The Evolution of a Father

A father doesn't just appear out of thin air, it takes a lifetime of learning and changing to become a loved and respected father of three adults. These are just a few examples of the links in the chain of 35 years of fatherly evolution.
At one point a father is like any other person
Then it starts when a man loves a woman, and she
feels sorry for him (haha, naw, she loves him too)
And before long he adds another title of 'loving father,'
in addition to 'loving son' and 'loving husband'
He learns to appreciate the precious gift he has been given
He learns they are not only cute
but can be rather fun to play with
But as a father he also steps up to provide what they need,
food, eventually clothes...
He much teach them the importance
of enjoying nature
And how to throw rocks into water
Not to mention having to look excited and surprised every year
he gets chocolate covered cherries for Christmas
As a father he continues supporting his children 
Realizing that what they most often
need is love and to be cared for
And learns that raising girls has its price
But it's an adventure the whole way
And a father continues enjoying every child
that gets added to his group
He learns to enjoy every
moment together he can get
And many times he accompanies them to the horizon,
not knowing what will come next
Eventually a father relives the joys of homework
But all the while standing strong as a man,
not only in his family but in his community
Continuously pouring love out to his children
Teaching them to appreciate all sorts of interesting hobbies
Giving them the gift of culture no matter
 how silly it makes him look
He teaches the nutritional value of a good cone of ice cream
And many times this loving man steps back
to help document the lives of those he loves
And no matter how quickly the years roll by,
he never loses he ability to care for his children
After all, it's been his job all along
And through this all, he not only helps shape them,
but also helps his children realize who they really are
No man retires from his job as father, but hopefully no other job produces such rewarding products. This father's 401K includes 1 loving wife, 3 adoring children, 2 proud children-in-law and 5 bubbling and bright grandchildren. 

After our mere 25 years together... I love you daddy.