Papa's approval
This picture means more to me than I'll probably be able to express in words. One thing I know is that something had to be going terribly wrong if Papa was disappointed and having his approval, even if you didn't know you needed it, meant more than can be imagined. It was in that rocking chair that Papa told me he'd seen lots of parenting in his day and he liked what he saw in me. He complimented little situations he'd witnessed, he complimented my abilities and best of all, he complemented my kids. Knowing that I'm not perfect and that I didn't do things the same way as everyone else seemed to mean so little and he made me believe my special little family stood a good chance at being just fine. Having the approval of Papa on something as important as parenting is just as important as having my own parents approval. I know I wouldn't be who I am, surprises and all, without the family I have. I appreciate the guidance and morals I was taught and can only hope to keep passing them on to my kids.