My dad

So I am not sure if everyone knows this, but I never knew my dad as a kid. I never saw him or heard from him at all until I was 21 ish. Then for the past 12 years we has letter and then email contact. A few phone calls. I had a few photos from my early childhood but that was it. Its way too much of a story to put in a blog, and I am trying to hurry today...so anyway he came for a visit last weekend and I got to meet him for the first time. It was awesome. Jason was saying it sounds weird for you to say "my dad" as I have always had my grandpa and Jason's dad, but never "my dad". The kids had a hard time grasping why I hadn't met him until now, however Austin was seriously concerned that if Jason and I got divorced then he wouldn't get to see Jason until he was "old" but after reassuring him that Jason and I are planning on being married forever and even if for some reason we did get divorced, he would still get to see Jason he was finally ok. Then Austin says to me, " I know that grandpa is a stranger, and I just met him, but I really like him." I told him that he was not a stranger but a family member that we hadnt met before and theres plenty of family out there that we hardly see, and I thought it was great that he liked him. Megan told him, " Grandpa Richard I love you" Right while we were eating at the dinner table and although I think it shocked him, he told her he loved her right back. So he was a hit with everyone. I believe that all things have a reason and our lives are paths to learning so I am sure that this is yet another learning experience for me. I am unsure of the lesson but I think that sometimes its not for us to know the lesson all the time but to grow and be better from it. For example why did I grow up without a father? I learned that my family is even more wonderful that I thought by being loving and accepting ( already knew that but its another testimony of it ) and even when you think that you have it all figured out, you don't. When I would talk to Jason about my dad visiting, he was so what do you think? what are you feeling? I didn't really have any idea and had no real expectations. I thought it wouldn't really matter much , it was just a visit, one weekend. However, when he arrived it changed me. Its another piece of the puzzle of me and I once again learned that we can grow, forgive and love every day even when we didn't think we could.