The man who first showed me love.

Today, I'm feeling weary.

Today, I'm feeling like I want to curl up in my comfy owl blanket and just nap the day away.

But..today, I'm forcing myself to stop thinking of well...MYSELF and think about what else today represents.

You see, today is my dad's birthday.

60th birthday to be exact!

It's a big day.

It's a special day,.

Cause it's his day. 

 

Honestly, he was cool from the beginning. 

Any guy who matches his shirt to his truck is alright in my book. ;0)

Trees and Sailors and Magnum P.I. 

Oh My!

As a little girl, I watched The Little Mermaid...all the time! I had every line memorized.

Every song was sung on a daily basis.

*I even used a "dingle-hopper" to comb my hair*

Loved the movie, from beginning...to NEARLY the end...

I could never resolve myself to love the part where she left her daddy King Triton, to marry Prince Eric...why couldn't she still marry the prince, but still be around her daddy?

 I would spend the first 15 minutes after the movie, pondering this. 

Crying. ...who would want to leave their daddy, when they have such a great one like I do??

Here's why I had hard time "leaving" him....

My memories of my dad are pretty lovely from the beginning.

My first memory of him, was of me zipping down a water slide at full speed... confused, concerned...and basically scared to DEATH of what was happening to me...

Until he caught me.

I felt safe.

Or traveling across the good ole' U.S of A. Making our way to his home state of Mississippi..

(that's M-I-crooked letter, crooked letter I, crooked letter, crooked letter I, hump-back, hump-back I, in case you were wondering.)

listening to all things country, Garth Brooks, George Straight, Alan Jackson...you name it!

And in between these golden oldies we would listen to my dad 

(who by the way was the oldest son of a Southern Baptist preacher)

 teach us ridiculous and silly songs that he had made up about little birdies with a yellow bill, waking him up only to realize they made a big mistake! 

I won't post the lyrics here, because I don't want to scar any children. ;0)

He made me feel like it was OK to be silly. 

In fact, it made life more enjoyable. 

*no one wants to be poopy!*

*yup, this is where I got it!*

Or the time I got upset and kicked a hole in my bedroom wall.

He came in to inspect the damage...listened to my "story" of how I slipped and my head hit the wall....though the hole was coincidentally shaped exactely like my left foot.

He didn't yell. He didn't call me a liar.

He gave me a little smile. And left me to my now guilt ridden mind.

*I did fess up, the guilt was too much!*

He taught me that in parenting, you win more with patience than frustration.

Or when I worked at McDonald's and he would drive me there every morning at 5am.

And slowwwwwwly tell me stories about his childhood.

I remember getting sort of irritated thinking "DAD...HURRY up and finish the story, I have to be INSIDE this building to start work!"....

guess who realized that she ALSO is a slow story teller?

Yup. I inherited this gift.

(Again with that patience lesson! Maybe it'll stick!)

I have memories of my mama and dad smooching ALL the time!!

*as a child, I found this quite disturbing*

But it also comforted me. 

It showed me that "I love you's" and snuggles were to be cherished. 

I remember my wedding day.

Dancing to "Butterfly Kisses" with him.

It was time for me to leave "King Triton", it was time for me to start my life with my husband. 

It was time to put into practice those

smooches and I love you's that I saw him and mom giving.

To start my own family and demonstrate compassion, patience and love.

*although, let's be real...there ARE the frustration moments...this is life people!*

So, today...I'm putting my mopies aside.

I'm celebrating the 60 years of life that God has blessed my daddy with. 

I'm thanking Him for blessing our family with this godly leader, this tender hearted, talented, patient and silly man.

This man.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

*Lemons for my mopey mood, but Snickers for the thankful mood!*

~Bekah