For the father of my children on Father's Day...

I NEVER KNEW how comforting and peaceful it would feel to watch you nap with our newborns on your chest, or walk with our toddlers on your shoulders.

I NEVER KNEW how fun it would be to see you in the faces and personalities of our children.

I NEVER KNEW what it would mean to me to have you tell me I was beautiful in the last unglamorous weeks of pregnancy, on the days I gave birth, or throughout the post-partum weeks (okay, 9 months) when I didn't feel good about myself.

I NEVER KNEW how full my heart would feel seeing the way our girls look at you, and run/crawl to you when you come home from work.

I NEVER KNEW you'd be the kind of dad who would move meetings in order to walk your daughter to her last day of preschool.

I NEVER KNEW how much I would need and appreciate your energy, creativity, and patience...especially at 6:30pm after a loooooooong day.

I NEVER KNEW you would be so calm and strong during pregnancy and child related visits to the ER. 

I NEVER KNEW what a good sport you would be about letting your daughter dress you up in crowns, robes, and yes, even tutus.

I NEVER KNEW that 4 years of parenting with you would feel like a bigger adventure than every big adventure we had together in the 4.5 years before we had kids.

But I ALWAYS KNEW you were going to be an amazing father.

Happy Father's Day, Chris.


  
Special thanks (again) to our wonderful and talented friend Mark Kuroda 
for the family pictures he took during our visit earlier this year.