When Preston’s hungry, he hates to wait on food. We’re all a little like that, aren’t we? He always asks for “a little something to hold me up” while the meal is being prepared. He means to say, “hold me over,” but we don’t correct him because it’s so dang cute.

When thinking about this post and what to say, I had trouble coming up with adequate words to describe dad. Nothing seemed good enough.

I decided to steal Preston’s.

Dad,

Thank you for holding me up on your stomach when I was a little girl and we watched TV on the couch.

Thank you for holding me up by attending every musical I sang in at church.

Thank you for holding me up from the church pew each week when you taught us the importance of being there.

Thank you for holding me up in your lap in a chair by the pool when I was eight years old and explained who Jesus was and how I could know Him.

Thank you for holding me up by attending every Joyful Sound performance when I was in college.

Thank you for holding me up on family vacations to the beach five hundred times a year with our extended family.

Thank you for holding me up by walking me down the aisle at my wedding.

Thank you for holding me up when I wanted to adopt from Guatemala, and for bringing JP home.

Thank you for holding me up as I learned to be a parent.

Thank you for holding me up (literally) when my marriage fell apart.

Thank you for holding me up by being a positive influence and a person for JP to look up to on a daily basis.

You are so much more than a dad and a papa and you’ll never know this side of heaven the impact you’ve had on our lives. The world needs more men like you.

I love you. Happy Father’s Day!