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Reader Maggie Pinque submitted this rather unique way to celebrate Father's Day!
On March 6, 1996 my husband Marco got a new title: Daddy. Our world rocked with the birth of Peter and then rolled with the birth of Bella 15 short months later on June 10, 1997.
Marco made radical changes with his job so that he could be an active and participating Dad. He took a large cut in pay in order to work closer to home and leave commuting to NYC in the past. Each and every night of our kids' lives he gave them a bath. He rocked them to sleep. He taught Peter and Bella numbers, colors, letters, and how to throw a ball. He worried at every event we ever went to about their safety and well being which allowed me to relax and visit with friends while he remained ever vigilant to their whereabouts.
If you were to ask him, he would tell you EVERY day is Fathers Day.
His children are his greatest love, his greatest gift and his greatest pride.
He is not a material man living in a material world. His wants and needs are simple and easy. So giving gifts isnt always easy. Over the years we have created many a hand-made gift which is always met with supreme joy and gratitude.
Susie Orman was on Good Morning America in February and she stated that no matter how much money you make you should always save a small portion for something. I took that to heart and I began saving for Marcos upcoming 50th birthday in January 2013. The kids and I plotted. We would go away on vacation for his birthday during the winter break of Peters junior year in high school and Bellas sophomore year. Oh we were giddy!
Then, this past Saturday, Marco looked around in despair at the mess that our yard and gardens had become. Weeds were back after a full weekend pulling them just a few short weeks ago.. There was no mulch. The flower beds were a chaotic site at best. Have I mentioned there are A LOT of beds at our house? The man was at a loss. SO much to do, and really, with Peters baseball season in full swing, SO LITTLE TIME!
After a conference with the kids, we decided to pull off the best, most fabulous Fathers Day gift EVER! We were going to get the yard cleaned up once and for all for the season.
With help from my friend Silvana we were able to have Griffins Landscaping come and give me an estimate. I had enough saved, we could do this! We decided they would come on Friday since Marco had a meeting in NYC or so I thought. On Wednesday morning he told me his meeting was in Hawthorne and he would be able to leave for work a little later than normally. WHAT?!?! Are you kidding me?!
I got on my phone immediately and after a flurry of texts we were able to move the great Fathers Day clean-up from Friday to Thursday.
Two men came and worked as hard as I have ever seen two guys work! They had to define beds; WEED, weed and weed some more, trim back bushes and shrubs, plant three flats of marigolds and put out 10 yards of red mulch.
Marco pulled into the driveway as they were nearing the end of the transformation. We were giddy with excitement for his reaction and it was everything we hoped it would be! Happiness. Relief. Oh thank God its done joy.
Unbeknownst to me, Marco had already planned to take Monday and Tuesday off to have mulch delivered and do the work it had just taken two men over nine hours to do. I found that out as he grinned his way into the house.
On this Fathers Day, I wish Marco Pinque a Fathers Day worthy of him, for he is an awesome father! Now he can watch his son play ball all weekend without the nagging thought of having to do all that crazy yard work himself on Monday and Tuesday and I can relax knowing I wont have to help.
To all the awesome and amazing Dads enjoy, relax and have yourself a GREAT Fathers Day!
Do you plan to do something extraordinary with your father or husband for Father's Day? Share your thoughts here:
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