Once again, I don't expect to spend much time on the computer tomorrow, so here's the Father's Day entry...
    
    On Mother's Day I shared some about my mom, so now would be a fitting time to take a little trip to the other side of my family tree and talk about my dad.  My mom and dad split up when I was very young.  This was probably a very good thing, considering I don't know if there are two more different people on the planet!  They have each found wonderful people to love and be happy with, which always seemed better to me than the idea of them staying together and fighting all the time.  They have always had one thing in common, though:  me.  Just because my dad didn't live in the same house I did growing up never meant he gave up or went away.  I was blessed enough to be able to see him regularly and he stayed involved in my life.  We have also had our share of rough times-- I think that is only natural when a very independent girl is trying to find her way to becoming a very independent woman.  But we have come through all of it to be very close-- in our relationship and our physical proximity to one another (he lives just a few blocks away).  He's always there for me whenever I need something.  We have a great time when we get together.  We're even going to take a class together this summer at the local community college in a subject of common interest for us: sculptural welding.  He has been a welder by profession for quite a few years now.  I really like power tools and love to create things with my hands.  It's going to be a blast!
    Also, I should mention what an awesome dad my husband is.  I've been working Saturday nights lately, so he has been able to spend some quality time with his girls while I'm gone.  They seem to be really settling into a routine of their own.  It's very different from the routines I have with them.  At first I felt the need to leave lists and correct 'mistakes'.  I have since learned that doing things Daddy's Way one night a week does not screw me for the rest of the week by throwing them off.  In fact, I must admit that it seems to work better that he does things differently-- less opportunity for the girls to compare us to one another, which leaves them free to just enjoy the change of pace.  Does that mean I've stopped pointing out things that I would have done differently?  Of course not.  I'm a crazy Type A control freak!  That ain't gonna change!  But I have let up quite a bit.  And everyone seems to be benefiting from it.  Don't anyone go getting any wild ideas, though.  When I'm home, it's still mostly my way or the highway.  Some of it is just too deep in my DNA.  But I plan to be very conscious of it tomorrow on E's special day.  I think he would like that.

CL