Dads and Daughters

…and their thoughts on deer.

I can honestly say that my husband is one of the best influences in my daughters’ lives.

For all his obnoxious sarcasm when they just want a straight answer…for all his stubborn insistence that they play at least one sport…for all the ways that he pushes them to “stay the course” when it comes to, say, dropping out of school at the semester break…

He is forming some very strong young women.

I thought that being unemployed might bring him down. It did, too, for about a half a year, (him and me both!) and then suddenly he bounced back with a vengeance. He is calmer, happier, more at peace with life, and his working from home has been a great blessing to our family. 

Are you kidding? He’s around to drive the girls to soccer.

Another good influence on my husband’s parenting was his reading Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Dr. Meg Meeker. Have you heard that she’s the keynote at this year’s Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference?! So excited to get to hear her.

Finally, at least in terms of this post’s “finally” and because some of you have asked, about Cate’s staying in school as opposed to coming home…

We talked it over before the semester break and decided to stay the course until the end of the year. (Huh. Wonder whose influence that was.) Cate was able to buck up despite her being “cold & tired & hungry all the time.” She’s gotten good grades and has made some great friends.

So we’ll see. We’re not ruling out bringing her home next year, ’cause the truth is…I do miss her. 

I’ll leave you with these photos of Cate’s Deer Diorama and the descriptions that she and her father wrote. Cate made the mistake of leaving her document open on the computer, at which point her dad came along and had some fun.