Happy Birthday to My Dad

It's Dad's birthday today, and I'm on my way to find his gift. Yes, that probably sounds like a trend, last minute shopping, but I really did look before today, and I even have an idea. The stores just didn't have any.



Yeah, I'm dad's favorite daughter! Even though I asked and asked for a sister, I remained the only daughter.







Yes, dad made this rocking horse for our wedding day. It was a surprise. I had no idea what he was working on in the basement, and I couldn't ask any questions. When I was little, I would ride my spring horse like no tomorrow while my dad sang and played his guitar. Dad would ask for requests, and I always said, "Play the skates song dad!" Don't you know that one? Oh, well, the skates song, is I Will Enter His Gates. So, to provide a final ride (or to thoroughly embarrass me) dad made me a giant rocking horse, brought it out at the reception, and played the skates song.

He's been a wonderfully involved dad in my life. Growing up, we had our spring horse rides, bucking bronco rides on his back (trying to hang on as long as we could), trips to the church where Pete and I would preach and play the piano to "Preach to the Lord!!" (little minds a bit confused but imitating Dad), lunches of spaghettios while watching I Love Lucy and Andy Griffith, sit up competitions (a battle to see how many we could do in a minute...made me a champ during those gym physical fitness tests), and running...lots of running (he coached me from 8th grade on and even through most of college). Then he appropriately cleaned his shot gun when Matt asked his permission to court me, wore shorts and barn boots when Matt asked to marry me, walked me down the aisle (no gun or barn boots), officiated our wedding with Matt's dad, and has been involved during this time with Matt away. Happy Birthday to a wonderful dad and Godly example!