Father's Day

As much as I think Mother's Day and Father's Day are opportunities for Hallmark to make some extra money, I can't help but join the rest of the world and celebrate the people who helped make me who I am today.

I dedicate today's blog posting today to two very special men in my life: My dad, Adam... and my husband, Adam. (Yes, they are both named Adam. And guess what? So is my son! :-)

"My father didn't tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it." - Clarence Kellogg
Upon reading this quote, I realized how fitting it is for my relationship with my dad. Growing up, my dad wasn't the perfect person. He didn't always make the right choices... but when it comes down to it, that's how we learn, right? It was thanks to all the "wrong" choices my dad made in his own life to make me realize what was really important in my own life. My dad might not have always been the best father or husband, but he taught me unconditional love and the value of hard work. To this very day and moment in time - there isn't a single thing I could ask my dad to do that he wouldn't do for us in a heartbeat. Whether it be fixing a lock in my downstairs bathroom so that the door latches shut, to following me across town to make sure I safely pick something up from a Craig's List seller, to watching my babies for me time and time again... he shows me love through his actions. After a hard day of working over 12 hours, he still finds the time to get things done around his house and maintain his yard so his grandson has somewhere nice and clean to run around and play. I truly admire my dad for his work ethic, his love, and for being the best daddy a girl could ever ask for. As an adult and mother myself now, I find that I inherited many of my dad's characteristics and I only hope I make him as proud of me as I am of him. Happy Father's Day tata! Kocham Ciebie!!!

"Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad." - Author Unknown
Adam Brown is truly someone special. When I looked into his eyes and vowed to love him and honor him for the rest of my life, I never knew that he would be able to give me the most important blessings in my life - our sons, AJ and Aiden. Simply stated, I could never have done any of this without him (literally!). I smile at the thought of knowing that our sons have such an awesome daddy. There isn't a single thing in this world that makes me happier than seeing him play (and wrestle) with our little boys. Even though we may not always see eye to eye on certain parenting things, we are a team and stand by each other's decisions. And there is nobody else I would rather be on a team with. When people found out we were expecting, they always told us "Being a parent is the hardest job you will ever have." I remember Adam and I laughing this off, but I will now be the first to say how right those people are. The diaper changes, the sleepless nights, the temper tantrums, the teething screams, the countless boo boo's and time-outs only make us stronger as parents. Watching Adam interact with our boys makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world because not only is Adam a father.... he is a dad. And sometimes, that's more important than being a father. Thank you Adam for all that you do for our family. AJ, Aiden and I are blessed with your love. Happy Father's Day. xoxo

And to all the other daddy's out there, all the daddy's who have stepped in to fill the "daddy" shoes, and to all the men who are being "daddy and mommy".... today is about you. Happy Father's Day.

Till Next Time,
Mama Brown(ie)