Sunday, June 15, 2008
Happy Father's Day
I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. But there are two special people that I would like to send special wishes to...my husband and my uncle.
My hubby is an excellent father and deserves recognition for that. No one I know works harder to take care of his family. He spends a great deal of time working so that we can live in a house and have a yard for the kids do go out and play in. He does it without complaining. He works when he's sick. He works when he's tired. As long as he's breathing he will go into work. And when he's home he plays with the kids. He helps them with their homework. He makes their dinner and helps get them ready for bed. He's all around just an amazing man and an exceptional father.
My uncle Todd is an amazing man as well. He stepped in as a father for me basically from the day my father left. And he has been there for me ever since. Long story short my father left when I was around 2 yrs old. He never called and he never visited. I didn't see my father until 2 yrs ago - almost 25 years after he left. I found him because an uncle (his brother) that I had never met had passed away. I figured my father would go to the funeral so I contacted the funeral home and asked that if he showed up if they would pass along my information to him. They did and he got in touch with me. We met at a park and talked for a few hours. A week or so after that he came to our apartment and met my kids. They loved him right away. And I haven't seen or heard from him since then. It's been 2 years.
I didn't let it get to me too much. I knew what my father was like. My gram had told me many things. I know that most people will try to make the missing parent look awful but gram didn't do that. She just told it like it was. So I didn't expect too much from him when I found him. A friend of his that I spoke to said that he was great with her grandkids. I remember thinking after he disappeared again that he must be something if he could act like a grandfather to kids that weren't from his own flesh and blood and just ignore kids that were. I think I hurt more for the kids than I did for myself. I just have to tell myself that it's his loss not mine.
I used to hate Father's Day as a kid. When we made things in school I felt like the only kid that didn't have a dad. I didn't even have a grandfather because he died when my mom was 9. But I don't feel that way any more. I had and still do have Todd. He was always there. He treated me and my brother like we were his. He took us places and did things with us just like a dad would. I just didn't realize how special he really was until I grew up. And he stood out even more to me after the whole fiasco with my real father. He used to take us trick or treating and buy us christmas gifts. He took us boating and fishing and to concerts. I remember that he was one of the first people to come see me after Jordan was born. He brought presents for him. He was there - my father wasn't. And that's what is most important to me - he was and still is there.
So to both Pat and Todd - I love you both very much and wish you a Happy Father's Day from the bottom of my heart.Labels: family, holiday
