Daddy

I was watching a tv show the other day and there was a scene where a grown woman referred to her "Daddy" and the people around her were shocked.  And then she heard someone else refer to their "Daddy" and she was relieved that she wasn't the only one who had a "Daddy" and not a "Dad".  That's one thing that I love about the South is that, for a girl, she always has a "Daddy".  Children drop the "Mommy" at some point, but Daddy's get to keep their revered title with their little girls forever.

When I saw that scene it got me thinking about my Daddy.  His birthday is today and usually I write a post for my parents birthday's.  This year is no exception and I'm not going back to read previous post's so this could just repeat what I've said before but this is the honest truth.

I have the best Daddy there is.

Growing up I remember having lots of fun with Daddy.  I remember races across the pool in the summer. I remember (or think I remember) him teaching me the fight song and watching lots of football together.  I remember him coaching my soccer team and my basketball team the only years I ever wanted to play those sports (we were "The Ice" (basketball) and "The Smashing Pumpkins" (soccer) just in case you want to know what kind of teams he ended up getting to coach).  I remember him speaking the truth to me in love when I was being a brat and taking my cd player away for a week when I needed an attitude adjustment.  

I also remember a lot of things that he might not know I do.  Things like him treating my Mom as his equal every day of their marriage.  Watching him hug my Mom and hold her hand when they sat next to each other.  I remember watching him treat everyone with respect whether it be the waiter at our table when we went out to eat or our minister.  I remember hearing him tell me that he was quitting his job to start his own company and how that would modify our lives that that time.  I remember him building me a big wedge for my bed so that I could sit reclined in my bed after I was in a car accident when I was 14 that left me with two broken arms.  

To say that I led a charmed childhood would probably be an understatement.  Daddy worked hard to provide me with more than I could have ever wanted.  We had our share of disagreements and the teenage years were not fun for anyone in our household, but I always knew that my Daddy loved me and would always be there for me.  

In this stage of my life, I am enjoying seeing Daddy recognized by others for his hard work and dedication over the years.  It is amazing the number of people who come up to me and tell me what a great man my Daddy is and how much they admire and respect him.  And while I know that he values that outside exhortation as much as anyone naturally would, I also know that he ultimately values my Mom's respect and love as well as my brother's and mine more than anything.

I am so blessed to have parents that have always modeled what it means to love God and each other, to work hard, to respect others, to treat everyone as equals, and to have fun.  If I could have had my pick of parents, I wouldn't have chosen anyone but them.  

So today, on your birthday, I want to tell you, Daddy, how proud I am of you and how thankful I am to be your daughter.  You have always made me feel special and cherished and that is a gift too huge for words.  You showed me what a good husband and father looks like which led me to marry a great man like you and I'm so thankful for that example.  I love you so much and am so glad that we get to celebrate your birthday with you!  I love you Daddy! And Charlotte and James love you too, Papa!