A note to my Daddy ~

Thank you, Daddy for:

loving our mother, holding her hand in the car and showing us what a Godly marriage is like

telling me how pretty I look from pigtails, to braces and even now

always drying my hair every night when I was little

trying all the concoctions that we used to make in kitchen even though they were most likely nasty

waking me up when you left the house really early so I could get in bed with Moma

making us killer breakfasts and cinnamon toasts on Saturday mornings while we watched cartoons

teaching me about Jesus and taking me to church everytime the doors were open

playing games and watching way too much Saved by the Bell/Steve Erkel/Full House

taking us to the watermelon patch and letting us swim in the river even though Moma said no : )

telling us so many stories of your childhood and passing on funny tall tales

letting me see you spend time with the Lord every morning as I got up

making me chocolate milkshakes at night

taking us all over the US in our caravan mini van giving us so many good memories

teaching me kindness by just watching you with others, especially strangers

protecting me from so many bad and negative things in this world

letting me ride around in the lawn mower even after I ran into the tree beside the backporch

getting out in the ocean with us when we went to the beach, i loved that

drive me to babysitting, cheer practice, friend's houses, owensboro, tennis matches, jays, games and too many other places I just "had" to go

making me get a job and teaching me how to save money

helping me with my homework at the kitchen table

making sure I always had "cool" clothes and teaching me that there is more than clothes to being cool

telling me to not drink, smoke or chew...or go with the boys that do : )

teaching me to drive a stick in my little pick up as we drove up and down our drive way

filling my car up with gas and checking my oil and teaching me to do that

spending so many evenings at the middle and high school watching us cheer

letting us spend "$50" on our prom dresses and for being ok that they weren't really $50

waking me up every morning so I had enough time to get ready even though I often got mad at you

laughing and picking on me to make me smile when I got mad at you : )

teaching me that even though I fail, I should just work harder next time

giving me foot rubs (to this day)

packing me up to college and the other twenty times I moved during my 5 years at Western

driving up to Bowling Green countless times and taking my friends and me out to eat

trusting God when I said I wanted to go on a summer long mission trip, twice

telling me not to get a credit card in college, even though I'd have the chance to everyday

sitting with me in the hospital in BG during my jaw surgery *and every other surgery* because Moma was in the hospital in Owensboro

not taking a wooden nickel for me : )

really taking an interest in my life, what I do and friends

praying for me and telling me that you do every morning (it always made me feel secure, still does)

telling me I can be whoever I want to be with God's help

picking me up when I ran out of gas, putting money in my acct when I was broke and calling me to make sure I wake up for tests/work/anything else important

making sure I was going to church, going to classes and brushing my teeth : )

letting me move back in when I came home from college

helping me find a job and making sure I found one where I'd get insurance

telling me that you knew one day God would bring me my husband and that you prayed for that every morning

volunteering for MentorKids events and loving the kids I fell in love with

taking my friends and me to the drive in movies with you and Moma

grilling, frying fish and making pies with Moma for oh soo many family dinners

walking me down the aisle and making sure I had the most magical wedding day

helping us get our sweet little home just right and move lots of things in and out

bringing us veggies and watermelon from your garden

loving our sweet babies just like they came from my belly

teaching me to follow God above all things, work hard, respect others and make family a priority

loving me and just being my Daddy

Happiest Father's Day to the greatest Daddy I know!