To my long-time friend Daniel Grover, whose 10+ years of patient, involved fatherhood has been a constant inspiration to me...
To my brothers, Cory, Blair, Brett, and Nolan whose happy, healthy, and self-secure children are a testament to their own devotion as fathers...
To my sister Alyssa who has often had to be both a mother and a father to her three girls and all the tireless, uncomplaining effort and love she has put into raising them...
To my father-in-law, Peter, whose fearlessness, zeal for life, Christ-like compassion, and independent spirit have made me want to be a better person...
To my own father, Norman, who has always declined to tout his own accomplishments, but who is well-loved and admired by everyone who knows him, who tried hard to teach me financial responsibility, work ethic in education and professional obligations, and good humor in life, but who most of all taught me all these things without words but by his quiet example, and who blesses my life every day with his wisdom, constant mindfulness of my family, and his ability to make me laugh...
And to my husband, Nate, whom words cannot adequately describe, who fills my heart so full it feels as though it will burst out of my chest with the overwhelming love I have to for him, whose unobtrusive devotion to doing what is right for our family silently reminds me that I ought always to be doing the same, whose willingness to be climbed and clobbered on proves to Thomas that he loves him deeply, and whose fearlessness in the face of dirty diapers shows what a true man ought to be like. Everyone tells me that my boys look just like their daddy--even better if they could grow up to BE just like their daddy...
To all of you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You bless my life and inspire me. Fathers get a bit of the short shrift out there when it comes to their contribution, but I hope you all recognize the immense good you do in the lives of your children and that they wouldn't be the people that they are without you behind them.
Father--to God himself we cannot give a holier name!
-William Wordsworth
4 comments:
ahhh... becoming tearful and so grateful that your life is so full and happy. this must make your parents smile deeply.
thank you for sharing this personal tribute. you inhabit your words and that's what i find so compelling about your writing!
xoxo
heather
I asked my mom a while ago if she had checked out the blog and she said, "I don't get on the internet much." Not exactly a ringing endorsement. ;) But I suppose if they ever happen onto it...
Thanks for your kind words. It means a great deal, especially from you.
We love you and miss you.
I miss you too. Drop me a line sometime. :)
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