Father's Day Tribute

I am blessed to have had two father's in my life.

My daddy, Tony Hagen, passed away at the tender age of 24, just as he and my mom were building their dreams and growing their young family.  My 4 1/2 year old memories are hazy and blotted, but I remember his voice.  I remember the feeling that he loved me very much as the oldest of his three little kids.  I remember the sunny, hot day in July 1976 when I said good-bye to him for the last time.  My mom calls him her "boy husband."  I have always missed him and his presence and always will have the hole of missing him walking with me as I grew up and became an adult, holding and playing with my beautiful sons, and sitting with me on my front porch over coffee.

Merlin and Marilyn Folz, my parents

But God didn't leave us alone. He brought another man to my mom's door, literally. A traveling salesman named Merlin Folz came to the door one day, selling insurance.  My mom invited him in for coffee (we recently teased her for allowing a strange man to come into her house and serve him coffee!) and the rest is history. They were two sad souls, my mom having lost her husband and left with three little children, and Merlin having served in Vietnam and returning with the weight of war on his shoulders. God brought them together and after about ten years of dating, we kids finally told him he better propose, he did, and over 25 years later and one more little girl later, they still hold hands and are good friends.

That guy who stopped to help you when you had a flat tire on the highway? That's Merlin.  He has never passed by someone in need without selflessly giving his time and energy to help.  If there's anything that needs fixing or building, he's the fix-it, generally handy man.  If he can't fix it, he will figure out how to fix it himself or facilitate the fixing.  He would give his left and right arm for anyone.  He's the guy who has a friendly smile on his face and talks to you at the gas station, while you awkwardly say hi and find yourself enjoying the conversation after a while. :)  I have never paid for an oil change, and my van is never dirty when he's around.  He LOVES my boys and his grandchildren as if they are his blood (he often jokes that they look just like him...) and willingly babysits anytime, taking my boys with joy.

He has a strong and simple faith in Jesus and isn't afraid to share it.  He has stood with me through some tough times, laughed with me in the good times, given me advice, been on my side when I've been hurt, sad with me, cried with me.  He calls me an "educated brat" with much love and pride. :)  He can demand no nonsense, yet his heart is soft.  After all these years, I don't think of him as "step-dad," he is just as much dad as my young daddy who watches from heaven with his blessing. 

Thank you, Merlin, for walking into the house so many years ago and joining our family.  You are in my heart.