Father's Day

Holidays are days spent with those you love… the date is often not as important.  In our military family we have celebrated Christmas in June, Thanksgiving in May and Father’s/Mother’s Day either early or late based on training and deployments.  In 2010 Grant and I shared our anniversary on Skype, over cups of coffee and memories after Krystina and I went out to dinner.

This year we celebrated Father’s Day just a day early – as opposed to months early due to upcoming training.  Krystina planned a wonderful day for him:  A 7AM wake up to head to Huntington Beach (blindfolded) for his favorite restaurant, then we walked along the pier and took in the street faire, then off to the mall to finish his Father’s Day shopping (a new watch), then home for nap time and Grammy coming to visit. 

Daddy got his coffee and is settled in for his surprises to start

Breakfast at Sugar Shack - fully tummy's!

My loves on the Pier in Huntington Beach

The man that I waited my life for

LOVED surprising her daddy this morning!

 

When we told Krystina that we had to celebrate Father’s Day early she smiled as always.  She understands that the physical date of any holiday is less important than sharing the memories together.  Less than 1% of our country serves in our military; she realizes how special that makes our family and how special every day together is.  Through Got Your Back and TAPS she has realized how precious life is and always reminds people that you only live once so make every memory you can. 

I am sure that there will be more times in her life that we will be celebrating holidays early or via Skype, that she will be mailing cards and gifts via flat rate boxes to an FPO address and that we will make memories in ways that few understand but that is what makes our family, along with the 1.1 military families with children special.  We wouldn’t change a moment of it.