Dad

I'm pretty sure I have written about my kids' dad before. As amazing as he was, I don't want to bore you all with that again. I don't really talk about my two dads that much. I should have done this yesterday, but I didn't get to it so....

My dad...hmmmm...well, he is intelligent, funny, very hard working, goal oriented, patriotic and loves his family. He was literally dirt poor growing up and has worked very hard in his life to get past that. He served his country in the Air Force and served his country as a police officer. He rose up through the ranks all the way to the top and was chief of police for two differet police departments. He was a firearms instructor for as long as I can remember and when he would compete in shooting competitions, everyone in the competition knew they wouldn't get first place, they had to settle fighting for second place. He hunts and fishes. He worked full time and went to school to get his paralegal degree. There isn't a person that has met him that doesn't instantly respect him. He works hard for everything that he has, including his dream home that he built himself and came close to losing this last month in a wildfire. He is constantly trying to find ways to save money and save the planet at the same time. For example, he has done research on water conservation and recycling so he can do that at his home. When us kids are thrifty, he's very proud! haha He's actually proud of us all as we are proud of him. He has a wonderful, supporting wife and he knows how lucky he is to have her. He is a man of few words, but when he speaks, people listen. I hope he knows how much he is loved!

My stepdad passed away 9 years ago, but he definitely left a lasting impression! He was full blooded irish and boy did you know it! He was the most stubborn person I have ever met! My kids are adopted and are his biological grandkids and let me tell you, that is one thing they inherited from their grandfather! haha Stubborn can be used for good and he used it to get what he wanted out of life. He was very determined and when he decided to do something, he threw his whole heart into it. It was all or nothing with him. He loved his kids, stepkids, grandkids and he loved my mom. He was an irishman through and through. He even followed the hearts of a lot of irishmen and became a police officer AND a firefighter. He was very good at both and took it farther. He became a pilot so he could do search and rescue with the civil air patrol and was a certified diver so he could do rescue diving. He was fiercly patriotic. He was also very passionate about everything he did. He never met a stranger and people loved him and his happy go lucky attitude. I knew that if I had a problem, I could go to him and he would help me however he could. If I was brokenhearted, he would cry with me and if I was happy, he would cry with me then too. :) He was very emotional and we loved him for that! He and my late husband were the best of friends. They were soulmates and had a wonderful father/son relationship. They were so close, that after my husband passed away, his brother found a burial plot as close to my stepdad's as he could. He did a good job with that...Just a few spots away. :) He was very sick in the last 10 years of his life, but he was stubborn enough to live as long as he did because he wanted to be with my mom and his new family as long as he could. We all miss him so much.

A dad loves his children enough to discipline them when needed, takes care of his family, shows his children love and affection, teaches his children right from wrong and how to work hard. He loves his children unconditionally and will do anything for his family.

I can't be my kids' dad. I love them and try to be both parents, but I just can't do what a dad does. My kids had a wonderful dad that they barely remember because they were so little when he died. We try hard to keep his memory alive of course. Hopefully someday I can meet someone who will be everything a great dad is. In the meantime, my kids are lucky enough to have wonderful uncles, a fantastic grandpa and amazing church leaders!