Happy Father’s Day to the fathers out there who may be reading my blog.

This Father’s Day is a bittersweet one. I have an incredible husband, who is the best father my son could ever hope for. That is the sweet.

The bitter is that it is the first one I haven’t been able to call my Dad, hear his voice, and tell him I love him.

The past six months (to the day, we lost him December 17,) have had their ups and downs. There are moments where missing him comes on so strongly, I can’t help but break down and cry. There are other moments when I realize he is out of pain, and no longer on the treadmill of fear of what the next MRI will show. No more bloodwork. No more cancer.

My son was lucky enough to know his grandfather on my side for the first almost six years of his life. My Dad was a very patient man, and helped my son learn things like: stop, take two deep breaths, and then take two practice swings before you hit that golf ball. (That lesson was just last June in Timonium.) As my son played golf with his Dad today, I saw him stop twice, and take two deep breaths before concentrating and swinging at the ball. And what do you know? He hit those two perfectly straight, and right on the green. 🙂

My Dad’s patience was something I never had. He could take in a situation, assess, and process before responding, a quality I always envied.

At my Dad’s funeral, I thanked him for showing me the type of man I should marry. I am lucky to have found one very much like him, which makes both my son and myself the luckiest people on the planet.

Happy Father’s Day to my husband and to all of the great fathers out there. Thank you for showing us the way.