Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you and that everyone was safe through the horrific weather this week. We have made it through another week of summer learning camp, and Father’s Day is coming up. I hope you’ll have the chance to call, text, or visit the dad(s) in your life this weekend.
Quote of the Week: “Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare.” –Ed Asner
Book of the Week: As promised, I have the father’s counterpart to the book I introduced for Mother’s Day. Dear Dad: Father, Friend, and Hero by Bradley Trevor Greive is a picture book detailing the lives of fathers everywhere. This author uses both whimsical and poignant animal pictures along with gentle humor to relay the way fathers often handle things in life. Although I personally do not have a copy of this book for dads, our family does have The Book for People Who Do Too Much, by the same author. It is another fabulous use of animal pictures that remind people of the need to slow down and smell the roses once in a while. I hope you’ll enjoy these books.
Inspiration of the Week: I don’t know exactly when I developed the love of writing poems, though I remember doing them in high school. For Father’s Day many, many years ago, I wrote a poem to show appreciation for all that dads do for their families.
A Tribute to Fathers
On Father’s Day, we want to say
How much you’re thought of every day.
We love you ’cause you give us money
And do the list addressed to “Honey.”
You work so hard to meet our needs;
You’re an example in word and deed.
You fix the cars and catch the bugs;
You mow the lawn and give out hugs.
You always do what’s asked of you,
So today, we want to CELEBRATE YOU!
Thank you, Dad!
I just want to say here a special thank you to my husband, Darrin, who is a very hands-on father. When I wrote the poem above, but I left out one important attribute that perfectly describes him. This past weekend, we went fishing, and while I know how to bait my own hooks, I prefer not to do it. When I was in fourth grade, I wanted a pet so badly, but my parents said no. So, what does any 9-year-old girl do in that situation? She gets two earthworms (Hermie and Henry) and keeps them in a jar. Yes, I did that, and to this day worms have a special place in my heart. Whenever it rains, I try to move them off the road and into the grass so they don’t drown. But I digress….Getting back to fishing, not only did Darrin bait my hook for me, but he patiently unhooked me every time I caught weeds or got stuck on a log beneath the water. I felt bad about taking up so much of his time. But we each caught one fish, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Whatever you do with the fathers in your life this weekend, I hope you will let them know how much you appreciate the little things they do.
Shout Out of the Week: This week, I want to shout out to all of the loving dads out there. No matter if they are yours from birth, marriage, or whatever other way they have come into your life, they leave a huge impact on your life. Thank you, fathers, for taking care of and loving your children.
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.
