For the Husband Turned Father

It’s your fifth Father’s Day.

Serving as a father in addition to having one.

And we sit here on this Louisiana land as we have every Father’s Day we have celebrated together.

Although we sit a lot less now that they are nearly five instead of approaching one.

There have been late nights and early mornings.

Fishing trips and four-wheeler rides.

Laughter and tears.

Joy and frustration.

And through it all you’ve been a strong and true father.

You are so present.  Engaged.  Constant.  You know when to be tough and when to be soft.  You know when to let it go and when to draw a hard line.

So on this Sunday when I traditionally would not write, I felt it important to lay down this written marker for them to look back and see what an amazing father you were over the entire trajectory of their life.

That you loved each one of them so uniquely.

We know this time is fleeting.  Today, their hands seem so much bigger than those little hands five years ago.  They find trust and confidence when they find your hand.  I pray as their hands grow that they would never veer too far away from being able to reach out for your hand.  Because we trust that we are safe when we are hand in hand with you.

Happy Father’s Day.