Our Fathers

As Father Day approaches, I am sentimental once again.
I always miss my own father.
But I have to pay tribute to the men who have fathered me since my dad's passing 25 years ago and I have to provide a voice of confidence to those who are missing their own fathers this year. (Miss Maddie, this is for you).
After my own father died, I had my Uncle Charlie, who was my father's brother; my Uncle Larry who was my dad's business partner, and my Uncle Ken, who was my God father.
Uncle Charlie died just a few years after my dad.
Uncle Larry and Uncle Ken both died in 2000, just six weeks apart.
I miss you all every day.
I remember Hiram Rodriquez, the unlikely neighbor who became one of my favorite people over the years as he became one of the closest friends our family would ever have. He'd make the best Puerto Rican rice and he taught me to love avocadoes. He taught me Spanish when I was a child, though I forget a lot of it. We'd sing and dance as Milan Vukovich played the accordion in my grandmother's kitchen.
Milan was another family friend from Hungary.
I had the most wonderful multi-cultural upbringing. Hiram and Milan have long since passed. I have the photos of Milan holding me as a toddler, reminders of the marks these men have left on my life.
With Uncle Larry "Bud" Himes, he was the man who walked me down the aisle when I was married to Dante. It was so utterly fitting because he was the man who taught me how to walk. I wouldn't walk as a toddler (imagine that, I was stubborn!) but one day, out of the blue, Uncle Bud came over and held out his hand and I took it, lifting myself up on my chubby toddler legs and walking by his side.
He ran a record store in Cleveland for years, and he instilled in me a great love for music.
I remember helping him sort records and how he'd teach me about the greatest country artists, because his favorite music was country.
Into my adulthood, I have been so blessed with two incredible men.
Tony and Al, I cannot ever say enough for what you've meant in my life over the past 11 years. I have been so blessed with both of you.
For those of you who don't know, Tony is Dante's stepdad and therefore one of my fathers in law. Al is Dante's biological father, and my other father in law.
I always tell Dante I got so blessed by having two fathers in law. It's as if God made up for my own father's early death.
Al taught me how to enjoy red wine with a meal; I never was much of a red wine drinker until I met Al. He taught me that the best way to enjoy a steak is medium rare. This Father's Day is particularly special because Al ended up in the hospital a few months ago and has been recovering nicely since. We can be ornery together. We play vicious word games and I am one of the only people who can beat him at Scrabble.
It wasn't always that way. His line of thinking made me so much better.
To Tony, who has taught me so much, whose presence at my mother's bedside as she died meant more than he'll ever know. He stood by my side as I planned my mother's funeral. He has made me laugh even at the darkest times. He taught me to always hunt for a bargain and that a price always can be negotiated, even on a funeral.
We have run together, biked together, kayaked together. We have helped each other through numerous surgeries and injuries. When I accidentally used the wrong solution with trying to put in my contacts, Tony was the person who had to flush my eye and get the contact out.
Trust me, that wasn't an easy day for Tony.
We've fought with each other and screamed at each other. We've done home repair together. Tony is one of the most talented home repair people anyone will ever meet. He is also one of the most talented artists.
See why I am so blessed? I wish you both the happiest Father's Day.