My Dad

I have a great dad.

He loves me and my siblings.  He always provided for us when we were growing up.  I can remember how he would walk to work every morning when I was a teenager.  We had everything we needed and so much of what we wanted.  I know my dad went without a lot of things he would have enjoyed having so that we kids could have things we either needed or wanted. 

My dad is a family man.  He always has been.  His idea of a nice time was time spent with his family -- whether it was camping at the Aquativity Center on the Atlantic Side or going to the Bacarron River for the day. I admit that, as teenagers, we gave him a hard time with this...  We weren't interested in the family time.  And it's regrettable now.  Unfortunately I learned too late that I needed to cherish those times. .

If I was to list all my favorite memories about my dad, this post would go on forever.  But I still want to share a few.

One of my favorite sounds is my dad's laugh.  I don't know why.  But I know that several of the movies and tv shows I love are ones I watched with him and heard him laughing through.  I think there is a connection there.  He likes to joke around.  The first time he met my husband was before we were married.  We'd flown down to visit my dad so they could meet.  Well, my husband has quite an ability to pack away food (and stay skinny).  It quite impressed my dad.  And my dad started (good-naturedly) calling my then-boyfriend "hoover" -- you know, like the vacuum.  Other times I can recall his laughter involve roosters that crow at midnight in Panama, a guy singing (very poorly, I might add) Dust in the Wind over and over and over again at about midnight in Panama, fake (or fig, if you can hear properly) trees, and getting sprayed by something while driving into Boquete. 

My dad has a good heart.  He recognizes pain and loneliness in others, and I sincerely believe he empathizes with them inwardly, even if he doesn't know exactly how to do it outwardly.  He also does kind things for people.  Most often his family.  For example, knowing that we were coming down to see him, he fixed up one of the spare rooms.  He bought a mattress for the bed that he had moved in there and then made the bed up with the pillow shams and everything.  And bought contoured pillows for our heads ;).  It is a seemingly small thing, but it was really nice and thoughtful.

My dad has been my protector.  And while he doesn't fill that role anymore, he used to.  And he did it well.  He would comfort me when I needed comfort.  He would talk soothingly to me when I was scared. He has worried about me -- even in my adulthood.  I remember when I was going to move to Tuscaloosa to work and attend school.  He rode up with me the week before I was to move to help me find a place I could afford to live.  It was a high-stress day.  And we both ended up crying when I found nothing (because I wasn't going to live in the place with the skull drawn on the neighbor's door...).  I know my dad aches with me.  And I know he rejoices with me too.

My dad taught me to drive.  I remember the first time he was going to have me drive a particular stretch of road alone.  He spent about 5 minutes before actually letting me do so telling me everything he'd already been telling me... Plus, he emphatically told me (multiple times), "Remember... If anything goes wrong, just turn off the key.  The car will stop."  I know it's because he was worried about me.  

My dad surprised us all the first Christmas I was living here in Washington.  He decided to fly out and not tell anyone he was coming.  Irony being what it is, it was the year of the great big snow (2008) and his plane got turned around to Salt Lake City before finally being able to land the next day...  And then, once he was here, he spent his time and money making sure all his kids had snow chains for their vehicles.  

My dad is a good grandpa.  And I'm glad my little girl (and hopefully-future children) will have him as one of their grandpas.  I have enjoyed watching him light up around his grand-kids.  He loves taking them for walks in their strollers when they are really little.  And it was so wonderful that my sweet girl was able to enjoy this time with her grandpa.

They say women often marry men who are like their fathers.  I can definitely see many similarities between my husband and my dad.  And that's a great thing :).

My dad isn't perfect.  But he's a wonderful dad.  And I'm glad he's my dad.  It is because of my dad that I can understand and comprehend the existence of my Heavenly Father.  It is why I can so easily believe and know my Heavenly Father loves me.  And one of the best blessings He ever gave me is my earthly father.  And I am grateful.

 What are you grateful for today?