A shout out to the dads of the world!

Today is Dayven's day and he's earned it. So do all the other awesome dads I know. Moms aren't the only ones who work hard.

Dayven's simple question of "How was your day?" is often met with a laundry list of errands and chores I had to do, recounted tales of the kids' antics and misbehaving and all the other reasons why I'm exhausted and under-appreciated.

I never stop to think that his job is hard too. He has his daily stresses at work, crisis that need solving, frustrations with people. He spends countless hours on long desolate stretches of road or in crowded airports, he sleeps in hotel beds and makes small talk with dealers and customers over dinner when he'd rather be home with his family.

He works hard every day to provide all we need. We have a nice home, food to eat, toys, books, clothes, vacations. We have all the necessities and even a few luxuries, too. He makes sure that we are all happy and that we have a good life.

He's an incredible dad. He's very hands-on and helps a lot when he's home. He walks in the door from work, sets his stuff down, takes off his shoes and musters up another burst of energy so he can wrestle with Wyatt and tickle Hadley. He gives Wyatt a bath every night and reads him his bedtime stories. He watches the kids on weekends so I can have some time to get out of the house by myself.

Fathers play a role of immeasurable importance in the lives of our kids. For our sons, they teach them what it means to be a "real man" - to live with integrity, to show kindness and respect, to be humble, to help others, to do what's right. For our daughters, they teach them what to expect from a man and what a healthy male relationship looks like - that they deserve to be treated with love and respect always - setting the standard high so that our daughters will make good choices when selecting a boyfriend and finally, a husband.

Cheers to all the great dads I know, including my own. You shape the lives of your kids in more ways than you know. We're forever grateful for it. We love you!