A father's day tribute to the men in my life

Aspen and I were fortunate enough to spend Father's Day with 2 of our 3 favorite guys. We didn't get to be with Grandpa Ron (Kelly's dad) in person, but we thought of him with lots of love.

I am so blessed to have grown up with a wonderful father, who was and still is, strong, supportive, encouraging, wise and respectable. His girls have really fostered a soft spot in his heart and he is always there if we need him. I have enjoyed seeing him become a grandpa. He is naturally good at it, and his face lights up whenever he sees his granddaughter. She is pretty fond of him too!

When Kelly and I married, I gained an additional father, Ron, who accepted and loved me unconditionally right from the start. He is patient, hard-working, and helpful. Kel has a lot of the same qualities I love about Ron. Much of the wonderful man Kelly has become is thanks to his father.

And then there is Kelly, and I have experienced some of the greatest joy of my life by watching him be a daddy. The first night in the hospital when Aspen was born, we woke up for a middle of the night feeding. Kelly held her after she was fed, and tears streamed down his face. He looked at me and whispered, "She is awesome. I already love her so much."
I love seeing him grow as a father and find it endearing that he already wants to protect her from boys. It's amazing that a man who kills game animals for sport can be melted into a tender, sweet pile of mush when he's talking to his little girl.