This guy

Do you see this guy? Look really closely. His girls are on the front and back, and the kids in his lap are the neighbor's kids. AND, he's sitting on a pink teeter totter. Do you see him? Maybe you know him already. Maybe he's your friend, co-worker, or family member. Or maybe he's a stranger to you. If that's the case I suggest you try to meet him someday. He's amazing.

Do you ever feel like there are moments where maybe time does freeze for a bit? We parents are always wanting that to happen. But on rare occasions I feel like it does happen for me. Maybe time isn't frozen, but it moves super slow. There's this weird halo effect like in the movies when you see just how perfect something is in slow motion. Anyway, I felt that way today. We were all in my next door neighbor's yard and the parents were all talking while the kids played. Seth had originally been in the backyard working on our shed. When he came to the front yard he immediately started kicking the soccer ball with Lila and trying to teach Evie how to hold a baseball bat. There was a three minute span of time with Lila where I felt the moments moving slowly. I couldn't really hear what everyone was saying. It was just white noise. All the kids running around went so slowly and almost seemed hazy. All I saw and heard were Seth and Lila. I felt so lucky and overwhelmed over something so simple.

A little while later they were playing around again and Lila went up to Seth and said, "I love you daddy" with so much emotion it just about broke my heart open. Lila is a mama's girl all day long. She doesn't usually tell ME she loves me unless I say it first. She tends to have a hard time verbalizing her emotions. But, when she does say it due to her own outburst of feelings it's almost tenfold in how it makes you feel. Priceless.

My level of gratitude for the man on the pink teeter totter is beyond measure. Right now he's passed out on the couch with his laptop securely positioned. He turned on the TV tonight and landed on Good Will Hunting. He knows I hate watching movies more than once. Still, we both got sucked in. I started crying because it's Good Will Hunting for God's sake. Mid cry I realize he's asleep and I can't help but laugh. This is our life together, and I adore it.

Here's to all the lovely daddies out there. I hope you can feel me patting you on the back.


PS - Can you also take a moment and look at Evie in this picture? And then look at Seth. And then back at Evie. Even with the passy in her mouth the resemblance is striking. And awesome.