Wednesday, February 13, 2008

I Married My Father

(and its not as bad as it sounds)

I know that there are women around the world who come to this realization daily.

The women who grew up with less than desirable fathers realize this with more than a touch of shock and dismay and are the poster children for "Pyschological Issues."

The women who, like me, grew up with a father that was better-than-could-be asked-for realize this with a huge smile and more than one little misty eye.

This realization hit me over the head (again) yesterday when my husband came home with not only a Valentine's Day surprise for me - but one for our 4 month old baby girl. Yes, I know yesterday was not Valentine's Day but since we have a conflict on Thursday we celebrated it a little early (or rather, he took the iniative to). I was gifted with a beautiful bouquet of red roses and an appropriately sappy Valentine's Day card. Our baby was gifted with a huge stuffed catepillar that is twice her size and almost as cute.

Flashback to my childhood and the Valentine's Days when I remember my dad coming home, after working all day for the railroad (we are talking 12 hour shifts, outside - winter through summer) bearing a huge bouquet of flowers for my mom and always a little something for me and a little something for my sister: chocolates, stuffed animals, you name it. My Valentine's Day memories straight on through high school (where we began to receive smaller versions of our mom's bouquets) were always bright and happy - no matter if I had a boyfriend or not. Because I had my daddy. I doubt he realized how special he made those days for me or how fondly I remember them and even as I type this I get a little misty eyed and sentimental because I had (and have) a wonderful father who loved his girls and was not afraid to show it.

And now, as the mommy to a little girl, I can look forward to not only Valentine's Day as a special day for me and my husband but as one that is special for my husband and his daughter because just like my dad was my very first Valentine - so will her dad be for her. I realize now that the best gift I will ever give my children is that I chose my husband to father them, to raise them, and to love them.

3 comments:

Jackie said...

Ah, I'm glad you 3 are starting a tradition, which you remember oh to fondly.

Christy said...

So beautiful. I wonder if our dads realize the little things they did that molded us into the women we are today. And I agree, all woman pick their men based on their father's standards.

I just had the chance to catch up on reading blogs. I think we're almost done moving & settling in -minus all the furniture & plasma tv we wish we had.

I always give up something for lent that hurts me. And of course its always food! (Although I tried giving up cursing.) I gave up some of my fav's: RICE, SODA(even diet), AND DONUTS. So far so good. But have any Cubans ever really given up rice for 6 weeks? I don't think so. I'm going 1 week strong!


P.S. Sophia gets cuter every time you post a picture!!! :)

I'll be back to blogging as soon as I get a desk to put my computer on.

Butterfly Wishes LLC said...

Yes ma'am, I married my father as well. I used to dress up like Snow White, play the movie (on a record player) and wait for my dad to come home so that he could kiss my forhead, pick me up, and "rescue me"

Yeah... daddy's little girls rock ;)