The Day of Dad

I've been thinking all week about what to write that would adequately honor the important Dads in my life.


Let's just say that between the temporary insanity that the boys have decided suits them towards this, the last week of school, and my daughter's mood swings, my mind is left a giant puddle of mush. Not a creative thought left.


That said, I did happen to overhear those hens on "The View" debating whether Dads cared as much about Father's Day as Moms care about Mother's Day. They concluded (in all their infinite wisdom) that men don't care as much as women. They think that women guilt their families into showering them with presents and foot rubs on Mother's Day, while men think the whole concept is a bunch of hooey.


Since when did four crazy women become experts on whether or not men like having a day to themselves? I digress.


While I agree that men don't "ooooh" and "aaaaaah" as much as a typical mom does when she opens the hand-made, construction paper card by her 3 year-old, that does not mean that they treasure it any less. All I have to do is open my husband's bottom drawer and there, amongst the firefighter teaching manuals, National Geographics, Field and Streams and other random reading materials, are every, single card that one of our kids has either made or given him in the last 10 and a half years.


My drawer? Full of other meaningless stuff, but that's neither here nor there.


My point? Dad's care about Father's Day.


So what do you write about your husband, the father of your children who you cannot imagine your life without? What do you write about your Dad, the man who taught you (by example) what a good father and husband looks like? What do you write about your father-in-law, who passed away in 2003, and who, in all his eccentric ways, was an exceptional grandpa and father and you all miss him so much? What do you write about the Grandfathers who are no longer with us, but whose love and adoration have never been forgotten?


It is quite possible that the important fathers in my life will not even read this on Father's Day, as we will be much too busy "honoring" them. We will drive them to the aquatic wonder that is The Aquarium where we will let them make fishy faces with their kids and grandkids. Afterwards, we will take them to dine. And dine they will, on mounds of seafood dumped right in the middle of the table where everyone gets a wooden mallot, a bib and a pot of melted butter to dip in! We will even let them drink beer, if they want.


And we will love them. And we will smile at them. And we will be so lucky to have this "day" to spend with them.


For you, my 2 "Dads":


Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.


~Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

And I'd also like to mention these wonderful, intelligent, thoughtful and funny Dads that brighten the blogsphere, I hope that each and every one of them has a great Father's Day!

Stay at Home Dad

Creative-Type Dad

Kevin (Dad to Gomez and Wednesday)

Poop and Boogies

Egan