fathers

being that it is fathers day today i thought i would honor this day with thoughts of my father...being a daddy's girl and all...i tried to call him this morning but, he didn't answer which sometimes means he just didn't get to it fast enough or even hear it...i will try again later

i have the best dad in the world and i am sure there are people who would try to argue or would at least feel the same way about their dad and i say cheers to them...having a good dad is really important, for example kids without dad are...

• 4.6 times more likely to commit suicide.
• 6.6 times more likely to become teenage mothers.
• 24.3 times more likely to run away.
• 15.3 times more likely to have behavioral disorders.
• 6.3 times more likely to be in a state-operated institution.
• 10.8 times more likely to commit rape.
• 6.6 times more likely to drop out of school.
• 15.3 times more likely to end up in prison while a teenager.

and there are plenty more statistics where this comes from...i am not trying to say that same-sex households don't support and nurture their children or that everybody from a divorced or fatherless situation is doomed to be a statistic but, i do believe that having that stable force in your life is important and made the difference for me

my dad would work hard and still have time for us kids [there were four of us]...he would take vacations to places he thought we would like to go...he taught us sports and hunting and fishing and would actually just listen when you wanted to talk about anything without being too judgemental at the get-go...i remember telling him i was pregnant and he told me that my life was over and that anything i had ever wanted to do or be or any place i had ever wanted to go i might as well just chalk it up because it wasn't going to happen...at first i thought that sounded bitter and like i had stopped his life and even a bit crazy...but, he's is an all or nothing kind of guy and what he really meant was you have to put your kids and their needs and wants first before your own and yours usually get shoved to the side while you are tending to theirs...this is something my ex-husband has never been able to understand...his kids will never come first, he does...which leaves me sad that i was a bad picker and my daughter will never have the father i have...luckily i know some really strong, stand-up men who i feel can take that place for her along the way when she needs it...all you ever want from your dad is his time and his unconditional love...and i know that i have that 100%

so, here's to all the great dads i know...and there are quite a few...happy father's day