I was going over notes from a parent dance meeting and I saw his handwriting in the margins. It caught me off guard. It was one of those moments where I realized what he does for us. It was one of those moments where I was reminded why I picked him, why I want his actions to be what our children see.

He had volunteered to go to the mandatory parent meeting as I couldn’t make it that night. He didn’t volunteer because he had the time – his days are booked solid – but he knew this meeting was important. He knows how much his stepdaughter loves to dance. So on that particular day, he went to work early to make sure he could make it to the meeting.

I thought he just went because someone had to be there. I thought I would catch up on the notes from the other moms at another time. But instead, I stared at the notes in his handwriting, notes that showed he actually listened. He showed up. He did it for me, but really he did it for her. He did it because this is the thing she loves to do most and she has poured her heart into it for years. He did it because on that day, she needed to have someone there, so he went. He wasn’t going to let her down, he never does. He doesn’t miss the recitals. He doesn’t miss the competitions. And on this Wednesday night in June, he took notes, and he showed us how much he loves us. He showed up – and he’s been showing up for years.