‘I loved you before them. But with them between us now, I love you even more. As a dad, your light shines.’: Mom shares ode to father of her children

Get more stories like this in your inbox! Sign up for Smile, our free daily good news email read by over 825K people!

“I loved you before them.
But with them between us now, I love you even more.

Because we have been through so much together since them, because of them, with them.
Because while parenthood has tested our love, it has shown us a new love worth working for.
Because you show up for me, and them, and you never leave when pushed.

You stay.
You have always stayed.
You are the stay of us, our family.

You have seen me at my worst, my weakest, my most challenging of moments and tiredness of years.
Of pregnancies,
Of births,
Of postpartum.
Yet you hold my hand even tighter.

And you have worn my hard days.
Just as you wear them.
On your chest.
On your shoulders.
On your heart.
You carry them too, and relish in the weight of all that they are.

You have been there with me, in moments of them needing me, because I needed someone too.
Holding me, while I hold them.
Feeding me, while I feed them.
Consoling me, while I console them.
You have been my someone when I feel like everyone.

And you make their smiles shine even brighter, the only way you know how. Your own way.
With your jokes.
And your play.
And all the things I don’t have the energy for by 5 p.m.
You are why they don’t want to go to bed.
And why the weekends can’t come fast enough.

You are their light.
Just as you always have been mine.
But as a dad, you shine even brighter.â€

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Emma Heaphy. You can follow their journey on InstagramFacebook, and her blog

Courtesy of Emma Heaphy

Get more stories like this in your inbox! Sign up for Smile, our free daily good news email read by over 825K people!

Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.