Celebrating my Dad

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

You are such an amazing, awesome dad! So loving, giving, caring, kind, hard working, positive, and upright in all you do.

And it means the world to me how you have loved me so well and always been proud of me, even for moments like this! Remember that one?!

(When Caleb saw this picture he was slightly horrified at what I was wearing! I assured him it was fairly in style then...at least, I think it was! He definitely declared the next picture of me a better one, though I think you look pretty spiffy in this picture dad!)

One of my favorite things to say to my dad is, "You're the best dad in the whole world"...and that's because for me, it's true!!

I am celebrating my dad today, and thinking about just a few of the ways he has been a great dad...

• Raking fall leaves and letting Mike and I jump in them to our heart's content
• Bike rides together on our Stingrays with the cool banana seats that you surprised us with
• Dozens and dozens of trips to the Oregon coast, complete with never missing "the bump" on the way to Florence
• Pizza at Pietros on many a Sunday afternoon
• Shooting baskets and playing "HORSE" at our elementary school on the week-ends
• Wide World of Sports on Saturdays, with Cokes and pickled Polish sausages!
• Teaching us about the importance of people as we'd sit around the table after dinner with you sharing about people you met with while traveling for your job
• Teaching us the importance of managing finances well by saving up for things so you didn't go in debt for them
• Teaching us the importance of hard work by demonstrating that to this day!
• Teaching us the importance of God in our lives by taking us to church and serving there in so many ways
• Teaching me the importance of a good marriage by demonstrating that with mom every day of my life
• Teaching me the meaning of "Father" - one who always loves, cares, protects and guides.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best dad in the whole world!! I LOVE YOU!!