Every year at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church Preschool, they celebrate Dad’s Day. It’s held on a Saturday morning, to make sure every dad can come. The kids put in a lot of crafty prep for the event: watercolored neckties, dad profiles, drawings of favorite outings. Prior to this year’s Dad’s Day, which happened today, our family has participated in 6 Dad’s Days: 2 for Connor, 1 for Jordan (he went to only one year of preschool), 2 for Max, and 1 for Sierra. Matt made it to all but one because he was traveling. Uncle Nick happily filled in as proxy.

We needed another proxy today. Sierra picked Jon Isom. Although quadruple-booked, the Isom family made it work, farming out their own kids to other families.

As I was braiding Sierra’s hair before the big event, I asked her how she felt about Dad not being able to make it to Dad’s Day.

“Are you sad that Daddy can’t come or are you okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“Well, that’s good.”

Then she squirmed in her seat from excitement, looking forward to all the treats and crafts a preschool could offer.

We met Jon at the preschool and I gave as much enthusiasm in my send-off as I could muster. Then I sat in my van wondering how today could possibly be called Dad’s Day when Daddy was not here.

When I got home, Beau Oyler (my Bishop) sent me a text offering to be on dugout duty at Max’s game so that I could watch Jordan’s game, which were overlapping. I must have told him the games were about the same time. He remembered and I was impressed. He also came to pick up Max for warm-ups so that I didn’t have to be there so early.

At around noon, Mike Crepeau (Jordan’s coach), offered to take Jordan early to the game for extra batting practice. Jordan has been struggling with hits and I prayed that morning that I could figure out how to address this. They arrived at the field a full hour before the team warm-ups.

After Max’s game, Bob Lindfors, an assistant coach, gave me a hug and asked how I was doing. He also wanted me to point out my other baseball kid, who was playing in the next field. At every game, he asks me how I’m doing and does so very sincerely.

At Jordan’s game, Kevin Tye, Max’s former soccer coach, wanted to make sure we signed up Max for the next season. Then he assured me that he and Max’s baseball coach would do everything they could to make sure Max was on their soccer team in the fall.

To my morning’s question as to how today could possibly be called Dad’s Day, I answer with a question: “How could today NOT be called Dad’s Day?” Five dads had my family, specifically my children, in their thoughts then responded to those thoughts perfectly.

We are in good hands. Hurray for Dad’s Day.