6/15/08

(OD keeps messing up this entry for some reason… if it does it one more time, I’m going to scream!)

I haven’t had much time to catch up with everyone’s ODs, but I promise I will do that soon! Usually I’m so good about it, but since Stephen’s left I avoid sitting down at all, it seems.

The house is painted and it is SO clean. Wonder how long that’ll last! Stephanie cried last night and wanted to call Stephen. Then she called him and started BAWLING on the phone because she misses him. It was sad. Christopher cried when he told him happy Father’s Day today, too. It’s hard seeing my kids upset, but they are young enough to be easily distracted, at least.

My interview on Saturday went well, I think… ( did I tell you about this? I was being interviewed to watch a four month old starting in August). I don’t know if they’ll pick me or not. I used to watch a family’s twin boys and their older brother and sister and the mom (Kara) of that family grew up with this lady. (Connie). I used Kara as a reference and Connie remembers her, so that’s probably good for me. Connie didn’t seem at all impressed on the tour of my house, though when I showed her the room in the basement that is under construction or our messy garage. Whatever, though… After all we’ve been through with this house, she’s just going to have to understand the one room in the basement, and who CARES about the garage??? (Those two places and the story behind them are another entry entirely. I’ll make a long story short and tell you that we bought a "4 bedroom house with a dry, finished basement!", but really got a "2 bedroom house with an underground swimming pool.")

Ok, enough with the update. On to the letter I wrote to my Step-Dad.

Mike,

It’s Father’s Day and you know what that means! It’s time to remember all of the years you’ve put up with me. Tolerating me takes a special kind of person (notice I said special… not “SPECIAL”. I meant that in a nice way this time. Really! I’m not making fun of you this time!). Ok, back to this “Father’s Day” thing…

When I was 15 you came into my life. I didn’t make it easy on you, but you dealt with everything I could dish out. I tried to get rid of you. I tried hard make you leave. You wouldn’t. Instead you took Mom and I to do things that we’d never done. You took us to movies. You took me and my boyfriends (there were many, I know) places. You taught me the rules of golf. I didn’t listen, but you taught me just the same. Without intending to I began to like having you around.

Before you came around it was really just Mom and I. I didn’t want to share my mom with you, but you made me just the same. Thank you for that. Had you given up and walked away like most men would have, I would’ve missed out on having something I’d never had before: A dad who was truly there for me. I have always appreciated that, but I am even more thankful now because I realize that you’re so much more than just my dad.

You’re my babies’ Grandpa. I want to thank you for being there for me all these years, but more than that I want to thank you for being there for them. Watching you with them always brings a smile to my face and always will.

You’ve also become like a dad to Stephen and I know that means a lot to him, also. He lost his dad and nothing can ever make up for that, but having you there helps him more than you might know.

Happy Father’s Day, Mikey. Thanks for always being “The Dad You Didn’t Have to Be.”

Love,

Theresa, Stephen, Stephanie, Christopher, and Makenzie