Another Dad Post

Last year, I put together a tribute to the dads in my life. This year, I am rerunning that post because it really says so much about these special guys... and I found myself unable to do it with a new twist this year. And they really deserve public acknowledgement for all that they do and have done. 

Here's to you, dads...all the dads out there...

Happy Father's Day! 

My dad was a really young guy... always. Some might say maturity was not his strongest suit. And some might say the apple didn't fall too far from the tree. But he was just about the funnest and most loving man one could ever hope to meet.

He was only 21 when I was born and only 51 when he passed away. You can read more about that here. In those 30 years that I had with him, I always knew I was loved and emotionally supported by him to the nth degree. There was never any doubt about it.

One of the biggest points of sadness in my life is that he never got to see me finally at ease in my life. He didn't get to meet the man who became my husband and the father of my children, his grandchildren. And he never got to play with his grandchildren. He would have been an amazing grandpa... probably an even better grandpa than he was a dad :)

He was just a kid.

My stepdad has gotten to be the awesome grandpa! He was more like a big brother when I was a kid... a big brother who could pull rank!  He is younger than my mom... and she was really young when I was born... so he and I are not all that far apart in age.

He is the most loving and attentive grandpa. 

He will go to great lengths to ensure the kids have fun!

So I have had these two fun-loving guys holding the 'father' image in my mind as I was growing up.

And I am so grateful to have and have had them both in my life!

Happy Father's Day to my awesome dad and stepdad :)

Then, one day...

I met a man who had six children...

He had six children because he loves being a father.

Some might say he was insane for having SIX kids... and some might say I was insane for marrying him.

But I knew that there was something nearly magical about him and something truly special about a big family. And having grown up an only child, perhaps I was a little delusional and insane...

But...

love is blind.

Here he is with his seventh (our first)... Big G.

He adores babies...

and they adore him.

Teaching his boy to be a manly man :P

His eighth child... Baby X...

like putty in daddy's arms.

 Q-Man was his ninth child ... and his fifth son... 

he has his eyes.

Still smiling with ten kids!

As the older kids grew up and went out on their own, it became increasingly difficult to get a 'family' shot... this is so old and, sadly, is one of the most recent...

My favorite father with eight of his children

Christmas in Paris, 2002.

Happy Father's Day to my favorite fathers!

with love,

XL