World's Best DaddyMan

Hannah and dad watching Meg swing the bat!

This year the girls made daddy a card. I asked them what their daddy did that they were thankful for and here is their response:

Daddy, thank you for...doing special things with us, going downtown, for picnics, walks, making pennies (working and making money), making little schievers (filled pancakes), pancakes, waffles, reading us stories every night, for giving thanks with us, helping us, bringing us to church, being kind to us, taking us fishing, taking us to parks, for your hugs, kisses, nose kisses, ear nibbles and for all of your love.

Daddy has me wrapped around his little finger hairy leg.

I am thankful and grateful for Charlie. I know that God has richly blessed me and my children with a man who loves the Lord, loves us, sacrifices for us, works so hard to provide for us, hugs us, plays with us, teaches us, carves out time for us and makes us a priority, makes breakfast on the weekends, has not just one hand but two hands in helping me with the kids, does activities that we like to do, plays games, reads, plays with chalk, takes us fishing, reads to us from the Bible and thinks up very creative things for us do. I am amazed at the daddy Charlie is, not because I didn't think he was good with kids (I've always known/seen that) but because being the father of three small girls who like to talk is exhausting and he is the most patient, gentle and loving man I know. Thank you, Babe for loving us so much!

This was one of the gifts that the girls picked out for daddy, funny how that works-really being a gift for them.

I am also thankful for my dad. Sadly I didn't tell him that enough. But I hope he saw how much I learned from him in my 27 years of watching. He taught me how to work hard and value it, how important it was to be a part of a church body, to give generously, to respect others, to be disciplined in whatever I do, commitment, how to love my family, to take care of my car-by parking way out in the end of a parking lot so as to not get a door ding, and speaking of parking lots...the value of a well designed parking structure as opposed to one not done by Walker PC. All that to say, I never got to give my dad his last Father's Day gift-he died one week before I could have him unwrap it. It was a shirt that I very carefully picked out. So instead I gave it to Charlie that year (he knew that it was intended for my dad) and I can think of no one that my dad would rather have it then his Chaz. To this day I don't know that Charlie would ever let anyone call him that-except my dad. My dad loved Charlie and I know he would be so proud of him too.

We had an awesome weekend together as a family. Yesterday Charlie and the girls watched me run my first 5K then we headed to the beach for the afternoon with some friends. Today was church and a picnic on the beach tonight with some other friends from church.

This is how we start out most of our weekends. After everyone wakes us, some how we all end up in our bed-even Rudy and Lucy. You can see just a little of Charlie head sandwiched in between Kate and Megan.

Then daddy makes us breakfast-we help him, of course, by sitting on the counter, asking questions, telling him how mommy does it, and spilling things...

Untitled, Unleashed, Unafraid...

Yes, it has been another whole month. Instead of beating myself up for not posting every week like I tell myself I am going to...I should just plan on updating once a month and surprising myself when I do it more often. With that said, here's what has happened over the last month-hang with me...this post will end....eventually.

Last month we (my mom, me and the girls) took a little drive up to see my grandparents who are now well into their 90's and still living on their own. The reality of this is that every time I see them-it might be my last. Not to sound morbid but you just never know. My grandparents-while they are still healthy and frugal are AWESOME. I love them and so do my children. Hannah can hardly wait to climb up on Great Grandpa's lap for a story despite his failing voice. She doesn't care, she just sees a man who loves her and cherishes every moment he has been given. What she doesn't know but will when she is older is a man who grew up during the Great Depression, who only had two pair of pants during his childhood, who joined the service, traveled the world had five children, has buried two already, worked like a dog, lived on little, saved a lot, given even more away, has read more in his life then most libraries can hold, has loved his wife and chosen to be faithful to her in their seven decades of marriage. (most people don't live to seventy, let alone stay married that long). My grandfather has a living legacy that most people only dream of- he's lived through the best and worst of this world with an eternal perspective.

