How can I make *Father's Day* special?

[momofkhm]

So without realizing it, the youth mission trip is leaving on Father's Day morning. And not just morning, but we have to leave the church at 6:30! Me and 2 of the kids are going. Then the oldest doesn't know if she can get off work. (I'l have to talk to her about that!) And then he's getting a new helmet combined gift for our anniversary (last week) and Father's Day - so he'll have his gift early

 

It's not like I can make him breakfast before he takes us to church so early - we're renting a van and it will spend the night at our house. I'm already figuring we will go out for dinner the night before.

 

The thing is, we used to always plan VBS for the week following Father's Day. Several of us would spend over 1/2 of Sunday at church decorating. He finally complained to me and I did what I could to get a different week planned. He does an awesome job of making Mother's Day special. I feel so bad that I can't do the same for him on Father's Day.

[Starr]

Since you aren't going to be home, I would completely reschedule and pick a day sometime before and celebrate all day. You could still leave cards on the actual day but there is nothing like being together.

[Tita Gidge]

What about baking muffins? Either make the night before, or better ... get up early and make them that morning, then set them out to cool so they'll be ready when he gets home. Either way, arrange them nicely and set out on the stove or counter before you go so he'll see them when he gets home. He'll be able to snack on them all day long :) Better, make something more fabulous than your usual muffins, and add a special butter. Like honey butter, yum ... easy to make. Or savory muffins with garlic butter, yummier ... so, not an exciting breakfast but still a breakfast (plus snack). If he likes coffee, also get a specialty coffee. My brother loves the Dunkin Donuts coffee, so we buy him the ground version of that LOL. We like to make him earn it, though, so we send him on a treasure hunt through the neighborhood (he, my sisters and I live in the same neighborhood) - you could send him up, down, and around your own house. Our clues rhyme or are in riddle, which makes it fun for us to do, too.

 

The day before, leave little love notes around the house for him to find throughout the day. My kids still do this to me, and it's fun to have them where I least expect them. Think ... toilet seat lid, shower wall, inside of fridge, steering wheel (you can sneak one there as he's dropping you off), etc. I travel a lot for work, so I'm always finding these in my uniform pockets, random suitcase pockets, my lunch tote, etc.

 

How long will you be gone? My husband spent months in a care facility, and the kids drew up a "flat dad" in the way of Flat Stanley. When we did things he wasn't able to do with us (sports games, scout campouts, church, etc.) we took pictures of us with Flat Dad and the event in the background. We have pictures of Flat Dad doing the rapids, rock climbing, crossing home plate (staged, of course LOL), and even attending Mass. So he wasn't with us *per se* but he was "with us" in a way. I'm not sure what your retreat will include, but it may be fun to show Dad how he did spend Father's Day "with you" in some way!

[Mommyof4ks]

I would make Father's Day a different day. My youngest was in the hospital for Christmas a few years back, so we brought a few things to the hospital, but we rescheduled Christmas for two days later when he was home and feeling better. Stuff happens, and we have to keep the spirit of a holiday on another day.

[Mergath]

I agree with picking a different day to celebrate. Dh works a lot of overtime and is on the night shift, and we do that all the time so he doesn't have to sleep through special days. Heck, we even rescheduled Christmas once.