Father's Day Planning is Underway...

So, I shouldn't have to repeat that I'm a planner by nature, right?  I'm sure most of you have gotten that by now.  Most of you have probably come to the conclusion that I love having reasons to revel in the obsession, and as I'm sure many of you know, Father's Day is upon us, and we will be celebrating daddies in just nineteen short days! 

Believe it or not - with everything else that has been going on recently, I've just now made the final decisions and am just getting to the place to work out the details.  (And I haven't even got to that place with grandparents / our parents yet... hmmm.  One thing at a time, I suppose.) 

Anyway - I'd share with you all of the intimate details of father's day for the dear father of our offspring, but seeing that my hubs humors me and visits the blog, I'll refrain for hope that I can keep a secret until the surprise comes to be! 

Maybe this sounds awful, but mother's day and father's day have become of much more importance to me as I've grown and experienced parenthood myself.  I know that sounds selfish and awful like, "Of course you would, Alicia, you just want the day to be about you," but it's really not about that at all.  It's about finally understanding what it feels like to willingly give up your own desires in order to better take care of your children.  It's about tucking in and saying prayers and about kissing scraped knees and displaying kindness and patience.  It's about discipline and mercy, teaching and learning.  It's about compassion and understanding.  It's 3:00 a.m. wake up cries when they are babies and 3:00 a.m. wake up calls when they're teens.  It's a love that surpasses understanding, rivaling only that of the love God has for us, but not even scratching the surface of it's depth.  It is uncircumstantial, unrelenting, forever and always love.  Gentle and tough, through all trials and joys... it's an emotion and a choice kind of love.  Mother's day and father's day should not be a day where we sit back and say "Look what I do, let me lounge while you cater to me for once," it should be a celebration of this love that only God could allow us to feel.  It's a celebration of the joy brought to us by the smiles of our children.  It's a time to celebrate the title of 'mother' or 'father', as not everyone gets that chance...

Children are a gift from the Lord... the keyword... gift.  We are the recipients... not they. 

-A