It is so crazy to think that we’ve been raising kids for almost 9 years now!? When I look back on the day we became parents to where we are now I’m quickly reminded of how far we’ve come and how much parenthood has taught us about life. I know that we still have so much more life ahead of us and I cannot wait to see what the next 9 years and beyond has in store for our family. But as for today, I want to celebrate you, my husband, my teammate, and the love of my life. I want to remind you just how important you are to our family.

I believe that a good man is like a good bottle of wine; they only get better with age!

I believe this to be true because I have experienced this first hand in our marriage. Watching you grow more confident in your role as “Dad” over the years has probably been my most favorite thing to witness. I remember the days when you were so unsure of yourself as a father. Always looking to me for guidance and approval even on the smallest of tasks. Scared of making one wrong move because the stakes of fatherhood were so high.

Fast forward 9 years and that young unsure dad is long gone! You walk through the doors of our house every night and you already know what’s coming. Three little wild animals ready to wrestle you to ground. Ha! Which you handle with such enthusiasm. You’ve got the kids routine down to a science and I can count on you to handle just about anything that’s thrown your way.

It goes without saying that it’s taken a lot of patience and a lot of trial and error to get here. I will admit that I hovered over you those first couple years and, though my hovering was coming from a place of love, I know now that it only made you question your abilities as a father. It wasn’t until I learned to take some steps back and let you figure things out that I witnessed you truly flourish into the father you are today.

One of the best advice I ever received was from one of our closest friends. She told me that as long as our mission was aligned as parents it was perfectly okay to allow dad his way of doing things and mom her way of doing things. For example, during bathtime, you soap the kids down before you wash their hair and I do the opposite. It doesn’t matter what order we wash our kiddos because the end goal of getting them bathed is accomplished.

As I began taking steps back, you began taking steps forward. I started making more of an effort to acknowledge your accomplishments, big and small, and less on pointing out your failures. With every pat on the back and job well done your strides became great ones. You began to stand taller. I know that our children benefited from this change more than anyone.

In the beginning, it was hard for me to watch you struggle to find your bearings. The motherly instincts in me wanted to swoop in and rescue both you and the kids. However, I knew that you needed me to give you some room to make mistakes. How else were you going to learn if I never allowed you the chance?

As time would have it, your accomplishments like calming down Sam from a temper tantrum unfolded a confidence in you I had never seen before. You slowly began to master bedtime routine, bathtime, getting the kids ready for school in the morning, you name it I assure you-you have it on lockdown by now.

The love you show our children is unconditional. As much as they have taught you I’ve watched as you teach them. I know some days it feels as though we are just going through the motions but, the kids are watching your every move. They see your dad fails but they also see your dad wins. They have watched you never give up on your role as dad no matter how tired you are or how frustrated you may feel. You have always been a constant source of guardianship and love.

We are not perfect and it would be unfair for me to hold you to the standard of perfection. So I don’t. Instead, I hold you to the standard of do better next time and learn from your mistakes. I have loved nothing more than being witness to the incredible growth and strength you have cultivated in these 9 years as a father. I always knew in my heart even before we had children that you would make an amazing dad and you have proven my heart to be true.

I am honored to have you as my teammate in parenting our three children. We are in this together and I hope you know that I love you more today than I did yesterday. Thank you for working hard every day to provide us with this crazy beautiful life. I am so proud of you.

Happy Father’s Day to the worlds greatest Dad.

Your Loving Wife,

BC