When Gracie was younger than Benjamin she lovvvved cartoons. On a good day, she would be snuggling with Robert on the couch as he flipped through the channels in search of some athletic event or another. Every time he would pass a channel with cartoons, she would hurriedly and loudly proclaim "Thank You Daddy!", in an effort to con him into stopping there. It worked sometimes and he gave up on his desire for sports for a moment and searched with Dora, for his little lady. He is a tender hearted Father, which his fairly rough exterior would never give away.
On Sunday morning I noticed this. He was smiling while he dressed our wiggly and non communicative three year old baby. I ran to the closet to grab my camera. Can this make him happy? The world would have me believe that he couldn't possibly find happiness here, in our messy house, swimming in children and mundane tasks. Sometimes we watch You Tube clips of dare devils swinging from the arch in Southeast Utah, or cliff diving in Lake Powell, or snowboarders traveling the world chasing the snow and good times. I feel a tinge of guilt, wishing he could go do those things, instead of work long, cold, and physically strenuous hours to support his family. Happiness can be found in all that You Tube fun, but not lasting joy. Those videos could almost make you feel like being carefree and fun is the only way to have a rewarding life and be a real guy. The world would like to convince our sons and our husbands that they have to be ripped, rich, or famous to be desirable. I believe that the world's idea of a worthwhile man is the direct opposite of mine.
And I say, Thank You Daddy for defining that real man for me. Thank you for working when you are tired, sick, and spent. Thank you for listening to me complain about being a full time mother, when everything you do is so that I can be here. Thank you for taking joy in our children and sharing that with me. Thank you for using your limited free time to attend basketball games, football games, dance recitals, piano recitals, and school programs. Thank you for doing dishes, when you would rather be watching ESPN and relaxing. Thank you for being a shoulder to cry on when I am stressed, depressed, anxiety ridden, and losing my sanity. Thank you for telling me what a great Mother I am, even though you see the absolute worst of me. Thank you for being a friend. Thank you for kissing hurt knees better, listening to teenage angst, playing Mario Cart, and paying attention to stories that seem to last an eternity at times! Thank you for your patience and long suffering. Thank you for challenging our children to read The Book of Mormon, teaching them to work hard, and having high expectations of them. Thank you for your tenderness when they don't meet those expectations. Thank you for trying again when you make mistakes and being willing to talk about everything. Thank You Daddy!
The world would have us believe that this is not enough. They are wrong. This is everything. Thank you to all the Fathers that recognize that. There is great beauty in watching a man with his children! I know I love watching it, enough to want to record it. This is what will provide joy and lasting happiness, these moments, these relationships. Family is everything.
Thank You Daddy, We love you!!
