Father's Day

What a day. Father's Day is maybe a card day, mostly a way to sell greeting cards and is definitely not the day like Mother's Day. Fathers are not near as recognized as moms. Yes, there are many more things that moms do than dads most of the time but I believe that we are equal in so many ways.

Dads love, play, discipline, pray for our children. For me, my dad is my protector, even though I am no longer at home. He wants the best for me and wants the best for my children. For my kids, their dad is their playmate, protector and earner of our financial security. He has a love of God and wants the girls to have that same love for Him. He is teaching them that God is our father unlike our earthly father.

Brian has been an amazing dad even though he has girls! He loves them each so wonderfully. He plays with them in a way that I could never play. He has patience for them that I do not have. He watches cartoons and sings songs with them! It is so funny to watch him with the girls. I see so much of him in each of the girls. It is so funny!

Brian has a lot to fulfill as a dad because he does have 3 girls. He has the role of a man and the girls are learning what kind of man that they should find. I am so thankful that they have him to look up to. He is an amazing person and I am so blessed to have him as the father to my daughters!

Snuggles

I forget sometimes to just sit back, take the time to love on my girls with nothing else pressing to do. Michelle and Carolyn have been in Houston all week going to ZooCamp. I am excited that they have this opportunity and that they can both go.

Since, it is just Leah at home, I figured I would get lots of things done. She still takes naps everyday, she goes to bed at a reasonable time and she is only 1 child! Well, other than venturing to the gym and a handful of errands, I have gotten nothing accomplished on my TO DO List!

She has taken full advantage of her big sisters being gone! We have watched TV together, played toys and gone into stores. At night, I have to sing a wide array of songs: Twinkle Twinkle, Jesus Loves Me, Mary Had A Little Lamb and often a new song that I have to quickly make up the words to. I'm pretty sure she has gotten needier!

As I am rocking her in my arms the other night, trying to soothe her to go to sleep, I realize she is my last baby. Unless God has other plans, Leah is our last child. I hold her in my arms, remembering all the snuggles, the hugs, the shhhhh sounds, the rubbing on their backs. Of course I still do most of those things if needed but I don't have the little one, fitting into my arms, snuggling so tight they could almost fit back in the womb. Almost.

As much as I love the talks that I get to have with Michelle and Carolyn about all the different things they learn about the world they are in, the questions they have, especially about God, I already miss the time of holding them as babies, being the one to comfort them perfectly, knowing how to make them happy. As they get older, they get their own thoughts and ideas and I don't always know how to help, how to make them happy again.

As every parent who has raised their children to adulthood knows, you have no idea what they will turn into. You just have to hope and pray you do you best while they grow. I sure hope that I am and by the grace of God I am not messing them up too much! I just know that when Michelle and Carolyn come home tomorrow, I am going to hold them in my arms and snuggle them the best I can. Who knows how long I can.

Ballerinas!

Here are our ballerinas before their recital! This is Carolyn's first and Michelle's 3rd Spring Recital for A Time to Dance. They were so wonderful and Carolyn even got to dance twice! It's crazy how different and grown up they look when you have makeup on them! Thankfully it's still just for this!

Here is a quick video of Carolyn practicing her dance. She is in the middle!