Thanks to the involved daddies......

Over the last few days as people are adoring Charlotte.....

and I mean seriously, I know I am her mother, but how could you not.....

This is her eating avocados for the first time.

Her giggles are like an Angel's voice and she snuggles in your arms in the most cozy way......

I digress.  My apologies!

So back to the people adoring Charlotte.  These "people" have been ladies and in particular ladies who have raised their children and are in the grandmother part of life.  They have been very sweet to me and encouraged me by telling me how beautiful and well behaved my children are.  All comments that boost this tired mama's spirit and give me hope that all the tough days will be rewarded and out of them will come productive, God fearing citizens.  

Excuse me while I say a little prayer for that!  

Dear Lord, please help my husband and I to raise these children to be productive citizens that love you above all else and do not jump off the bridge when their friends do.  In His name, Amen.  

I must take every moment to pray for my children when it comes to mind!  

I'm very sidetracked this morning.

These ladies, all remarked at how involved daddies are now a days.  How much they help the moms.  Absent from their remarks was any judgement.  These ladies did not act toward me like they were the real women who did it the hard way.  They were in awe of these men.  They marveled at their skills and ease of handling of one, two and sometimes many more children.  They told me that these men were good at the hands on child care and rearing that was not heard of in the time when their children were young.  

I found myself deeply respecting these women.  Being in the trenches of motherhood is hard. Sometimes you literally can not see the forest for the trees and there is no light in the tunnel, let alone being able to fathom the end of it.  Thank you ladies for serving your families in such a selfless way.  

I felt a growing sense of appreciation for my husband, and my children's daddy.  On any given day, my husband can be found; feeding, changing, disciplining, snuggling and supporting any one of our babies.  He also has taken certain tasks on himself, in a very "I will do this chore." kind of way.  For example, he deemed long ago that he would do bath time for our babies and young children.  Any night he is able, he takes that on.  And all you mothers know that by that time of night you are beginning to shut down and being relieved of some daily tasks is a huge blessing!  

So my point to all of this is just to remind all mommies to thank the involved daddies!  Apparently this new breed of fathers is a blessing from the Lord that has not always been the norm.  Not that fathers of time's past were not good fathers but that a good shift in society has made an atmosphere of where the benefits for the involved fathers are displayed and promoted.  Dads see that a father involved in a child's life turns out a better person product.  Absent fathers are an epidemic in this world that can lead to difficulties in a child's life.  That fact should make me want to sing the praises of my husband from the rooftops and hold him up as an example to emulate and copy.  

So, Tommy, I am standing on a rooftop and singing....wait, vocal song is not a talent the Lord blessed me with.....so I'm shouting (he totally gave me that talent!) that I am the most blessed woman.  I am thankful for the man that does dishes, bath time, mealtime, laundry, boo boo kissing, heart to heart talks, midnight feedings, cleaning and containment right along side me.  You are my hero and I am just thankful that the Lord made you the way you are and your parents raised you to be the man you are.  

Thank you!  

I love you!