Father's have such an awesome responsibility with their children, yet their role is also hazy at the beginning. Mothers carry babies within (except in cases of adoption, of course) and develop a particular connection with their children before they are born. I hesitate to get into vague generalizations here, but I will venture that men feel, most tangibly in the beginning, fear and pressure to provide for and protect their families.
My dad was very cute when I called him; he reminisced about how anxious he'd felt when I was a newborn and relayed a story about the pediatrician finally instructing my parents to buy a good thermometer and stop calling unless I had a big fever. My brother texted me something irreverent and humorous when I texted him (oh, technology) a happy father's day, and my father-in-law told me to enjoy my day with my family. What great men I have around. Avi has a lot of wonderful role models in our family.
As for the father in our home, or the Aba, I should say, he is amazing. I so admire his work ethic, his commitment to public interest, his unflappable opinions. He is a loving father who makes decisions about his career based upon the kind of life he wants to lead, not dollar signs. He also wants to feel good about what he does in the world in order to be an example for his children. He is righteous. And, lest I get too serious, I must note that he is hilarious. Jews, he says, are much funnier than Gentiles. This may or may not be true, but it is in our house, as he never fails to make me laugh. We are especially grateful for the ability to laugh when moments become stressful.
Leeor helps me around the house and better yet, assures me he cares not one bit about the state of the place when he comes home from work (after I call him when he is on his way to warn, dude, this place looks craptastic). He even wanted to make a big dinner for us on his special day but after a long afternoon nap, which was after a massage in the morning after a breakfast of french toast (made by yours truly with some help from Avi) and presents--which we'd intended to deliver to him in bed but then he came bounding up the stairs to be with us, we found ourselves at Chevy's. Of all the lovely eateries San Francisco has to offer, we find ourselves there more often than we'd like--but Leeor was such a good sport that he didn't mind having his celebratory dinner at Chevy's, at the mall, because that is where Avi wanted to go after he woke up a bit cranky from his afternoon nap. At the end of the day, all Leeor really wanted was to spend the day with his family, and I just love that about him. It doesn't hurt that he's adorable, either. Happy Father's Day, honey! Let's celebrate each other more often.
1 comment:
Honey, you're the best mommy! I couldn't be the father I am without you.
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