Noble and Brave

Fathers.  Dads.
 A title that can be daunting and draining at times, yet is one of the greatest titles a man can carry.

 Certain men have shaped my life and I'm forever grateful for them.

My sweetheart has grown into his role of father through the years and it has been an amazing development.  He embraces his children and grandchildren with a firm but tender heart, and teaches them with his quiet example.  He's grown into a fine man from the boy I once knew.

He has worked hard for our family, supporting me in all my endeavors, and blessed my life with our six wonderful children.  I am a lucky woman.  I was able to stay home with my babies, teach them and create a rich home life for our family. 

 I love this guy!

My own dad, Daniel.

 It's hard to express just how I feel about him.  There's an overflow of love mixed with a fierce pride in who I come from.  I am Daniel's daughter.  Those are powerful words.

My step-dad, Joel.
Kind, patient, long-suffering through my teen years and an excellent instructor in many life skills.
I was honored to be the recipient of his parenting. Still am.

My grandfather, James.
No one is luckier than I in the department of grandpa.  This guy is the perfect combination of stern, loving and light-hearted.  Devoted to my grandma and a gentleman through and through.
The only grandpa I've every known.

 Last, but not least, my namesake, Jesse.  My great-grandfather, who I never met, but whose name I'm forever grateful for.
I now have a grandson with that name as well.

I feel the need to live in such a way as to make him proud.  To make all of them proud.
Good men have the power to affect their families in amazing ways.

Father's Day

For the Love of Dad

They say any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be a dad.
 I agree.
 The Man of the House became a father at the young age of 18.  Still a kid, really.
He could have done any number of things- running away or shirking his responsibilities was an option.  Many have done it.    None of his friends would have blamed him, I'm sure.

He was scared.  He didn't know exactly what a dad should do- and had no one to give him a crash course in fatherhood.

I know this....because I was his wife-and I was just as scared.

I can say that it hasn't always been easy- and sometimes it was VERY hard.  Adjusting your life and future plans for major growth in a short period of time is always painful.
But the rewards were beautiful.

Over the past 24 years, I've watched that 18 year old young man grow, falter at times, change-- pull himself up by his bootstraps and carry on.  Over and over again.  Each era of growth making him a better man, a more caring human being.

I know that at times I have been hard on him.  I had high expectations and I didn't believe in doing parenthood and family life half-way.  Our children inspired us to be better than we were- pushed us on when times were tough and carried us through on sheer joy, family fun and love.

We created a family together.  We've shared hardships and laughter, disappointment and awe.  Our family binds us together unlike anything else in this world.

He is not perfect, my Man of the House, but neither am I.   He's better than perfect in many ways, still learning in others.  (Aren't we all?)  The fact that he is still willing to learn- still striving to be a good husband and father after 24 years is, to me, proof of his devotion and love.

Every single day he demonstrates his love for me and every day, not just this one day in June, I'm grateful for him and the children that have blessed our family.

Looking out my window at this very moment, I see him standing in the evening sunshine, joking around with our youngest daughters as they sit on the horses.  Those girls (and all of our children) know that their dad loves them  deeply.  I know that when my husband shows love and kindness to our children, it means just as much to me as when he's showing love and kindness to me personally.

It's true that any man can be a father- and it's also true that it takes a special man to be a dad.
I can honestly say to my children that I love their dad!

Dads

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
Then God combined these qualities,
There was nothing more to add,
His masterpiece was now complete,
He lovingly called it, Dad.
~Author Unknown

 

For Fathers Everywhere

How grateful I am for the men in my life!





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