ADVANCE WARNING - PICTURE OVERLOAD!!!
Today is Father's Day. In honor of our family's father, I wanted to pay tribute to the amazing man in our lives. Our Dad, Ryan.
First of all... what a hottie! But, on to more important things. :) Here are just a few of the reasons we love our dad.
#1 He is always there for us. Recently he posted a video about fathers. There was a line in the video that really rang true for our family. The video said, "He supports his family so he can support his family." The man in the video was shown torn between all his responsibilities in the office compared to wanting to be available and involved in each family member's life. I think Ryan can truly relate to that. He spends SO much time and energy providing for our family. But he also has a strong desire to be there for us in other ways. We are grateful for his efforts and for his devotion to us. We feel of his love and we feel of his desire. Thank you for providing and protecting. I joke that the way I am makes their (our family's) lives work. But really, because of Ryan's efforts, our lives are possible.
#2 Being a worthy priesthood holder. It is one sentence, but to me... it means the world. We are on the path together. We have the same desires, the same goals, the same direction in life. Ryan's leadership and example in our home will impact generations to come. Now, that.... is a tribute!
#3 Ryan has always been a child whisperer. Whether it was a baby that needed calming, a toddler who missed their mom, or little boys who wanted to wrestle, Ryan is your guy!
#4 Mr. Outdoorsman. Ryan is not much of a hunter, but if you put him in the mountains, with a fishing pole, a four wheeler, or a campfire... he is set. Ryan enjoys a good video game, but he also enjoys getting out and doing "stuff". You can always count on Ryan to help with the fire, make the fort, join in the volleyball game, etc. He is your guy.
#5 Snuggles.... most of our kids love to cuddle with dad. Izzy is always wanting to climb up on his lap and Col loves to snuggle and watch TV with dad. I hear the same thing everyday.... "When is dad getting home?" They all love their dad!
#6 Holidays. This pic was snapped after a great Christmas holiday. Ryan is such a kid at heart. He LOVES to make Christmas memorable for the kids. He even goes to talk to Santa the day after Christmas. It is a long wait in the line and he usually stays up the whole night for his turn - wink, wink. But... he says it is worth it. Thank you for being such a great dad and making such efforts to ensure their childhoods are full of magic and wonder.
#7 His playful heart. We all love it as long as we aren't tired or hungry. :)
#8 When Ryan thought of being a dad of sons, he imagined little league games and all the rest. Well, sometimes life doesn't turn out exactly how you planned. When life threw us a little curve ball, Ryan jumped into the action and has been involved every step of the way. Because of our divided responsibilities, I may be on the front line when it comes to therapy and specialists, but Ryan is there with me in spirit. I remember an especially tough day after a therapy session. I dumped my feelings and Ryan was there to listen and talk me off the wall. I also found flowers when I got home. What a guy!
#9 Daddy's girls. The girls love their dad. He may not love watching dance recitals, but he loves it because his girls love it. One special memory they have is "make up". When Lexie was little, Ryan would put Lex to bed by doing "make up". First the eye shadow, the lipstick, etc....
When Izzy came along, she started putting on dad's pretend "make up" in church. :) Yes, they are ALL girl. Now that the girls are getting big, Lex does her own make up and Izzy is usually drawing on the ipad at church. But.... the bond was cemented and the memory holds true. These girls will always love their dad.
#10 School. Because Ryan's job is demanding and a bit of a drive from our home, he isn't always able to attend every school activity. But, one thing that has been important to him are field trips. He makes it a point to go with every child at least once during the year on a field trip. The kids LOVE it. In fact, this year, when Jackson had two field trips, Jackson told me that I wasn't allowed to come on the second trip. It was Dad's turn!!!
#11 Vacations. Ryan treasures our family vacations. I think our Disney and beach vacations are his favorites. The time away from work and life pressures is priceless.
#12 I love that he loves me. I've never doubted how Ryan feels about me as his wife. His love is the real deal and that is quite an amazing gift. I know not every woman has that in her life. I'm lucky to have someone who accepts me for who I am, who honors me, who tries their best to live up to my high expectations :) and who has the desire to make all my dreams come true. Once we remodel the kitchen, my list is complete. :) (teasing - inside joke)
#13 A few years ago, Ryan and I made extra efforts to be healthy. After quite an education, we knew that a healthy lifestyle was just that, a LIFEstyle. Even though we are both not as stringent as we once were about food, we still make healthy eating and exercise a part of our life. I'm so proud of Ryan for his efforts. It isn't easy to wake up early every day and hit the gym. But... I know his efforts are worth it. I love that he has a desire to take care of himself. One of my core values is security. I feel a sense of that when I know Ryan is taking care of himself. It is just one more way that he is looking out for me.
#14 He is a family man. Ryan is not only a great father to our children and an attentive husband to me, but he is also a fabulous brother, a kind and loving uncle, and a caring son. I'm lucky to have him in my life. I hope that is the case for many years to come.
Happy Father's Day, Ry! We love you!!!
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