Today is my Dad’s birthday

He was almost a leap year baby, but my Nana is a stubborn woman and {as the story goes} she refused to let him be born on a day that only comes around once every four years.  He was also a 10 pound baby, so major kudos to my Nana!  I love hearing stories about my Dad from when he was little.  I think he is part cat because he must have 9 lives and has already gone through at least 7 of them.  My Dad has lived.  And I don’t mean “lived” like he is famous or invented something that has changed our daily lives {like post-its}, but he has made a profound impact on his family and those who know him.  He has an incredible testimony of how God got a hold of him and lives in the freedom of knowing what life is truly about.

I have always been a Daddy’s girl.  Meaning my Dad has always made me feel safe, loved, provided for, and special.  I probably don’t even have the faintest idea of how hard he worked when we were little, juggling earning another degree and a full time career and still always having time for my mom, brothers, and me.  And when I think back to my childhood, I have memories like playing catch in the backyard, the huge sand pit {AKA neighborhood stray cat litter box} that my Dad built so that we could feel like we had our own little beach in the desert, shooting hoops in the driveway {we learned from the best… my Dad played some college ball!}, helping me with algebra and the project that I had a month to complete and waited for the night before to begin {hey, us artsy types work best under pressure ya know!}

A little story about my Dad…

One of my best memories was when I was like 13 or 14.  There was a store in the mall that had these beautiful little glass figurines.  There was one in the front of the store that I would go look at every time I was there.  It was of two little swans looking down so that their necks made the shape of a heart.  I would joke that one day my Prince Charming would buy me something like that {yes, romance is fickle when you are 13… true romance is watching your man wash the dishes!}  Anyways, one day it was GONE from the shop!  I was so bummed!  I guess I thought it would just be sitting there every time I wanted to visit “my” figurine.  I think it was my birthday, and my Dad gave me a special present just from him.  When I opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes!  It was my figurine!  My Dad told me he would be my Prince Charming until God brought my real Prince Charming into my life {which he insisted would not be until I was 30}.  I still have my little swans.  I don’t put a lot of value on material things, but I will keep this and pass it on to my daughter BECAUSE of the story that goes with it and the amazing Dad that is represented with that gift.

Here’s my Pappy {that’s what I call my Dad, and now what the grandkids also call him} and me at Disneyland.  According to the back of the photo, I was 3 and a half.  This sits in my daughter’s room now and she thinks it’s a picture of her.  She is my mini-me after all, and I’m sure it won’t be long until she really has a picture of her and Pappy at Disneyland together.  They will be going with us on our first trip there with the kids {as soon as we are a diaper free household} and I can’t wait to see my Dad enjoy the magic with his grandkids.

Happy Birthday Pappy!  We love you soooooo much!