the evolution of a daddy

20 years ago
on june 22

i married gregg.
he had swept me off my feet.

i was young & thin

still in nursing school

&

naively dreamed that we'd have forever.

we had 5 years.

in that time

we bought a home

and a small business

i graduated from nursing school

had three baby girls

and he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

when savannah was born

he was crazy proud of that little girl.

calling her savy, which drove me nuts

driving her around in his convertible, which drove her nuts

& toted her to many coaching events.

proudly.

then we had little birdie

our tiny blue eyed baby girl.

he fainted when i got my epidural

& after a trip down to the E.R.

ended up with a dozen stitches

and his own labor & delivery story.

he carried that tiny 6 pound baby girl like a football.

she never cried.

by the time sweet emi was born

he was very very sick

and only held her a few times.

 my sweet em is the spitting image of him.

fast forward a few years.

dan had been a groomsman in our wedding

he was tall and strong

& quiet

he was tender and protective of me.

he played barbies with savannah

& colored with madison.

i was smitten.

i'm sure many were skeptical of our relationship

as many are anytime a widow or widower remarries.

but i'd be lying 

if i told you our relationship

has been anything other than a seamless transition.

dan loves my three girls as if they were biologically his.

i bet most folks assume they are.

and makes me feel like i'm the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth.

actually, he makes me feel like i'm the only beautiful woman on the face of the earth.

after miscarrying our first two babies

caroline was born.

the man who many had wondered if he'd ever marry

now had a houseful of girls.

one of the sweetest components of our marriage

has been watching the girls grow up & mature

and really appreciate and respect dan.

before savannah left for the weekend

she asked him if they could go out to breakfast together.

let me tell you, he was so honored when he told me of their plan,

her idea.

the words she wrote in his father day card

were the strongest affirmation

that i married a winner

and that God had blessed our relationship.

i often tell him

that he loves the girls and me

just like Jesus.

he is strong and loyal

and gentle and forgiving

kind and selfless.

he has evolved into a daddy

that all four of my girls 

will see as Jesus in their life.

&

i knew he'd be just that.

all along....

heading out on their breakfast date....

thank you for laying down your life for us

sweet man.

i will love you

 forever....

(ps. i'll share the sweet way the other girls

honored dan for father's day

in my next post)