'Teen Mom' 's Gary Shirley Shares Rare Photo of Daughters Emilee and Leah on First Day of School

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"I’m very honored to be their father," the proud dad said of his girls

<p>Gary Shirley/ Instagram</p>

Gary Shirley/ Instagram

Gary Shirley loves life as a girl dad.

The proud father and Teen Mom star, 36, shared a photo of daughters Emilee, 8, and Leah, 14, as they posed in front of their home, ready to embark on another school year.

"Just two of the most important people on this planet," Shirley captioned the shot. "Today was their first day of school! I love these girls very much. I’m very honored to be their father :)."

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Related: &#39;Teen Mom OG&#39; : Amber Portwood Reunites with Daughter Leah amid Strained Relationship

Shirley shares Emilee with wife Kristina Shirley and Leah with ex Amber Portwood.

In October, the teen was seen in an episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter in a sit-down with her dad as he explained a judge ruled that Portwood's 4-year-old son James Andrew could move to California with his father, Portwood's ex Andrew Glennon.

"Andrew's allowed to take James to California," Gary told Leah. "I'm assuming that's what's going to happen."

"It's really unfair," Leah said in response. "My mom and James, they really do have a nice relationship. Like something I didn't have with her but it's unfair because all of her work that she's gone through to even be here now, is that all for nothing?"

"It's not all for nothing, but it can seem like that," Gary said, validating Leah's frustration with the situation.

Teen Mom/Facebook; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty
Teen Mom/Facebook; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

In a February episode of Teen Mom: Family Reunion," Portwood opened up to Dr. Cheyenne Bryant about her strained relationship with Leah.

"I knew that I was not doing everything that I could with Leah. Now, so much has changed," the reality star shared. "Back in the day I thought staying away was the best thing to do for Leah and it actually just completely backfired a couple years later."

Working with Coach B, Portwood planted seeds to symbolize her hope that her relationship with her daughter will grow and blossom.

“The first seed that I’m planting is for the love the Leah did not receive from me a long time ago because I thought that she would be better off without me because I thought that I would just hurt her future and I want this to grow so that she will know that I never gave up on her," Portwood said through tears.

“There is nothing that I will ever be able to do to fix any of that stuff but I just have to keep going," she later added in a confessional scene.

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