Father's Day 2014

Father's Day and Matthew's birthday landed on the same day. But Matthew said he wanted to celebrate his birthday a day early because, "Dad needs his own day to be honored." I thought that was sweet.

I failed to capture that sweetness in the Father's Day photo, but at least it is accurate photo journalism.

Caleb was sulky because his brothers got more candy at church than he did. Isaac decided that he had a winking condition, and out of a dozen shots, this was the only photo where Matthew was looking at the camera.

Thankfully, Christopher understood the mood and joined in. He made his scrunchy fish face, Matthew body-bumped the air, Isaac tried to bite his cousin's calculator phone, and Caleb continued to sulk about not getting as much candy as everybody else.

The boys gave their dad books and I gave him a power tool. It wasn't the perfect day. But it was a day spent together. I am so, so grateful our boys can still stand next to their dad in photos. And play tickle torture. And read stories, and run together, and snuggle, and talk, and do Star Wars Legos, and make silly faces together. It's a gift.