happy father's day 

to all of you wonderful men 

out there

who make the lives of your children 

better.

of someone else's children 

better.

more full 

of

laughter

joy

humor

bravery

generosity

thoughtfulness

sarcasm

protection

understanding

forgiveness

hugs

tickles

and 

love.

you play a more important role in this world 

than you may know.

you impact the lives of the children in yours more than you will ever know. 

we need you now, we will need you always.

and so, to all the world's many different kinds of daddies...

i

say 

thank you!

 

 

(all above images from flickr, tumblr & pinterest unless otherwise noted.)

daddy, 

i miss you every day.

i wish you were here 

every. 

day.

i thought that as i grew older, it would get easier being without you. 

it did for a while. 

but in the last few years, 

i realized

i 

was 

wrong.

when i really open up

let down my guard

and let myself feel it

my heart aches

so much.

it breaks 

over 

and

over 

again.

i miss being a child 

with you

as my daddy.

i miss hearing your car pull in the garage; 

feeling that ecstatic rush

of happiness

to see your face.

running out to the garage 

opening your car door

putting on your suit jacket

and carrying 

your 

briefcase

inside.

i miss sitting in the palm of your hand.

i miss your sarcastic humor, 

though i have definitely 

inherited my fair share. 

as have k & c.

i miss your smell.

i miss the softness 

of my cheek on your shoulder. 

on  your

ll bean

chambray shirt.

i miss so many things i can't 

even think about

because 

it hurts too much.

i think of all of the moments i wish you were here to share.

i wish my children could know you.

they would truly adore you.

and you would be enamored of them. 

i wish you could know david. 

you two are so much alike.

you would approve.

he is a good man, and takes care of me the way you would.

i wish i could hear your voice again.

i wish i could feel myself 

so tiny 

in your arms 

again.

i wish, just for a moment, i could go back to being 16, 

and not have my emotional growth 

stunted

the way it was

when we lost you.

i wish so many things 

for 

k 

& 

c. 

we all miss you so very much.

i like to think you are able to see how much we've grown. 

i often feel you with me.

i see the 

yellow butterflies

and i feel you.

i know you are with God.

i know that you are blissfully happy

free

and

beautiful.

i know that i will see you again.

but my heart still breaks, 

every 

single 

day

because you aren't here now.

i love you daddy. 

i always will. 

xo

papa, can you hear me?

...cause i come bearing gifts!

ideas, that is.

(via condenaststore)

stuck on what to get daddy for the big day? 

here are some fabulous last minute

(overnight shipping, much?!)

items any papa would be proud to preach... about.

(via jonathanadler)

a dilf paperweight! if you have to ask what a dilf is, you don't need to buy this gift.

(via napastyle via dailycandy)

for the guy who grills--and for those of us who can only afford to buy him a different version of the same gift we gave at age nine--give these red oak planks a go.

(via jonathanadler)

 for the daddy-o with a sense of humor;

i adore these glossy canisters. 

add a dash of style to his bathroom or closet, while also saying "i'm ok with your occasional pot-smoking because i do it too".

(via jonathanadler again.)

this says "thanks for being the open-minded sort of father who disapproves of me regardless of my sexual orientation."

and would also look killer on my couch.

(via forage)

i love a bowtie...

just make sure if you get one, 

its for a daddy with somewhat substantial sartorial chops. 

the aim is more humphrey bogart, 

less barney fife.

(via etsy)

 nothing says "happy fathers day to a dad with a boyfriend much hotter than mine"

better than a stylish murse. 

wouldn't you agree?

(via amazon)

for the eco-chic dad; a hand-carved wooden keyboard & mouse. cool!

what do you say we forgo the expected, every day, run-of-the-mill "slippers" gift, and give him one of these pairs instead?

stubbs and wootton, one of the best-known and most well-respected handcrafters of european slippers, has some fun, tongue-in-cheek designs. just the way to say "daddy, i'm still not above competing for your love."

or, you can go on their website, navigate your way into bespoke territory, & have papa's monogram embroidered in 18-karat gold wire, 

if you like. 

so you're down for the luxury, 

but desire a gift with more...balls?

(via thatsenuff)

why not take dear old dad to the world series? luxury accommodations, behind the scenes tours, meet and greets, autographed souvenirs are yours for the taking. go here for more.

(image via pinterest)

every father could use a good stiff drink.

especially if he fathered you.

most likely he gave you your first sip o' the sauce, so the least you can do is 

return the favor. 

whether he prefers classic tuneage 

(with a twist),

(via anthropologie)

or a more modern approach,

(via urbanoutfitters)

dad will appreciate a new listening method. 

and these are awesome options.

they also somehow say "you're the best weekend dad ever; thanks for living your hairband dreams" without saying a word.

if you're someone with an unlimited budget, here's my ultimate gift suggestion: 

(via dupontregistry) 

that, my friends, is a 1956 jaguar xk140 roadster. she's a beaut', eh? the price is unlisted so you know it ain't peanuts. 

its my dream car. (ahem, one of them.)

or better still, go for the "bargain" buy at around $47k and get one that's been a little less loved...

(via dupontregistry)

...and fix her up together. 

she could be glorious.

alright, so we aren't all made of money

--like dad always said--

so why not give him a piece of the roadster dream at a fraction of the sticker:

(via yup, you guessed it, jonathanadler)

and if all else fails, cook him a burger, crack open a cold one, and spend an afternoon 

talking to your father. 

time is a very precious thing, and we never know how much we'll have. 

happy father's day!

xo