The men in my life...

Dads.

technically, this is my uncle, but there he is with
his daughter being a good dad :)

The fact is, I've had my ups and downs with the notion of fatherhood in my life.  There was a long period of time where I didn't feel like I had one at all.  Unfortunately, that is just the way things sometimes turn out when your parents get divorced before your first birthday.

But this post isn't about father issues and angst.  Not at all.  Because I no longer feel fatherless.  On the contrary, I am blessed with not just one, but two truly fantastic men who stand in my life as fathers.

And you know what?  Dads are awesome.

Today was one of those days.  One of those days where my life got crazy and stressful and I wasn't sure what to do or how to do it.  I was talking to Matt and he was being ever so sweet and helpful.  But sometimes that just isn't enough.  Sometimes you need to talk to your dad.

Hal

See, dad's are the eternal solvers of problems.  Did my car break down?  Call my dad.  Is there a problem with my job?  Call my dad.  Am I unsure about this class?  Call my dad.

Of course, all dads are different.  Some are mechanics; they can use their hands and there isn't a machine built they can't fix.  Others are thinkers; they can look at a problem and see the solution no matter how convoluted you think it is.  Others are supporters; they pick you up when you're feeling like you've fallen into an emotional gully.

This is why I am so grateful that I've somehow wound up with two of them.  I get the benefit of both their talents and specialties.

I called both of my dads today.  My first call today was to Larry, my mom's second husband.  He's calm and understanding and very practical.  I called to ask him a huge favor and his answer, without even a moment's hesitation or deliberation, was yes.  Knowing that I had his support helped to calm me down and allowed me to move forward with a plan.  Next I called Hal, my mother's first husband and my biological father (I do not call either of these men by their first name; I just call them both "dad" but this makes it hard to distinguish them...hence the first names).  He was able to help me break down my problem and find a way to get started.  I was completely overwhelmed and had no idea what I was doing, but he was able to help me stand back and find a starting point.

Larry

After talking to them both I had this moment of utter gratitude that I am blessed with not just one of these wonderful men, but two.  I may have felt like I had no father at all when I was younger, but now I'm lucky enough to have both these men in my life.

So here's to dads.  They're one of life's greatest blessings!