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once upon a time, not so far away, there was a man who wanted to be a dad. now, being a dad takes a lot of work; you have to find the right woman to marry, settle down in a nice neighborhood, gather everything you'd need to take care of a baby (like a bed), and of course have a good job to pay for everything. but this man had recently broken up with the woman he thought he was going to marry, and it looked like his dream would never come true. before long, he met another woman, they began dating, and when he asked she said yes. they were married, and she shared his dream of having a family. but things weren't working, and after many tests and doctors, it was discovered that they would not have a family of their own. the man's dream of becoming a father once again seemed to have died, and he doubted that it could ever be.

there are those that want to be fathers, and cannot. either they are not physically able to have children, or financially, or maybe they live in a country that restricts the rights of the family. on the flip side, there are some men who are fathers biologically, but for whatever reason are not fulfilling their responsibilities. maybe they are in jail and can't be with their family. maybe they were only boys themselves when they became fathers, and they have not taken responsibility for their actions. maybe some have passed away, and their family has no father to celebrate anymore.

such a sad tale! you would say to me. why would you want to think about such terrible things on a day celebrating fathers? as you are off celebrating the man who has held your hand through thick and thin, take a minute to pray for the men who need help this fathers day.

as for the story i started at the beginning? isn't there anyway for there to be a happy ending here?

the man who dreamed of being a father was about to give up hope. after discussing things with his wife, they decided maybe they should look into becoming foster parents, and one day they could adopt their own. shortly after deciding this, their pastor called them with wonderful news. there was a baby a few states away that needed a home, and he felt that God wanted the man and his wife to take care of this baby! the catch? they had to decide right away because the baby would be born in two weeks. deciding that God doesn't steer a parked car, they jumped on the train to ride until God said STOP. everyone in their families were very supportive, and in those two weeks they were blessed to receive everything they needed for a baby - diapers, bedding, stroller, carseat, clothes, the works. the day came for them to pick up the baby, and they nervously arrived at the hospital. as they were ushered into the birth mother's room, she smiled up at them and whispered to the baby in the bassinet, "your mommy and daddy are here!"

God has been driving the train of this father ever since. dealing with a stubborn headed teenager, the feeling of pride when she *finally* graduated high school, introducing her to her birth family and telling her the story of how he was blessed to be her father, and the joy of watching his little girl write her own parenting story as he became a proud grandpa.

this story sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? with all the pain in the world, there's no way that things could have fallen into place that easily for such a difficult situation. from bleeding heart to happily married? from childless to grandpa? too good to be true, that couldn't have happened.

but it did. just ask my dad.

from finding out he wouldn't have kids, to holding me in his arms for the first time. from watching me load the bus for the first day of school, from fighting over homework, to handing me a diploma stating i had graduated high school. from wanting to keep his little girl forever, to walking me down the aisle, my dad has been there for me non-stop for twenty four years. he may not share blood with me, but blood doesn't make you a dad. being a dad means fixing the booboos, even ones you make yourself by mistake. being a dad means being thought of as the worst person on the planet to be put in charge of a child ever, knowing that someday she'll understand why you were so tough on her, so strict. being a dad means forgiving and forgetting, no matter how much it hurts.

dad, you've been there for me through thick and thin, and i never appreciated you the way i should have. you are the best dad i could ever ask for, and i thank God for you every day.

i love you, daddy!