Father's Day

Today is Father's Day. I can't help but think about the TV show The Middle's mother's day episode. It was about how great father's day is because it's the mom running the show...great gifts, good food and dad gets alone time...while mom gets a drug store gifts, toaster waffles in bed and the kids all day all by herself. On mother's day, if I say to Steve I'd like ______for mother's day, I usually get "you're not my mom", nice I know. So this year, when Steve brought something up regarding father's day, I replied "you're not my dad, talk to your kids", not very nice but I think that he got the point.

Today, we had my parents and sister and her boyfriend over for brunch. My mom wanted to have us all over at her home but I thought that it would be easier for us to have them over here because Steve had to leave to set up an archery range for cub scout day camp and I didn't feel like rushing out of my folks. Like always, our weekend was full and our house a mess so Steve and I worked together to make our house look presentable which usually means cleaning, sorting and organizing stacks of stuff late the night before and early the morning of. I did make coffee for him before I ran out to the store, but when I got home he had cleaned the stove, the counters and emptied the dish washer. The kids did let him watch world cup soccer and some of the golf tournament, and he did get to go through the newspaper. So, today he did get some "dad" time, not as much as I like to get on mother's day but some.

The 10 of us sat outside and ate a delicious brunch. I led the family in grace and as I sat there thanking God for the men at our table, Steve, Dad and Scott and remembering the dad's who no longer are here with us, I was struck with profound gratitude and sadness. Sadness that my parents, Steve and Scott no longer have their father's here on earth. I wonder how hard that must be for them on days like today. Gratitude that Sandra and I still have our dad with us. Our amazing dad who drives us crazy at times but mostly makes us happy. Our dad who we both still call if we need a ride to Bart or anywhere. Our dad who has become a prayer warrior which brings us so much peace. Our dad who will drive from Oakland to Berkeley to San Ramon to bring us the best bread or cheeses because it's good and we deserve it. Our dad who always has $5 to lend us. Gratitude that my children have Steve as a dad. Steve the dad who will go out and play with his kids when he's tired, who will plant a garden with them and allow them to tend it with him. Steve the dad who chose them over a high powered legal job, who takes time off of work so that he can coach, lead and fight for each and every one of them. Steve the dad that runs through the house with a Nerf gun and instigates Nerf wars, wrestles with them, reads to them, gets up early to save our spot at swim meets, gets up in the middle of the night to take care of sick kids and prays with his kids every night. Gratitude that my children have an Abuelito that takes them to movies, plays games with them, buys them candy, will drive from San Leandro to San Ramon (20 miles) just to pick them up from school when it's hot so they don't have to walk, changes diapers and comes to swim meets, soccer games and baseball games to cheer on his boys.

I'm so proud of Steve and my dad. I love them even more.