On this weekend of celebrating the good dads in our lives, here's a peek into the life of one good dad. The one my boys call Daddy. 🙂
Sometimes being a good dad means taking time to play a game or do something special . . . 
. . . but often it just means involving the boys in whatever he's doing.
Eric is so good at taking the boys with him on work errands whenever he can, or at letting them go down to the shop with him, or at letting them ride in the skidsteer with him. He even sometimes takes them along when he goes off to do something fun, like wakeboarding.
Eric is always down for all those things that you're supposed to do when you have kids . . . going to the zoo, going to the beach, going on a hike, going for a bike ride. I will attempt the library and the park and the mom group with all three boys, but nothing much bigger. Thank goodness for Eric! My boys' world would be a lot smaller without him.
And whenever we're off doing one of those bigger things and end up at a motel, Eric somehow just vanishes with the big boys in the morning so they don't wake the baby and so that I can sleep in as long as the baby does. Sometimes they go get breakfast; sometimes they go for a drive and get coffee and maybe a treat; sometimes they go swimming. And all while I am blissfully asleep. 🙂
Of course, some of the deepest, hardest parts of parenting can't be captured by photos.
I have seen Eric read books to help him better understand the developing brains of his children. I have watched him relentlessly pursue the hearts of his older boys as they grow in their emotions and need so much guidance in dealing with life well. I have listened to him talk through yet another meltdown. And another. And another. I have parted ways with him at church again and again while he tirelessly helps a child be brave enough to go to kids' church.
We thought having toddlers was hard. And it was. It definitely was. But goodness, having four-and-five-year-olds . . . that's hard, too, even harder in a lot of ways. So many big ideas and big emotions from not-big people. I'm so glad to have such a dedicated, godly man to parent alongside.
But speaking of back when we had just toddlers . . . I wrote a funny little poem for Father's Day a few years ago, and while it's not applicable to Alec and Sebastian anymore, we do have another sweet toddler now. 🙂 So I'll post the poem again.
If It Wasn't for Daddy
If it wasn’t for Daddy, we never would go
Up in the mountains or out in the snow.
Mom doesn’t like driving or going about—
That’s why we need Daddy when we want to go out.
If it wasn’t for Daddy, we never would fly
Up in the air from his strong arms, so high.
Mama is great for so many things—
But she don’t got what it takes to give us our wings.
If it wasn’t for Daddy, we never would mow,
Riding around on his back just so.
The grass would get high, and our spirits would waste,
Stuck in the house with Mama all day.
If it wasn’t for Daddy, we never would eat
Like the messes we are—Mom likes things too neat.
If it wasn’t for Daddy, we never would play
In the cardboard house that he made us one day.
If it wasn’t for Daddy, we never would read
The Little Blue Truck in the way that he reads;
It’s different from Mom’s way, but that’s just okay—
After all, we’re with Mama for most of the day.
If it wasn’t for Daddy, we never would live
Life on the edge like our dad likes to live.
Mom keeps us alive, and Mom keeps us safe,
But we count on Daddy to help make us brave.
We like our mama, and we like her a lot,
But she just don’t got everything Daddy has got.
So come home from work, Dad; come home and play—
It won’t be for long that we’re little this way.
Happy Father's Day, Eric. Thank you for the time you spend pursuing our Heavenly Father so you in turn can be a good father to your sons. Thank you for the love and time and energy and wisdom you pour into them. They are so blessed to have you as their daddy. 🙂 We love you.
