Happy Fatners Day (typo intended)

When I was a little girl, my sister Cari made my dad a Father's Day card. I still remember when she gave it to him and he read the cover out loud, "Happy Fatner's Day!" She must have been five and her "h" looked like an "n" - ever since my family has called it Fatner's Day....and we definitely make lots of treats to justify the name!

To celebrate this year my girls came up with LOTS of fun ideas. Their dad must be the most loved and adored because I had to reign the girls in with some of their ideas. They have been making plans since Mother's Day...no joke! Here are a few highlights of the day (well, it has turned into a Father's Weekend):

1. Friday Darin came home to his VERY OWN art gallery. Allie made a sign that mostly reads, "Dad's Gallery."

2. Breakfast in bed. Allie and Kate LOVE to have breakfast in bed and to serve it. Nothing starts the day like Krispy Kreme's and O.J.

3. Gifts. The girls wanted to give Darin gifts first thing this morning. Allie and Kate gave Darin ties and socks and Roman gave him a shirt...very original I know. I thought I was pretty original by giving him a really nice steamer but I don't think he was excited as I was. This will cut down on ironing time! It takes Darin like 30 minutes to iron a shirt...sure it only takes me a 2 or 3 but ever since baby no. 3 I can't seem to get ironing in. I'm hoping this steamer will increase Darin's wardrobe, he won't have to avoid some of his shirts because of ironing time.

4. Well, the day is only half-way through. We have a very yummy dinner planned and the missionaries are joining us for it.

My Hubby: I can't complete this post without expressing my gratitude for having such a great father to my children. Right now while I'm typing this, he is reading the girls stories from The Friend (kids church magazine). They are all cuddled up so cute! I joke with Darin that he would be a better stay-at-home parent than I would. While many women complain that their husbands never clean up or pay attention to the kids, I have the opposite *problem*. Darin actually makes me look bad because when I get home from work the house is always cleaner than when I left it and the kids are just as happy as can be! (No, their hair isn't done as cute as when I'm here but I really can't complain about that.) Last weekend when I was in Texas, I called Darin on Saturday morning to see what they were up to. Since I had Roman with me, he took the girls to Home Depot at 9 am for their kid's workshop and then they were off to the zoo! While most dad's would have looked at that weekend as an opportunity to sleep in and let the kids zone in front of the tv all day, Darin was up early enjoying time with "his girls". I hope he knows how important he is to our family....and he doesn't even bring home a paycheck yet! (just kidding!)

My Daddy: In Texas you don't have a Dad or a Father, but a Daddy; even if you are 32! I have to say how grateful I am for him. Many of you may have read my post about my mom on Mother's Day and you may have wondered, what kind of man is lucky enough to marry a woman like that?! Well, my dad is equally wonderful. I'm always amazed at what a loving father he is and was to me when he never had a father figure himself. My dad was born into a very abusive home. He saw many violent things by the time he was 5. Without going into too many details, my dad and his five siblings were abandoned when he was 6. For seven years my dad grew up in a boy's home (like a large orphanage). He told me that he somehow knew to pray and every night he would pray that God would send him a family to love him. Well, God answers prayers! My dad is now loved and adored by his wife, two sons and nine daughters! I know that because my dad loves the Lord, he has been blessed. When I was twelve we found out that my dad had a genetic eye disease and he was going blind. I can't imagine how my parents felt, they had 9 kids at the time and were planning a life that while not filled with earthly riches would be comfortable. My dad was an electrician; there's not a lot of work for a blind electrician. I can still remember the day my parents told us the news. It was a Saturday morning, we gathered for family prayer which was something we did daily. After prayer, my parents asked us to stay in the room for some news. I love the way they did it. My mom said, "What would you kids think if your dad got to stay home every day?" A cheer filled the room, Saturdays were the best day of the week because Daddy got to play with us. A lifetime full of Saturdays sounded terrific! They explained that my dad was losing his eyesight and wasn't able to work at the plant anymore, so he was now "retired." You're probably wondering, "Holy cow, how did your parents feed and clothe you?" Well, that's where the Lord comes in. My parents never went on welfare or any other assistance program. My mom was a genius at budgeting, cooking good but inexpensive meals, and sewing. My dad hadn't lost all of his sight and could fix ANYTHING that was broken. We all babysat too and paid for our own clothes. I never thought we were poor, my parents did a nice job of hiding that fact from us....and growing up in Vidor I have to say that WE were not poor! There is so much more I could say about the amazing life my father has had. This really is only a small part of his life and trials....many people have compared him to Job! lol I've told him before that I think the Lord has given him so many trials so that it would benefit his family. We have all grown up to be very humble and grateful people, we also have the faith that our parents have shown us. While our family is not perfect, we do love each other and try to see the intents of each others heart. I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for my father. His love, support, humility, honesty, and faith play a role in who I am daily. I love you Daddy!

Roman is awake so I'd better call it quits. I hope you all have a very Happy Fatner's Day!