Father's Day
Sunday was Father's Day. I don't really know the origin of the special day for our dads. But if mothers can have a designated day then I guess fathers should have one also. Actually, as I have been thinking about it, I think fathers deserve more than just one special day. I mean look at all they do for their families. They work hard and oftentimes long hours (many must work these hours away from their loved ones), they take care of the things around the house the wife and/or children don't like to do (such as bug control and yard work), they maintain our vehicles, they do all the heavy stuff like moving furniture, they fix our computers when we haven't got a clue (at least in our house) and numerous other things. Sometimes I think there is not enough appreciation for these men.
My dad. I like to call him "Pops." I remember as a child Daddy would play with us when he got home from work. He was a very good horse! One year our church awarded him "Mother of the Year" because he would get the four of us to church on Sundays when Mom was working. I remember spending summers in the rivers around Savannah on the boat and vacations at the lake. Daddy loved being on the water. As I became a teenager, he would make fun of the boys that would come around the house, for any of us girls. David would spend a lot of time at our house when we were dating and Daddy would often find things to do that required David's help. I liked seeing these two get along so well. That was a very good sign. Then David went off to Georgia Tech. Daddy had gone to Tech, so this was a huge plus! Each time David would come home for a weekend, Dad would ask about his grades. After a while he quit asking. You see, David was an excellent student! The day David and I were married, I was so proud to walk that aisle on my father's arm. He was smiling from ear to ear. My sister had gotten married earlier that year, but I don't think Daddy was thinking about losing two daughters in one year. I believe he was truly happy for us and he was excited to see his little girl marry the man of her dreams. David and I moved away from home for the first two years of our marriage. One day I asked my daddy if I could give him anything in the world, what would he want. He said it would be for David and me to move back home. Well, I was able to grant that wish. We moved back to Savannah and lived there for the next seven years. In 1991 we would move away again, this time taking 3 of Daddy's grandchildren with us. That was one of the hardest goodbyes ever. We celebrated Pops 80th birthday this year. It is hard for me to see my father getting older. His health is not too good these days, and that makes it even harder. Of course, living four and a half hours away doesn't help a whole lot either. I know my days with my father are getting fewer with each passing day and I don't want to waste all of them. I desire to spend what time I can with him while I still can.
My husband, the father of my children. When we were planning to get married and we discussed children, our thought was to have many. At one time we even said 12! Spoken like 2 people who never had children to that point!! I had always said I wanted to have a baby when I was 40, a mid-life crisis baby. Well, that didn't happen. Moriah, our youngest of the five was born when I was 35 and that was enough for us. When Rebekah and Deborah were little we lived in Savannah and David's job was your standard 9 to 5 job. He was home in the evenings and on weekends. We spent a lot of time with our little girls. Once we moved to Woodstock and David's job required traveling, he wasn't able to spend as much time with the girls, unfortunately. He did take over the responsibilities of math in our homeschool, thankfully. Now days, his travel keeps him on the road Monday to Friday. He is only home for the weekend, and there is a tremendous amount of work for him to do in those two days. He doesn't have any time to catch his breath. I know he is getting tired of this lifestyle; we both are. Our life is spent talking to each other at night for 30 minutes and seeing each other for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday. It is not what either of us really wants our life to be like. And as a result our children have not been able to know their father as either of us would desire for them to. He tries to get in a little time with them here and there when he can, but a few minutes is not always enough as we have painfully found out. Yesterday, the girls and I took him out for lunch to celebrate Father's Day. But one was missing; she didn't even acknowledge her father all day. I know he didn't expect her to, but I was hoping.
My son-in-law father-to-be. Neal. He is a joy to us. Deborah found a real gem in him. Yes, they are going to be parents in a few months. It is so exciting to watch them though this pregnancy. I know Neal will be a good father just by the way I have seen him care for Deborah. The children born to this sweet couple will have two terrific parents that love God and desire to honor Him with their lives. I, as a grandmother-to-be, can't wait to hold my first grandbaby!!!!
My dad. I like to call him "Pops." I remember as a child Daddy would play with us when he got home from work. He was a very good horse! One year our church awarded him "Mother of the Year" because he would get the four of us to church on Sundays when Mom was working. I remember spending summers in the rivers around Savannah on the boat and vacations at the lake. Daddy loved being on the water. As I became a teenager, he would make fun of the boys that would come around the house, for any of us girls. David would spend a lot of time at our house when we were dating and Daddy would often find things to do that required David's help. I liked seeing these two get along so well. That was a very good sign. Then David went off to Georgia Tech. Daddy had gone to Tech, so this was a huge plus! Each time David would come home for a weekend, Dad would ask about his grades. After a while he quit asking. You see, David was an excellent student! The day David and I were married, I was so proud to walk that aisle on my father's arm. He was smiling from ear to ear. My sister had gotten married earlier that year, but I don't think Daddy was thinking about losing two daughters in one year. I believe he was truly happy for us and he was excited to see his little girl marry the man of her dreams. David and I moved away from home for the first two years of our marriage. One day I asked my daddy if I could give him anything in the world, what would he want. He said it would be for David and me to move back home. Well, I was able to grant that wish. We moved back to Savannah and lived there for the next seven years. In 1991 we would move away again, this time taking 3 of Daddy's grandchildren with us. That was one of the hardest goodbyes ever. We celebrated Pops 80th birthday this year. It is hard for me to see my father getting older. His health is not too good these days, and that makes it even harder. Of course, living four and a half hours away doesn't help a whole lot either. I know my days with my father are getting fewer with each passing day and I don't want to waste all of them. I desire to spend what time I can with him while I still can.
My husband, the father of my children. When we were planning to get married and we discussed children, our thought was to have many. At one time we even said 12! Spoken like 2 people who never had children to that point!! I had always said I wanted to have a baby when I was 40, a mid-life crisis baby. Well, that didn't happen. Moriah, our youngest of the five was born when I was 35 and that was enough for us. When Rebekah and Deborah were little we lived in Savannah and David's job was your standard 9 to 5 job. He was home in the evenings and on weekends. We spent a lot of time with our little girls. Once we moved to Woodstock and David's job required traveling, he wasn't able to spend as much time with the girls, unfortunately. He did take over the responsibilities of math in our homeschool, thankfully. Now days, his travel keeps him on the road Monday to Friday. He is only home for the weekend, and there is a tremendous amount of work for him to do in those two days. He doesn't have any time to catch his breath. I know he is getting tired of this lifestyle; we both are. Our life is spent talking to each other at night for 30 minutes and seeing each other for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday. It is not what either of us really wants our life to be like. And as a result our children have not been able to know their father as either of us would desire for them to. He tries to get in a little time with them here and there when he can, but a few minutes is not always enough as we have painfully found out. Yesterday, the girls and I took him out for lunch to celebrate Father's Day. But one was missing; she didn't even acknowledge her father all day. I know he didn't expect her to, but I was hoping.
My son-in-law father-to-be. Neal. He is a joy to us. Deborah found a real gem in him. Yes, they are going to be parents in a few months. It is so exciting to watch them though this pregnancy. I know Neal will be a good father just by the way I have seen him care for Deborah. The children born to this sweet couple will have two terrific parents that love God and desire to honor Him with their lives. I, as a grandmother-to-be, can't wait to hold my first grandbaby!!!!
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