Another Birthday Wish

Okay, so we have two big birthdays in my family just days apart. As you well know, Ryan's was Wednesday and my dad's is today!! My dear old dad, I cannot even remember the last time we got him a birthday present- he always gets the short end of the stick from us in the gift department. I know he sincerely wouldn't have it any other way, but it doesn't make us wish we did more for him any less. So I thought the very least I could do is dedicate a post to him.

You know it's funny, just the other morning, I told Ryan "If I had to name the one person who I consciously miss the most, it would be my dad." Sure I miss all my dear family all the time, but he is hands down the person that most often just comes to my mind in the middle of doing something that reminds me how much I miss him. When I made this particular statement, I was simply smearing a bagel with some cream cheese, and thought of my dad. I thought about how he used to travel all the time and in return got to go in those executive member areas of the air port. Any time we traveled or even when we just went with him to drop him off (before the days of heightened airport security) we would go in there with him and take advantage of their breakfast. Even when I was to the age of being perfectly capable of going to get and make my own bagel and pour my own juice, I can't remember a single time that he didn't offer to do it for me. Sure it's a small thing, but it's something that is such a major part of who my dad is. He is the most selfless person I have ever met in my life and would do anything for you, and most importantly, does it gladly. He still offers to do things for me every time I am around him even to this day. Another fun memory of my dad, was one time when I was in high school, for my birthday I wanted my room painted. I just made mention of it and figured we'd revisit the idea later. Well, on my birthday morning I woke up in the middle of my room with all my furniture around me (this was obviously before the days of children when I was a heavy sleeper). Confused, I sat up and quickly realized my dad was half finished painting my room.

He is patient and his "frustrated" side is really laughable. I rarely remember him raising his voice at me when I was little, and he didn't have to- you knew when you had upset him and that was bad enough.

Okay one last example, to paint a picture of who my dad is- especially for those of you who may not know him that well- to me this is so huge and I admire this so much about him. When my family moved to Memphis, we moved onto a golf course. This was my dad's DREAM! He LOVES golf and of course enjoyed a membership to the course we lived on. Well, a few years after we had been there my mom got a dream of her own- she got a horse. Well when this happened, with paying for boarding the horse, etc, my dad decided to drop his membership at the golf course- great picture of sacrifice, right? OH! Just wait.... so my dad is NOT an animal person. When my mom came home with a puppy on my 13th birthday, he told her she was going to have to take it back (luckily there is no exchange policy on dogs=). Yes, he told her she had to take back the 4 pound, non shedding, Shit Zhu puppy- and now he was giving in to horses?!? Well at least they can't sleep in the bed at night, right? Haha, well this has gone to a whole new level. My parents have recently bought land out in the country, where they are planning on building their house out by their two horses and pony. Right now, early every morning and night, he goes out and feeds the horses, brings them in and out of the pasture, and "cleans their stalls" (that means shovels their poop, for those of you who may not know). So the non animal lover, now shovels three horses poop on a daily basis. The greatest thing about it though, is that he loves it and loves those horses as much as my mom does, seriously. He may not always want to do it, but he never grumbles- quite the opposite actually. I know that was a long story but it is a to me, perhaps the biggest picture of the selfless person my dad is.

My mom has said to me recently that my dad regrets missing out on a lot when we were little. He traveled literally Monday through Friday every week. When she said that I thought it was so strange, I always remember him being a part of everything and it almost made my time with him on the weekend all the more special. I don't think as a kid I EVER passed up an opportunity to go to the grocery store of hardware store with him on a Saturday morning. If you can't tell, I was a huge daddy's girl and I still love him and appreciate him so much. He is, after all the reason, I married the wonderful man I did- after a dad like him, the standards were set very high. I know my dad is not perfect, and I don't have him on a pedestal, I am just thankful I was raised by the most perfect dad for me.

I went digging for some pictures and boy was it fun! I had a hard time limiting them down, so sorry there are quite a few. =)

When I found this it had a note written on the back saying that my oldest sister had taken this and never said a word to my parents, they just found it when they had the pictures developed. It has never been hard to see how much my parents love each other.

Okay in my dad defense- it was the eighties haha!

Hard working man.
My favorite picture of us.

Always the avid sightseer =)

Never too old for hugs from dad.
I can only imagine what my mom probably said to him right before snapping this picture.

Lighting my candles at my 13th birthday "party" Don't ask me why I was wearing overalls at thirteen. (Michelle, if you read this- that is the back of your head on the left =) I do remember another "party" when I was younger where we had some neighborhood girls over, and my dad had thought up these really great games, like where everyone was supposed to balance a cotton ball on their nose and run to the end of our drive way, secret being that I had Vaseline on my nose- love my dad, but his corny side, is well, pretty evident to say the least. =)

British Columbia, Canada
At my sister's wedding.
Happy Birthday Dad! You are loved!