On the flip side-or his better looking side-is Grandpa's side kick Jeanette! She might not tower much over 5 feet but she can pack a punch. Literally, she might pack punch just like she packs the most amazing picnic lunches. Grandma can make a feast for pennies. This gal was green before there was a green. On our most recent trip to see them she made a green jello with crushed pineapple in it. I served it up and she put the empty pan back in the fridge. Upon clearing the table later I took the pan out of the fridge because there weren't any leftovers. She gently stopped me from rinsing the pan and told me that she wanted to save it. I asked her why and she told me that when she rinses out the empty jello pan she will pour it into a cup and drink the juice. Again-raised during the depression and has lived that way her ENTIRE life! She has saved every napkin, recycled every container, given away more homemade jam and picked more produce then I could even imagine or count.

I love my grandparents so much it hurts. In some ways I don't ever want them to pass but I know that their footprints-while small on this physical earth, are ginormous in eternity!

Then there's the little trip we took to Chicago to see Mary Poppins. As a belated birthday gift to Hannah and Megan, Grandpa Bob and Grandma Linda took them to see the Broadway version. Then we had a fabulous dinner at the Grand Lux on Michigan Ave. The next morning we were off to Lincoln Park Zoo and before we hit the road home. We had a wonderful time and stayed in some pretty nice digs too! Thank you-everyone who made our trip so fun!

We finished up our swimming lessons for the summer. The girls gained a ton of confidence in the water and had a blast meeting new friends. They can't wait to start again in the fall.

Charlie and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. I can't say enough about this guy that I have spent half of my life loving. I love him more today then I did in those first few years when I thought I knew what love was. The days he used to follow me while I was on a date with his best friend, leave a pack of gum on my car so that I would find it in the morning on my way to school, show up at an away game unexpectedly, teach me to drive stick on his Samurai, skin my dead cat for me in Dr. Ellis' A & P class. All those things I thought were love pale in comparison to how he loves me now-getting up day after day to go to work, or making breakfast for us on the weekends when he could sleep in a little more, helping to clear the table, bathe the girls, read stories every night, complete projects both here and at my mom's, encourage me to be a better mom, friend and disciple and staying faithful to his family and God. Lucky doesn't even begin to describe how I feel to be married to you, Babe!

We've played, celebrated, enjoyed the beach, watched a soccer game or two and loved every minute of our time doing those things with friends and family. This summer is going to be a blast. We have a ton to look forward to but we just enjoy our time outside and playing in the sand.

This Saturday I hope to compete (I use that term very loosely) in my fist 5K. I have always wanted to try it and set a goal to complete one before I turn 31. So just pray that I don't pass out or make too big of a fool out of myself.

And finally, yesterday marked the three year anniversary of my dad's death. It's funny how much life changes in three years. Looking back on that time of loosing my dad, I never would have seen life looking this way. I don't know that I could have imagined what the next week would look like-let alone three or five or ten years down the road.

The truth is that now I am three years past his death and I don't understand it any better than I ever have. In a book called Turn My Mourning into Dancing by Henri Nouwen. I came across these words...

"Pruning means cutting, reshaping, removing what diminishes vitality. When we look at a pruned vineyard, we can hardly believe it will bear fruit. But when the harvest comes, we realize that the pruning allowed the vines to concentrate their energy and produce more grapes. Grateful people learn to celebrate even amid life's hard and harrowing memories because they know that pruning is no mere punishment, but preparation.
When our gratitude for the past is only partial, our hope for the future can likewise never be full. But our submitting to God's pruning work will not ultimately leave us sad, but hopeful for what can happen in us and through us. Harvesttime will bring its own blessings...pg19"

You see, even in the pain of my dad's absence I am seeing the harvest. I look at my mom-she is harvesting. Not only is my mom growing and learning new things about the Savior but she is ministering to people daily through ministries she never would have been involved with if not for my dad's passing. The painful pruning in our lives wasn't meant as a punishment but a preparation. I continue to praise God amidst my loss and worship Him for His goodness in my life.

My mom and dad on their last cruise to celebrate their 30th anniversary, which he wouldn't quite make it to, but celebrated nonetheless!

Thanks for sticking with me. I will update soon (term used loosely) with some summer pics of the girls!