For Every Moment . . .

Stephen,

Thank you.

For the way God used you to bridge the gap in our life, thank you.

For pointing to Him when I can't see, thank you.

For loving others where I am critical,

For leading when I am overwhelmed,

For loving me through every one of my crazy, emotional ups and downs, thank you.

For being the dad who takes the kids on errands, and changes diapers, and does bed time routine, and Sunday School homework and Bible time, thank you.

For coaching the kid's basketball and softball and being the one who dances for show choir, thank you.

For running to the store at 10:00 at night because we forgot diapers, coffee, cream, Children's Motrin, toilette paper, poster board for the science project due tomorrow, or any one of a million other things, thank you.

For holding me when I cry and for not holding me so I could  cry,

For every time you have not kissed me on the forehead,

For riding out the storm,

For always being on my side, thank you.

For the amazing facial hair   Ummmm. . .No.

For the way you always see the best in people, thank you.

For your heart for the hurting,

For saying yes to four kids who needed us, thank you.

For your desire to be generous and love others, sometimes to the point of naivete, thank you.

For putting up with "Gilmore Girls" marathons, thank you

For cleaning up puke,

For tackling mountains of laundry,

For letting me have dinner with the girls, even when life is crazy, thank you.

For seeking to live a life of simplicity that we can give more, thank you.

For letting me explore my crazy whims, thank you.

For literally working harder than anyone I have ever known, thank you.

For your repeated grace when we have to turn around because I forgot my phone, purse, driver's license, or child, thank you.

For listening to me drone on and on about my latest obsession, thank you.

For having the patience and nerves to teach our kids to drive, thank you.

For taking the trash out and remembering milk and eggs and coffee,

For tucking in and night time prayer and bed time kisses and laughter,

For calling when I didn't want to, thank you.

For driving across the country with me, to Canada and Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee and Colorado because I am terrified of flying, thank you.

For reading Psalms to me on the phone for an hour after I watched a scary movie,

For all the times you've woken up in the middle of the night to hold me after a nightmare, thank you.

For being the kind of dad that sets the standard for our future son in law,

For being a living example of hard work, integrity and stewardship for our sons, thank you.

For running out of the house in your underwear and talking to the cop to find out if we were safe, even though you were still in your underwear, thank you.

For wrestling with the hard things,

For not giving up on us, even when it has seemed hopeless,

For being my anchor and home base,

For every moment of the last 15 years,

Thank you.

For being the most amazing gift that God has given us. . . we love you beyond words.

Happy Father's Day . . .to God's best for us.