deserve when it comes to parenting. I'm not discounting the role that mothers play in parenting, but oftentimes, father's are seen as "babysitters" and incapable of doing anything as good as a mom can. When in reality, most of the fathers I know are the most competent, nurturing, caring, and loving individuals who play an important role in their children's lives. I experience this firsthand, every day, with my own husband.

Nick is so intentional in his way when it comes to how he leads our family and raising our two beautiful kids. He gives baths, he has changed diapers, packed lunches, chauffeured D to gymnastics, piano, etc, cleans the house, does the dishes, gets the kids dressed, and so much more. When our kids were infants and up at all hours of the night needing to be fed, whether I was breastfeeding or bottle feeding, he always woke up WITH me just to be awake with me. Even after my insistence that he go back to sleep, he always stayed awake and watched me feed our children. He oftentimes woke up without waking me, to change their diapers and feed them in the middle of the night, just so I could sleep. I'd wake up in a panic the next morning thinking that my child was starving and in a full diaper because I forgot to set my alarm, only to realize that he had shut my alarm off to take care of "night ops" (as we called it) with the baby. He tucks them in at night and says prayers with them. He never says no when one of them slowly opens the door to our bedroom (long after being tucked in) because they need "fresh water". No matter how comfortable he's gotten in our own bed, he always gets up, without complaint, gets fresh water, and re-tucks them into bed. He is our children's biggest hero and cheerleader. As long as military duty hasn't kept him away, he has been present at every single special moment in our kids' lives (sometimes via Facetime even). He takes our daughter out on dates and pulls out all the stops. He teaches our son the importance of respecting women through his actions on the way he treats D and me.

What's odd is that Nick never had the greatest role models when it came to fathers. His own father is far removed from his life, and his step dad was always on the road as a truck driver for most of his formidable years of life. His mom practically raised him as a "single mom". I truly believe that Nick gets his parental instincts (what some people might call "maternal instincts") from the fact that he had such an amazing role model in his own mother (the late, Sandra). She often played the role of father and mother to him, and she rocked it (obviously).

And of course, if y'all keep up with my blog, know that my relationship with my own father was not always the greatest. I had a great childhood, a god awful teen/adolescent period, and over the last few years since being married and having my own children, my relationship with my father has slowly improved. My dad's not a man of many words. In fact, I've never spoken to him for longer than a minute or two on the phone. When we do talk in person, our conversations are shallow (mostly about current events, sports, the newest gadget on the market). However, my dad is a man of God, and the most powerful thing he does is pray for me every single day. I've watched my dad pray for me into tears, and that is more powerful than anything. Watching the leader of our family reduced to sobbing tears as he prays for me has shown me his soft heart and his sensitive nature. Because of that, my dad doesn't have to say many words to me. I know and feel how much he loves me, and how deep his love for me is. My dad is a man that would give me the world if he could (my dad's love language is "giving gifts"...lol). While "receiving gifts is a love language, my dad's love language is truly "giving gifts". It's how he shows his love, gratitude, and appreciation. I know my dad is proud of me and the woman I've become, and he doesn't have to say it out loud.

So with that, Happy (belated) Father's Day to my wonderful husband and my wonderful dad. Thanks for being so deliberate with your love for your children/grandchildren. Thanks for setting the bar so high when it comes to fatherhood. Love you.

Photo from my actual BIRTHday!

Y'all know I like to go ALL OUT for little celebrations!

It drives Nick crazy, but he secretly loves it.

I made it a "Father's Day" weekend for him!

On Friday night, the kids and I took him to his favorite burger joint in town, Grub Burger.

Saturday night, I took him to dinner (sans kiddos) at our favorite taco joint (Mad Taco), and to see Wonder Woman in theaters.

Nick loves movies...I don't. So it was a big deal that I was willing to sit through a movie in a theater with him...and surprise...I DIDN'T FALL ASLEEP, Y'ALL!

Sunday morning, D and I woke up at 6am to go to a local specialty doughnut place (Kai's donuts) in town to grab kolaches and donuts for Nick!