I spent most of yesterday away from the tower, and I didn't get a chance to wish the fathers here a Happy Father's Day, so I hope you all had a good day.
My own feelings about Father's Day are complicated. I never knew my father, but I heard stories through my childhood, and while I can't give him credit for raising me, those stories inspired me to take the path that I did. If he hadn't died so early, and if I hadn't idolized him for joining the Army, maybe things would have been different. As it was, I looked up to him and I wanted to make him proud. Where my father wasn't there for me, my mother was. I owe more to her in my adult life than I do to my father, and I hope she's proud.
Days like these aren't just about the biological parents in our lives. There's much more to raising a child, and a lot of different ways to be a parent to someone. Those of you who have taken someone in who wasn't related to you deserve thanks, too, and a hell of a lot of credit for your selflessness and your heart. I also wanted to take a moment to thank the people here who have given me a reason to look at the day differently, because without you, I wouldn't be so lucky. This time last year, I hadn't imagined I'd be celebrating the day with a child of my own, but this situation we've found ourselves in has given me a lot of blessings, and it's taught me more about myself than almost anything else. So thank you, James, for allowing me to be a father to you here, and to Lyr Sadie, Matty, and Tinkerbell, for letting me into your lives too.