The other night I was scrubbing dirty dishes after dinner and managing the typical squabbles among the kids, and I couldn’t find you anywhere. 

“Where’s Daddy?” I asked the kids.

Nobody knew. I called your phone, texted, but you didn’t answer. I yelled your name upstairs and downstairs. 

Ugh, I thought. Where is he?

After about 20 minutes, I realized you were, in fact, in our detached garage fixing the heater so we’d have warmth in there for the winter and could use the treadmill without freezing. You made it warm so our silver lab could find comfort from the freezing cold.

You were thinking of us and working hard behind the scenes as you often do.

Fixing the heater, changing the oil, locking doors at night, changing batteries on smoke alarms, being financially savvy, climbing large ladders to hang Christmas lights, treating us to a meal out, fixing broken dishwashers, repairing bike chains, changing light bulbs, tackling my DIY, Pinterest, daddy-do list, or lending a hand to our neighbors—you work persistently day in and day out. 

Those are a few of the many ways you serve our family in unseen places. Not everyone sees what you do, but I do. I notice how skillfully you use your rugged hands and serve your wife and those four little bodies who run wildly on the wooden floors you installed in our home.

I see how you don’t seek recognition or praise, you serve simply out of your love, care, and protection over us. I notice how you work diligently until the job is done and finished well. I observe how you want what’s best for us and love treating us to good gifts. 

I appreciate how patient you are with me when I ask for help. You still remember my requests even if the job isn’t done immediately when I want it. You’re a man of sacrifice.

You serve in the unseen places, even when it’s ugly, messy, time-consuming, frustrating, and difficult.

You serve well as the leader in our home because God is your source of strength and guidance.

I’m thankful for all you do and most importantly, who you are as my husband and daddy to our children who think the world of you.

You are loved.

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