My Children’s Hero.

As a girl who grew up with an absent father  and an even worse replacement, everything I’ve ever known about what it is to be a dad, I’ve learned from watching my husband with our children.

My husband, Chris, is a guy’s guy. He’s hardworking, loves the outdoors and appreciates drinking a cold one after work. There is a side to him though, that not many see. I have the best view, everyday.

As soon as my belly started to look more like a beach ball and less like a beer gut, I could see the change happening in him. His love for our child was growing, with every inch I grew.

His first diaper change may have resulted in the diaper falling right off our daughter and on to the floor, but he just simply tried again. My husband is a very hands on father. He is a true partner in parenting. Diaper changes, baths, hair braids, discipline, praises, kissing boo boos – he does all that stuff. He looks forward to reading to the kids before bed, and does so almost every night.

Chris builds our children up. He instills confidence in them by taking the time to teach them how to do things. He enforces manners. He encourages and demonstrates qualities that will help my children grow in to self reliant, caring, intelligent individuals. He teaches our kids what real love looks like every time he grabs me away from whatever I’m doing, just for a hug. He respects me. That’s one of the greatest gifts he could ever give our son and daughter.

He includes the kids as much as he can, whether it be by turning yard work in to a game or letting our daughter tag along on an errand. I know it makes him sad that he misses out on things like school field trips or summer days in the back yard, but he never complains. Despite knowing he will miss even more, he will never pass up the opportunity for over-time at work. He doesn’t care if his kids have everything they want, but he will make every effort to make sure they are comfortable and have what they need.

I am envious and proud of the bond that my children have with their dad. I don’t think there is anything my kids believe I can do, that their father can’t. That’s an amazing feeling, both for me and the kids.

My children have a very different life than I did growing up. When I was a young girl, I never dreamed about getting married. I didn’t trust men. There are still very few that I do. And then I fell in love with Chris. Because of him, I knew I could have a family. I knew I could trust him to never hurt a daughter. I knew he would teach a son to be the kind of man he is. That may seem like a very strange thought to some, but I never had the luxury of thinking any other way.

As I sit here this rainy afternoon, while both kids nap (for once), I realized the best gift I could give my husband for father’s day, is to tell him what I don’t think he even realizes about himself. He is an amazing father. My children couldn’t have a more in-tuned, loving father than they do. I’m not sure they will ever know how lucky they truly are.