Daddy's Day

Today is my daddy's birthday. I've written before about how great my dad is so I won't repeat that here today, but I wanted to say this, I've made some observations about dear old dad recently:

He was the first man I ever loved;

He could move mountains as far as I was concerned;

He built the best ice houses and straw forts;

He was stern yet loving;

He was a teacher and friend;

He was the best at everything,

He could fix anything,

He made the best french toast in the world;

When he took you for ice cream the whole world's problems melted away;

He could make up a song at the drop of a hat and you'd sing it for the rest of the summer;

He found the best road trip destinations;

He always had an extra dollar for a treat;

He had a smile that could light a room;

And you could always count on him.

Now. These were observations I made when I was a wee girl. Now that I am grown, I see he isn't perfect. We have had our disagreements and we have had our knock down drag out fights, but one thing has never changed, make that two:

I know he loves me and he'd give his life to see me happy; and you can still count on him (I guess that is three).

When it comes down to it, the measure of a man isn't his size, his muscles, his intelligence, his job, it is how well he treats and loves his family and how well they love him. It is in the respect he's given for proving that his family is his most important asset and demands his attention and responsibility. It is the imprint he leaves in his grandchildren and the smiles on their faces in his presence.

My dad. Happy Birthday. May you stay healthy and live long. Thank you for being the first man I ever loved!