Stand Tall, Daddy!

"A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child." ---Knights of Pythagoras

As I was looking for some deep, meaningful quote full of eloquent words to describe my husband, I came across this very simple phrase.  After looking beyond the words between the quotation marks, I realized that this not only describes James perfectly, but it is so beautifully true.  Kneeling down to pick up a small child after they have fallen off their bike isn't the only form of help our kids need.  Yes, our children need help physically when they have the infamous "boo boo."  But, they also need help academically as the subjects they study get harder and harder every year and as expectations continue to rise to unattainable heights.  They need support emotionally in this web of cruelty our society seems to continue spinning away at.  They need guidance spiritually as they mature and learn the truth that this world so often points us away from.  They need love from us; the unconditional love that only parents can have.

As I write these words, I truly believe that my girls have been blessed with no greater father.  I know, without a doubt, that James "stands tall as he kneels to help his children."  Yes, my girls are only 9 months old (7 at the time), but I see these qualities already in the way he honors them now.  I often talk of the way the girls light up when he walks in the room but oh my, have I told you how much HE lights up when he sees his girls each day?!  It is obvious in the way he looks at them that he has an undying love for them; a selfless love that will not falter despite our humanly efforts.  I see these qualities in this man who lays on the floor and repeats the same silly antics over and over simply because it makes them laugh.  I see these qualities in this man who shows a fathers concern as soon as he hears one of his girls crying.  I see these qualities in this man who once upon a time wasn't sure if kids were in our future and because of this, takes nothing for granted and cherishes each moment he has  been blessed with them.  It is because of these qualities that I find this simple quote so amazingly fitting and am honored to call my husband the father of our two baby girls.

Our girls with their daddy on Father's Day morning!  We were running late (as always) for church but couldn't leave without first taking a picture.

After church, James and a few of the guys from our Sunday school class went and played golf for the day....I am happy that he was able to do one of the things he loves so much on his special day (even if I did give him a hard time for not wanting to spend time with us ;) ).

We had planned on grilling that evening when he returned but because they got home so late, we ended up having Texas Roadhouse takeout for dinner and a lemon cake that I made for dessert.

Below are the pictures of James opening his Father's Day gift.  Unfortunately, the girls were already in bed for this but I suppose that's just the way it goes sometimes.  I guess it didn't really matter anyways considering he already knew what his gift was :(  I even had Heather order it for me so as to keep it a secret but because I was at the hospital with her when it arrived at our house, he cheated by looking at the sender displayed on the box.  And yes, I had asked him not to.  So, once again, I failed to surprise my husband on his special day.  I told him he's going to have to stop doing that because it's going to upset two precious little girls when they are old enough to understand.  Regardless, I'm so happy that he loved his watch :)

Acting surprised...looks pretty fake, right?!  It's because it IS!!!

All in all, I'd say it was a very special 1st Father's Day for him!  I'm sure he'd agree with me when I say that going to bed that night knowing that our two little girls were safe and soundly sleeping upstairs, was more than any gift either of us could ever buy with money.  Love those girls and are honored to be called their parents!