Proud to be theirs

My weekend was awesome.  Hard not to see God amidst it all as I watched my niece graduate, as I hosted my other niece in my home, ANDDD as I hosted my brothers and dad for Father’s day.  I felt like a real grown up, and I liked it!

As Kate walked across the stage to get her diploma, I thanked God for her; for the way she got the best of her mom, her dad, and my dad.  She’s a strong girl.  She’s a sharp girl.  There’s no doubt in my mind that God is going to take her to exciting, life living places along her path of life.

I’m so thankful for my family.  For the way we always come together to celebrate the accomplishments in each one’s lives.  It’s more than celebrating though, it’s cherishing.  God’s given us so many blessings, but the best of all is each other.  I suppose anyone could or would say that about their family, that’s okay though.  That’s a good thing.  Why not thank God for the blessing of family.  That’s exactly what I did this weekend.

Instead of complaining about the one side of my family, how everyone is always in everyone’s beeswax, how “they” always need to be the one speaking, how I sometimes feel like I can never get a word in, or even how sometimes I feel different, they’re still the ones that God has given to me.  They’re cherished.  I look at the other side, and this is what I see:

My dad.  I see Jeff’s commitment to his family, his generosity and love.  He doesn’t see it, but I think he got the best part of my dad.  I look at Mark, and the way he respects his mother-in-law and my mom.  I see how active he is, how silly I can be.  I like to think that’s exactly how my dad was when he was their age.  I’m positive he was.  They both got the best of him.

And me.  I got all the brains.  No just kidding.  I got them all,my dad, Jeff, and Mark!  I say I’m proud to be his.  But more, I think I’m proud to be theirs.  These are the men in my life.  They’re the extra dads I get to have.  They’re the ones I look up to.  They’re the ones that will cause me to break tradition when I have three Father/Daughter dances at my wedding.  I seek not just my dad’s approval, I seek their approvals too.  I want to make them all proud.  Because they make me prouder than I knew I could be.