My husband has been traveling a lot during this season of life.

His work usually has him running in the cooler months, but this year his schedule hasn’t slowed a bit.

It’s hard to balance family life and a travel schedule. We have learned/are learning to be very intentional about how we use our time when he’s away and when he’s home.

Daddies are crucial to a growing little person.

Having not grown up with a loving daddy, I’m especially sensitive to making sure my littles have important time with their father. I know first-hand how that relationship will affect every single relationship they have for the rest of their lives. (…and I am thankful that in Psalm 68 the Lord promises to be the father of the fatherless!)

I’m amazed to watch my man tenderly teach and train my children. They come to him with their exciting stories and with their broken hearts. He has stood by them when they have received awards and held their hands when they were hurt and had to have stitches or broken an arm.

I remember nights of him praying with them as they first started seeking the Lord’s direction for their lives.

I guess it’s always been an amazing relationship for me to watch since I didn’t have that in my own home growing up.

It’s beautiful. I’m thankful for the way he loves our children.

Here are some ways we try to make the most of our time with Daddy, (even while he is away!):

• Prerecord favorite books or Bible passages to be played before bed or during quiet times
• Make the most of video chatting- we have had family devotions across webcams and story times. Their papa asks about their day and our webcam program allows him to place himself in a rocket, wear sunglasses, have funny hairstyles, etc. The littles think it is hilarious. He also shares funny stories from his work day, or just something he’s seen which makes the littles feel closer to him.

• Follow Daddy on a map. It’s been fun to learn geography just by following Paul on his journeys across a map. Paul has traveled to all but I think, 4 states. The children (even most of the little ones) have learned the names and locations of major cities, as well. Many years ago, Jessica made Paul a little wooden man. Paul will pose him from time to time in front of places where he is working or visiting, and send a photo.

• Have the children write to dad and include their notes in his suitcase. It’s hard for them to be away from their family so much. Everyone likes to feel remembered and important to those they love. The little notes are good reminders to a hard-working man that they are appreciated and loved.
• Keep a calendar of travel dates on a calendar posted some place in your house. We keep a large calendar on the fridge in our kitchen for our little ones and a Google calendar online for our older children. We write in/post it online, the dates when Paul is leaving and when he is to return home. Then everyone knows exactly when he is leaving and exactly when he is going to return home.
• Paul also posts his flight information so the older children can use a program like Flight Aware to track his flights themselves.

It happens that Tommy Nelson sent me a copy of Daddy Loves You So Much  this month for review:

Like a few of the other books I have reviewed in recent months, Daddy Loves You So Much is illustrated by Jo Parry. I adore the soft illustrations of animals with their babies.

It’s a soft covered, 20 page board book with rounded edges.

Each two-page spread has a rhyme about the different things daddies do to show their babies love.

My one year old likes to sit and flip through the pages but my five year old has also enjoyed looking through this sweet book.

We have already read through it a few times, but I thought it would be a fun book for my husband to read to the children across Skype one night while he is away.

I would love to gift one of you a copy of this sweet book! Please leave a comment below (and be sure to enter through Rafflecopter.). We’ll be drawing a random winner on May 25th. (This giveaway is only open to US residents. Thank you for your understanding.!)

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review. I was not required to post a positive opinion. This post contains affiliate links. Thank you!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway