Our Father's Day

I can't find the words to describe my husband.

So instead I'll tell you how he spent his Father's Day.

Sunday is the only day that Mike isn't working from early in the morning until late in the evening. He enjoys resting on Sundays. We go to Church, we sometimes go to an outdoor market (we call it The Hippie Market, 'cause the first year it was open it had lots of people in 60ish clothing), we come home and read the paper and, weather permitting, hang out by the pool and relax. If it's rainy we'll watch movies or even sometimes nap. Friends are always welcome on Sundays and we usually have a few.

But since yesterday was Father's Day, our friends were celebrating with their fathers/children. Mike got a call from J. The guy whose wife died unexpectedly a little over a week ago. He wanted to come over and my husband didn't hesitate a second to tell him to come on over.

So J came over with his 6yo and 3yo (and also brought his younger sister). He was, as expected, a mess. Tired. Not sleeping. Lost.

Jillian (9) spent the day in the pool with the kids (and sometimes the sister) and Mike spent the day talking with J. We cooked a good meal and made sure he ate a little. And late in the day when he dozed off under the fan on the back porch, we talked quietly and let him rest.

My husband spent his Father's Day being a father to this young man who desperately needed some normalcy. Some encouragement. Someone to listen.

Mike doesn't like it when I talk him up to others. He always diminishes the good he does by saying that it's what anyone would do.

He's definitely a keeper.