When June was one month old, Mike sprained his ankle playing soccer. He drove home half-an-hour using his left foot (because it was the right one he hurt.) After i got over the yelling about his foolishness of driving home that way, and when it was clear he wouldn't be walking on it for weeks, (it was a really bad sprain) he made the decision to start working from home. His parking spot was a good 10 minute walk into his building... and because as a researcher, he really didn't need to go into work, he just always had because he liked the social aspect of being around the people. Anyway. That was almost exactly two years ago and he's still working from home. If you ask him why he never went back it's for a bunch of reasons like saving gas and parking money and commuting time, but really it's about being around his girls. He looked at me one point last Fall and said "I can't believe I would have missed all this time with June."
I know not everyone has this ability to just work from home.. (and to be honest, I feel a bit guilty when I tell people Mike works from home. Because something inside my brain screams " you should be doing this all by yourself!) but it sure has been amazing and I know Mike doesn't take it for granted. He'll pop up to get coffee or for lunch and he'll steel a quick game of chase around with June or a snuggle with Flora. He says probably 50 x a week how grateful he is he gets to do this. And we're so so so lucky and grateful to have him with us. I love "working" alongside him day-in and day-out - you might think you'd get in each other's way (and believe me, there are days when our kitchen does *not* seem big enough for everyone!! our lunch breaks are a bit hectic at times) but I've found only that I've grown to love and appreciate these circumstances more as time goes on. And I know it's not easy for him - working from home is like, you are always always around your work. But he does such a good job of being dedicated to his job when he's working, and being 100% with his kids when he's parenting, and I love him for that.
Mike we love your "snaps" that you do of our life and the home videos you are constantly taking of the girls. I know they will so appreciate it when they're older.
We love the way you relish making us our favourite foods - and I love how you bought June her "favourite cheese" when you went grocery shopping together the other day. It makes me happy to think about how they will love cooking because you love cooking.
We love the way you tell us how special we are to you, and how when you give thanks everyday you say thank-you for us. We feel so loved.
I love the way you have patience with June. How you try to teach her things. How you are showing her empathy and caring because you model it to her constantly.
I love the way you are excited to see Flora grow and how you talk about all the potential that life holds for her.
I love the way you work so hard to keep our family going; so that I can take this time to be home with everyone.
I love the way you keep trying to find ways to improve yourself, and to grow and to change and to become a better person - I love these efforts despite the fact that I already love the person you are today. I know the girls will appreciate this too and they are going to want the same sort of growth for themselves.
I love the way you make me laugh. Your jokes about the hospital chair that you slept on when June and Flora was born, your silly antics, we don't take your sense of humour for granted.
Thank-you for being such a good father to Flora and June. Happy first Father's Day, Dad of TWO!!