Father's Day

It was a very different looking Father's Day around here this morning. My own dad died in 1999 so admittedly it's not an easy day. I try hard to remember the good times and be happy for what time we did have, but I can't say I don't feel a twinge of sadness over him not being around to celebrate the day (and all other days)… and to help steer my own little man through the bumpy road of boyhood. The rest of our family are overseas, which means we are a little on the low side when it comes to male role models. Divorce adds another degree of difficulty - along with navigating new partners and part-time step-siblings. Despite our differences, I can only be eternally grateful to Ryder's father for helping to create the other half of my heart and for loving him as he does. I constantly reinforce to Ryder that Dad is Dad, and nothing will ever change that no matter what, and that our partners now are just extra people in his life to love him, expand our family and multiply the love (and multiply it has - looking at the Brady Bunch numbers at breakfast, I think we've tripled). For that, I am so glad.

I raise my wobbly, handmade, bought-at-a-market-for-father's-day-beer-glass-turned-to-a-wine-glass to all the dads, step-dads, uncles, grandfathers and male friends past and present that have given advice, support, strength, inspiration, direction and - most importantly - love, to myself and also my little boy (hopefully a father himself in the VERY far off future). Happy Father's Day.