Celebrating Daddy

This morning began like all the others. Mostly.

I awoke to the sound of giggling in the kitchen which happens to be very close to right outside our bedroom door. The girls were up and happy. I could hear them empting cereal into a bowl and I could hear the POP from the toaster

I turned over in bed and was greeted by the sweet smiling face of my beloved friend and husband.

He smiled at me and touched my face, "Good morning" he said in a thick and low grumble.

We exchanged a smile as we heard the lilting laugh of our youngest. This particular laugh is one that has on more than one occasion been followed by a crash or a cry from her sibling, so it didn't take long for us to be quickly jolted out of our much loved sleepy state and jump out of bed in order to inspect what it was that she was laughing that laugh over.

Yes, the naughty laugh.

Rob opened the door quickly and yelled, "what are you doing?" and was met by the happy squeals of his little girls. Tragedy averted for the time being. No nasty spills. Just one saucy seven year old that got her older sister to laugh at her doing something...well...naughty.

It involved boobs.

By the time I joined them the coffee was brewing and the news was on and the girls were munching on their breakfast. I was met with a " Good morning, mommy!" and a soft kiss on my cheek from my hubby.

Ah.

I love these mornings.

Rob and I threw on our sneakers and headed out the door with our girls close on our heels. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining.

Morgan was trying to get the kick stand up on her bike. " Dad!" she yelled desperately. " Help!" The urgency in her voice was there because she had to keep up with her older sister who was already out of the driveway and down the street, breeze whipping her shining hair behind her.

" Don't worry, Morgan, I got it." She dazzled him with a your-my-hero-type smile and was off.

I turned to him then and told him what I have felt since the moment I met him.

" I like being with you."

And I do.

I truly love being with him.

He can make the simplest things of life an absolute joy to me.

How often I take for granted the daily things He does for me to make my day easier or to remind me that he cares.

At one poin this morning, Paige looked over at me and said, "Mom, can we do something today to celebrate dad?"

I had to smile at that thought.

We are all feeling a bit sentimental today.

He is leaving us for about two weeks. It has caused me to stop and appreciate him.

I wish I spent more days celebrating him. Every day should be a time to stop and be thankful for the richness of this gift to me. To us.

The silent ministries, the understated ones are often so overlooked. Pumping the gas in our car, emptying the trash, reading to the girls before bed each night when he is able ( he even reads "Mandie" and puts up with our teasing over it) Running flash cards with them during math, teaching them to ride their bikes, opening the car door, ( okay, that doesn't happen all the time, but it does happen), reaching for my hand in the car while we are driving, lifting those hands in worship during church. These are all things that his dear hands do in a day for us.

These are all things that I would miss so very much if they were gone.

I love this man.

I love being his wife and I truly am thankful to walk this road of life with him.