Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!  I hope today (and everyday) you know how much you are loved and appreciated :)


To my Father-in-Law, Jack ~  Thank you so much for being such a positive role model in John's life.  Thank you for raising him to be a good and loving husband and father.  I see a lot of you in John...his love for being in the yard and growing things and his love of maps are just a couple of those things.  Thanks for being such a great Grandpa too :) I hope you have a wonderful day and know that you are loved.


To my husband John ~ Thank you for being the best daddy to our zoo precious babies.  You have been a hands on dad from the beginning and I truly appreciate all your hard work.  Thank you for being their protector, provider, coach, co-disciplinarian, role model, jungle gym, teacher, and friend.  I could not have picked out a better father for my children, I am so glad that God chose you for me to share this crazy roller coaster ride wonderful journey with :)  Thanks for taking our kids on bike rides, to the beach, to the pool, to the playground.  Thanks for teaching them to ride their bikes and being excited about doing it.  Thanks for teaching them about God and what it means to love Him.  Thanks for being excited about showing them the alligators in the pond, the hawks flying over head, beautiful sunsets, deer playing in the backyard, fire trucks, flowers/plants starting to grow, and every golf course that we happen to pass by :)  Thanks for wanting our kids to be the best they can be and for helping them get there.  Here's to your 9th Father's Day...


To my Dad, Joe ~ Words can't begin to express how much I love you and appreciate everything you have done for me.  You taught me so many things and continue to do so.  You taught me to work hard and not to give up or be afraid of it...or to be afraid of the ball hitting me :)  You taught me to do it right the first time and to make it count (and to completely erase my mistakes on my paper or to get a new piece of paper and start over!).  You have taught me to think for myself and do for myself.  You pushed me to do better because you knew I could.  I probably didn't appreciate it back then but I do now :)  You made so many sacrifices for us and never complained (well, maybe to mom but we never knew!) and even when you were out to sea when Shea and I were young, we always knew you loved us and we couldn't wait for the day you came home.  Although you would never let us "help" in the kitchen we learned so much from you (my family appreciates the love of cooking I got from you). Our "Super Dad" could mow the lawn, cook dinner, and balance the checkbook all at the same time :)  I am so proud to call you my dad and I only hope I can pass on all that I have learned from you to my kids (if Max wants to eat when he moves out I better teach him how to cook!)  Thanks for being my coach, thanks for painstakingly decorating my birthday cakes, thanks for providing us with wonderful opportunities, thanks for providing for us, thanks for listening, thanks for loving us!  I hope you have a wonderful 40th Father's Day!!!!!!!!!