Special Guy, Special Day

This weekend was all about that most important guy in our life...Daddy/Mike!  I decide to take a couple of days off work to make this a nice, long weekend and spend a little extra time with the family!  We had a big weekend planned!
Friday started with Mike and Lila meeting Brandon and Henley at the splash pad in Center Point.  This was Lila's first time at the splash pad and she had a great time, any time spent with Henley is a fun time!

Friday evening found the Holub's and the Hahn's at our house for a get together.  The guys just thought it was the gang getting together like any other time, they had no idea that there was  surprise in store!  The ladies had been planning their Father's Day surprise since around Christmas time!  A lot of thought went into this gathering, we sent lots of emails back and forth, got together for lunch, spent time searching for ideas on the internet, all for these wonderful men who are the best Dad's to our little ones.

After our wonderful dinner of homemade pizza, salad and fruit, it was time for the big reveal!  We took the kids down to one of our basement bedrooms where we had been hiding all the loot and got them changed into their outfits, grabbed the very special dessert and their handmade invitations and off we went to surprise the Dad's!

The Dad's were all enjoying themselves on the deck as the group of kids walked out and said "let's go racing!"  They took their invites over to their Dad and the boys, a bit confused, anxiously read what they were in for!  On October 6th they will be participating in the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience at the Newton Speedway.  Mike will get behind the wheel of a real life race car and he gets to share the experience with two of his closest friends!  The guys were shocked and very excited -- mission accomplished!

Surprise!!!

The drivers & their pit crew!

Happy (early) Father's Day!

Saturday night found us heading to Vinton to watch the highly anticipated alumni football game between Center Point - Urbana and Vinton-Shellsburg.  Mike couldn't have been more excited to play in the alumni football game this year with one of his good friends, Josh.  They started practicing 10 weeks ago and each time Mike woudl come home with less anxiety about what he was getting himself into at the age of 35 and more excitement about being able to play for his high school team again, under the lights!  We were a bit nervous that the rain would keep them from playing, but shortly after 7:00 they kicked off!

I would argue that Mike had the largest cheering section!  We had a lot of family and friends there to cheer him on!  If you know Mike at all, you know that sports are part of his soul and to be on the field again, not only playing football, but for his high school team, that was a big deal!  Not knowing Mike in high school, it was a lot of fun to watch him and Lila couldn't have been more proud of her Dad! 

 

I must be honest.  Lila was SO excited to go watch Daddy play football, but she was completely frustrated with me when we got there only to find out that Daddy was in full football gear with a big helmet on and when I would say to her, "there is Daddy, he is number 29," she would look at me like what the heck are you saying, I don't see my Dad out there. 

Enjoying a little in-game entertainment!

Lila & Henley, no their outfits were not planned!

Ruby enjoying the concessions!

Mike's littlest fan, Sloan!  Looking so cute in her black & gold!

The Pointers won the game 9-0!  We were so excited for Mike to come running across the field with a W!!!  Winning definitely makes the whole experience that much better and the bumps and bruises he was sporting the next day a little less painful!

Good game!

Way to go Daddy!!!

When Mike came over to his cheering section he looked so happy and Lila darn near jumped in his arms!  Everyone was so eager to hear whether or not this was a good idea after all or if he got out there and he decided that this was actually a bad idea?!  While he said he was definitely not as limber as he was when he was 18, he loved every minute of being back on the field and is already making plans to do it again next year!

Daddy's biggest cheerleader!

Dylan checking out Mike's helmet

Ruby's next!

Last but not least...Celia!

Our Father's Day was spent relaxing around the house.  We intended on going to Jason and Jen's to celebrate, but we have a little one who is under the weather, so it was best to keep her home.  So, the three of us made the best of our day, enjoying each other!  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, but even more than that a wonderful partner.  Lila truly couldn't have a better Daddy.  From the moment we found out that we were having a baby Mike has been 100% devoted to his little girl.  Just when I thought I loved him as much as I could, he became a Daddy and I loved him more than I ever knew I could and as I watch their relationship grow stronger every day, I love him even more.

As I sit here and write, my Dad is half way around the world on a Baltic cruise.  So, it is important to me to be sure to send a special Happy Father's Day to him on this very special day, the day that is set aside for those most important men in our lives. 

Happy Father's Day to Mike, to my father, to our grandfathers and all of the other important men that have blessed us by being in our lives.  We love you!