Father’s Day

Father’s Day found me grouchy and just wanting to do a pity party, what a waste really.  For many reasons I was feeling very isolated, worn-out, and a little sad for myself.  I tried to remedy it, but I pretty much remained a grouch all day.  After much reflection, I realized that I never really liked Father’s Day!  In all honesty, I never had a Dad to celebrate with and for some reason the over-the-top marketing of it all just makes me cringe, similar to my feelings for Mother’s Day this year. 

It all started the day before when I had simply asked my husband to care for Joseph during the morning hours so I could have some time to recharge since he would be out all night doing a night fishing tournament with his brother and Mitchell.  I did notice that Joseph was extremely clingy to me all week so that did not work out, I was sick all night that night and did not sleep but a few hours and therefore that probably aided in the grouchiness.  Not fair to my husband, but sometimes I hate to say that I cannot just grin and bear it. 

So regardless of lack of sleep, I dragged all three boys to church along with my husband and was hoping that being in the presence of Jesus, my grouchiness would ease up.  Wrong.  So wrong. 

When the priest began the homily, it seemed like a really great one for my husband on fatherhood and Joseph was being a little (a lot) busy so I took him out for awhile and returned for communion!  Praise God, I needed Jesus right then! 

We came home, had lunch, and then Joseph and I took a nap.  I thought my mood was better so we took the trip to the in-laws where my sour disposition rose a few notches when they began to tell my my child needed a haircut (same thing they said two weeks ago) and other things that are best left unsaid.  I fumed, lost my christian perspective, and just barely made it through the visit.  So sad.  Joseph had a ball though, he doesn’t care who talks about his hair!  Side note, Joseph has not let us get near him to cut his hair since his surgery, even at a scheduled haircut where his hair was cut before, he screamed and would not let them get near him.  He was some how traumatized during that sickness spell & subsequent follow-ups that even when he watched a Elmo show about a a doctor, he started trembling and buried his head in my chest.  So he assumes sitting there waiting for the scissors to cut his hair is similar to having the doctors use their instruments to check his ears, etc.  This is not typical and really makes me sad. 

I was able to capture a shot of Joseph with his Daddy as we were heading out!  I love this kid!  Yes, there is clear evidence of long hair here

Joseph loves his PaPa, the feeling is mutual as you can tell!

We then made a quick trip to see my step-dad, Ron but forgot to take a picture!  He sure does love his Paw.

This picture was taken last month, but you can see the love there, too!

Last but not least, the redeeming part of my day came on our way back home during the rainstorm.  We saw a complete, bright rainbow!  Then we saw two rainbows!!  I have never seen a double rainbow, much less a full arc of a rainbow.  We were blown away and reminded that even when we feeling like we are drowning in a sea of self-pity, God reminds that our souls will not be flooded – the rain will end and the sun will shine, again.

Jessy always seemed to find significant peace in rainbows since his grandfather passed away in 2004, so this double rainbow was a double blessing on our celebration of the Father’s in our lives.