Father's Day

I have been blessed to personally experience a variety of types of "fathers" in my life. There is my biological father, who, though I didn't really experience him (he passed away before I was two), obviously had an impact on my life. There is my Grampa Carlton and Uncle Stewart (my dad's father and brother), who stepped up to be that part of my history for me.

There are my uncles, my mom's younger brothers, who were always around when I was younger, before my mom remarried. They were the ones putting my first bicycle together, teaching me how to bait a hook, letting me and my brother rough house with them, and even being the stern voice of discipline a time or two (or twelve).

Then, there is my granddad. He has taught me as much by example as he has by his words. That man is SMART. He can fix anything, I think, and can teach himself how to do just about anything else. He has a mind that makes connections that mine would never dream of, math in nature, physics in EVERYTHING. . . and so on. I have personally seen him exhibit more strength on his knees than most other man show standing. His constant prayers (along with my Granny) have carried me through many tough times, and his sense of humor and old fashioned orneriness never cease to surprise me.

I have also been blessed to watch my brothers and brothers-in-law become fathers. It is the great equalizer to know that those who used to taunt and terrorize me have daughters of their own. And it is a blessing to see how hard working and dedicated to their families ALL my brothers (and in-law) are. Across the board, they are some of the smartest, funniest, and "goodest" people I know.

Speaking of "goodest," my father-in-law is one of the best. I have only known him for 6 short years, but he has been consistently supportive, constantly caring, and always ready at the drop of the hat whenever any of his kids need a hand. Only for him would I give up my ban on making Ooey-Gooey Butter Cakes.

And that's it. That's everyone. . . . JUST KIDDING DAD!!

How could I forget the one dad on my list that gets a capital "D"?
My Dad, whom my mom married when I was 7, is a great man. He and my mom worked hard to make our blended family. . . well, blended. Like my Grandad, my Dad can do just about anything. Cook a great dinner? No problem. Bring a once-dead car back to life? In his sleep. Build a house (or 3), why not? Finish 3 geometry building projects in one night? Sorry, St. James school system, but that was my Dad that did that, not us! My Dad is a man who makes sacrifices for his family, works beyond the point of exhaustion, leads by his spiritual example, and is not afraid to ask forgiveness when needed. He may not be on my birth certificate, and I may not get my afro' hair and dimples from him, but he's the Dad that God chose for me, and I'm so thankful and blessed that He did.

And so, to Richard, George, Stewart, Ron, Layne, Grandad, Mark, Bryan, Ken, Mike, David, Travis, Joe, and most of all, Dad, thanks for being great dads. To me or to your own kids, either way, I have benefited from receiving or witnessing your Dad-ness. Happy Fathers Day, I love you all.