Being home with these kids all day every day has been an adventure for me. Throw in the fact that options outside of the house are severely limited due to the cesspool of Covid-19 the state of Texas (and United States Presidential leadership) has allowed to manifest all around me, and I might as well be in The Goonies or Jumanji or something like that. It’s non-stop action.
When I was working 8-12 hours a day, six days a week, I don’t think I ever came home and sat down with my wife and just bluntly said thank you.
Shame on me.
Hopefully this post will be my thank you for past, present, and future omissions.
— I appreciate all those times I got in late from work (especially around the holidays because I was so slammed) and you were patient with me when I got home. After being with the kids all day, you still somehow had dinner ready the majority of the time I walked through the door. You never once said anything like “Oh thank god you’re here…take the kids…I’m exhausted”. You always asked me how I was and what you could do for me. I appreciate that. I never knew until these last few months that I should’ve been the one doing all that for you. I can barely keep up with these kids for an hour at a time.
— I appreciate you ‘letting me’ do things you have no interest in doing with me, as long as I give you a little bit of notice. I’m not the best planner, and I have suffered the wrath of that when I don’t have my shit together, but you’ve never been unreasonable when I tell you a day in advance that I want to watch a Vikings or Twins game or play some golf with Doan.
— I appreciate how hard you are working right now. You are involved in a million different revenue streams on a day-to-day basis, and all I’m really doing is watching the kids and making sure they don’t kill each other — or bother you when you’re busy. Yet you’re still the one that asks me if I need a massage at night.
— I appreciate all your grace and forgiveness over the years, even when I haven’t deserved it.
— I appreciate how much you appreciate me. You always make me feel like I’m the only person in the room that matters.
— I appreciate that you don’t judge my vulnerabilities. You don’t ever judge me when I’m insecure about my fatherhood abilities. Instead you go out of your way to compliment me on how much I do and how good I am at it. Even during the bad times, if the question ever came up from a third party about my parenting skills, you were always quick to step up and say I’m a good father. You’ve given me more confidence as a parent than you’ll ever know.
— I appreciate, and I’m grateful, that you have helped turn me into a man. You’ve helped me understand that everyone is responsible for their own actions, and to accept the consequences of the decisions I’ve made. And you inspire me to be more assertive everyday, because not a minute goes by where you’re ever indecisive in your life…for better or for worse…
And I appreciate that.
