Our Daddy

I'm late getting in on the whole Father's Day thing, but the parenting tip on our weekly play group reminder made me tear up a bit. Jonathan works so hard, trying to support us. He comes home with aches and pains in the most amazing places and as soon as he walks in the door the kids start climbing all over him. Sometimes Joseph gets his name right, but it's usually "Mama!" that he screams out with a huge grin on his face. We love him more than anything, though. He's such a good daddy. So thank you, sweetheart, for all your hard work. And thank you to my dad and Jonathan's for all you did for us as we were growing up. I know you put up with a lot and the rewards weren't so apparent at the time. We hope our appreciation now will help to make all the time you put in worth it.

Only A Dad
By Edgar Guest

Only a dad with a tired face,
Coming home from the daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame
To show how well he has played the game;
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come and to hear his voice.

Only a dad with a brood of four,
One of ten million men or more
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd,
Toiling, striving from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them.

Only a dad but he gives his all,
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing with courage stern and grim
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen:
Only a dad, but the best of men.