The Trio

The story is rare. I have heard it all my life "What? You live with your Dad? Well, thats just so unusual...I mean, really you live full-time with him?"

"Well, yes actually, it is not typical, but yes we do!" I would respond.



And it has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.



Challenges, yes! ( just ask my dad)
Heart-ache, absolutely! ( just ask my dad)
frustration- daily ( just ask my dad)
Loneliness, to be sure! ( you guessed it......just ask my dad)
But hopefully, alot of joy!( Please, ask my dad...I wanna know the anwser.....)

These emotions are just a few I came up with when thinking about how he may describe raising two girls, as a single dad.

But Dad, we sure have come along way since:
*You used to bath us, and wash our hair ( what was left of it after you had it lopped off..) using the generic two pound peanut butter bucket. ( no pretty pink plastic bath toys in our house I should say...)
*We were the only two kiddos that went to day-care carrying......( not Trix, or Fruity Pebbles) but Wheaties ( "The breakfast for champions!") You know....."No frills food," and so economical at that!)
*We learned how to ride big wheels ( I might add, another sign of true girly-ness.. ummmm) around our apartment complex. You would use a large painting of a city, to show us how far we could ride.
*We graduated from those big wheels, up into two-wheel bikes, and then we rode with you ( while you ran miles....) around south Denton. ( We went on actual busy streets, and had to learn alot about traffic and safety. And there was no time for you to explain in " gentle detail or sweet words," what may have been life saving instruction.We just had to "listen and do it!"
* We spent weekends out on the lake in your little three man sail boat. Amy and I just sat, as you worked all the ropes, steared through the wind, and taught us how to yell " I am okay" when we tipped!
* You took us up in the little two seat airplane ( buckling us up in one seat together) for a little ride in the sky!
* Our year vacation was camping at grand resorts like, Turner Falls in OK. We lived high on the hog getting "name brand" granola bars....
*Every now and then, we could go out to eat at the local buffet.You know, Tues pm at any place where " Kids eat free!"
* You taught us how to put little girl underwear on. You know, "the little seam in the front, and the long seam in the back."
* We witnessed humility, by your example. And how you chose to live and raise us. We knew that you struggled in so many ways at times, on just about every level. Financially, materially, and emotionally.
But you never took it out on us. You never made us feel quilty for all your sacrifices. You always suffered and struggled real! There were many times you just couldn't completly hide the weight you had.When your world was crumbling, and the all the weight of it, and all that was sitting on your shoulders, sometimes, I just "knew." I knew the pain and saw it in your eyes.....The tired, fatigued look you had, yet modeled your " keep on keepin on."
*You taught us just that, to " Keep going on. Don't make excuses, just get up and keep going! Everyone has issues and challenges, your's are not too much different, than the next guys."
* You taught us what home was. It wasn't fancy, and wasn't going to have, or look like what many kids had, but it was our home.It was what we had. "We were in this together, no one was backing out or leaving!" You would say. You also said that "It may not be perfect, and it may not be what it would look like if you had your Mama here, but it is the three of us, and as long as we had that, we were gonna make it!"
* You taught us how to be financially practical. You taught us that "It's not what you make, its what you spend!"
* You taught us how to work, hard. You did this by such example dad. I have spent my whole life watching you get up at 3:00 am, working that second job, that at times, were so needed to make the ends meet.

I think we did make it Dad. Sure, there were lumps and bumps along the way. ( I am sorry for the ones I caused....I really am. Mostly because of the undeserving pain it caused you.)
And yes, there are situations that would have made life "alot easier." And circumstances that I know that broke your heart.
But in the end, it's God's story for our lives. He wrote it from the beginning of our days.

I am thankful.
I am thankful to Him for the way He wrote it.
I am thankful in His sovernity. He knew the role He would give you. A single father to an 18 month old, and three year old.

Daunting- yes. Exhausting- I cant imagine!

But you lived up to the call Dad. You did the best you could do and so much more!


It's Our Story Dad.
May not be everyone else's. I am sure it isn't the one you drafted, or even would have chosen.
But it's our's, and I am thankful for everyday of it.
Mostly, I am thankful to God for alllowing me the privledge and honor of being your daughter. I love, respect, and admire you.

Thank you for not giving up on us. Thank you for seeing us through.



Just like you said 35 years ago " We are gonna make it!"
I think we did!
Thank you, thank you for loving Amy and I. I want you to know how much we appreciate and honor you.
I love you,

Happy Father's Day 2009

jen