You know, I’m going to be honest and just admit that I feel super guilty that I failed to get a Father’s Day post up before or right after Father’s Day. But it’s better late than never, right?

Nothing has made me happier than watching my husband become a father… this is something I truly believe God designed him to do and be. My husband was meant to be a father. He is kind and nurturing and patient. He’s so good at talking to children and not at them. He’s quick to discover what things make them happy and giggly and will bend over backwards to elicit that joy. And for eight long years my heart broke that we couldn’t create a little life to give him that joy through our own children.

And then we walked into that hospital room where our daughter and her first mom were resting… And I knew the minute he held her precious little body in his hands… she had claimed his heart forever. While I was still afraid to get attached, he instantaneously fell in love. Because that’s who he is. He’s a father. A man who loves without reason or purpose. A man who provides and is always there. A man who hurts for every minute he is away from her (us) because he doesn’t want to miss a moment of her life. He’s aware of the brevity of it all and the blessing of it all.

It’s truly been such a gift for me to watch him with her and to see him get to be that thing he has always wanted to be. To see the ginger way he held her and washed her and fed her when she was brand new – afraid of breaking her in his big hands. To see him beam with pride over every new thing she learned to do. To watch him feed her though often messily. To see him pick out clothes with her and go shopping with her. To watch him try to keep up and help with our ever-evolving hair routine. To see him read to her and play with her. To watch him get the biggest smiles and laughs out of her. To see the light and life in his eyes and the happiness on his face in response to hers. These are the moments that bring joy to my life. And I’m so so thankful that I get to not only witness it, but be a part of it. I’m so so thankful that this is the man I was meant to marry.

So a Happy Belated Father’s Day to all the dads out there! And I do mean all! Fathers of adult children, young children, teenagers, or babies. Strong fathers of babies they never got to hold or know – you have a strength many will never know. Heartbroken fathers of estranged children who they no longer hear from. Fathers-to-be who are facing the struggles of infertility or adoption. And those who are father figures to children who are not their own. We are all lucky to have you!