A Father's Day Letter ... after the fact

Dear Thad,

Father's Day is over and done, and I'm afraid it ended up being more frazzling than relaxing for you. But hopefully we do a good enough job honoring you during the other 364 days of the year that it wasn't as big of a deal to miss the one day that it really mattered!

It didn't help that Analyn woke up several times Saturday night. I got up twice with her, and it wasn't until the next morning that I learned you had gotten up with her twice as well. Then she woke up at 7 a.m. on Sunday, bright and cheery and ready to go -- we weren't. I started the day with a tired headache and a hungry child, which is why breakfast was a little late in coming. But I think my buttermilk waffles made up for that, right? Thanks for giving Analyn a bath on your day off, so I could finish the dishes and get ready for church in time. By 11, Ana was ready to crash, bless her heart, and we still had three hours of church ahead of us. "This is going to be fun," we thought to ourselves. We knew we just needed to make it through sacrament meeting with her, and then she would be a perfect angel in nursery as always.

I tried my best to make the day relaxing and peaceful for you -- hopefully you felt some of that while Analyn spent the day screaming and scattering toys all over the floor. Unfortunately, she didn't take a long nap, so I skipped mine; but I'm glad you got a short one in! You deserve it. And although I think the BBQ pork chops were a bit too done, I think dinner still turned out great. I hope you liked it. By the time we got out to do our walk, it was almost time for Analyn to go to bed, and we BOTH wanted her in bed ASAP. That's why I seemed a bit anxious to get out and back soon. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed our walk around the Tautphaus Park neighborhood. It was a beautiful evening, and the houses were quaint. We each pointed out the characteristics that we want in our own house someday. We have very similar tastes. It made me want to buy a house. Soon.

Putting Analyn to bed was another chore. You lovingly offered to put her down, again on your day off, while I made chocolate chip cookies. Twenty minutes to brush teeth, put on pajamas, and coax into her bedroom, and that's when I had to leave my cookies uncooked for the time being and go try to calm her down because you were not the person she wanted right then, and she wasn't going to give in. That made me sad. Another fifteen minutes to read books and sing, then half an hour of screaming before she fell peacefully asleep in her crib.

So instead of being able to relax and enjoy serving you on Father's Day, I ended up feeling stressed and frustrated all day because our little one was having such a rough time! Yet even so, those 10 quiet, peaceful minutes of bliss that we had to enjoy our chocolate chip cookies right before bedtime were wonderful. It was already 10 p.m., and we were tired! Shortly thereafter we collapsed into bed, leaving a kitchen full of dirty dishes and unwashed counters.

I'd just like to say, I know well the sacrifices you have made, and do make for our family, which are many. Thank you for being patient and kind, for doing the dishes when I can't bare to look at them (and even when I can:)) Thank you for coming home and going directly in to Dad and Husband mode, and leaving Workforce mode behind. You are good at that. I try to have the house clean when you get home, but I know you forgive me instantly when it's not. One look at my face, and you know when and when not to mention it. I don't hide my moods very well, I guess! Even though Father's Day is over, I want you to know that you are loved and respected every day in this house, and I hope I make you feel that way throughout the year.

Love,

Linds