Here's to you, Dad!

Father's Day is sometimes a tough holiday for me....mostly because I struggle with the whole Dad thing. For those of you that don't know, I have two dads...both named Tom, oddly enough. So for simplicity sake, here they will be known as Dad One and Dad Two.

God gave me to one dad when I was born, and God gave another dad to me when I was 14. As a result of some very hurtful issues, my parents divorced when I was in middle school. My mom later remarried her high school sweetheart...hence Dad Two. I love them both, albeit in completely different ways. I still struggle with forgiveness and peace concerning Dad One. So much so, that sometimes I wonder how a woman that claims to love God and accepts his forgiveness can still struggle to extend that same grace and forgiveness to someone else. It is a long and very complicated story. But even though I have not talked to him in a very long time, I can say without a doubt that I love him. He is and will always be my father.

Dad Two came along during my anxious teenage years. God bless him...the man walked into a house full of women and I am sure that he encountered more opposition than originally anticipated. But he hung in there like a trooper. And I will always love him for being the Dad that chose us...he saw all of our ickiness and made the conscious decision to stick around anyway. In his own very special way, he also is and will forever be my father (even if he does put sausage in spaghetti...EEK!) So although I am blessed with a super-amazing Dad Two, there are times when I struggle to let go of the past...or even find a way to work around the past. It definitely colors who I am, and although it is painful, I find rest in the reassurance that both of my Dads are a part of God's plan for me.

In the spirit of Father's Day, I also want to take a minute and give a nod to the father of my own children...the man that my little guys look up to. We are grateful for his kindness, compassion and willingness to go the extra mile for the three of us. So here's to you Dad, for always...

• Playing tee ball in the backyard
• Asking "Sam, what is rule number 1?!?" (By the way, it's Obey Mommy and Daddy)
• Coming "rrrrright back" with that extra cup of water.
• Deciding "how many bites?"
• Reading Green Eggs and Ham at night...AGAIN!
• Pottytraining!
• Never sitting at the computer without a little helper in your lap.
• Talking Sam through those moments when he "is scary" at 3 AM...and Mommy just can't open her eyes.
• Asking "Sam, what is rule number 2?!?" (NO BACKTALK)
• Riding the escalator OVER and OVER and OVER until Mommy is finished shopping.
• Singing "Snuggle Puppy" just one more time.
• Teaching us all the important things...including but not limited to our shapes, colors and how to spell Percy.
• Being patient with Mommy as she learns to relax!
• Pausing The Deadliest Catch one more time to help Larry Boy save Bumblyburg.
• Forgiving us quickly when we get orange juice on your shirt.
• Being gentle with a two-year old who wears his heart on his sleeve.
• Cleaning the kitchen while Mommy gives us a bath.
• Giving us a bath while Mommy cleans the kitchen.
• Letting us play Noggin.com in your office.
• Asking "Sam, what is rule number 3?!?" (Be Sweet to Stephen)
• Not judging us when we forget not to eat off the floor. : )
• Knowing exactly what the Brown Bear sees...

For all of these, and so much more...we love our Daddy!

Happy Father's Day!