For my Luke,
You were thrown into fatherhood, head first, when you and I became a couple. I remember my hesitancy upon your insistence upon being ready to meet my kids. I'm so thankful for that insistence. It brought so much positive change to our lives. But, as you waited for my babies and I to be ready, you were empathetically patient and reassuring to this mama bear. Today, I am filled with pride at how well you've done without having any experience in being a father, beforehand. You are exactly who I'd want Jacob to grow up to be like and I'm incredibly thankful for your influence in my children's lives. Your calm/loving nature are a reprieve and you balance me out completely. This is most especially helpful when one of us has to give Ella driving lessons! She is far more comfortable with you because her mama is a spaz! Ha! Thank you for being my helpmate in this life, baby. For every trip to the grocery store, with kids in tow, typically. For participating in many a'family game night/movie night. For taking them to church when I've been ill. For taking Jacob to archery practice and coming along with us to cheer him on during his competition. For giving me sound advice and always listening to me. For filling our home/life with copious amounts of your ever-abounding Lukie humor. For being you....my better-half, a bonus dad to Ella and Jacob and a friend to Lindsey and Gabriel. I can only imagine the amount of pressure, you must feel, coming into the lives of children who have suffered trauma and lost a father. But, you are slaying it like the boss that you are! I can't imagine our world without you in it. Happy Father's Day, my precious love. I can't wait until you're back home so we can celebrate you!
Simply put, I am indebted to you for embracing my babies as your own. I am thankful for every second you've spent with Ella and Jacob. The things you've taught them, and the effort you've made for them are invaluable. I didn't know how desperately those two needed active grandparents, in their lives, until the two of you came along. They both absolutely LOVE being with you and Mama Re and can't wait to be back at the farm, with you both, each week. That is simply a reflection of the love you've both shown them. I wish you could have seen the smile on their faces as they told me how you introduced them as your grandchildren, for the very first time. I can't thank you enough for how well you both love them and express a constant desire to want them around. I want to also thank you for being such a good influence on Luke and for raising him to be the man that he is. He is absolutely precious, just like his mama and daddy. He adores and looks up to you. He was blessed with the best and I'm incredibly thankful for that as he is such an awesome mentor and bonus dad to my kids, thanks to your influence. Happy Father's Day, Pops. We love you so much and am so thankful for you!
You'd be so proud of our babies! They've come such a long way since your passing. Jacob is nearly six foot tall at twelve and has a passion for learning and working at the farm with his Pops. He has the most empathetic and loving heart of any child I've ever met. Lindsey became a mama and is such a good one, at that. I have no doubt that you'd be in love with that baby, just as I am. Ella has gotten to fulfill her dream of working with animals as she works with the cows on Pops' farm. She's a natural and LOVES it so, so much! She's our little animal whisperer and they flock to her. Gabriel is wearing scrubs, these days, and working hard at an eye clinic. He just got baptized and it was such a blessing to witness. They've all grown incredibly quickly. I'm thankful for every good memory that all of our kids had with you. And, oh...I truly hope they have so, so many with you. My favorite memories, of you, are seeing you thrive in fatherhood. Ella sitting atop your shoulders during our town's annual Christmas parade as you beamed with pride at being her daddy, or listening to you read library books to Jacob right after getting home from work. I'm thankful I was able to capture so many moments for them. Twenty plus years of memories, in fact. Happy Father's Day to you, Darrell. I'm grateful for you for so many different reasons. I hope that you knew how loved you were here on Earth and how loved you still are.
