Post Father's Day weekend musings

The kids have started this thing where if they see a camera (or an iPhone, as it were) they have to make silly faces. See?

We're visiting with Lester's Uncle Derrick at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, near the D.C. zoo. This is right after we got in trouble (me included) for playing on the escalators.

Sometimes with Clair, though, we can still get a pretty decent pic - if she's in a good mood.

Movie star!

These eyes slay me, seriously.

This picture cracks me up -- of them at Naomi's 4th birthday party (Happy Birthday, Naomi!) --  because it says so much about who they are right now. Dean is like, "Juice boxes and junk food and things I don't get to eat a lot. YAAASSSS!" Cary is all, "What's Dean doing? Dean! Dean! Dean!" and Clair is totally ignoring the instructions that everyone is supposed to wait to eat their pizza until we all cheer for Naomi. Yup. That's them.

I successfully avoided eating the pizza AND the cupcakes at this party. Then later on that night, I succumbed to one of each. Sigh.

We spent Father's Day at my parents' house, where we mostly just hung out and spent time with Dad (and we saw Pop-Pop for a second, too, so yay!) and ate a lot of food and sweets. My sister Tahira and her husband bought a table full of crabs, so we picked a few of those -- and it felt like summertime, finally.

While I was there, I thought a lot about how lucky I am to have an amazing father and a husband who is an amazing father to my children. I know that everyone isn't so fortunate. I thank God for all my blessings -- and I pray my children and children's children will always know the unmatched love of a father.

Dad and me, circa 1980.

You gave me wings and made me fly.
You touched my hand I could touch the sky.
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me.
You said no star was out of reach.
You stood by me and I stood tall;
I had your love I had it all.
I'm grateful for each day you gave me.
Maybe I don't know that much,
But I know this much is true:
I was blessed because I was loved by you...