father's day reflections

the day after we returned from minneapolis was father's day! it definitely snuck up on me. every one slept in until almost 8:00 (yay jet lag!). when i asked thatcher what he wanted to do and he said mighty o donuts and go to a beach. i knew we could handle that! i thought mighty o would be insane, but it wasn't bad at all. we all enjoyed our donuts, per usual. 

thatcher's chosen beach was richmond, where we've been spending lots of time since we first went there in the spring. it's so pretty, it's hard to stay away! and the tide was super low, so it was fun to explore the exposed beach. 

we came home for lunch, then thatcher went out for a while by himself in the afternoon. since he is a good guy (in addition to being a good dad), he stopped at the farmer's market and the grocery store to pick up some staples and ingredients for dinner. we made lemon pepper pasta with smoked salmon and peppers for dinner, and thatcher made a cake (he doesn't pass up any opportunity to make a cake). he also opened his gift. it was a fun, low-key family day. 

since we had just gotten back in town the night before, i was happy that i ordered a gift online for thatcher weeks (months?) before i needed it. lest you think i'm super on top of things, i happened to see something online and thought "i should get this for thatcher for father's day!" go me! if you are wondering what it is, it is a series of hooks mounted on a metal multi-color subway map...like so: 

i could go on and on about what a great dad he is. he is patient and loving and is the best model for the kids when it comes to treating others with respect. he is friendly to every one he comes across, rarely says a bad word about any one, and i'm so glad my kids have him to look up to. i feel so lucky that i get to do this parenting thing with him by my side. i could not ask for a better partner. 

switching gears to another amazing father...my dad. this was my first father's day without him and while it was another reminder that he is no longer here, i felt mostly at peace all day. i posted this picture on social media from a trip to nyc in 2009: 

i always appreciated my dad and everything he did for me, but becoming a parent myself really took it to a new level. he was always so supportive, never made me feel like a burden, shared in all of my happy and hard times, set a great example of being a loyal husband, and loved my kids fiercely. i'm holding tight to all of those memories and choosing the be thankful for the 31 years we had together, rather than mourning the future that should have been. i can't change that he is gone, but i can keep his legacy alive in how i live my life and share his life lessons with my kids. 

so, whether you got to hug your dad, were missing your dad, or desperately wishing you were a dad this weekend, i was thinking of you. we all have our own story.