My Papa

 

            My dad is the most amazing dad I could have ever asked for. When my sister and I were younger he always made a point to makes us feel special. He would take us on dates, play games with us, let us help him with the yard work, and many other things. On his business trips, when everybody else headed out to do whatever, he headed for the nearest toyshop to look for something to get his little girls to let them know that daddy thought about them on his trip. On the plane trip home when everyone else was grumpy and moody, my dad was grinning, thinking of those two blonde heads and smiling faces that would run to greet him, tell him how much he was missed, and ask him to never ever leave again.   

 

            Pretty much every night he goes to bed late because he is usually trying to fix something or do something on the computer for his family or for work. He wakes up at 5:00 everyday to go to work so that we can live in our great house and have all the blessings we do. He sacrifices many holidays and weekends to work on his “honey-do list” as well as giving up numerous bike-riding opportunities to spend time with his family. He puts up with three giggly, moody, and unpredictable women, and does it with a smile (he secretly loves it! ;). Even when all three of us get the “giggles” during family prayer time, he patiently and silently waits for us to settle down and eventually asks, “are you finished yet?” while trying to hide his smile and continues with his prayers. He suffered through countless chick flicks just so that he could spend time with his girls (deep down I think he really likes them ;). Who knows the number of hours of precious sleep he lost because of sleepovers that filled his house with a giggling gaggle of girls whom he could not get to shut up for the life of him! When most fathers would get frustrated and mad, my dad would laugh and smile and find a way to have a good time.

 

            In recent years, he has taken to driving the mini van to work everyday so that his daughter doesn’t have to drive the “big boat.” He has set aside his own expectations and plans as he watches his girls drive off to see friends instead of spending every “free day” with him. I have never known my dad to complain when he is asked to finance our “girl outings.” While he isn’t frivolous, my dad always thinks it an honor to bless His girls with money for the occasional pedicure or shopping spree and never hesitates to tell us so. Not many teenage girls can get their dads to go clothes shopping with them, have a good attitude, and actually let them buy the clothes they want; but that was never a problem with my dad.

            Well, my list could go on and on. Yes, my dad isn’t perfect and no, we don’t always get along. But I think I said it best when I was little and I told my dad, “Papa, if I asked Jesus to send me the very best dad out of all the dads in the entire world, I think he would send me you!”

 

Papa Bear, Thank you for everything!… I’ll love you forever and always!