Funny Dad with logical reasons (dealing with thoughts you don't share with others)

I am a funny Dad for a logical reason...

Growing up without a father and watching my mother do her best to raise us — seven children, all on her own — instilled in me a deep need to be the best father, parent, and husband I could be. Now, I'm not claiming to be the best; I'm sure my wife could easily list a few complaints to prove that I'm simply trying my best to excel in these roles.

As I watch my children grow, I learn more and more each day. One of the lessons I'm constantly reminded of, and struggle hard to achieve, can be summed up in this famous quote:

"Our children need our presence, not our presents." — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

If there is anything I can do for my children, I will do it with all my heart. The reason I joke around, act like a child when others are striving to be sophisticated, mature, and proper, is because I know time is short. Life flies by, and before you know it, the kids are grown, you are old, and you're left wondering — what happened?

Today, I'm home sick, battling my constant foe: allergies. As I look around my empty home, I can't help but wonder what life will be like — you know, after the kids are no longer kids and I'm merely a shell of my former self.

I've thought about it, and I've come to only one conclusion: I will enjoy the time I have with my children, the life I now know. Life is already stressful enough, and I need to stop and smell the roses — thorns and all. I want my children; I want to sit back one day and be able to remember. I want to remember the smiles, the jokes, the tears, the angry moments — all the moments of life.

Whether I win "Dad of the Year" or "Father of the Century" in my children's eyes is of no consequence to me. What I want is for a conversation to come up years from now, and for my grown child to say, "Yes, I remember that, Dad," or "I remember when Dad and I..." I want them to tell their children, "Grandpa, my dad always did this with me, and I want to do it with you."

Life is short, and I want every minute to count for something.

This picture is so old -OMG