Happy birthday to . . . DAD!

Today is a day to be celebrated in my world . . . happy birthday, Dad! I'm increasingly thankful for my dad and all the love he's given me, the lessons he's taught (and is teaching) me and the legacy he leaves in his daily life. He is a man of character and integrity and discipline and perspective and humor and insight. And he knows how to celebrate - my dad always finds ways to make every day special, and especially birthdays. We look forward to celebrating this one with him here in our town in a few days . . .

Now that we are entering the reality of becoming parents ourselves, I have a new appreciation for mine and all that they are and all that they have always been to me. It's overwhelming at times to know that they knew me from this teeny stage that Trev and I are experiencing right now- they were having some of the same thoughts and feelings, no doubt.

Just a few memories I'd like to appreciate about my dad on his birthday today are:

• Springtime & activities- we took countless morning and evening bike rides around the neighborhood, played basketball at nearby parks.
  
• Vacations & hiking & observations - I am so thankful for all the places my parents took us while we were growing up. My dad and I as often as possible would wake up early wherever we were to go explore the land (which was usually beautiful) by hiking and jogging through woods, along the Grand Canyon, by the ocean.
  
• Road trips - I have very early memories of my dad taking me to work on the road as he would travel to see different customers. I also remember picnics and I recall him being home a lot. I always felt very loved and I don't take that for granted.
  
• Saturdays - watching cartoons together on the big brown chair, making cinnamon toast, working in the yard, running errands. Saturdays were always special.
  
• Sundays - I have amazing Sunday memories with my dad. From when my brother was a baby and he would bring me to church, to making cinnamon toast or eggs after church, to just relaxing in the evenings. Sundays were always great.
  
• College days, married days, expecting baby days - through every stage of my life, my dad has been there and has been involved and interested and encouraging in whatever I was going through. He always gets to know my friends (he would dine with me in the college cafeteria on his way through town even!), he calls my husband a son, and he's excited to be a grandpa. I'm so thankful too that he's let me in on his life, that I can know his friends and his interests and his thoughts.
  

And more memories - my dad is awesome at taking time to remember events/occasions/celebrations and reminiscing about the good times. I came across some pictures that bring back memories and also illustrate some of the values my dad holds that I so appreciate . . .

Always helping - almost every time they come to visit us, my parents are helping us do something to improve our house. And to make it even better, he pretends to love doing it. =) Below was this summer's patio project.















Always making time for . . . fun! Dad (and mom of course!) have literally let us see the world (notice, we're at Epcot in this picture, where we went to France, Germany, Morocco, Russia, the UK, Canada . . .).















Always giving - this is my dad with children from the "God's Child Project" in Guatemala. Since I left for college (and probably before!) he has been extremely involved with this organization, giving countless hours, millions of thoughts, and many pieces of his heart to this awesome ministry. He has been a constant example to me of living to give, how to be a faithful steward of all we've been given.















Always prioritizing family - this picture is of my parents' 25th wedding anniversary. I continually appreciate my parents' marriage relationship and am so thankful for their example. In loving my mom, my dad really does love his children too.
















All that to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DK!