Happy Father's Day!

Savannah, Gaby and I treated Robert with his favorites on Father's Day. We grabbed breakfast from East Coast Bagel Co. on the way to church. Then for lunch, we went to Wahoo's where we all enjoyed some good grub and conversation. Of course, we got coffee for the trip home! We stopped at the grocery store to pick up ingredients for the Rice Krispies treats the girls wanted to make for their Daddy, then we finally went home. From one place to another, Robert did not have to do one bit of driving!

Robert had a relaxing afternoon, laying out in the yard on the picnic blanket as the girls ran amuck and I spent some time sitting around indoors. In fact, he was so relaxed that he ended up taking a nice long nap under the trees.

The rest of the day was spent with Lolo. Carlo, Kelly, Judy, and Ruthella joined us for dinner. Thank you to both Mom and Dad--even though it was YOUR special day--for doing all the cooking!

A FEW THOUGHTS:

When we were having lunch at Wahoo's, I asked Robert:

"What has been THE MOST significant part in your life as a father? In general, and for each of the girls?"

I asked my dad this same question during dinner, and their answers were similar: TIME SPENT WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

It is just as special and important to children how much QUALITY time they spend with their dad's. I don't remember much from my first 3 years when my Dad was still with us in the Philippines, but my Dad recalled how I would wait for him to come home from work. One day, when my Dad was already living in the States, my Mom wrote to him that she couldn't find me for hours. She had looked everywhere and finally found me sitting outside the gate of my Lolo's and Lola's house. I was waiting for him to come home.

Savannah and Gaby are the same. Close to the time they know their Daddy is coming home, they are looking out the kitchen window or from our bedroom window upstairs. They squeal and run out to greet their Daddy before he can even get out of his car. And the hours they spend with both their Daddy and Lolo, making up stories, and running around screaming with delight--THESE are the moments they will remember their whole lifetime.

My fondest memories of my Dad were doing building projects to house another pet he helped me bring home. We would draw up our design, buy the materials, and build bird/rabbit cages and a dog house from scratch.

ONE TO THINK ABOUT:

Here's Robert's question:

"If you were to die today, do you think you would leave the legacy you want your children to have?"

It doesn't matter how long you've been a parent. What legacy are you leaving behind? What will your children remember about you? What lessons in life have you taught them so far? What do you want them to know and remember?

I don't want my children to remember that Mommy was always busy cleaning and cooking, but didn't have time to sit down and tell them stories or read to them. I don't want them to remember us sitting in front of the computer searching the internet or playing games, or spending hours in front of the TV and calling it "family time". I want them to remember the Saturdays we would get up and make our pancake breakfast. Weekend after weekend of baking homemade cookies and making ice cream from scratch. Doing arts and crafts and making cards. Playing hide-n-seek in the living room. Using Daddy as a slide or pretending he's their horsie. Daddy coming home and taking his girls our for an ice cream or hot cocoa date. Driving Lolo around in a pretend bus and visiting people and places in their imagination. Sitting out in the yard and gardening with Lola, and having Lola sing them to sleep with her made up "Lola-bies". Most of all, I want them to remember that we all talked to them about Jesus, and told them about God's love. That one day, having Jesus in their heart and evident in their lives WILL BE the legacy we leave behind.