When I was little…My dad hung the moon. Our saying became, “I love you to the moon and back a million, trillion, bajillion times.” We always tried to outdo each other with how many “kazillion” type terms we could come up with.
My dad created so many unique memories for me as a child, he always made my opinion important, even from a young age. He was a big wig exec at a music label and would put the giant headphones on my ears to give my opinion of the latest “hit” before radio stations even heard it.
Music was the rhythm of our lives, we always had Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Lenny Kravitz, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Van Halen, Tina Turner, Janet Jackson or Stevie Wonder playing in the background. We would make up songs in the bathtub, ending our verses with, “a little bit louder and a little bit worse” and passing it on to the next Meyers family member.
Trips to Michigan were my favorite, travel was important to my family and I realize much was about escaping the hard-to-bear Texas heat, or the uneventful Texas winters. We would arrive in Alpena, MI to my grandparent’s farm and immediately hop on the tractor with Grandpa Meyers. Grandma Meyers would embrace us with her full German arms. Grandpa Meyers would start the potatoes, for we had potatoes for every meal with them. Growing up on an impoverished potato farm, this is what Grandpa took pride in helping provide for his family, especially when his grandkids came to visit.
My dad was a dreamer, he sought out to be different... not wanting to be stuck in a factory like his father in Michigan, he hit the road and hitchhiked across the country. He visited his sister in Colorado, and soon was offered a job in Houston, Texas. He had big dreams and was a wild one that didn’t want to be caged, he always pushed the limits which is where his great successes came from. Much of this seeped into my blood, and I remember always wanting to do things differently.
My dad always taught me that I could do anything, if I believed in myself. My friends were in awe of my dad, he was definitely labeled the “cool” dad from as early as I can remember. He is charming, funny, generous and welcoming. He always took things to the next level… our birthday parties, vacations, even a simple family dinner was made extra special.
My dad and I have very similar personality traits, at times we would butt heads… which in hindsight I think my dad got a kick out of my fiery attitude and respected me for standing up for myself.
Saturdays were our days with dad… from my earliest memory we would romp around Barton Springs, go to Eeyore’s Birthday, concerts, or even cleaning around the house to Aerosmith. When family dinners happened, everyone had a job… dad taught me early on how to start each meal with sautéing an onion for flavor, adding in peppers or garlic to take it up a notch. I love that my dad included us in everything we did. We had family meetings quite often to discuss the pulse of our family and to weigh in on everyone’s opinions.
We went skiing together most winters, swooshing down the mountain, we gained confidence from my dad’s confidence in us. He was so proud of us and told us as often as he could how much he loved us and was proud of us. I am so grateful for my relationship with my dad, he had us repeat on the way to school each day: “Do the right thing, do your best, and treat others the way you want to be treated.” Which was an excellent mindset to start out our school day.
My dad’s hugs melted away my worries. He gives the best hugs. Now my dad is a proud, radiating Papa to his four grandchildren, including my two girls. My girls adore their Papa, it is pretty awesome watching their relationship grow, especially as they age. Halen has a pretty special with her Papa as the first granddaughter and oldest of the girls.
My Evan, had quite the shoes to fill as the new leading man in my life. As different as he is from my dad, and quite similar to my dad’s dad… he did a pretty phenomenal job. One of my greatest moments is watching my beloved husband, my partner, the love of my life greet his daughters into the world and in that moment become their knight in shining armor. Evan’s eyes beamed with pride as his heart beat out of his chest with the arrival of both of his girls. His world was turned upside down and he became the best dad for them. I am so proud of how Evan has opened his arms to the role of daddy. He was ready and armed with an open heart and open arms for his beautiful daughters. I love watching the relationship Evan has with each of our girls unfold. He takes the time to wrestle with them in the playroom, have tea parties, be the taste tester for their kitchen creations, and the one to lift them in the air as they practice their ballerina skills. He proudly wears his “Father of Daughters” shirt and can’t imagine a life any different than a #girldad. Our family has finally gotten into a pretty amazing groove. Four and two are pretty magical ages, and we have developed our rhythm.
This Father’s Day I am immensely grateful to my own father who set the bar for men in my life, Evan accepted this role with his eyes full of love and we built a pretty gorgeous family in that love.
Thank you, dad, for always valuing me, for validating my opinions and dreams, for always listening to me and supporting my wild ideas and dreams. You’re one of my biggest fans and I am so thankful for your unique place in my life.
Thank you, Evan, for being the greatest father our girls could ever dream of. God truly placed you in our lives because he knew what an impeccable husband and daddy you would be for us. Thank you for your fierce loyalty, your remarkable hard work ethic, your vision for our future as a family, and your willingness to drop anything for all your girls.
"Daddies don't just love their children every now and then, it's a love without end." – George Strait