The amazing thing about him is how in love he is with his kids.
He lives for our four boys; to hug them, to hold their faces in his hands, to breathe in their unconditional love for him as though it were the very force that keeps his heart beating. And, in fact, I think it is.
Before Andrew and I had any children, he lived in the moment - we both did - but Andrew was selfish. He did whatever made him happy without regard to what anyone else thought or wanted. The transformation that has happened since our first son was born is nothing short of miraculous.
Andrew now lives a lot of his days in the future. He can look deep into the eyes of our boys and I know that he is seeing them grown and on their own. I see the anguish he feels knowing that one day they won't be here to wake us up on a Sunday morning before the sun has fully risen. One day they won't be in the backyard laughing and throwing a baseball or kicking a soccer ball to him. One day they won't come running to the back door when he gets home from work and scream with delight as he greets them.
And because he knows that day is coming, he sucks every last drop of the joy their childhoods bring from every day. Andrew loves our boys with such ferocity that sometimes I feel like I am an outsider to their bond. I can't tell you how amazing it is to behold such a love - to feel it extend beyond him because it's too big to contain inside one person.
It is a blessing for me to see Andrew with his little boys. Every day brings us closer to the time when all four of them will leave our home to see where their lives will take them, but the connection between father and sons is growing stronger every day. The relationship that Andrew is building with each of them will continue on into their own parenting years, and they will have learned from him what it is to be a good father.
And that is the greatest accomplishment a man can have.
My eyes are full of tears with that tribute to Andy. What love a father has, so wonderfully written by a wife in love with all 5 of her boys.
ReplyDeleteHappy Father's Day Andy.
Wow! That's awesome, Bethany. He sounds like an amazing dad. We sure are lucky to have these good ole boys in our lives :)
ReplyDeleteHeavens...pass the tissues please. Touching Father's Day post to an awesome father!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! Mothers and sons have a special bond, but there's nothing like a little boy & his dad. I bet Andy is a great dad to your boys!
ReplyDeleteAwwww, what a lovely, lovely post!
ReplyDeleteBethany!!! Your Andrew sounds so amazing...I love how you said "he sucks every last drop of the joy their childhoods bring from every day"...what an awesome quote!
ReplyDeleteThis is gonna be so hard to choose!!!
That's a really powerful post. BUT, don't write them off as being all grown up so fast! AAAAH!!! You'll still have our little "boys" for years to come. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome that your kids get a dad who is so close to them and loves them so much. Not all kids get that, and having it will help them all of their lives!
ReplyDeleteMy husband can't seem to wait until they are all grown. How neat that your husband understands how short and precious the time is. what a great fathers day tribute!
ReplyDelete