As a stationery and fine gift shop, it’s expected that we’d stock greeting cards for every possible holiday.  Father’s Day included.  For weeks I’ve been bustling about the store, doing my thing, passing the rack of Father’s Day cards without really focusing on the holiday and what it means to me personally.  And then, a customer actually asked me “How are you celebrating Father’s Day this weekend?” and whammo, all of a sudden the sentimental feelings crept in and it’s all I’ve been thinking about.  It’s more than what I’m doing to celebrate, it’s really about how fatherhood has affected me in my own life.

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion because I’m lucky to have two incredible fathers in my life: My father, Ed and my husband, Michael.  Father to two children, me and my brother Edmund (seen above on the right), my Dad is my hero, my constant friend, my patient mentor and tireless ally.  My husband Michael is my rock of Gibraltar, my life’s partner and my truest companion.  Funny how they say you marry your father, and honestly, though very different men, I do see the similarities when I consider how they parent their children. I know that their families come first, no matter what. Their deep love knows no bounds, they find humor in everything, and their unwavering dedication to family is impenetrable.  Children are just a part of the fabric of who they are as individuals.

Father’s Day is about how these wonderful men have influenced who I am as a person, as a wife, a daughter, a friend and companion.  It’s about acknowledging how they continue to inspire and influence me every day by sharing their love, their support, their honesty and their senses of humor.  They’ve spent a lifetime working hard, taking care of their families in any way they could, for the greater good of their kids, without any thought for themselves.  They’re an inspiration.

As I watch my husband joke around with his son (which they do often as you can see from the photo above) or as I listen to my father share a glass of wine with my brother, I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to get to spend my days with these crazy guys.  I’m so proud to say that I’m Ed’s daughter and so grateful for his kindness and wisdom.  And I’m lucky to have Michael as my husband, who not only keeps me laughing every single day but shares his love for his son with me.   (oh, I’m never gonna hear the end of it for this corny but TRUE post.)