Father's Day

Happiest of Father's day to my own Father - Dean Groves- who has always been very loving, mostly patient (imagine having to teach 4 kids how to drive, swim and ride a bike!! "mostly" is a big compliment) always there when you needed advice and my biggest cheerleader.  Thank you, Dad.  I love you. 

And to Marty who couldn't be a better dad to our kids.  They have no idea how lucky they are to have such a loving dad.  We often fight about the fact that he is way to easy on them.  I'm definitely the authoritarian in the family. He gets angry sometimes but will ALWAYS apologize if he has been too harsh.  He is there for each of the kids in ways I wouldn't even expect - and even more so since we have moved to Germany.  He LOVES those kids with every ounce of his being.  I often worry a bit about how he will be once they are grown and gone.  They are his entire life and his entire

heart. 

On this Father's day we decided to go for a little bike ride along the Mauer Weg with the kids.  Marty and I have done it several times and we thought the kids would have a blast doing some of the smoother parts with roller blades and scooters.  So we first stopped by a nearby park and played a bit of Ultimate frisbee and then onto the bike path.  The kids loved it.  Josie often would hang on to Marty's bike rack and he would pull her and have his hand on Benjamin's back.  I managed to snap a picture but this really sums up his parenting.  Very supportive, hand on the back, pulling them both along.  

At one point Josie was riding along while hanging on to the back of Marty's bike, they rounded a corner and all of a sudden there was gravel.  Well, if you've been on roller blades at all you know that gravel is NOT your friend.  Josie went down hard but somehow forgot to let go of Marty's bike.  Marty, unaware, kept going. She was drug through the gravel a bit, me yelling at her to "Let GO!" and Marty eventually stopping.  She was a bit scraped up but handled it like a champ!!  It was like watching someone who is water skiing go down and not let go of the rope!! 

Just beyond the gravel was a nice park so the kids played there for a bit as Marty and I debated the plans for the rest of the day.   It is the World Cup here and we don't have TV so we keep saying that we should plan to go to a restaurant to view it.  Our friends, Hollis and Lowell live above a cool Greek restaurant that we have been wanting to return to and Hollis and I even made tentative plans to eat dinner and watch the game together.  But... it was HOT and we were all sweaty from the bike ride and Josie was all dirty from being drug through the gravel.  And VERY unlike us we decided to go for it.  To ride the train/tram about 45 minutes away to watch the Germany vs. Mexico game (yes, a family divided!) 

As it was last time we ate there, food was delicious.  Hollis and Lowell and their three boys were fabulous company and we all enjoyed the end to Father's Day.  

I was definitely the least popular person at the restaurant as Mexico defeated Germany 1-0. 

We rode home all full and satisfied and happy.  Me a bit more than the rest.  VIVA MEXICO!!