D is for : Dad

There is something special about the relationship between a daughter and her dad. Unfortunately, not everyone gets to experience it. Some girls grow up without a father present. Some girls grow up with their dad present, but live in fear. I am very thankful that I was raised in a home with both parents present. My dad was and still is a hard worker. He always had my back. He always supported me. He always believed in me. Most importantly, he always loved me.

When there is love, there is discipline. I remember several times that I got in trouble with dad. I knew that if I got in trouble at school, then I would always get in trouble at home. I remember getting in trouble for getting into mom's makeup with a friend, and getting caught. I hurriedly tried to scrub the lipstick off her face and in the process, knocked her front tooth out. Or the time that I pushed my sister into the creek that was by our house. Or the time he caught me making out.......
Alright...enough of that.....How about some good memories....


My dad was always so creative during my childhood. He would put cotton on a glass at Christmas time to make us believe that Santa had really been there and drank the milk and ate the cookies. Dad always made sure our cars for the Awana Grand Prix were always perfectly greased and looked pretty awesome. He has always been a really great April Fools prankster too. If one of my toys broke, he would find a way to fix it. When I was little, we would color together and I would be amazed at his mad coloring skills. He also would draw different basketball jerseys and color them and I would cut them out and glue them in a book. Dad was always a good cook, and rarely used a recipe.

Dad has always loved my mom. They had their times of arguments and stressful times, but they would always make it through. They never gave up, and they never threw in the towel. I remember our family had a burgundy Buick and my sister and I would ride in the back. Sometimes, dad would put his arm under my mom's on the armrest. I loved that as a little kid. In that moment, I knew things were okay. In that moment, I felt safe. My parents made sacrifices. My parents made it through some pretty hard struggles. I am thankful for the love that my dad has for my mom.

I am thankful that I can cry in front of my dad, and I am thankful that I can laugh with him. We have had some pretty great laughs over the years. However, my dad is not really a man of many words. As I thought about what thing I cherish most from my dad...it would be what he put in cards. Whether it was a birthday card, or a Valentine's card, or a "thinking of you" card while I was in college...his little messages spoke volumes. I always looked forward to reading my cards because I knew that I could count on my dad's words to make me teary.

Dad, thank you for loving me unconditionally, having my back, being one of my biggest fans, and for loving my mom. Always, your little girl!

"A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart."