Dad, Daddy, Father

  

Since yesterday was Father's Day, it seems only appropriate to write about my dad. I feel extremely lucky to have grown up with a great father who would do anything and everything to spoil his daughters. As an adult looking back on my childhood, I recognize just how much he provided for us, and I also realize there must have been many, many sacrifices that both my mom and dad must have endured. The most obvious sacrifice was the fact that my dad continued to work in Southern California after we had moved to Oregon. He would be gone for weeks at a time, driving back and forth numerous times. Even though I have clear memories of him being gone a lot, it seems like he was always around when it mattered. Horse shows, ballet recitals, school performances...he was always there. I'm sure there may have been times when he couldn't make it back for one event or another, but those aren't the times that I remember. It definitely speaks to his dedication, love, and support. And whenever he was in the audience at one performance or another, he was always videotaping. I am so extremely thankful for his constant video documentation of our life. It's very meaningful not only to have recordings of all of these events, but to know Dad was behind the camera and capturing those moments was also special.

I also have really great memories of family outings, vacations, and parties - now that I'm grown up enough to know my dad a little better, I can only imagine how much he didn't enjoy the crowds and chaos, but it never showed. We were a very busy family, always involved in the community and different organizations that required a lot of time and effort for both parents. I have a great appreciation for the memories we created together and, again, to have my dad so involved. And I remember the little things, too, like the bedtime stories or helping with homework or playing card games. His reading of "Mr. Skinny" will probably always be one of my favorite childhood memories. He was always quick to be silly and make me laugh. He was also stern and set great ground rules which I know contributed to my success as an adult (I'm sure my sister would have different memories of the rules, but she was a different teenager than I was *wink*). It really means a lot to me that every time I call home and talk to him, he always says, "Say hi to JC for me" before I hang up. Knowing that my dad cares about my husband may be a little thing, but it's really pretty huge.

My dad is also extremely handy and has built and fixed many things. I remember when he made standards for jumping our horses, and when he created riding areas at two different houses we lived in so we could effectively ride at home. Horse riding was definitely a big part of my childhood, and it was always a special treat when Dad would ride with us. 

I've been trying to think of my favorite memory or a really great story to tell about my dad, but truly, it's the overall "dadness" of him that just makes him so wonderful. Everything all wrapped up into a bundle of love, caring, and protection. I wish I didn't live so far away and could spend more time with him (and mom too, of course!).  But there's something pretty great about knowing he's proud of me and sharing in my accomplishments. I love my daddy very much!