Just like Daddy

If there's one thing that makes me smile, it is the sound of my husband's truck rumble into our driveway. Diesels are like that. The only thing that makes me smile bigger is the sound of our three kids squealing and scampering to the door to greet him. It truly makes my heart swell.

I remember when Daryl and I were dating, I was moved to tears one day thinking of how blessed our kids would one day be because of having him as their dad. It was something that I was keenly tuned into--especially if we would one day have girls (which, by the way, I thought I would never have--but God has a great sense of humor that way).


And while I know that dads are equally important in their son's life, there is nothing that a girl on this earth needs more than her daddy. I was a Daddy's Girl. And when my dad was in his car accident it turned my life upside down. Thankfully, I also have some great uncles. And I became an Uncle's Girl. It's great for me to see this all coming full circle.



And when I was little, the best pajamas were my Uncle's work shirts. I loved them almost as much as I loved him! I felt so special and important in them. That shirt was like a badge of honor. It embodied what I saw in my Uncle. I saw how hard he worked, what a loyal and faithful worker he was, how the shirt would bear a salt-line at the end of the day from his sweat, how he used everyday job scenarios to witness to his buddies, how he helped friends & family in need after a long day's work. That shirt, when worn by my uncle, taught me lessons in life--hard work, faith, family, sacrifice, love, honesty.

My older sister and I still talk about those shirts.

So the other night when Brayden and Savannah came into our room and asked Daryl if they could wear one of his Jayco shirts to bed, my heart melted all over again. I knew exactly what they were feeling and exactly how wearing that shirt made them feel. I saw the pride and admiration in their eyes as Daryl helped them put on their shirts. I pray that they, too, may see the same life lessons I did in a shirt. Because their Daddy embodies those same qualities--hard work, faith, family, sacrifice, love, honesty--qualities that my kids relate with a shirt and, more importantly, the man wearing the shirt.


You see, my kids adore and admire their Daddy...and rightly so. They get it from their Momma :)