This one's for the dads!

Happy Father's Day (2 days early)! In celebration of our family's first Father's Day, I want to take a few minutes to celebrate all of the men in my life.  I am so blessed to know that my son will grow up in a family full of strong, caring, and loving male role models.  Jude has a perfect daddy, two doting grandpas, one caring great-grandpa, and five supportive uncles who will all guide him, protect him, teach him, come along side him, and love him. Jude also has the perfect love and grace of our heavenly father!

My best friend, the love of my life, and now the father of my son, Collin is truly an incredible man, and I am so blessed to have him in my life.  Each day I discover something new I love about him! After almost 7 years together, nearly 4 years of marriage, and 3 months of parenthood, it just keeps getting better and better! On behalf of Jude, I have to say that he is an incredible daddy!  I love listening to the two of them have conversations, watching them look at one another, and hearing Collin sing to him.  There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the man you love smile and kiss your son--it is perfection. I want to thank him for giving me such a beautiful baby boy and for being the perfect father to Jude.

I also would like to honor my own father who has consistently been a wonderful man in my life.  He has always loved me, guided me, and inspired me throughout the past 26 years.  It is a beautiful joy to be his daughter, and I am proud to be a daddy's girl! Watching him care for Jude has given me a glimpse into just how many precious moments he must have shared with Rob and me while we were infants. Jude loves being held by his Papa Chip and listening to him sing and tell stories about their future camping trips.  I want to thank my dad for nurturing me and my son!

I would also like to thank my father-in-law Rick for raising such a wonderful son and for loving our little Jude so much.  He is a wonderful Poppa to our little guy, and I know the two will share many memories together over music, great books, and when he is much older, bourbon. Rick, Collin, and now Jude all share the impressive middle name of Partington. Rick has taken a couple thousand pictures of Jude already, and I could not be more grateful for that collection of keepsakes!  Rick has also been a very caring man in my life, and I am so grateful for how he loves me like a daughter.  I would like to thank him for welcoming me into his family and for loving our little guy.

My Papa Frank, Jude's great-grandpa, is another wonderful man worthy of thanks. I have always shared a special bond with my Papa Frank and love spending time with him.  He is so kind and caring, and I am so grateful Jude has been able to be held by him!

God has blessed me with some wonderful "fathers" in my life, and I know Jude will grow into a wonderful man one day because of the example these men set for him.  Thank you to them in advance for sharing your love with Jude. Happy Father's Day...we all love you!