Happy Birthday Dad!!

Today is my Dad's 60th birthday, and I wanted to take a few minutes to tell you about him.

My Dad is the kind of dad who...

Takes his little girl around the neighborhood to sell Girl Scout cookies, and doesn’t get mad when he realizes that she has only been pretending to knock on all the doors….

Dad reading Luke 2 on Christmas morning (a holiday tradition in our family) 1979

Pays for a full box of fund-raiser candy bars that his little girl carelessly left in the hot car to melt….

Reads aloud the first few “Little House” books to his small daughter when he has spare time…

Once used the lawn mower to create a little softball diamond in the front yard, for his silly little girl to practice hitting…

Thinks it’s funny to drive his teen aged daughter around the “loop” in the min-van with classical music blaring, and with his hat on backwards…

Writes his daughter letters telling her about life back at home, filling her in on all the latest news, cheering her up when she feels low…sometimes even drawing silly illustrations on the envelopes….

Drives to her apartment to dispose of a mouse that has gotten stuck in a “live trap” when his daughter calls him late at night, terrified of all the squeaking and refusing to touch the mouse or the trap herself…

When he’s worried about his young daughter (who has just moved out of state), sends her a check with an official looking letter that says she has won the “Family Lottery”….

Upon seeing his 20 year old daughter’s tattoo (of the Superman ‘S’ emblem), says, “You know what that “S” stand for? It stands for Stupid.” Note: All these years later, I can’t say that I disagree. Ah, the folly of youth….

Doesn’t complain when the pantry got raided by the daughter who had her own apartment…

Always is kind and supportive of his wife, and together they set a wonderful example of how truly good a marriage can be….

Continues to be supportive and thoughtful even after his little girl grows up and starts a family of her own…

Ready to "give me away" 2007

Happy Birthday Dad! Thanks for all you have done and continue to do. You are a wonderful father, Grandpa and friend. I love you!