Father's Day Post - Way late :)

So I know this is super late, but things have been really crazy lately. So I am going to be writing 2 letters - one to my amazing dad, and one to my hubby!

Dear Dad,
Thank you so much for all you do for our family! You are the strength that I need many times throughout my life. When I think of how things were growing up, we always knew you were there for us. You might be silently sitting in the room, but we knew you would be there to support us no matter how tired you were from work the night before, or if you had to go in that night, it didn't matter. You encouraged us, as women, to be strong. You encouraged us to never think we were any less than a man. You taught us to accept no less than the best - that we deserve the best, and we deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. You always made sure we knew that we could do anything we wanted to do, and you provided us with the tools we needed to achieve our goals. You taught us to never expect anything less than the best from ourselves. Even if the best we could give was not necessarily the best in the group - you taught us to try as hard as we can. That even if we didn't come in first place, as long as we gave it our all, that is all that mattered. You taught us to accept our failures, but to make sure we learned from them. You were always a little tough on us, not because you were mean, but because you wanted to teach us the value of hard work. And that is so much appreciated. Because now, as a grown woman, I can take care of myself. I take pride in the fact that I work hard, and to know that my dad had a huge hand in teaching me that.

You also taught me the true meaning of undeniable love for my children. I know if we ever needed anything you would drop everything and help us out, whether it is physically, financially, or emotionally. You drive cross country for your family, even in cars that might not make it - you take that risk so you can see the ones you love. You taught us the value of a dollar, and to appreciate what we have. And i hope I instill all those in my kids. I have to say, the hugs you give now are a little tighter, and little longer, and I love them every time. Thank you dad, for all you have ever given us and taught us. The skills and the values you taught me will carry on with my kids. And I love that my kids get to spend so much time with Papa. There is no denying how proud you are of them and of us. The way you look at my kids, and the love you have for them that displays on your face, makes me feel so great. I know that they feel love every where they go, and that makes me feel amazing!! The girls will always be talking about their adventures with their papas. You let them explore and find things out for themselves, even when "helicopter" mom might freak out. You allow the girls to go a little further than I might, and I appreciate that. Because they learned how to go on the monkey bars, how to climb trees, and I know that is mainly due to the fact that you don't restrict them. You let them, safely, explore their limits, and you are ok with letting them fail. But you encourage them to try again. In this world, that is a lesson that is not taught very frequently, and so that lesson is very much appreciated. Thank you for all of that.

I hope you know how much we love and appreciate all you do (every single one of us). My strength and my love for others comes from you and I hope you know how much I appreciate all the lessons you have taught me, and continue to teach me, and all the lessons you give my children that I might not be as good as teaching them.

You are loved more than you will ever know.

Love you,
Beckie


Dear Sam,
Here is my letter to you for all to read. I want you to know how much you are appreciated. How much I have seen you grow and mature, not only as a father, but as a man. The undeniable love you have for your children makes me love you even more than I could imagine. You never cease to amaze me with how much you love the girls. You have sacrificed a lot to be there with us as a father, a husband, and a man. You are teaching the girls how a man should treat a woman. You are always willing to be goofy with the girls. You don't allow them to ever question whether you love them. The fact that you make sure every night you go in and give them a kiss and tell them you love them before they fall asleep, that will stay with them forever. They won't ever doubt that their daddy loves them. I appreciate that you enjoy staying home with the family. That watching a movie and lounging on the couch with the kids is just as exciting to you as going out used to be. The smile you get on your face when you interact with the girls shows how much you truly love them.

Thank you for being there for the girls. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for being my strength when I felt like I was falling apart, through everything we have been through this year. Thank you for bringing me back to reality and reminding me to concentrate on the here and now, not the "what ifs". You always try to make it the kids events whenever you can. I hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated, not only by me, but by your children. And that is not something every man can say!

Love you loads,
Me