Father's Day Is Every Day
Happy Father's Day To All Fathers Out There!
On Friday we went swimming at our local watering hole. The two on the left are my personal creations and the little one on the right is their cousin. We see her every day and while technically "cousin", she is more of a hybrid sister/cousin of my small family. Seeing the excitement on their faces to go swimming makes the task of getting ready to go swimming worth the effort! Knowing I can provide this happiness to three small people who truly appreciate it is one of the great benefits of being a father.
The Three Amigos
Watching these three take off together always brings a smile to my face. They are truly close. Being able to provide the time for all three to grow together and develop a lifelong friendship, as well as a strong family bond, is a great feeling. Knowing I am helping foster this relationship and the more than likely possibility they will be there for each other when I am long gone makes me feel I am developing fulfilled beings for the future of our society. Having a hand in creating this atmosphere reminds me I am creating this atmosphere for myself too.
Taking the Longer ,Less Traveled Road
The path to the left is the shortest way to the water. From up ahead, I hear my daughter, "Daddy, I'm taking the long way". Her cousin follows suit. Seeing two children willingly take the long road to enjoy the scenery speaks volumes of their perspective on life. I like to think I helped form this attitude.Witnessing moments like these remind me to take the road less traveled and to enjoy the scenery life has to offer.
Can You Hear The Ocean?
My daughter picks up a small shell and asks me if I can "hear the ocean" out of it. I hate to inform her it's the wrong type of shell and remind her of the type of shell we saw when we went to the ocean. Witnessing moments like these reminds me to stay curious about life.
Want To Take A Picture?
I ask the children if they want to take a picture next to the waterfall. The water is higher than usual and they are a little hesitant. "Will you help us and make sure we don't fall?", my son asks. I, of course, do. It's moments like these that remind me to be more trusting of those around us.
Children give us the gift of remaining grounded in life and to remember the aspects of it that are truly important. Yes, every day is truly Father's Day.
OFFICIAL HOME OF THE FIRST EVER LOONEY COIN
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You have a beautiful family. Cherish these memories, it goes by way too fast. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for the compliment. Yes, I do agree it goes by too fast. A few weeks ago I was going through my external hard drive and deleting documents I didn't need anymore. I came across videos I forgot I even had. Frankie was in diapers and Lily was not even talking. I am sure my wife cried for 3 days. Now she wants another one! It put a fire under me to truly cherish every moment I have with them, because like you said, "it goes by way too fast".
Looks like you had a precious father's day time with your closest ones :)) Great creations you made there...your daughter has really big and expressive eyes!
I totally get the 'cousin who is more of a hybrid sister/cousin' concept. I live together with my parents-in-law and because my FIL cooks awesome Chinese, our home is more or less a to-go place of the family..my husband, his sisters, and his 10 or more cousins are all of similar age, very close and regularly around (one of them is sleeping over on the couch tonight). They are all like friends and siblings to me, and it has helped me adjust better to living in Germany since moving over a little while back.
I hope your children and their special 'sister' stay close for a lifetime :))
It's wonderful to hear your adjustment is going well due to the family. A house full of loving family really makes life more lively! It is also encouraging the positivity a close family can give to others. It gives me hope that my children will also be able to do this for others as they get older.
You couldn't express that thought better. I'm really glad for us virtual 'spectators' that you are striving to lead your family to greater heights and influence the next generation as well.
It's always a blessing to have a strong father figure in any family. Kudos to you for having a clear goal in mind and surrounding yourself with all the reasons why you should do it. I'm certain your efforts will have a lasting impact for generations to come :)
Most men in my family believe being a father is working and providing shelter and food... Job finished. I walked around with that mentality for a long time. The last few years I realized the father role is way more complicated than that and have been striving to correct this flaw in our family mentality. From everyone's comments, I must be on the right track!
Yes totally! I think what is at times overlooked is the role of being a provider of good character building and emotional growth. In my view, positive father-child bonding, where possible, has a direct impact on a child's development. You could consider setting up coaching lessons to help other fathers to break through the flawed family image. Maybe call it R2-D2 ('Ready to Dad too?') ;)