52 Blessings—A Good Dad for Our Kids

I love Calvin for lots of reasons, but today I love him for being such a good dad. Here are a just a few reasons why:

1. I love that Calvin is willing to carry the kids wherever they need to go—whether it be across the yard, a creek, the country, he has always been willing to make sure the kids are where they need to be when they need to be there. Rain, snow, busy-schedule, sun, sleet, tight finances—he’s like the UPS man. He delivers.

2. I love that Calvin has always worked hard for our family—one, two and, once or twice, three jobs at a time to provide for our needs. He hasn’t loved every job, but he still happily goes to work. I also love that he has taught the kids they must work.

3. I love that Calvin is a fixer and teaches the kids to figure things out. When he wants to learn something he buys a book and reads about it, then buys a video of someone doing it, then practices until he figures out how to do it and then he teaches it. The kids have also learned a few swear words as he fixes things. I do not love that.

4. I love that Calvin includes the kids in his hobbies. Trevor, Cali, Ray, Abe and Ty all have a black powder gun he has made. He encourages any of them to join him in making or shooting longbows and guns or going hunting.

5. I love that Calvin loves good food and shares it with the kids. He wishes he had the job of Andrew Zimmern, the man that roams the world tasting bizarre foods. Instead, Calvin experiments at home. Cali and Ray took him out for Indian food Friday night and he was in heaven with all the spices, lamb and sauces. I love that the kids are much more diverse and interesting eaters than I am because of this. (As a side note, our kids hate peas. Why? I can only conclude it is because Calvin hates them. I’ve tried to disguise them for years, but Calvin can sniff them out before the lid even comes off the pot. I’ve come to the very scientific conclusion that kids follow their father’s eating habits more than their mother’s.)

6. I love that Calvin has taught the kids that there is more than one way to provide for your family’s needs. Whether it be through making the things we need or raising/hunting the things we eat, he has taught the kids it is important to be self-reliant—even when they don’t want to be.

7. I love that Calvin will learn the kids’ hobbies so that he can do things with them. He’s even learned to like chic-flicks so that he can spend time with Ande.

8. I love that he has stressed education and learning to our kids and has helped them get good schooling. He has always been interested in what they are learning and how well they are learning it. He is proud of his kids and he lets them know it.

9. I love that Calvin enjoys music from many genres and generations and has exposed the whole family to it. One of my favorite parts of road trips is listening to him sing along with the radio or CD. In fact yesterday on our way home from Seattle, Abe requested Calvin play old cowboy songs and as they both sang along I told Calvin that I loved hearing him sing along and Ande chimed, “Me, too” from the back seat. He often says he’ll buy a milkshake for the one that can name the singer. I got a chocolate milkshake yesterday . . . he doesn’t discriminate against lucky guesses.

10. I love that God is important to Calvin and he has taught the kids to put Heavenly Father first in their lives.

11. I love that Calvin is quick to say he is sorry to the kids when he is wrong.

12. I love that Calvin has taught the kids to be patriotic. He once received a letter from a retired four-star general thanking him for teaching patriotism in our home, saying “patriotism is something that must be learned and is not inherited.”

13. I love that Calvin is protective (. . . and you thought only she-bears were mean). He’s quick to correct and discipline the kids, but if someone unjustly attacks or poses a threat to his kids . . . well, let’s just say he thinks he’s still twenty and can take them on.

14. I love that Calvin gets better and better as a dad.

An incredible dad for our kids is surely a blessing I’m grateful for this Father’s Day.