Shout Out to My Main Man

I have a job because of bad parenting.

I work with foster children that are in the system for many reasons. Child has a history of substance abuse, aggressive behaviors, lack of motivation, etc. This all traces back to bad parenting skills. These children adopt characteristics of their parents and many of them even have mental health issues because their mother's lack of parenting skills even when she was pregnant. Because of the bad choices these parents have made, it will forever affect the lives of these children and I get a paycheck every two weeks because of it. Thanks, parents.

Working in this field has made me appreciate the things in my life more than I ever have before. I have grown a new appreciation for my parents and how grateful I am that they DID want me and take care of me. With Father's Day right around the corner, I sit down and think about how I appreciate more and more the amazing man that the Lord has placed in my life long before I was even born. This man is my father: Edgar Arturo Ariza

Looking back at my life, I remember always being embarassed by my dad. When he would come to pick me up from high school, I would tell him to park far away so my friends wouldn't know that I was still being picked up by my dad when everyone else had their own cars. When friends would come over, he would talk with them with his goofy self and make voices to try to make them laugh. Under my breath I would tell him to stop or I would give him "the look." My dad taught me how to play guitar, how to rollerblade, and the importance of knowing my both languages very well: English and Spanish. My dad would never miss an opportunity to teach me something new about the Bible and starts many sentences, "Ellen G. White says...." and I would secretly  roll my eyes.

Growing up, my dad would take my brother, sister and I to school and EVERY SINGLE DAY would have breakfast ready for us. My dad actually woke up early, ran downstairs with shaving cream still on his face, and cook breakfast for us. Not just any breakfast, but pancakes, scones, oatmeal shakes, huevos pericos (eggs with a ton of vegetables), and the list goes on. When he had no time to cook breakfast, we would do a quick run to the convenient store and stock up on bottled OJ and donuts. Regardless, he would make sure we went to school with a full stomach EVERY SINGLE DAY. And I can't help but to think that the kids that I work with have gone hungry because their father never wanted to feed them.

When I was a little girl, my dad would teach me how to hold my future boyfriend's hand. One day we were walking into Home Depot on a Sunday morning and he holds my hand and says, "Mami, when you get a boyfriend, you hold his hand like this." He would protect me from the boys at school and church that would like me because he would say they were never good enough for me. When I went through my first break up.... and second, third, and fourth.... I called up my dad and he would cry with me on the phone and stay up late hours to pray for me and pray with me. He would never try to fix the problem: he just cried, prayed, listened. Cried, prayed, listened.

My dad actually prays for my future husband. To this day, he gets on his knees every night since the day my sister and I were born, and he actually PRAYS for my future husband.

Not to get all Freudian on you, but I strongly believe that when a woman has a strong relationship with her father, it can make all the difference in the world.  My dad has show me more love than I can ever ask for and because of that, I am the woman that I am today. This man never stops being a father and I hope he never does. I am very thankful for this ridiculously goofy-embarassing-Colombian-God-fearing-short-soccer-playing man in my life that I call my dad. My father. My papi.

I am thankful that the Lord has matched you and I perfectly to be father and daughter. You are my main man always. You show me Jesus every single day. You have done for me more than you will ever know. I love you, dad. Happy Father's Day. :)

-Jennifitar