Husband came home late from work and was exhausted. I could tell he needed a little time to transition from work to being at home. Sometimes I take for granted that he just worked a twelve hour day and coming home from the chaos of work to the chaos that is a two year old boy and three month old daughter takes him a moment.

I personally couldn't imagine the pressure and responsibility that goes with being a working parent. We talk a lot about the working mom and everything it takes for her to be everything to everyone but I can't help and wonder about the working dad in the mix of all this.

When do we stop and take a moment to think of him and what he needs?

Wondering about my husband's needs that night kept nagging at me. I realized how important it is for me to acknowledge the hard work he does for our family. Letting him know how proud I am to be his wife and mother of his children is sadly something I don't say enough to him.

I know so many working dads who are passionate about being a dad, passionate about being the main provider of the home or partnering with their wife as they provide together.

Why not encourage him and lift him up for all he does?

A salute to the working Dad.

A salute to all the times you come home to the poopy diaper and change it with genuine joy...for the most part.

When you walk through the door and are bombarded with the emotions of a little one who had a hard day at school and she needs your hug to make it right.

When your wife looks to you to keep peace in the home because the boys wont stop yelling.

When you say goodnight to your youngest and can't believe he was an "accident" because you can't imagine life without him.

When you pull up in the drive and take a few deep breaths before you walk in because you know today is the day your little one would have been five years old.

When you walk in and hug your wife remembering the loss together.

A salute to the nights of washing dishes, taking the dogs out, and playing Candyland after a day of meetings.

When you fall back to sleep after waking in the night because daddy's snuggles is the only thing that would put him back to sleep and you aren't thinking about how you have to get up in two hours to work a twelve hour shift, no, you're thinking about going back in there to finish the night snuggling with your little guy.

When you feel like you're not doing enough and she surprises you with her drawing from school about you being her favorite person.

A salute to the times when you massage your wife's feet because you know she just put in a twelve hour day with some of the most important people in your life at home. Maybe she put in a twelve hour day working the graveyard shift and your encouragement means more to her than you realize.

When you sit down with your son to talk about saving his money for that first car you.

When you see your daughter walk across the stage earning that college degree you worked the extra shifts to pay for.

When you walk in and sit down for dinner excited to hear what's going on in their lives.

Working dads are needed as much as the working mom or stay at home mom or the stay at home dad. Remember to encourage your working Dad. Let him know how much he matters. Life wouldn't work without him.