Happy Father's Day!

This is the 16th time you have had a portion of the Father's Day event. 16 years ago, you were so incredibly brave and the way you honored me, I will never forget. Your loyalty to me left me changed, humbled, and so proud to be yours.
We didn't expect to partake of the time honored tradition so soon in our young lives but this is where you found us. So young. So unprepared. But walking forward, holding your hand as you held on to Jesus.
In the past 16 years, our first born little boy has now grown up to be taller than we are. Who also incidentally thinks he is smarter than we are, too. Our second son,posed to be a challenge before we ever saw his sweet face and red hair. That pregnancy will go down in our history as one of the hardest seasons we faced. 7 months of bed-rest with a toddler was tough. Losing two grandparents was almost more than I thought we could handle.I will never forget sitting at your PaPa's funeral and watching them hand you the flag that had been draped over this brave WWII soldier's casket.Your PaPa loved you so much, Kip. I will never forget him peaking in our hospital room the day after Taylor was born. It was a bit of an awkward moment, remember I was trying to breast feed the baby? But when I saw him standing there, he didn't see any of that stuff. He was watching you. And the look of pride on his face will be forever hidden in my heart. He would have gotten a big kick out of our middle son. I am so sorry they never got the chance to meet.
The birth of our youngest son came with it's own challenges. You were finishing up your PGA qualifications and pursuing a "dream" career. I remember getting up with Tucker in the middle of the night and being greeted by you at the kitchen table studying. My pillow laid out on the chair and a glass of water waiting for me. Thank you for that. Tucker's health issues brought us together as a team. Kind of like peas and carrots. The Lord saw fit to teather us tightly to each other and to HIM during that season.
Little did I know what was in store for us!
The addition of our daughter into our family has truly been the Great adventure. Our first step into the parenting adventure, we stepped into with timid steps but with this one we seemed to jump in with both feet! Thank you for listening to the Voice inviting us to trust and 'go'. I am so thankful we didn't get to see the days rolled out before us, I don't know if I would have stepped out at all. However; this time we both held on to Jesus with both hands.
I loved watching you fall in love with Tatumn in China.

Who would have thought that our family would have been made complete half-way around the World? That the teenage couple would one day be grown-ups with 4 kids?
Thank you for walking a life with integrity.
Thank you for allowing God to change your career path and not being bitter about it.
But actually becoming better for it.
Thank you for fighting for us. For me.
Thank you for sitting in the rain watching Taylor play football.
Thank you for taking Tanner to Summer school at the crack of dawn so I can sleep in.
Thank you for taking Tucker fishing. Just the 2 of you. Even though your poison ivy break out was killing you.
Thank you for delighting in all things princess and dancing with your Cinderella.
Thank you for pouring my coffee and sitting it out
because you know I don't drink hot coffee.
Thank you for loving me in-spite of my quirks.
Thank you for loving Jesus and being His hands and feet to a world that needs to see Him.
Thank you for loving a fun-loving, mouthy, insecure teenager.
And the woman she is still trying to become.