fathers

well, i posted about my two favorite fathers, my dad here and here and my grandpa here. if you want to know what i think about them, or why i love them, go ahead and read. but, today is both my mama's birthday (post on her here) and father's day. the father i want to talk about today is a future father. here he is:

this is my baby brother. he's my favorite future father, and for sure one of my favorite all time people. this kid is thoughtful and caring, but he is mostly just all-around a nice kid.

this past mother's day found me playing the role of the spinster--the only female in my family who has yet to provide progeny to the family line. i spent the day throwing myself a pity party. this kid spent the morning  making sure to bring me  breakfast in bed.

no matter what the occasion, my baby brother is thoughtful and kind. he is the voice of reason in so many cases, and the amount of thought he puts into all of his beliefs astounds me. no matter what he has decided he believes, he believes it whole-heartedly and is loyal to the cause. my baby brother is helpful to the max. he's the youngest, so he grew up doing everyone's bidding. but, he never complains, and never asks for anything in return. just helps out any way he can, and with a good attitude.

my nephews and the princess adore him, he's by far the favorite, funnest, and coolest uncle. he's the one everyone wants attention from. mostly, though i just love this kid. one day, he's going to make an awesome dad. today, on a day dedicated to dads (and i didn't forget my mama's birthday), i hope my baby brother has the most awesome day. he's my favorite in so many ways.

My Daddy

well, i know that i have posted quite a lot about him, but i saw this picture, and just had stuff to say about my daddy.

this picture makes me sad.

this is my daddy's hand. this year, he spent his winter indoors, playing cards to keep himself entertained. this past winter was not easy on his health, and it made me personally grateful that he is still in my daily, mortal life. as a child and even a youth, i took for granted the amazing man he is. he is a link to my past, a member of the oldest surviving generation of our family. all of his predecessors have preceded him in death, and he is my last link to my tongan heritage.

i remember being young and complaining when we had to go to work with my dad and brothers. i did not like getting dirty, and i for sure did not like being bossed around. working with my dad entailed both. now, as i am older and gaining more insight, i wish i had appreciated the time with my dad more.

my father is a craftsman. the product of his hands was art. these hands once created amazing work; they supported his family and taught his children the value of hard labor. they inspired others to follow in his footsteps, and made his work seem easy. my father spent his life outdoors, whether as a child fishing and working on boats, or as an adult, laboring to provide for his family. his life was lived in the fresh air, coming indoors only to sleep and sometimes eat.

now that working outdoors is no longer an option for him, he is relegated to spending his time indoors, attempting to occupy his mind. playing cards filled the void for him this winter and i am grateful for that, but i can see the desire to be outside creeping up on him.

it's coming up on summer, which for my daddy means fishing. i worry a lot about him when he goes fishing. it's rare that i can get him to bring his phone with him, and i don't like the thought of him not being able to call for help. but it's so wonderful to see him happy. he does not look or seem like such a frail old man when he's able to go out and fish. for him, it's his birthright, and life to be outdoors.

i know that the day when my daddy will leave this mortal life is approaching. i pray that when that day comes, he is able to spend it outdoors, surrounded by his family--the two great loves of his life.

The post I should have posted

Well, it's a day late and a dollar short, but here is something more like I should have posted on Father's Day.

Well, this is my Daddy through the years. He will give anyone the shirt off his back without hesitation. It's a trait that drives me crazy, because if I am around, it usually ends up inconveniencing me. However, I think it is a trait that most of us could use more of. The things I want to say about this man are too personal for me to share here, but I want my Daddy to know that I love him and I am so very grateful for his presence in my life.

My Grandpa is one of a kind. Literally. He is the only Grandfather I have, and honestly, I have never wanted that to change. I stole this pic from my sister's blog, mostly because I think it really captures my Grandpa. On the outside, he can be a bit gruff, especially if you make him angry, but you soon realize he's just fiercely protective of his grandkids. He is truly one of the hardest workers I have ever encountered. He taught me that any job worth doing is worth doing well, and it's stuck with me. When I need advice on life, money, spirituality, or anything else, he is my go-to guy. Life would be a whole lot different without the influence of my Grandpa. I don't want to even imagine it.