Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Late but loving Father’s Day thoughts


Husband Walter on Father’s Day 2013

In our younger days, proud papa Walter and I pose with offspring Walt and new little Jeremy in October 1979.

On our way back from celebrating Father’s Day at Husband Walter’s favorite restaurant for breakfast, I was thinking about how thankful I am for the way he has fathered and grandfathered through the years.

There are many wonderful fathers who are no longer living but whose positive influence continues in my life. But Sunday my thankfulness for my husband triggered mental list-making of additional fathers alive and present who I consider blessings. They are all guys who stick.

They are present with their families physically and emotionally through the mountain highs, the valleys, canyons and everyday stuff. They live their lives with integrity and courage and actively make family a priority. Here are a few:

At the top are our two sons. I am thankful of the men they have become. I am thankful that they chose brides who share their love of family and their commitment to guiding and training their children toward becoming loving, compassionate, responsible adults.

Then there are the fathers of our nieces and nephews. And I am also thankful that I can add both our sons’ fathers-in-law to this list.

I appreciate that our sons are embraced in warm, loving, intact families led by their wives’ fathers. Our sons' fathers-in-law surround our grandchildren and their other grandchildren with love and models for living a life with joy.

Blessings indeed.

“Sleepy” musicians granddaughter Molly Kate and Baboo share silly times and tunes on the floor during a visit to our home Saturday.

8 comments:

  1. where oh where does time flee so fast... i love that last photo.. beautiful and thanks for the blast from the past, a lovely family then and now

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  2. The last picture is just priceless, I LOVE it! Gives me an idea for my own photo do do. I always think of one word when seeing a picture of Walter "Kind". You are all so cute in the younger picture!!!

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  3. You are so blessed to have had such a great man in your life. BTW you look a lot like my friend Barbara when she was younger. She too has a wonderful head of hair. Dianne

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  4. I like your "old" family photo - isn't it priceless to look back on our younger years? To be blessed with good men - we are both very lucky.

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  5. I loved the photo of you two in your "younger days." Boy, didn't those days go by quickly? You are truly blessed by your husband. I think that is why your sons are such wonderful men.

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  6. Thanks for making me cry, Mom. Love you

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  7. Sounds like your family has lots of great men. They have had some influential teachers in their lives.

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  8. What a sweet Father's Day post! I especially enjoyed the photographs--the old one and the recent one, as well.

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