Ode to My Hubby. . .

This is an ode to my Husband on Fathers' Day. He is such a great Dad. These days of the fast paced life we lead it is hard for a father to work 40+ hours per week and play with the kids. Well I have to give my Husband credit for doing just that. He takes after his father I am sure. His Dad passed away in March of 2005. I had the honor of knowing him and being his daughter-in-law for 12 years. I loved him dearly. All the stories I heard of him from Mark about growing up were wonderful. He worked very long hours and sometimes different shifts. He always made time for Mark. No matter how tired he was he always would play ball with him or go fishing ect. . .

Mark truly is a great Dad. He takes the kids to the movies on the weekends and that in turn gives me a break. He doesn't just take them to see things he wants to see either. He took them to "Horton Hears a Who". He said that was a stinker. But, because the kids wanted to see it, he took them. He plays in the yard with them and takes them fishing. He loves to fish and so do the kids. Sometime we get to eat what they have caught.

Today they played ball in the yard for about 3 hours in the heat. I think Mark was the biggest kid out there. Some of the neighbor kids came over and played too. I know there are men out there that don't do these things and fellas let me tell you, you are missing out. I talk a lot about seeing things through your kids eyes. The one thing I see in my kids eyes about my husband is that he is the best Dad around.

I must tell you one tell about him that might embarrass him. When we had Jack our oldest he did not want to eat after he was born. Now Mark and I neither one knew that much about kids we were just winging it. Jack would not nurse. It had been 2 days and he was still not latching on. He was being kinda bottle fed in a strange sort of way. Those of you that have had dealings with the "Breast Nazis" know what I am talking about. Mark came to me one evening with tears in his eyes. He said, "What are we going to do when we get home if he is not nursing? He will starve to death." I laughed a little and told him I would give him formula before I would let him starve. We both laughed then. I don't think Mark had ever held a child before we had ours. He never held his nephew or nieces. I do remember in the Hospital looking over groggily and seeing him hold Jack and watching a football game on TV.
Once we got home from the Hospital it was a team effort. He took a week off of work to help me when each child was born. He got up with me for those 3am feedings. He did fall asleep in the floor in front of me but never the less he was in the room with me. I had 2 c-sections so he had to help carry the baby to each room because I could not carry him. He changed diapers too. That was an event in our house. I will never forget him changing Jack one day and I heard the most awful scream and I got to the room as fast as I could and Jack had peed all over the wall and Mark. I told him next time please don't scream I just about threw a stitch trying to get down the hall. I thought he had dropped Jack or something.

Mark has always taken care of the kids with me. He even did bath time too. He did not want to give them a bath until they could sit up though and that was fine with me. I will never forget Jack must have been about 2 years old and I had to go on a trip for work. I had told my parents about it and my Mom asked, "Who will take care of Jack?" I laughed and said his Daddy. I was only gone for 2 days and I knew Mark could handle it. He did fine without me.

I know that when my kids get older and have their own families that they will remember what a great Dad they had. I hope they take after him and his fathering skills. I love my hubby dearly and am so proud of the Father that he is.