Happy Birthday to Dad!
I love my Dad. When I think of him, my mind is filled with memories of following him out to the garage and watching/helping him on a project. I remember getting up before dawn, eating a cup of oatmeal, and heading out together on the ATV to go hunting. My Dad shared once that he loves his retirement because he worked so much when we were young and now he has a chance to get to know all of us. But even though he did work nights, and slept through a lot of days, he was always, and still is, a huge part of our lives. He is the kind of Dad who buys a new birthday dress for his 14 year-old to go to her first church dance. He used to bring home peanut buster parfaits from Dairy Queen for all of us to enjoy together. He’s the kind of Dad who visits you, and when he leaves you find some thoughtful present has been given, or some needed money has been tucked into your sock drawer. He’s the kind of Dad who notices if your voice doesn’t sound right over the phone and calls every day to check on you. If he’s still not sure that you are doing better, he sends in Mom. He is the kind of Dad whose advice fills your mind when you’re about to make an important decision and keeps you from making a mistake, even though he might be miles away. His influence is as large as his smile and his hearty laugh. On his birthday, I know I speak for all of us when I say, I hope he knows how much we love him, how much we need him, and how very proud we are to have him as our father.
