Daddy. Stud.

Growing up, I was richly blessed to know what it meant to always have someone there for me.  To have someone who took great delight in me, whose love calmed me and comforted me. To have someone who rejoiced over me and laughed with me and fought for me. 

My dad made it easy for me to understand how much God loves me because he loves me the way my Heavenly Father loves me- his love followed Christ's example, and growing up with that kind of love was such a gift.

The Lord your God is with you,
    he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
    he will quiet you with his love,
    he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I'm so thankful that Newbie finds the same kind of love in his daddy.

(Father's Day 2012 brought with it a trip to the pond to go fishing. So fun, we think we'll have to make Father's Day Fishing an annual occurance.)

I could write a book about how his daddy is loyal and kind and a man of integrity.  About how in a world of men who look to themselves, he looks to God as his source of strength, wisdom, and honor. I love that about him.  He's also funny, and I love that too.  He plays the best living room baseball and every day pours so much of his heart into raising up our son.  

He gets it.  He gets that Newbie will grow to follow his footsteps far more than his words.  He gets that he has little eyes and ears- a little heart- watching him and following his lead.  And he does so well under that kind of pressure.

I was having a post-partum wardrobe crisis yesterday (much like everyday-ha!) and Newbie came into the room where I was standing in a shirt and skirt, staring at the mirror.  He just stopped and looked at me with a smile on his face and said in a sweet, soft voice- just barely above a whisper- "Mommy, pretty. Mommy, you boo-difull.  You boo-difull.  Mommy, you like an angel." His voice sunk to barely a breath when he said "angel", and I dropped to my knees right there and wrapped my arms around that treasure of a boy.  Such a reflection of his daddy.  My heart squeezed because I thought it was just darling that the Hubs had already put in Newbie a heart to encourage...and how precious that he sounded so much like his daddy when he did! 

What I'm trying to say is, this guy's a stud. And I like him.  A lot. Newbie is one blessed boy to have this stud for a father.  And my girls are blessed to have him as their daddy too- what a delight it was to watch him love on his precious girls while they were here with us. 

I could write so much more, but since I dropped a Disney BOMB on you all yesterday, I'll keep it short today. =)

Happy [very belated] Father's Day to my man! 

....and my daddy.

....and my father-in-law.

And happy weekending to the rest of you!