I am writing this as I get ready for my first Father’s Day as a dad.

That still feels crazy to say.

I have fully embraced my dad era. I am in bed by 8:00, loud music annoys me, and last week I think I almost yelled, “Get off my lawn!”

Just kidding on that last one… for now.

If my hunch is correct, my dad is probably giving me a shoutout in his weekly article, so I wanted to return the favor and tell him how much I appreciate him and how amazing of a dad he has been to me.

Dad, thank you.

You have always been there. You supported me in everything I did, taught me lessons I still carry with me today, and showed me what being a good father looks like. I am lucky to have you, and now that I am a dad myself, I appreciate everything you did for me even more.

One of my favorite memories is going to the beach as a family on Father’s Day and celebrating my dad. Looking back now, I realize those simple moments were a lot more special than I knew at the time.

I am also incredibly blessed to be Beau’s dad.

I thank God for him every single day. He is a special little fella, and being his dad has been one of the greatest joys of my life.

But I want to switch up the thinking on Father’s Day for a minute.

I want to thank my wife.

Without Lauren, I am not sure I would be the dad I am today.

I always knew I wanted kids, but I was never quite sure when. Lauren was always the one telling me what great parents we would be and how good of a team we would make raising a child together.

Man, was she right.

But she is the real rockstar.

I am constantly amazed by how great of a mom she is and how much she does for Beau every single day. He is absolutely a mama’s boy, and honestly, I do not blame him.

Lauren makes being a good dad easier.

She makes me want to be better.

I want her and Beau to be proud of me as a husband, a father, and a man. Every day I do my best to put my best foot forward and be there whenever they need me.

So, while Father’s Day is about dads, I want to give a shoutout to the moms who help make dads look good.

For example, Lauren always says that right now Beau associates me with fun and good times.

That is pretty awesome.

But Mom is the bedtime enforcer.

Mom is the boogie cleaner.

Mom is the nail trimmer.

Mom is the one doing a thousand little things every day that often go unnoticed.

Have I mentioned how thankful I am for her?

Now for my fellow dads, here is my thought.

A lot of dads talk about wanting their own time on Father’s Day. Maybe it is a round of golf. Maybe it is hanging out with friends. Maybe it is just some peace and quiet.

There is nothing wrong with that.

But what I want this Father’s Day is family time.

I want Lauren, Beau, Buck, and me all together.

I want to load Beau into the stroller, put Buck on his leash, and head somewhere as a family.

Because if there is one thing becoming a dad has taught me, it is this:

The greatest gift is not getting time away from your family.

It is getting time with them.

And that is exactly how I want to spend my first Father’s Day.

I want to end this with a shoutout to my Pop Pop.

Another special fella who helped lead the way for the dads in the Webb family.

I hope he is looking down, smiling at James Beau Webb, and proud of the family he helped build.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, grandpas, stepdads, and father figures out there. The impact you have is bigger than you know.

“The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.” — Proverbs 20:7