Happy Father's Day Mom!

By Missy

A few years ago, my children and I lost their father.  It was sudden and shocking and was an experience that as you can imagine, was life changing.  And it was during those first few days afterwards that I was reminded that families come in so many different shapes and sizes.

My children and me with my uncle, sister and dad

Over the past three years I have watched my own large extended family grow, change and come together in an incredible way.  It is a crazy mix of the family I was born into and the one I once married into.  It also includes the family I choose – the countless friends and colleagues that I have purposely brought into my life and the lives of my children and how much the better my children and I are for it.  Intentionality is a great thing.

Families whether we were born to them or created them can be one of life’s greatest blessings. They are not without their challenges, but sometimes something worth having is worth the mess, hassle and frustration.  Which brings us to yesterday.  I shared with you all my fabulous Mother’s Day last month.  Today I get to tell you of my first Father’s Day.

This past week in summer camp the kids were making Father’s Day cards.  One of the children asked Dane why he was making a card as he did not have a dad, to which my incredible child responded, “Yes, but I have lots of uncles!”    Amen to that little one!  So when the week was done and we were leaving on Friday, he said “mom I have something for you” and handed me my first Father’s Day card.  He told me he had made me the card because right now I am kinda like his dad and his mom.   It was never my desire to do both jobs and honestly I don’t hit the mark on either many days, but never had I felt more blessed to be kinda like a dad to my children. Sunday was a really good day for us. It was a really good day for me.

World's Coolest Kids! (Is that a candy face I see Finn?)

So I hope all the fathers out there, including all the dads here at the Ronald McDonald House and all the mother’s who are filling in for father’s had a great Father’s Day yesterday.

Missy Strittmatter