contemplating the blessing of a fatherly husband

There are many surprising blessings that have come to my life as a result of 4 boys in under 5 years.  I'll save that list for another day, but I'll share one that nears the top.  Because of our unique parenting experience, I have been able to witness the drastic transformation that Kevin has undergone from just Kevin to full-fledged father of four at a very rapid rate.  Parenthood, be it of one or a dozen, is life changing and person changing.  Each child stretches you in new ways, each phase, each adjustment, every aspect of your life.  Of course, I've experienced this in myself and have been more mindful of the sacrifices I have been making, the growing I've done, the shifts in my way of thinking.  It's odd to go through life for so many years as one person with few events that change you drastically, then to experience a marriage and four babies all within a five year span.  It's a rush, let me assure you=)  And Kevin has been there too, riding this roller coaster with me.

It's hard to say if he has changed or if circumstances just make his qualities more apparent.  He has always been kind, serving, hardworking, cheerful, and a lot of fun, and fatherhood has magnified these traits in him times four.  I've been able to watch it and find a deeper love and respect for the man I married.  Our home life now entails a lot of teaching, a lot of dressing, changing, feeding, a lot of story reading, teeth brushing, refereeing, night waking, and patient trying. Our outings are most often to the park, the canyon, the splash pad, thanksgiving point, and other family friendly fare.  In the car we listen to wee sing.  Kevin often rolls his eyes as we hear the same songs again and again, but in the same trip he'll be the first to smile and say "so darn cute." as he hears our boys singing along happily.

And right now.  These past few weeks I've felt massive amounts of happiness as I experience life with my little family.  Kevin is a huge part of that because I've witnessed the genuine satisfaction he gets out of this role as we do things with the boys or discuss them after they're in bed.  Now, more than ever before, I feel like my days are full of moments, just simple things, that make us both feel really happy.  And Kevin's happiness makes me even happier.  Those moments are sweeter for me because of it.

An example: Last Friday we took the boys up Provo canyon for a little picnic.  We ate and played tag.  It was a far cry from the Friday nights of our former lives, but it was perfect. 

Kev was laughing just as much as the boys were

they were burying his feet

 making Jack feel better after some great injustice that I can't recall...

As I breathed in that fresh canyon air and watched the man I love laugh and play with the boys who have changed us forever, my joy was full.

Were it possible for a person to die from an overdose of satisfaction, I wouldn't be here typing this post.