05/09/2026
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A fatherโs influence reaches far beyond what he says. It is seen in the way he lives, the choices he makes, the way he loves his family and the example he sets for the next generation.
Youโre going to want to to grab your notebook and pen for this one! We have the mighty man himself, sharing his wisdom and wishes for his children โ Commander Craig Brown ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ? Being a father has taught me accountability, responsibility, and how special and important the relationship is between Dad and his children. It's also taught me more about unconditional love, grace, and patience. It's also taught me what it's like to be a father, something I never thought was possible at one stage, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
One last thing, being a father, has taught me how to be a stepfather to three amazing adults. It's taught me to take away the word "step" in stepfather and just leave it as father, matua, Poppa, without the word step. Just like Azriel, Jasmine, and Tarawha, who are my tamariki, not stepchildren.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ? My favorite memory with my kids is EVERY MEMORY. I cherish every moment. But if I had to choose one, it would be, armmmmmmmm, our trip to Australia was very special, showing my kids that travel is fun and to encourage them to see the world. Also, home births with Pani and Tia coming into the world and Azriel and Jasmine with their home births with our moko's. Those were special moments shared with Mrs Brown. Watching the All Blacks, Silver Ferns, Kiwi's, and Black Caps in the flesh was cool. Ok, that's more than one ๐ ๐คฃ
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ? What makes dad very proud is their salvation and that they know Christ. I'm still working on a couple more kids, lol.
Azriel, who is so talented with weaving and can plan anything with a ๐ฏ% success rate. Stunning with her Te Reo as well.
Jasmine, who, mmmmm, gotta think here, her ability to produce more and more mokopuna ๐ ๐คฃ.
Tarawha, I'm proud that he knows his family and that he knows we love him, and we know he loves us.
Tia, being head prefect, ticks this box and a born leader and being pure at the wedding alter. Her AA stand rates up their. Multiskilled and a stunning public speaker.
Pani, his entrepreneurial mindset, and his golf skills and successful with his mahi. Pani's AA stand and being with Libby for like 8 years without you know what. So proud he's building his first home with Libby at 25 years of age.
Super duper proud they all love their mum โค๏ธ
I'm super proud of them all, and I'm proud I'm their dad/matua โค๏ธ ๐
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ? I hope my children always remember Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
I also hope they remember my birthday ๐ ๐ ๐งง ๐ and my bank account ๐ธ ๐ต ๐ ๐คฃ.
And they remember that the door ๐ช is always open and the jugs always hot โ๏ธ โ๏ธ.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ? Fatherhood to me is that it's all good in the hood, and the hood is all good, with the real Father, our Heavenly Father, and Spiritual Father, and that hood is all goods.
It also means covering, guardian, protector, referee, navigator, and loveanator, timeanotor, and affirmanator. Most importantly, to teach them the ways of the Lord.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ค๐ข๐๐ฌ? Stay planted in the house of God ๐ โช๏ธ and always be kind and always show aroha.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐? That's simple. My favorite thing about being their dad is being their dad. 2ndly, loving them unconditionally with their mum.
And I thank their mum, as without the beautiful Mrs Brown, I would not have been able to be their dad/matua ๐ซ ๐ค โค๏ธ ๐. I may have planted the seed for Pani and Tia, but wifey carried all 5 of our children and did the hard yards to bring them into this world ๐. So let's hear it for our mums on Fathers Day ๐.
Hip Hip Hooray 3x.
โThe righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed are his children after him.โ โ Proverbs 20:7 โ๏ธ
๐๏ธ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ
โฐ๐๐๐๐ฆ
๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ, ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ง, ๐๐
