"Real" Dads

With Father's Day approaching, I felt to say something about "real" Dads. Some have questioned the picture shown on my cover saying that it looks as if I'm a single mom. Indeed, there are times I feel like it. My husband works full-time, is in his sixth year serving as a bishop, and keeps our little homestead up and running. So naturally, there are days and weeks and occassionally even months when we see little of him. Any official homeschooling we do is Mom's job. But there is no substitute for the things they learn from Dad. Much of it comes from watching his willing, steady service - to his family, his ward family and his work family. Then too, are the priceless moments where testimonies are forged over dinner, on dates and in quiet conversations with Dad. Make no mistake about it, my children have a "real" dad.

And speaking of "real" Dads
I dedicated A Real Mom's Guide "To my father, who taught me all about Polar Stars..."

President Hinckley talked about the Polar Star when he said
"...the Polar Star came to mean something to me. I recognized it as a constant in the midst of change. It was something that could always be counted on, something that was dependable, an anchor in what otherwise appeared to be a moving and unstable firmament."

We lost my sweet father to lymphoma just two months ago. No words can describe the amazing man that he is. But as a "real" Dad, he gave me both a solid grounding and wings to fly.

Happy Father's Day to all you "real" Dads out there. May you continue to be the anchors and the guiding stars we so desperately need.