Any man can be a father but... to be a daddy

Father's day is today. I was so exited to wake up early this morning to give Daniel his present. I made him a baby book. It was an old book her mother had made but it was very dusty and had gotten too yellow so I made it up to standard with acid free pages and decorated so cute! In the book there are pictures of his father who was so loved by all his family and friends. Daniel told me once that when he needed some favor from a fellow that knew his family in Uruguay, he told my husband if your are as half ad good as your father was I trust you. It is so wonderful how some people are so blessed to have a special father like my husband but some others are not as lucky. Take for example a woman who wrote on her blog:

"I want to start this week by paying a special tribute to all of the great dad’s out there.  Like the title said, any man can be a father, but it truly does take a special person to be a dad. I have learned that lesson firsthand in my own life with my children – they have a dad, who although he is not their biological father, he is 100% their dad as far as he is concerned and as far as they are concerned, and he is the best father two kids could ever ask for. I am a very lucky woman to be married to a man who is such an amazing father to our children.  What a blessing it is to a mother to have a great man as the father to your children – Thank you to all the other fathers out there who are also great Dads I say “THANK YOU!”  I have great respect for you men who are good dads to your children!

In addition to a great husband, I have been blessed with a fabulous Dad myself who set a great example for me in all that he did.  He is the epitome of integrity and hard work and dedication to doing what is right in his life.  He is the one that taught me to live by the creed “Do what is right, let the consequence follow.”  That is not always an easy thing to have the courage to do the right thing, no matter what.  Sometimes there are consequences that can hurt you or others when you do the right thing, but it is still always the best choice to do the right thing.  That is something I learned from my Dad and I am grateful to him for teaching me that and for every other example he set for me in my life.  He is my hero, as every good dad should be to his kids.  I love him with all my heart and wish him a Happy Father’s Day today as well.

For all the Dads out there I can tell you that your children will learn the most, not from what you say, but by the way you live your life.  Your example of how to be a good person will speak louder than any words you could say.  Never underestimate the power you example is to your children.  I can guarantee they are watching your every move and they are listening and learning from all that they see you do.  So thank you for living your lives in a way that they can be proud of and for setting an example for them." Those are my words exactly but I would add one more thing. As I visit Bianca, I noticed she has a sign that reads, live your life so your children would be proud. I know my husband is proud of his father who is loved by everyone who knew him. I have a husband I am so proud of too who could not be a better father and who for four years he also had to played the role of a mother. Daniel is a great example to his children. What I love about Daniel is that he still gives them father's blessings even as old as they are now. I am also proud of those children who are turning out to be wonderful fathers like their dad.  How wonderful it is to see our grandchildren being raised by wonderful fathers.

I don't think I had the greatest dad, but he wasn't a bad person either. He actually had a good heart but was abusive to my mother which was sad for me to watch growing up. Memories I wished I had not witnessed. The important thing is to learn to not make the same mistakes from those who we know were not the greatest fathers and mimic those that are. How lucky it was for Daniel to have an amazing father that taught him well and how wonderful is that his boys are following those steps.
I saw a poem the other day that I want to share today. Its called “Walk A Little Slower Daddy”:

Walk A Little Slower Daddy

“Walk a little slower Daddy,”
said a child so small,
“I’m following in your footsteps 
and I don’t want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they’re hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I’m all grown up,
You’re what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child
Who’ll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true,
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you.”