Father's Day

This is a belated Father's Day post because I spent all day making this

and homemade Chicken Parmesan for dinner.  The German Chocolate cake is my husband's favorite, but the icing only turned out so-so for me.  He thought it was delicious so that is all that counts. 

Here's a bit of internet therapy for me, however.  I grew up without my father.  My parents divorced when I was just a year old.  I never really knew him.  He remarried and had two step children and one child with his new wife.  I saw my brother once when he was an infant.  Recently my father made an attempt to contact us.  I was so excited.  Funny, even when you are grown with children of your own you still crave a connection with where you came from.  Well, sad to report, I apparently came from a pretty jerky guy.  We emailed back and forth for a bit.  He told me some basic information from his past, things he enjoyed, that kind of stuff.  Then I asked about my half brother.  His response was rather rude and cold.  He basically said that I should never try to contact my half brother and maybe we should end our correspondence.  I was devastated.  I wrote him a prompt, but scathing, reply about how children don't get to chose their parents or what happens to them as children.  We are just left with the scars that they inflict.  I also informed him that he really missed out knowing me and my sisters.  We were great girls growing up and we are terrific women now.  I told him that this was the end of our correspondence and not to ever allow his guilty conscience to contact me again.  He made the mistakes, not me. 

I did have some pretty terrific male role models growing up.  My grandfather, uncles and my stepdad all showed me different attributes of men that would later guide me to choosing my husband.  I am so grateful for that. 

My husband is a great father, even if he doesn't think so.  He always feels like he doesn't do enough, but he always has their best interests at heart and wants so much for them.  He loves them more than himself.  That is the way it should be.  So here's to Dads, whether they are single dads, stepdads, grandfathers stepping in to take the place of dad - hats off to you guys.  Setting that positive male remodel for your daughters and sons is the greatest accomplishment of your lives!