Tag: Father’s day

The Perfect Husband

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Dave sunning 3[2898]                                                                © jb katke

Can you define the perfect husband?

When my girls were teenagers they could sum it up in a single word. Rich.

My definition of the perfect husband has changed through the years. I didn’t think about it when I got married. My list came into existence when our first child was born. I should have married a pediatrician. He could have answered my endless questions and known just what to do in child raising.

Fathers Day is approaching, so I focus on Dave, the father of my children. As the years stacked up I was glad to have married a man that can fix anything. Anything. But then I got to wishing he would stop with the constructive criticism. I found he wasn’t so handy at emotional issues.

Our first home shrank after purchase. We moved in as a family of three but grew to five. Even completely rebuilding the upstairs, it still left us wanting more space. But it definitely improved the salability of the home. I was truly grateful for his skill.

We shared several lean years when he did much of our automotive maintenance. He knew how to do a lot, then I found out he didn’t like it too much. Shoot, we couldn’t afford all our car repairs! So I was glad he was at least willing to tackle some.

His career was in machine maintenance at a check printing company. So many of the plants were closing that it made moving away from the only home we knew necessary. Both of our hearts ached at the division it created in our family. But he faced the hardship in order to continue providing for us.

He retired at a young age which required further employment. By now his skills had become well known to friends. It led to his starting a home business in remodeling. He was a man in demand. I was so proud to his expertise until he was a little too busy to make what I deemed necessary for our home!

When friends found themselves out of work, Dave offered for them to join him, making it a win/win for all. My man has a good heart. After several surgeries, he needed a helping hand. Friends stepped up, even though construction was out of their wheelhouse, and came to his aid. He knows how to make and keep good friends.

Our life together has not always been perfect. But I have come to the point of realization Dave is perfect for me. He balances me as no other can. He is a man full of wisdom and I appreciate being able to bounce thoughts off him. Sometimes he wonders where I come up with stuff, but its all good, we keep each other on our toes.

Dave has supported me while I looked for myself. That’s what women of the 70’s did. They felt the need to be someone more than wife and mother. Deep inside, we know we are made for a unique purpose. Many left home, but I stayed and kept looking in the cracks and crevices until I found me.

The thing is we more than like each other, we love each other. Staying together just made sense.  But I’ve saved the best for last. He recognized his need for Jesus and together we have included him in our marriage. Our life together has never been so good!

Honoring Dads

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Oftentimes I have heard that girls marry someone like their dad; likewise boys marry a girl like mom. Sort of I did, I know my husband definitely did. I could go to great lengths telling you of the fun my mother-in-law and I shared, but today I celebrate fatherhood.

Just like Dad.

My husband is a hard-working devoted family man. Just like Dad. The two of them served in the Navy. Both men are thinkers. But that is pretty much where the similarity ends. My marriage partner is a man of few words and a problem solver at heart. He enjoys a challenge and gets aggravated at things that keep him from achieving his goal. Giving up is never an option. He teaches me patience.
This love of my life loves and supports our children. But he’ll redirect their thoughts if he deems it necessary. He desires to always be available for them, which is hard when we all live in different parts of the country. Some decisions are made for us, so we deal with them.

A character.

On the other hand, Dad was a talker. Always thinking up ideas that were mostly wishful thinking. I can still see him tapping his forehead saying, ‘Twenty-four hours a day,’ indicating his mind never stops.  To say he was a character is putting it mildly. I still laugh to recall my dad trying to figure out how the light went out on our regrigerator, nearly shutting the door on his head in the process. Dad was a hard-working man, his first job was delivering newspapers.  Even in his nineties he could give you the names of those on his route that refused to pay him. He readily accepted responsibility in providing for his widowed mother along with his own family. He taught me appreciation.

Grateful

I’m grateful for both of them. My life is what it is because of these two influential men. Oh yeah, God too. He knew exactily the kind of men i needed. Open-minded problem solvers that know how to have fun. I love you guys dearly.

Happy Father’s Day