I was driving with the girl today and we were talking about a cousin of mine and his family. I said how I thought he and his wife are such great parents, how they’ve worked really hard at creating their family.

I said you’d be lucky to have parents like them, I think they’re really great people.

And the girl said I love them, I love to visit them. But I really like how our family is. I like that you’re our only parent. I feel like I’m lucky to be in this family.

And I stopped and breathed.

So often I feel badly for the kids, I see the lack, I think of my dad and want that kind of parent for them. But she didn’t see a lack at all. She loves our family as it is. And you know what? I do too.

We finished off the day at the creek. The best part of summer. And filled with memories of my dad, so it was like he was there too.