Fathers

I have to say that I have been incredibly blessed.

Really, when I think of all that the Lord has blessed me with I can't help but be overwhelmed with gratitude.

Without a doubt, one of the greatest blessings I have received are my parents. They ROCK!

I always say that I don't know how they raised 5 kids without going crazy, and it's true- I really don't know how they had 5 kids in 6 years and didn't go crazy!

My senior year of high school my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Us kids decided to throw them a surprise party. After the party I was sitting on the steps with my dad and I said, "Congratulations, Dad! 25 years of marriage is pretty awesome!" He turned to me and said, "Well, there were lots of times I could have left your mom. And there were lots of times she could have left me."

This really surprised me. But I learned a great lesson from that. I learned that my parents did have some problems in their marriage (what marriage doesn't?), but my parents decided to make date night on Fridays standard. They took weekend getaways. Even though we knew our parents loved and supported us kids 100% (and they did- I don't think my dad missed a soccer game of mine in my whole life- I even remember him taking off of work to come watch a JV softball game when I was in junior high), I never doubted that they loved each other more. They put their marriage first, and it was the best parental decision they ever could have made.

When I was looking to get married, I knew I wasn't going to settle. Whoever I married had to be as awesome as my dad- which was a pretty high standard. It had to be someone committed to family, who loved the Lord, and who worked hard.

Ben definitely fits that bill! I love that on Saturdays he doesn't go and play golf with his buddies- he genuinely wants to spend time with me and the kids. We have date nights every Friday night. Ben serves and loves the Lord in a quiet and powerful way that amazes me every day. He takes the responsibility of providing for our family seriously. He is literally one of the best of men, and I thank my Heavenly Father that I had a Dad who showed me how a husband and father should be, and for Ben who continues the legacy of fatherhood in our home (of course, Ben learned from his dad these traits- so thank you to my father-in-law as well).

Pretty much every day I think about how lucky I am. I have such a great life! And I can attribute much of that great life to three fathers: Heavenly Father, my own earthly father, and the father of my children.

Yes, life is pretty great.