Annie's Mailbox® by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar

Dear Readers: Happy Father's Day to all the Dads and father figures in our reading audience. You are immeasurably important, and we hope your children will remember to acknowledge you on this special day.

Here's a poem sent to us by a reader in Michigan, author unknown.

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain, the majesty of a tree, the warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea,

The generous soul of nature, the comforting arm of night, the wisdom of the ages, the power of the eagle's flight,

The joy of a morning in spring, the faith of a mustard seed, the patience of eternity, the depth of a family need,

Then God combined these qualities, when there was nothing more to add,

He knew His masterpiece was complete, and so, He called it ... Dad.

Dear Annie: My wife and I had fertility problems for a few years, but after several procedures, tests and adventures, we became pregnant and now have a beautiful 2-month-old son.

I am a social worker, and my main objective is to find adoptive homes for foster children. I myself was adopted, and now I help other people complete their families through adoption. We do not discriminate against adoptive families due to age, but if an older couple is having difficulty adopting, I hope they will check into becoming foster parents through their local state agency or private agencies. There are so many children in foster care who need permanent homes. — Louisville, Ky.

Dear Louisville: Thank you for reminding us, on Father's Day, that there is more than one way to become a loving parent. Anyone interested can contact their local Child Welfare League or State Department of Human Resources, or the National Foster Parent Association (nfpainc.org) at 1-800-557-5238.

Dear Annie: I am a 20-year-old man and would like to change my name.

First of all, I don't want to hurt my mother's feelings. She named me after a very significant person in her life. Second, I don't want my brother to feel somehow left out if I take Dad's name. Third, if I legally become a "Jr.," does that simultaneously alter Dad's legal name to "Sr."?

Can I legally change my name without parental consent? Will I have to change my Social Security number or driver's license? Do I need a court order? Does it cost a lot? — Nameless in New Mexico

Dear Nameless: In many states, you can change your name simply by using it that way, as long as you aren't doing it for fraudulent purposes. Otherwise, you can do it by court order, which will cost a small fee, depending on the state. You may also need to change your Social Security card, driver's license, passport, credit cards, etc.

We suggest you discuss this with both of your parents. (Your father may not approve, since having the same name could create legal hassles for him.) If you decide to go ahead, consider using your new name for a while to see how it goes before making it legally binding.

Dear Readers: In honor of Father's Day, we thought you would enjoy these instructions on how to diaper a baby from baseball great Jimmy Piersall:

"Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again."

Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611. To find out more about Annie's Mailbox, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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